Cucumbers~Tips?

[PhoenixAngel429]

I am looking to plant cucumbers and I want some helpful tips as a n00b gardener Thanks.

 

[patandchickens]

The only tip I can offer, as someone who *sucks* at growing cukes, is that one very predictable way to ruin them is to let them dry out seriously (to the point of wilting, or a few leaves yellowing as a result the following week) *even just once*. They do not have a big sense of humor about it.

So, be a more dedicated waterer than I am, is my tip

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Ridgerunner]

This is from the Arizona extension service. It may be a good starting place for you.

http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/vegetable/cucumbers.html

You don't have to trellis them, but it really helps if you have the vining type. Otherwise they run all over the ground. I can't keep the weeds out if I don't trellis them. They are easier to pick too.

Before you plant them, decide what you want to do with them. If you plan to make pickles, plant a pickling variety. It really makes a difference. If you are going to eat them fresh, the slicers are for you. You can eat the pickling varieties fresh and you can pickle the slicers, but they specialize for a reason.

Good luck!

 

[PhoenixAngel429]

This is from the Arizona extension service. It may be a good starting place for you.

http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/vegetable/cucumbers.html

You don't have to trellis them, but it really helps if you have the vining type. Otherwise they run all over the ground. I can't keep the weeds out if I don't trellis them. They are easier to pick too.

Before you plant them, decide what you want to do with them. If you plan to make pickles, plant a pickling variety. It really makes a difference. If you are going to eat them fresh, the slicers are for you. You can eat the pickling varieties fresh and you can pickle the slicers, but they specialize for a reason.

Good luck!

Is there a good dual purpose kind?

 

[4grandbabies]

This is from the Arizona extension service. It may be a good starting place for you.

http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/vegetable/cucumbers.html

You don't have to trellis them, but it really helps if you have the vining type. Otherwise they run all over the ground. I can't keep the weeds out if I don't trellis them. They are easier to pick too.

Before you plant them, decide what you want to do with them. If you plan to make pickles, plant a pickling variety. It really makes a difference. If you are going to eat them fresh, the slicers are for you. You can eat the pickling varieties fresh and you can pickle the slicers, but they specialize for a reason.

Good luck!

Is there a good dual purpose kind?

I love calypso

 

[journey11]

I usually just get a pickler and eat it fresh too. Past couple of years, I've been enjoying County Fair hybrid, from Jung seed. I've never met a cuke I didn't like...

Now most of your burpless cukes (the really long ones) will have a sweeter skin, but if you get a variety that is bitter skinned, you'll want to peel those before you serve them fresh. Most of the time though, I've found that any kind of cuke I've grown can be otherwise fine, but have really bitter skin if they were stressed while they were growing, like not enough water. Mulching helps.