Growing cucumbers can be one of the most rewarding and easy gardening adventures that you can embark upon. The success rate for cucumbers is actually quite high, and planting them is a pretty easy thing to learn how to do. The basics of cucumber planting and growing are very simple concepts, and the nutritional value of doing so is very well known. From your stomach to your skin care, cucumbers are a valuable commodity.
The first thing to remember about planting cucumbers is to make sure that all risk of a frost has past. This practice can be avoided by starting them indoors a few weeks earlier than that safe zone, and then planting them outside once they have exited the dangerous time periods of frost. This time of year varies depending upon where you live.
The ideal soil to use for cucumbers will have outstanding drainage, though most cucumbers will grow pretty well in any soil. You want to pick the best draining soil, however, to maximize your take of cucumbers come harvest. Make certain that all outside sources such as trash is clear of the soil before planting. Also, make certain that you remove any large sticks and rocks as well. These can get in the way of the cucumbers growth pattern.
Make sure you fertilize the soil with compost or manure well before you actually plant the cucumbers. This will help the soil to be ready when you actually plant the cucumbers.
Dig your cucumber holes so that they are in a hill. This allows for ample moisture, and also makes it easy to fence the cucumber vines. Place wire fencing along the hill so that you can easily adapt the vines to the fence.
Make sure that you turn the soil well before you are ready to plant. This allows time for the soil to “get happy” and prepare for your transplant of cucumbers. The actual planting should be done about an inch deep in the ground, and about ten inches apart in a row.
To maintain your cucumbers, make sure you water them at a rate of one inch per week. Soak the soil completely and make sure that you do this with regularity during the growing period of the cucumbers. You should also continue to fertilize the soil through the growing period. Also, make sure that you preen the vines regularly and once you get more than five to six leaves, nip them to encourage offshoots of more cucumbers.
If you follow these simple steps, you should be able to grow cucumbers like a gardening pro. No cucumber is the only bad cucumber, so be sure you eat the ugly ones as well. Regardless of their shape, they are tasty coming out of the garden. Whether cooked or eaten raw, cucumbers are a tasty treat the whole summer long.
