Cucumbers

Cucumbers of many types and varieties grow easily in sunny gardens, producing bountiful crops for many weeks in summer. Choose varieties according to their growth habits and how you plan to use them.

Cucumber types

Pickling, slicing, long (English, Persian, Armenian, Asian), round (lemon).
Trailing or vining, bush.
Seedless, bitter-free, burpless, disease-resistant.
Hybrid varieties blend the best features.

Cucumber culture

Evaluate your microclimate before planting. Cucumbers do not thrive in very cool, foggy, or windy locations. Large temperature swings and shade cause bitterness.
Amend soil with ample compost and nitrogen-rich fertilizer.
Wait to plant seed or set out transplants after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees, April-June.
Follow directions on seed packets for planting in hills or at the base of a trellis with 4-6 seeds in a group, thinning to 3 seedlings per hill or 2 at the base of each trellis support. Alternately, plant bush varieties in pots.
Trellis vines for straighter fruits, to avoid snails and slugs, and to keep fruits clean.
Side dress plants with compost and/or organic fertilizer after the first flowers appear.
Prevent bitterness and stress by keeping soil evenly moist with 1-2 in. of water per week and mulching with compost or straw. To conserve water, use drip irrigation or a soaker hose.
Apply irrigation evenly. Overwatering causes root rot.
Keep cucumbers as weed-free as possible to discourage insects and disease.
Pick frequently, every day or two: the more picked, the more are produced. Overly mature fruits turn yellow, become pithy, and lack flavor. Overripe lemon cucumbers turn bright yellow.

Cucumber pests

Keep an eye out for cucumber beetles that eat leaves and flowers; their larvae eat roots. They are about ¼ in. long, yellowish-green with twelve black spots.
Deter beetles with row covers over newly planted cucumbers or seedlings; remove covers to allow bees to reach vines when plants start flowering.
Watch for powdery mildew that damages foliage and reduces yield. Dusting with sulfur may help. Remove damaged vines no longer producing.
Avoid using insecticides as they not only kill offensive beetles, but all beneficial insects that pollinate cucumbers and other crops.

Additional Information

Sonoma County Master Gardener Vegetable Planting Summary.
https://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Food_Gardening_with_Less_Water/
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/cucumber/index.html
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/cucumber/cultural-tips/

February 2022