How to Grow Cucumbers at Home from Seeds. Cucumbers have long been a staple of our cuisine and are said to have their origins in India. This summertime necessity is incredibly simple to grow in your kitchen or patio garden. From the Cucurbitaceae family of gourds, cucumber (Cucumis sativus) grows like a creeping vine. Since they require little maintenance and are available year-round, cucumbers are a popular summer crop for backyard gardeners.
Including cucumber in your diet offers a number of advantages:
- Full of nutrition
- Incorporates antioxidants
- Encourages the body to stay hydrated
- Helps with weight loss
- Lowers blood sugar levels
Cucumber Planting Areas:
Cucumbers are simple to cultivate at home. Cucumbers do not require much care once planted. They can be grown in pots, in a kitchen garden, on a terrace, or even indoors. Cucumber plants are classified as bush or vines. Bush cucumber plants are the best choice for indoor and container growing.
Cucumbers can be easily grown in kitchen gardens that receive at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Choose a planter with a soil holding capacity of at least 12-20 KGs to accommodate 2-3 plants when growing in containers. Because they are vines, you must construct a trellis to support the plant.
Bush cucumbers are the easiest to grow. Cucumbers are prolific plants that grow quickly, making them suitable for terrace gardens. The best containers to use are those made of plastic or ceramic. Cucumbers should be grown near peas, pumpkin, and squash, but not near herbs or potatoes.
How To Grow Cucumbers From Seeds:
Before you begin planting cucumber seeds, measure the available space. Vertical gardening is the best way to grow cucumbers in small space gardens. Buy quality cucumber seeds online from AllThatGrows and grow them using these instructions.
- Cucumbers are best grown by direct planting.
- Cucumber plants require both warmth and light. As a result, keeping the pot/container in sunlight is the best option.
- Sow the seeds at least 1 inch deep and 4 inches apart in the soil. Water them on a regular basis so that the seeds can germinate.
- You can either soak seeds in a wet paper towel or soak seeds in water for 24 hours to speed up the germination process.
How To Grow And Harvest Cucumbers:
Soil
To grow cucumber plants, use an organic potting mix or seed starter mix. Combine equal parts aged manure or compost and loose potting soil. Pro tip: Press the soil slightly in the container to remove any air pockets. Soil must be moist and warm, ranging from 20°C to 35°C. The soil must be neutral or slightly acidic. The soil pH should be between 5.5 and 6.8.
Supporting Cucumber Plants
A trellis or cage placed at the planting site can benefit cucumber vines. This ensures that the fruits are clean and well-shaped. A cage with a diameter of 15 to 20 inches can easily support 2-3 cucumber vines. Vertical support can also help you make better use of your gardening space.
Fertilizer
Prior to seeding, prepare to plant beds by adding aged compost. A compost mixture high in potassium and low in nitrogen can aid in the growth of better cucumber fruits.
Pest and Disease Control
Pests can harm seedlings even at a young age. Pests that attack cucumber plants include aphids, cucumber beetles, and squash bugs. Maintaining a regular check-up schedule and using organic neem spray can help keep pests at bay.
Cucumber plants can also be affected by powdery mildew, fungal diseases, and mosaic. To avoid this, make sure the soil is properly drained and there is plenty of air circulation around the plants.
Watering
Cucumbers, which contain 95 percent water, prefer a constantly moist solid to grow well. Throughout the growing season, keep the planting bed evenly moist.
Harvesting Cucumbers
After germination, cucumber fruits will be available for harvest in 55 to 60 days. The seed’s germination process could take 7 to 10 days. As soon as cucumbers are ready, harvest them. The cucumber fruits will start to taste bitter and prevent the development of new fruit if they are allowed to grow too large.
Keep it from becoming yellow. An excellent, healthy cucumber is crisp, firm, and green in colour. With a pair of gardening shears, gently cut the mature cucumbers off the plant. For a week, the cucumber will remain fresh in the fridge. For a healthy summer, go one step further and plant your own cucumber plant right now.
