Our Favorite Varieties of Cucumbers - FineGardening (2024)

FAQs

What should you not plant next to cucumbers? ›

Plants in the same family as zucchinis, melons and pumpkins should not be planted directly next to cucumbers. The same applies to Jerusalem artichokes, lovage, sage, radishes, radishes and tomatoes.

Bush Champion cucumbers are the perfect choice for small gardens outdoors due to their compact plants, rapid growth rate, and resistance to mosaic virus. They produce eight to 11-inch fruit in just 60 days, making them a prolific and reliable producer of crisp, bright green cucumbers.

English cucumbers, also known as seedless, greenhouse, burpless, or European cucumbers, are long and slender with sweet, firm flesh encased in a smooth, thin, dark green skin. With great crunch and small, almost unnoticeable seeds, these are one of the most versatile cucumbers in the kitchen.

Ideal pots are a foot or more in depth, and that size will increase your harvest. A pot that's 20 inches wide can accommodate four to six plants. Two or three plants will fit in a five-gallon bucket or grow one cucumber in a 10-inch-wide container.

Cucumbers and tomatoes can be planted by each other as they share similar growing habits and therefore you can grow tomatoes by cucumbers. Greg Volente from Greenhouse Today explains that: 'Cucumbers and tomatoes are two vigorous growers in a spring garden. They're both vining plants and share similar basic needs.

Acidic-loving plants such as azaleas, blueberries, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, and roses will benefit from a sprinkling of coffee grounds around the base of plants. Vegetable crops that may benefit from coffee grounds include carrots, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, and radishes.

Top tips for growing cucumbers

Cucumber plants like sun, but are prone to scorching, so some shade is preferable. Encourage greenhouse varieties to climb to boost yields. Harvest fruits early in the day while it's cool. Harvest frequently to get more fruits during the season.

Even in large gardens where cucumbers have room to spread out along the ground, growing cucumbers on a trellis provides many benefits. Trellis-grown vines produce higher yields than those on the ground, and by growing upward instead of outward, you can produce significantly more fruit per square foot.

Depending on who you ask, a healthy cucumber plant can be expected to produce 10 large cukes or 15 small ones within a harvest period of about three weeks.

U.S. No. 1 consists of cucumbers that show characteristic color and which are fairly well formed, fresh and firm, but are not full grown or ripe; which are free from decay and from damage caused by dirt, freezing, sunburn, mosaic or other disease, insects, or mechanical or other means.

What is the most common cucumber in the United States? ›

Garden Cucumbers

These smooth, dark green cucumbers are the most common type in North America. At the grocery store, they tend to be waxed (this helps them retain moisture) so be sure to peel them before eating.

The most productive types of cucumbers are called parthenocarpic cucumbers. These don't require pollination at all! The female flowers on these plants will produce fruit without pollination/fertilization. The fruits don't have any seeds but are still delicious!

Cucumbers need moderate nitrogen and high phosphorus and potassium, so an organic plant food with the first number lower than the last two (like 3-4-6) is good. Keep plants well watered to avoid bitter-tasting cucumbers.

Yes. Using a tomato cage to train cucumbers to grow vertically gives the plants plenty of room to breathe, helps form perfectly straight fruits, and helps prevent pests and soil diseases.

Cucumbers and squash plants pair well with peppers because their low growth habit shields the soil from direct sun, prevents weeds, and keeps your soil from drying out too quickly.

As with other squash plants, it is not advisable to plant zucchini and cucumbers together. Cucumbers are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, just like zucchini and so they will compete for space and nutrients. Also, growing several similar plants in the same area can make it easier for pests to find the plants.

Cucumbers grow best in warm weather. Start seeds indoors in late April for transplants. Sow seed directly in the garden after soil has warmed, usually in May. Plastic mulch and row covers allow earlier planting.