Why Grow Cucumbers

At Wellies and Waxjackets, cucumbers score highly on the growing scale due to their delicious taste and health benefits. They outshine shop-bought varieties in flavour, which is a rare accolade for homegrown fruits. Moderately healthy, most benefits come from the skin and seeds, making smaller cucumbers more desirable. One plant can yield over £30 worth of cucumbers, occupying minimal space, and they thrive during both early and late seasons if provided with warmth at night.

How Many to Grow?

Cucumbers are prolific, with the assumption that one baby cucumber per day per person is a reasonable estimate. Thus, one plant is sufficient for every two individuals, which might still be excessive when grown under cover.

Suitability for Different Growing Environments

Cucumbers are versatile and can flourish outdoors, in greenhouses, polytunnels, containers, or even large hanging baskets. They thrive in a conservatory with 6-8 hours of sunlight daily, making them suitable for various environments.

Lifecycle

In suitable climates, starting cucumber plants indoors is best, keeping potting to a minimum. These vining plants can produce cucumbers at any leaf junction. A single plant can grow a vine up to 10 feet long, bearing fruits at the end, middle, and start of the vine for months. While cucumbers can have male and female flowers, it's crucial to select varieties that predominantly produce female flowers to avoid bitter fruits. The leaves may develop mildew, but as long as the worst are pruned, the plants will continue to produce.

Sowing and Harvesting Periods

Cucumbers thrive best with extended growing seasons, and their planting and harvesting periods may vary. For those who want cucumbers from April to November, the methods outlined below are worth considering.

First Earlies (Sow Early February - Harvest Late April)

Cucumbers require warmth and light, needing temperatures of at least 10°C (50°F) at night. First earlies are started in February in a propagator, using warm water and compost. They are planted high up to maximize light and grown in deep troughs that hold moisture effectively. Regular watering is essential, gradually increasing from every few days to twice daily in summer. Harvesting occurs from late April to late August.

Second Earlies (Sow Late February - Harvest Early May)

A second batch of seeds is sown in late February, thriving in containers with canes in the conservatory, benefiting from extra light provided by adjacent grow lights.

Early Main Crop

While an early main crop isn't sown due to ample earlies in the conservatory, those with heated greenhouses can plant in early April for May harvesting. However, late planting typically yields better results.

Main Crop (Sow Late April - Harvest July)

Sown in late April for planting in the polytunnel at the end of May, these cucumbers do best in the ground with consistent watering, mirroring the care given to tomatoes.

Main Crop Outside (Sow Early May - Harvest August)

While typically not grown outside, it’s feasible to plant cucumbers at home, selecting outdoor varieties and ensuring they are sheltered with plenty of sun.

Late Crop (Sow Early August - Harvest October)

Cucumbers require warmth and light for late crops, ideally grown in a conservatory. Starting in August on a sunny windowsill helps maximize growth.

Recommended Varieties

For a selection of cucumber varieties suited to different environments, please consult our guide.

How to Sow

Cucumber seeds should be sown in 4" pots or equivalent modules, placed side-on. Water with warm water and germinate at 70-80°F in a propagator or on a sunny windowsill. After germination, maintain warmth and light, ensuring protection from drafts.

How to Prick Out/Pot On

Cucumbers are sensitive to root disturbance, so it’s preferable to sow one seed per pot and transplant into a larger pot only once. When transplanting, create a depression in the new pot's compost to accommodate the root ball without disturbing it.

Where to Plant

Cucumbers can be planted in various ways, including:

1. Large troughs in the conservatory, placed high for maximum light.
2. Containers in the conservatory (20 liters for one plant) supported on canes.
3. Large containers in the polytunnel, although this method can be less successful due to watering challenges.
4. Ground planting in the polytunnel, which allows them to thrive alongside tomatoes.

Spacing

• One plant per 20 liters in a container (preferably 30 liters).
• One plant every 18 inches in the ground, ensuring they have enough vertical space to vine.

How to Plant

To minimize root disturbance, bury a plant pot of the same size as the cucumber's pot, firm the soil around it, then remove the pot. Ease the cucumber out of its pot and place it into the hole, watering with slightly warm water.

In containers, use homemade compost, tomato compost, or multipurpose compost.

Protecting and Supporting Your Plants

Cucumbers are natural climbers, but they may require support. Preferred methods include:

1. Up canes, tied in every foot.
2. Along strings, winding around horizontal supports.
3. Trailing down from troughs with regular fruit harvesting.
4. Tied or clipped for the first two feet and then wound around the string.

How to Feed and Water

Water little and often, allowing water to warm to room temperature before application. Cucumbers need ample nitrogen, making chicken manure pellets a good choice.

How to Prune/Manage While Growing

Removing Male Flowers

When growing female hybrid varieties, it is recommended to remove male flowers, as they can lead to bitter fruits. Male flowers can be identified by the absence of a tiny fruit behind the flower. However, if male flowers remain, the fruits will still be edible and potentially sweeter than store-bought options.

How and When to Harvest

Harvest cucumbers frequently as they reach 4-8 inches in size. More frequent harvesting encourages further production. Snip fruits off with a thumbnail or scissors.

How to Store

While many advise against refrigerating cucumbers, they can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for up to two weeks. Keeping them in humid conditions also extends their shelf life.

How to Eat/Cook

Cucumbers are best enjoyed fresh.

How to Deal with Pests and Disease

Pest issues are typically minimal; however, maintaining hydration can help mitigate leaf mildew. If a plant wilts suddenly, it’s often unclear how to prevent it. Regular maintenance and watering practices usually keep plants healthy.

When and How to Remove the Plants

After the growing season, snip off the roots and leave them in the ground, composting the tops.

Crop Rotation

In the polytunnel, cucumbers follow calabrese, which comes after lettuce. Lettuce is typically planted after cucumbers in October.

Interplanting

Cucumbers do not interplant well with other crops.