Growing Cucumbers

I love growing cucumbers. The best memory I have is taking a big bite out of an extremely bitter cucumber. That was early in my gardening journey and I had planted a cucumber meant for pickling, not eating raw. Who would have thought there was a difference? I sure didn’t. 

So, when picking seeds to plant make sure you read the seed package carefully.

Decide What To Grow

Cucumbers have a refreshing taste mostly because they are high in water. They are divided into 2 categories: those used for pickling and those used for slicing. Pickling cucumbers tend to be bitter and are not good when eaten raw. They are used to make pickles. 

Slicing cucumbers are very good eaten raw and include seedless English (hothouse), lemon, and the common market type. Slicing cucumbers can also be bitter if they are allowed to get too big so they need to harvested at the right time.  

Cucumber plants can be vining cucumbers and bush cucumbers. The vining type grow up a trellis or fence and are cleaner as they do not grow on the ground. Both types of plants grow vines with large leaves which provide shade to the growing cucumber. This year I am trying vining type and constructed a trellis. So far, so good.

Often the cucumbers are hidden under the large leaves which can get missed during harvesting thus getting too big (I have done this many times). Bush cucumbers which I have grown, seem to fit in most garden spaces. You can make multiple plantings a few weeks apart to get a continued harvest of cucumbers.  

Sowing Seeds

Cucumbers grow quickly and ripen in 6-8 weeks in soil which is already warm (65-70 degrees). The temperature must be right for the seeds to germinate. This year we had a stretch of cool temperatures and my first planting did not do well. I replanted when the temperature fluctuations were minimal and the cucumbers are thriving now.

I sow seeds directly into the ground. In our area the ground is usually warm enough by mid May. Do not plant them outside too early as they are susceptible to frost damage. By the beginning of July we are enjoying a good crop, but this year, due to replanting, it will be mid to late July.

Upkeep And Care

They need to be watered about 1 inch a week and more if the temperatures are high and rain is scarce. That has been our set up this summer therefore, I water them daily using a drip system.  

Honestly the main care requirement is watering and making sure it is consistent. Inconsistent watering can cause bitter cucumbers and odd shapes. It is best to water early in the morning avoiding the leaves.  We have many pine trees and use dropped pine needles as a mulch to hold moisture.

Pollination

If the vines bloom with no fruit, there is something off with the pollination. Very hot  (100+) run of consecutive days can delay fruit developing. Bees appeared everywhere which are important in pollination and our vines have done well thanks to the bees. Hand pollination is always an option. 

Harvesting

Do not let cucumbers get too big as they will taste bitter. Check vines daily once fruit peaks as they get large quickly. The vines do produce more fruit the more you harvest. Cucumbers are best picked when they are slightly immature which appear uniformly green, firm, and  crisp. Yellowing at the bottom (blossom end) signals the fruit is overripe. Use a knife or scissors to cut the stem to remove the fruit as pulling will damage the vine.

Storage

Cucumbers are mostly water therefore, when storing them in refrigerator, wrap them in plastic to keep them crisp and retain water. They will keep 7-10 days.

Marinated Cucumbers

They are a low calorie food. The skin contains Vitamin K and is fat soluble and assists in blood clotting. When cucumbers are pickled it is important to keep in mind they contain almost half of the salt we should eat in a day.

• 2-4 cucumbers
• ½ of a small onion sliced thin 
• Olive oil
• Red wine vinegar
• Celery seed
• Salt
• Pepper 

Peel the cucumbers if desired ( I do not). Cut the cucumber lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon. Slice the cucumbers into a bowl. Add the onion. Pour olive oil and red wine vinegar over the cucumbers to your taste. Add celery seed. Salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well.

Enjoy!