Growing Cucumbers

Cucumber Harvest

Cucumber Harvest

Sow: February to May
Harvest: July to September

Why Grow Cucumbers?
Cucumber are part of the cucurbitaceae family which includes pumpkin and originate in India. Cucumbers grow on vines which have tendrils to enable them to cling onto trellis or support frame.

  • They can be eaten raw or can be pickled.
  • The skin and the flesh is a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, foliate and fibre.
  • Cucumber is made up of 95% water and are therefore low in calories.

How To Grow Cucumbers from Seed in 10 Easy Steps

Cucumber Varieties:

Germination Rate:

Cucumber seeds do take a number of weeks to germinate and raise their leaves above the soil this is because they are super sensitive to temperature changes. The soil temperature has to be in between 60 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit or 15 – 35 degrees Celsius, which can be difficult sometimes when the night temperature drops. My cucumber seeds have germinated in 4 – 5 weeks.

What growing conditions do cucumbers like?:
They like a lot of moisture and are heavy feeders. Cucumbers are 95% water this is why they have high watering requirements when growing.

How to Sow Cucumbers From Seed in Pots:

  • Seed Cells or Seed Tray or Pots,
  • Multi-purpose or potting compost,
  • Watering can,
  • A Plant Label.

Instructions:

  1. Refer to your own seed packet or take these instructions as a guide only.
  2. Fill the seed cells, tray or pots with multi-purpose or potting compost.
  3. Water the compost lightly.
  4. Open the seed packet and place one seed on the surface of each cell or pot. If using a seed tray sow the seeds about 1 inch apart.
  5. Cover the seed with a sprinkling of compost.
  6. Water the compost well.
  7. Label and place in a mini greenhouse, coldframe or a sheltered warm place.
  8. The seeds should not need watering again until they appear above the soil as seedlings. Please do check on the soil each week especially if the seeds are in full sunlight, if it does look really dry, then water it.

Top Tips on Growing Cucumbers:

When your cucumber seedlings have two large leaves or more they will need to be transplanted to a bigger pot so they can feed off the nutrients in the new compost.

Please see my How To Guide on how to transplant your seedlings.

  1. Cucumbers are mostly water, therefore they need regular watering to keep growing.
  2. If you haven’t grown cucumbers before, look for the female flower only varieties. Cucumber fruits only grow from the female flowers, male flowers have to be picked off the plant.
  3. Cucumbers require nutrient rich soil like compost and they are easy to grow in a grow bag. They also like full sun which is why they are often grown in a greenhouse. Some varieties can be grown outside as well.
  4. Check on the variety you are growing and don’t allow the fruits to get too big otherwise they will become flavourless.
  5. Use a support frame, or canes and netting to support the plant stem as it will need to take the weight of several cucumbers.

How to Harvest:
Cut the stem above the cucumber.

Vegetables to Grow with Cucumbers