– Garth Ruff, OSU Extension, Henry County
Cucumbers come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Photo: Terese Houle
Cucumbers are a warm weather crop that are easy to grow in full sun and in fertile, moist soil. They prefer a soil pH between 6 and 6.5 or slightly acidic. Cucumbers do not like cold weather so direct sow seeds when soil temperatures are above 70F and evening air temperatures do not dip below 60F. Plant seeds 1 – 1.5″ deep, spaced 2″ apart and provide 5 – 6′ between rows so the vines can spread. If seeds are started indoors, take care not to disturb the taproot when transplanting. To thin cucumbers, cut or pinch rather than pulling seedlings which can damage the roots of other plants.
Once in the ground, cucumbers are heavy feeders and the addition of nitrogen fertilizers mid-season is recommended.
Cucumbers come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors and can be eaten raw or pickled. Select the varieties that best suit your garden size and desired use. If you have limited space, try a compact variety such as Salad Bush or Bush-Pickle.
Cucumbers are subject to several pests and diseases so good management practices of rotating crops, spacing plants for good airflow, watching and removing insects as well as good sanitation practices of removing infested plants and destroying old plant material will help increase and extend your harvest.