18 Tips to Help You Grow Incredible Cucumbers
{Includes Cucumber Salsa Recipe}
There is nothing like slicing up a nice, crisp cucumber right out of your own backyard. Cucumbers are a favorite for many gardens for good reason. Their ease of growing and the amazing taste they produce make them a fun addition to any home garden. Cucumbers are great added to pasta dishes, salads, juiced, pickled or eaten just plain.
A Brief History of the Cucumber
The cucumber is a cultivated plant belonging to the gourd family that originated in India over 4,000 years ago according to Vegetable Facts. It was cultivated for at least 3,000 years in Western Asia, and was most likely introduced to Europe by the Romans.
Christopher Columbus is credited for bringing the cucumber to Haiti in 1494. European trappers introduced cucumbers to the native Indians in the 16th century where they became a popular addition to their fields. Today, the cucumber is a top choice for gardeners and chefs worldwide.
Here are 18 helpful tips to help you grow incredible cucumbers:
- There are two different kinds of cucumbers: slicing and pickling. Each come in several different varieties. If you choose the slicing varieties know that these will usually grow between 6-8 inches long. If you choose the cucumbers to pickle they will grow between 3-4 inches long.
- Cucumbers can be growing in pots, raised beds, directly in the ground. If you want to save some space in your garden, these crunchy fruits do great trellised up.
- Tomato cages work great as a cucumber trellis or plant them along a fence.
- You can plant your cucumbers in rows, or on hills. Choosing to plant your cucumber plants on hills helps to make sure there is adequate drainage.
- Cucumbers like warm, humid, and well-drained soil, and covered in organic soil. You can also create your own cages by using sticks.
- When growing cucumbers, it’s important to know that they love the heat. They do best in temperatures of 70 – 85. However, these high temperatures make it hard to keep these vegetable hydrated. One of the biggest mistakes made when growing cucumbers is not having enough water, and drying out the vegetable.
- Cucumbers can be grown in just about any region, but due to their love for the hot weather, they do especially great in the south.
- Cucumbers need lots of water, but they may need extra water when they begin to produce flowers. These flowers are what will become our cucumber fruit. Make sure that they receive 1 – 2 inches of water during this time they are producing fruit.
- Use Root Sticks. Cucumbers need lots of water, and using a tool like a Root Stick will help to keep them hydrated directly at their roots. Root Sticks are a direct to root watering system that provides the nutrients, oxygen, and water to the root zone of a plant. We recommend using two to four Root Sticks for each vegetable plant, spaced evenly around plant. You can find out more about Root Sticks by visiting our page at: Root Sticks.
- Cucumbers can be started from seed. You can plant them directly into your garden a few weeks after the last day of frost. Or, you can start your cucumbers seedlings inside a few weeks before the last frost. If you start your seedling inside it’s important to do a process of hardening your seedlings off before you place them directly into your garden.
- Using biodegradable seedling starters can help the planting process as they do not harm the roots as you transfer them. You can upcycle old egg cartons or toilet paper rolls. You can even fold up an old newspaper to create a seedling holder. Plant these directly into the ground.
- To harden off your cucumber seedlings, place them outside for a few days before you place them in the garden.
- Add organic compost to your cucumber seedlings to help get them off to a great start.
- Before planting your seeds, make sure to remove any rocks or sticks.
- Pick and eat cucumbers early and often to help maintain their supply. The more you pick the more they will grow.
- When you harvest your cucumbers, you can cut them directly off the stem. Make sure to not damage the rest of the plant as they will continue to produce fruit for you all summer long. You can use scissors to help make sure a clean break.
- If you notice a powdery mildew on the leaves of this plant, it might be a sign of dry soil. If this is late in the season, it shouldn’t be a problem.
- Crop rotation is a great organic way to help to keep mildew at bay.
Organic cucumbers are an amazing addition to home gardens and so much fun to grow. By using these 18 tips, you are sure to grow incredible cucumbers that will last you throughout the summer.
Bonus Cucumber Recipe
Here is an added bonus for making your own cucumber salsa recipe from home grown organic cucumbers.
Cucumber Salsa Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 medium cucumbers chopped, seeded, and peeled
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- ½ Cup chopped green or red peppers
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Jalapeno chopped and seeded (Optional)
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 Tablespoon of freshly picked parsley and cilantro
- Garlic salt to taste
- Lime Juice from 2 limes
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and mix. Use a food processor, but keep chunky. Cover and refrigerate for over an hour. Remove and serve with freshly cut vegetables or tortilla chips.
Take Away
Cucumbers are a top choice for many home gardeners. They are easy to grow and don’t require a great deal of maintenance or attention. By using these 18 tips from choosing the right cucumber to include in your garden and selecting the optimal place to grow them to when to harvest your cucumbers and rotating your crops, you will have the knowledge you need to enjoy amazing home grown organic cucumbers.
Your Turn
Are you growing cucumbers in your garden? What tip did you find the most helpful? If you haven’t tried growing organic cucumbers, do you think you will give it a try? We would love to hear your thoughts. Please share your answers in the comments below.
