Cucumbers are a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes squash and melons. There are two types of cucumbers that can be grown. There are slicing cucumbers and pickling cucumbers. They can be grown in a variety of shapes and sizes, from 1 inch long to greenhouse varieties that can reach 20 inches or longer.
Cucumbers are a summer crop and are very sensitive to cold. The seed will not germinate until the soil temperature reaches at least 60 degrees F. Seeds can be started indoors and transplanted at least two weeks after the last frost. Seedlings or seeds can be planted at least 12 inches apart and then thinned to desired in-row spacing. If space is limited use a trellis. Trellising often provides a higher yield and improved fruit quality.
Full sun and a well drained loamy soil is preferred. Cucumbers like to be grown in a a soil with a pH of 6.0. It is best to do a soil sample as with all vegetables to determine the soils needs. Cucumbers are heavy feeders and require fertilization routinely for them to continue to produce. It generally takes about six weeks from seed to picking. If you keep the cucumbers picked every couple of days and remove the bad ones they will continue to flower and produce cucumbers for up to four to six weeks. Pollination is also important to have high yields.
