Cucumbers

**Durgan** · 04-17-2009, 04:51 PM

Cucumbers
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PCucumbers 17 April 2009 Cucumbers (Cross Country Hybrid)

Cucumbers cannot tolerate any frost and grow poorly if the soil is cold, so I start them about a month before the time to plant in the garden about 1 June. The pots will be kept warm above 20 C until germination. They will be just starting to vine in about a month. The contents of the pot is placed in a hill along the 8 foot trellis, four hills of three plants. The vines will be encouraged to climb the trellis. Cross Country Hybrid are most prolific and a rich green color. They are great slicing and pickling cucumbers.

**Ceashels** · 04-17-2009, 06:59 PM

Thank you for the information and the pics. I have my seeds in my mini greenhouse on the porch but I think its been too cold still for them to germinate.

**Durgan** · 04-18-2009, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Ceashels

Thank you for the information and the pics. I have my seeds in my mini greenhouse on the porch but I think its been too cold still for them to germinate.

Cucumbers like heat for germination. I put the pots out in the full Sun during the day, and bring them indoors at night. If you have a hot spot in the house they will germinate in about five days. A temperature of about 80 F is ideal.

**Durgan** · 04-22-2009, 01:01 PM

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CucumbersG 22 April 2008 Cucumbers. Germination in five days
Cucumber seedlings started to protrude from the soil this morning. The temperature was kept around 25 degrees C, and the moisture of the soil was kept high.

**mamamia** · 04-22-2009, 02:21 PM

Thanks for this. I bought some cucumber seeds yesterday, so this helped me out.

Theresa

**Kaos Kitty** · 04-22-2009, 02:47 PM

I just planted my cucumber seeds last week indoors in my "seed starter". Some serious roots on those things! They germinated last weekend along with some hot peppers and onion seeds. I'm going to move them to little pots this weekend (they're already 3 inches high). Being in Canada, I have to wait until after May long weekend before I risk them outside.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 04-23-2009, 10:39 AM

Do you plant the entire inside of the pot, including the coffee filter, in the ground when you transplant them?

That sounds like an awesome idea!

I'm in a 3a area, I believe, and the last frost probably won't be until at least the middle of May. I'd love to grow cucumbers, but it's not usually 20C here continuously until the middle or end of May.

**Durgan** · 04-23-2009, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by MomToTwoBoys

Do you plant the entire inside of the pot, including the coffee filter, in the ground when you transplant them?

That sounds like an awesome idea!

I'm in a 3a area, I believe, and the last frost probably won't be until at least the middle of May. I'd love to grow cucumbers, but it's not usually 20C here continuously until the middle or end of May.

You got the idea. I disturb the roots as little as possible and make three or four clumps with each area containing one pot in an eight foot strip in the middle of the trellis shown on the first post. A hill or area contains two or three plants and these clumps are about 2 feet apart. Planting is delayed until the ground is warm, probably the first of June.

**Durgan** · 05-15-2009, 01:49 PM

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CucumberG 15 May 2009 Cucumbers moved to outdoor garden.
The four pots containing two or three plants per pot were moved to the outdoor garden. They will be covered at night if necessary, since frost is likely on some days in May.

**Missy** · 05-15-2009, 02:10 PM

He's not kidding about not being frost tolerant. Mine all died when the temps spiked low all of a sudden. Not even frost, but simply too cold for the plants. Starting more inside. Be sure if you get them out to have the protection, like the buckets in the pics, or some other way of protecting them in case the weather gets bad!.

**Durgan** · 05-18-2009, 08:28 PM

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CucumberF 18 May 2009 Cucumber frost damage
Cucumber plants were covered with a heavy five gallon pail and this was inadequate, so the cucumbers were all destroyed. I have another planting awaiting germination indoors. Didn't beat the season this time.

**Durgan** · 05-21-2009, 08:39 PM

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GerminationC 21 May 2009 Cucumbers (Cross Country Hybrid) Germination.
Germination was commenced on 18 May 2009 and most of the seeds germinated in two to three days, at a temperature of about 28 degrees C. The medium was kept relatively wet, but was well drained slightly sandy soil. Heat was supplied by as body heating pad under the plastic holding container.

**Janbee** · 05-29-2009, 10:08 PM

How are you cukes doing? How big are they now?

**ArmyOfFive4God** · 05-29-2009, 11:00 PM

I've enver had any issues with germinating cukes. Peppers, whole nuther story. I've had to keep those warm to germ. Right now, other than cold hardy plants & the maters I HAD to plant, everything is in the coldframe. Open it in the morning, close it at night.

**frugalfranny** · 06-04-2009, 04:06 PM

Thanks for all the info on cukes. Keep it coming. Love to hear what other gardeners do and how they do it.

I had one heck of a time with mine this year but have decided that the soil I was using was too heavy for them......for one thing. Who knows what else was wrong but I have a couple plants going now. I was trying a new kind, for me, (Armenian Cukes) so they were just 'pickier' than my other old standby. (straight 8 and Lemon)