How to Grow and Harvest Cucumbers

INSIDE: WANT TO KNOW HOW TO GROW AND HARVEST CUCUMBERS SO YOU CAN ENJOY FRESH, CRUNCHY VEGGIE ALL SUMMER ? YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE.

Put them on your salad or sandwich, snack on them with a little salt, put them in your water…whatever you do with your cucumbers…we can all agree they are worth the little effort it takes to grow them.

Crunchy, crisp and refreshing. I love these things! It might be my favorite vegetable….Yes…Yes cucumbers are my favorite!

Once upon a time, I didn’t know how easy it was to grow them. When we figured it out, they became a staple in our garden.

Disclosure Statement: The links in this post contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link. Those funds help keep this site alive and kickin’ but it doesn’t cost YOU a thing! Click here for the full disclosure.

They don’t need much – follow along to see for yourself.

1 – Start from seeds

Cucumbers are so easy. You DO NOT have start them inside, in fact, they are so hardy, I don’t waste my time with sowing indoors. There are a few simple steps to plant them directly into the ground (of course, after the threat of frost is gone):

Wait until it is warm outside, they like warm soil
Of course, with all veggies chose your site carefully. Check out this post to help you figure that out
Prepare the garden for vegetables by checking out this post for those instructions
Now that you can put the seeds in the ground – make sure to check the back of your seed packet for instructions – some need more space etc…read the instructions!

I am a firm believer in the mounding technique. Whether you are using raised beds, containers, or straight into the ground, mounding will work for you. Here’s how you do it –

Create a pile of dirt in the middle of your container OR the corners of the boxes (you can do 1, 2 or 4 mounds depending on the size of your space)
The mound should be about 6 inches tall and depending on the type of cucumber you plant, the mounds should be 18-36 inches apart
In the center of the mound, press 5-6 cucumber seeds about 1 inch deep, cover them, and lightly tamp the mound (tamp = pack lightly)
Water immediately!!!!!

2 – Daily Care

Water and sunlight! They like warmth and they need water. If you forget to water them, you can still bring them back, but don’t go too many days without watering. You will end up with bitter cucumbers.

This is where knowing the type of cucumber you have planted helps you…vining cucumbers need a trellis to climb up; whereas a bush cucumber does not. This is important to protecting the veggies as they bloom. Keeping them on the ground can create too moist of an environment for them to grow. Bush cucumbers tend to grow away from the ground without your help.

3 – Thinning the mound

There have been a few times that all 6 of my seeds have sprouted, but usually I get 3 to come up. The important thing to remember here is that you want the best one because it is survival of the fittest! You will have to thin each mound so that there is only ONE sprout! Wait until they are about 4 inches tall and make the decision which one gets the ax! Make your choice and PULL IT!!! Don’t look back, don’t feel guilty, don’t try to give the Weakest Link to one of your friends – TRASH it and MOVE on!

4 – Show me the VEGGIE

To get a decent amount of fruits (what gardeners just call all things that are produced by the plant in question), you must create a pollination habitat. The best way to do that – BEES! I know, they can smell fear and they look super scary but guess what, they don’t want you! They want to take the pollen from your male flowers and bring it to your female flowers hence helping you grow cucumbers! They really WANT to help you.

So – to attract some bees, you can spray your sprouts with a little sugar water. I have never had to do this – wanna know my secret? I plant the cucumbers near my rose bushes….2 birds with 1 stone! It’s like X-Rated Bee heaven over there!

5 – Harvesting

Oh the sweet reward! Cucumbers can grow up to 10 inches but they are really bitter by then. Let them grow to about 5-7 inches (check your seed packet to know how big yours should be). The key to this is color. You want them uniformly GREEN. If they are yellow, pick them and throw them away. If you keep the yellow ones on the vine, the plant will stop producing veggies. BAD NEWS!!!!

The best part is they will keep producing as long as it’s warm and you keep picking. The vines will get long, so keep them well groomed.

6 – Storage

If you can’t find enough reasons to love cucumbers in this post – I don’t know how I can help you. Because I’m about to tell you another fact about cucumbers that make them amazing! They are 90% water…….

Do you know what that means?

You can use them a million different ways. As a flavor booster, an eye serum, a food, or a way to get your water intake for the day!!!!

Storing them is easy because all you have to do is keep them moisturized. Pick them, wash and dry them, and place them in a plastic bag! Once they are in the plastic bag, they do need to go into the fridge. If you store them correctly, they can last up to 10 days.

Do you have secrets to successful cucumbers? Comment below!

Happy growing,