Week 6...Cucumbers

Primal Motherhood
Jul 25, 2019
6 min read

We are going to wrap the 6 week gardening series up talking all about Cucumbers. If you know me, you know I love my pickles! So, cucumbers is another one of my favorites to grow so I can make some pickles and enjoy them all year long.

I remember when we were kids, my family would grow lots and lots of cucumber plants. During the summer months we would go out to the patch some back and eat them as fast as we could clean them. If you ask me, there is nothing better than a fresh cucumber from the garden.

Health Benefits

Cucumbers are good sources of phytonutrients (plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties) such flavonoids, lignans and triterpenes, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits, according to World's Healthiest Foods.

"We should definitely seek out foods that are nutrient-rich, using the positive approach of what to put on your plate vs. what to keep off," said Angela Lemond, a Plano, Texas-based registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The peel and seeds are the most nutrient-dense parts of the cucumber. They contain fiber and beta-carotene. "Beta carotene is an antioxidant that helps with immunity, skin, eye and the prevention of cancer," said Lemond. A study published in the Pakistan Journal of Nutrition found that cucumber seeds were a good source of minerals, and contained calcium.

According to Live Science some of the health benefits include:

Hydration- Cucumbers at 95% water.

Cancer Prevention- Cucumbers contain two phytonutrient compounds associated with anti-cancer benefits: lignans and cucurbitacins.

Skin- Cucumbers have a cooling and soothing effect that decreases swelling, irritation and inflammation when used topically

Bone Health- 1 cup of cucumber contains 19% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K.

Antioxidants- Cucumbers contain several antioxidants, including vitamin C, beta-carotene and manganese, as well as flavonoids, triterpenes and lignans that have anti-inflammatory properties.

Heart Health- One cup of sliced cucumbers contains only about 4 percent of the body's daily potassium needs, but it comes with significantly fewer calories than most high-potassium foods like bananas. Potassium is an essential part of your heart health.

Digestion- Cucumber pickles contain probiotic bacteria that promote healthy digestion and cultivating beneficial gut flora.

Weight loss

Brain and Memory Health- Recently, scientists have taken interest in the flavonoid fisetin. Cucumbers are a good source of fisetin, which studies have associated with protecting nerve cells, improving memory and decreasing the risk of Alzheimer's in mice, according to a 2013 review in the journal of Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. The same review found promising results for the relationship between fisetin and cancer prevention.

To read further on the health benefits of cucumbers, visit Health Benefits of Cucumbers.

Varieties

There are so many varieties of cucumbers, I’m only going to share 10 different varieties. If you would like to learn about other varieties, you can Gardener’s Path TOP 33 CUCUMBER VARIETIES TO GROW AT HOME.

Dasher II- These are great for slicing. These are a hybrid cucumber, good disease resistance.

Salad Bush- This a great variety for containers, it’s a bush variety and also disease resistance.

Calypso- This is a pickling variety. This is a good variety for containers. This is the variety that I grow in my containers.

Little Leaf- Pickling variety. This variety needs some space, but could be used in containers.

Marketmore 76- This cucumber is going to be for the Northwest Region for growing. Very resistant to disease.

Diva- Also another Northwest Region cucumber. These usually grow 6-8” long.

Eurka- This is a bush variety and also resilient to disease.

Bush Champion- This is going to be a variety that grows well in the “Breadbasket” or middle of the country. Bush variety that produces large cucumbers.

Carolina- This is going to be the southern region of the country. This is an excellent pickling pickle and grows well in containers. This is the variety that I’m currently growing.

County Fair- This is another southern region variety. This is a good variety to make spears, whole pickles, spears. It’s a seedless pickle.

When to grow

If you are looking for specific times to start your cucumber plants. This is a great tool that I use when figuring out my planting cycle. Almanac has a Planting Calendar that will give you information on your planting location. It will give you the information on starting seeds indoors, planting seedlings or transplants, and starting the seeds outdoors.

Growing from seeds

You can grow cucumber seeds directly in the soil, but cucumbers thrive in soil 70 degrees F. Cucumbers are very susceptible to frost, so make sure you don’t plant them too soon. To get a head start, start cucumber plants indoors about 3 weeks before planting them outdoors. Make sure to slowly transfer them outdoors in the sun, to prevent sunburn.

**Helpful tip** Cucumbers like bottom heat. If you don’t have a heat mat, put the seeds flat on the top of the refrigerator.

Once transplanted outdoors, Plant seeds 1 inch deep and about 2 to 3 feet apart in a row, depending on variety (see seed packet for details). For vines trained on a trellis, space plants 1 foot apart.

Water, Feed, Placement

Cucumber are full sun plants. Cucumbers thrive in full sun and needs lots of warmth and light to thrive. Cucumbers require fertile soil, make sure when you are planting that your soil has adequate drainage and isn’t wet and soggy. Cucumbers needs consistent water, cucumbers need 1 inch of water a week. When watering you want to water in the morning or early afternoon, avoiding the leaves to prevent diseases.

Feeding your plants should take place every three weeks, it is important not to over feed your plants, it may stunt your plants growth and production. If you wish to use a liquid fertilizer use a low nitrogen/high potassium and phosphorus formula. Spray vines with sugar water to attract bees and set more fruit.

Pest/Diseases

Little or no fruit- If you plants do not set fruit, this is usually a pollination issue. This is when the sugary mixture will come in, because you want bees around to help with pollination. You can also hand pollinate your plants, which requires a little extra steps.

Squash Bugs- will attack the seedlings

Aphids- These are usually always a nuisance with plants. Neem Oil, will help keep these away.

Powdery Mildew- This can be a disease that comes on, if your plants are getting too wet.

Cucumber Beetles- May attack the veins of the plants and cause disease. Neem Oil is a preventive for these beetles.

Growing in Containers

Best variety of growing in containers such as; bush varieties including, salad, hybrid, and pickling bush.

When preparing your container you will want to choose a ceramic or plastic pot that is 12” across and 8” deep. It is important that your pot has adequate drainage, you can place pebbles at the bottom of your pot for extra drainage. For your soil you will mix 1 part composting soil and 1 part potting soil mix. Drainage is important, because cucumbers needs to have moist soil and require plenty of water.

It isn’t necessary to start your seedlings indoors, you can plant them directly into your container. Place a stake or a trellis in the pot. When the plant is young continue to tie the vines up the trellis or stake to promote healthy growth.

Place pots where the plant gets plenty of sunlight and keep the soil 70 degrees F. Watch for bugs and fertilize with low nitrogen food.

Harvesting & Storage

Harvesting cucumber at the right time is critical. You want to harvest your cucumbers before they get too large, otherwise they will taste bitter. At peak of harvesting, you will be picking cucumbers every few days.

Slicing Cucumbers: when they are 6-8”

Dills- 4-6” long

Pickling- 2” long

Burpless- these can get up to 10” long and some even larger.

When picking cucumbers off the vine use scissors or a knife and cut just above the fruit. Pulling the fruit can damage the vine. You want to keep your plants picked, otherwise they will stop producing.

Store wrapped tightly in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Do you enjoy cucumbers? Are you growing them? I’d love to hear from you.

Happy Growing!