Cucumber Growing Guide

Any gardener will know that when they are planning a garden, growing cucumbers should absolutely be part of the mix. They are great for beginner and veteran gardeners and are pretty easy to grow in general. From their prolific growth habit to the multitude of ways you can enjoy and preserve them, growing cucumbers should for sure have a place in your garden planning. Cucumbers belong to the Cucurbitaceae family (also known as gourds or cucurbits) along with winter squash and summer squash and have very similar growth habits and planting needs. Similarly to squash, there are hundreds of varieties of cucumbers to choose from.

Most cucumbers are similar to indeterminate tomatoes and grow in a vining habit and perform best when given a trellised structure to climb. Use a strong trellis that is well-supported with deeply driven stakes to support the fruits. Trellising will also keep the fruits cleaner and save time with harvesting and processing. Our Hortonova Trellis Netting works great for trellising cucumbers and is easy to install. While you may think that all cucumbers are basically the same, there are a lot of variations to choose from. Cucumbers come in lots of shapes, sizes, and flavors. Below are the common classifications of cucumbers for the home garden.

Slicing cucumbers are usually longer, have thicker skin with less spines, and are typically eaten fresh or in salads. While they do have a slightly longer shelf life, they should be consumed quickly after harvesting.

Most cucumbers contain the chemical compound cucurbitacin in the skin and stem and have been known to cause can cause gastric issues and burping. Burpless cucumbers, such as the Burpless Supreme Cucumber, have been bred specifically not to have this chemical. Burpless cucumbers also have fewer seeds and thinner skin.

Pickling cucumbers are usually smaller and have thinner, dryer skins that will easily soak up the liquid that they are brined in. Pickling varieties usually have more spines (bumps) on them that can easily be removed.

Specialty cucumbers are varieties that differ in the classic look or flavor of a cucumber. The Mexican Sour Gherkin, for example, resemble tiny watermelons and have a tangy lemon flavor. The Lemon Cucumber is an heirloom variety that produces round, yellow fruits that resemble more of a lemon than a cucumber.

Like all other plants, pollination will always come into play if you want to be successful growing cucumbers. When choosing your variety, be sure and do research to see what type of cucumber you’re growing and how they are pollinated. Similarly to seedless watermelons, certain varieties, called gynoecious cucumbers, will include a different male pollinator variety in the HOSS seed packet to ensure proper pollination. All the seeds in a pack of gynoecious type cucumber need to be planted to ensure enough male pollinators are present.

Gynoecious cucumbers are varieties that produce only female flowers. These plants need a pollinator present to produce fruits. Because they have only female flowers, gynoecious cucumbers are usually large producers.

Monoecious cucumber plants have both male and female flowers present on the same plant. Female flowers are the ones that will produce fruits. Both hybrid and open-pollinated cucumber plants can be monoecious.

Parthenocarpic cucumbers don't require pollinators making them ideal for growing in greenhouses or urban areas where pollinator presence may be reduced. Because they are parthenocarpic, the fruits have very few, if any, seeds.

Cucumbers can be harvested at just about any stage of growth. However, you don’t want to let your cucumber fruits get too large, as they will become bitter and the seeds will harden. Harvest often to signal the plant to keep producing more cucumbers through the season. Use pruning shears or a sharp knife to cut the stems and avoid damaging the vines. A good reference guide to harvesting based on the variety and the peak flavor is below:

Slicing Cucumbers – 6 to 8 inches
Pickling Cucumbers – 4 to 6 inches
Large Burpless Cucumbers – 10 inches or more depending on the variety

Growing cucumbers takes a certain level of planning because they are such heavy producers. Because cucumbers are made of 90% water, if you don’t plan on preserving your cucumber crop, wrap the fruits tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.

If you do decide to make pickles and enjoy your cucumbers all year, a great place to start is to visit the Food Preservation section of our website for everything you need to get started.