Plant Care

How to Grow Cucumbers

Cucumbers, a staple in kitchen gardens, are known for their refreshing taste and versatility in dishes. Easy to grow in the UK, these vigorous climbers or sprawlers thrive best in warm, well-drained soil with ample sunlight. Ideal for vertical gardening, cucumbers can be grown on trellises, saving space and improving air circulation. Varieties range from the common slicing type to smaller pickling ones, each with unique flavours and textures. Sow cucumber seeds indoors in spring for an early start, then transplant them outside when the risk of frost has passed. Regular watering, especially during fruiting, is key to juicy, crisp cucumbers. With minimal care, cucumbers yield abundantly, providing fresh produce throughout the summer.

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Seeds Needs Seasonal S.O.S.

Grow Cucumbers From Seed

To sow cucumber seeds in the UK, start indoors in March or April. Use 7.5cm (3in) pots filled with peat-free compost. Place seeds on their edge, about 2cm (¾in) deep to prevent rotting. Maintain a warm environment, ideally over 21ºC (70ºF), for optimal germination. Seedlings usually emerge in a week, quickly filling the pot with roots. If too early to plant outside, transfer to larger pots. After frost risk passes, acclimatise seedlings by placing them outside in daylight and protecting them at night. Plant outdoors in late May or June, spacing them at least 30cm (1ft) apart. Enrich planting holes with compost or manure, and water thoroughly. For greenhouse planting, you can start earlier.

Place seeds on their edge.

What Cucumbers Needs

Watering: Water in the morning to make sure the base dries before night to avoid the stem rotting. Protection: Give cucumber plants support early to stop kinks stems which can cause mature plants to collapse. Feeding: Once plants are growing, give them a balanced feed. Avoid tomato feed which will make fruits bitter.

Growing Cucumbers Across the Season

Spring

Sow cucumber seeds undercover in Mar/Apr, harden them off in May and plant out post-frost risk.

Summer

Water cucumber plants well, particularly during a drought.

Autumn

Harvest cucumbers as late as Jun-Oct and use fleece for frost protection.

Winter

Pull this year's plants and plan cucumbers you’d like to sow and grow in spring.

Cucumbers S.O.S.

When growing cucumbers, addressing common issues is crucial. Powdery mildew appears as a white coating on leaves during hot, dry weather. Prevent it by maintaining soil moisture without wetting leaves, ensuring good air circulation, and avoiding over or under-watering. Weekly application of chive or comfrey tea acts as an organic anti-fungal treatment. Verticillium wilt, a serious fungal disease, affects roots causing wilting and yellowing leaves. Remove infected plants and soil to prevent spread. Whiteflies, common in greenhouses, feed on sap but healthy plants resist well. Use sticky sheets carefully and plant basil or marigolds to deter whiteflies; introducing Encarsia can help. Cucumber mosaic virus, causing yellow mottling and stunted growth, makes cucumbers bitter and puckered. Spread by aphids, control includes regular monitoring, aphid removal, and sanitising garden tools.

How to Grow Cucumbers

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Water the soil, avoiding leaves to prevent mildew.