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Growing cucumbers is not hard. Some say that growing cucumbers need spacious space, but today you can do it in less space, too.
Before you start growing cucumbers, here are few things you need to know about these plants:
- Cucumbers are members of the Cucurbitaceae family.
- Cucumbers are climbing vines so once you grow them, they will grow up higher and higher.
- Cucumbers have two types of flower: male and female. The female ones have tiny cucumbers at their bottom.
- Cucumbers love a warm, well-drained soil.
- Cucumbers can be eaten fresh (slicing varieties), or pickled (pickling varieties). The pickling varieties can grow up to 7 – 10 cm long and 2.5 wide, while the slicing ones can grow even bigger (up to 35 cm).
- It is recommended to highly consider growing cucumbers and put them in your daily diet since their properties will help you improve the health of your skin, hair and nails.
Growing cucumbers begins with a good preparation. Put a fair amount of organic compost into the soil. Always keep the soil well-drained. Raise the beds around 6 inches high.
Next step in growing cucumbers is sowing the seeds in biodegradable seedling pots, 2.5 cm deep. It will keep the roots safe when you plant out the seedlings. Do not plant them outside before the last frost.
Also, when you sow the seeds, keep the holes apart at about 40 cm between each. Three seeds in each hole is a best trick to increase the success rate of germination. Keep the rows apart at about 90 cm between each.
Growing cucumbers in a green house is a good idea, too, since they enjoy sunlight and a warm environment. Make sure you spare enough space up high that they can reach around six feet. Another way of growing cucumbers is, should you do not have enough space for them to grow up high, letting them spread over the ground, against the wall, stakes or trellises.
Weed the cucumbers regularly, but be careful not to go below a couple of centimeter with your hoe. Damaged roots will slow down their growth.
Growing cucumbers also means that you have to water them well each week. They love water!
Help them pollinate by transferring the pollen from male flowers onto the center of female flowers, use cotton bud to help you out.
Harvest your cucumbers by twisting them off the plant, or by cutting the stalk just above the tips. Do this when they reach suitable size, normally 50 to 60 days after planting. The ripe fruits should be dark green. Do not wait till they turn yellow, it means they are overripe and their flavor declines.
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