Cucumbers are a refreshing addition to any salad. There are some interesting varieties to trial. It is worth investigating the different tastes and textures to see which of the varieties suits you best. There is the Carmen, which are dark-ribbed and wonderful for growing indoors, as is the Femden, which produces a slightly darker fruit to the Carmen. The Marketmore yields well, though the fruit is smaller. The Zeina offer a high yield of fruits and is the best option if you plan to share your crop with the family. The team at First Tunnels love the taste of all our freshly harvested cucumber straight from our polytunnels.
Growing cucumber is satisfying because the fruit looks substantial and the plant offers crop after crop. You will find that your friends will be impressed when you show them the cucumber you created with your own green fingers!
Here we guide you through the steps and the essential tips for growing cucumber. You might fear that the cucumbers will end up pea-pod sized and meagre in quantity, but with our simple guide, you will be impressed with the size of your crop.
One of the major secrets to success when growing cucumber, as it is with tomato and broad beans, is setting up the right growing conditions. The right conditions are not just about creating the right temperature and protecting from frosts, but also forming a structure that can hold the plants in place.
The specific growing conditions required by cucumbers makes the polytunnel the perfect environment. You can train the plants using a length of string, which you will attach to your crop bar or the double ridge if there is one in your polytunnel.
The good news is that cucumbers grown in a polytunnel do not need pollinating. If your polytunnel gets too hot, make sure it is well ventilated. You can leave the doors open at each end and make sure you cover the plants with shade netting.
An important tip: Complimentary planting helps with cucumbers, like with most other plants. Peas and beans make particularly good companion plants for cucumber, and they will grow up the same vertical structure.
Growing cucumbers indoors makes them more susceptible to pests and diseases, though you will find your crop is superior. Cucumbers do not enjoy cold and soggy conditions.
An important tip: If you plant nasturtiums, radishes, and marigolds, you can help to distract or repel pests.
As much as you want to grow the biggest fruit possible to impress your neighbours, it is best to harvest the cucumber when it is small. This will increase your yield, and it will provide a much tastier fruit. Generally, though not always, the bigger the cucumber, the more bitter the fruit.
Here are the steps for harvesting your successful crop of delicious cucumber:
An important tip: If you grow cucumbers indoors, in a polytunnel or greenhouse, then the cucumber will grow slowly at first. There will just be one or two which will likely be ready for harvest at first. However, with patience, you will be pleased with how the plan delivers a full crop. Harvest at regular intervals to extend the cropping period.
Sowing seeds: Between February and May. Remember the benefits of succession planting.
Transplanting: Approximately three weeks after planting the seeds.
Harvesting: 50 – 70 days from planting of seeds, between June and September.
Until you have tasted a home-grown cucumber, you do not know what you are missing. There is nothing wrong with shop-bought, except maybe that they are a little watery in taste and the crunch is not so crisp.
Cucumbers are relatively resilient plants that thrive indoors. They love humid but well-ventilated air and will need a decent structure to help train them. Remember the biggest secret to a healthy crop of cucumber is to keep them regularly watered without making the soil too boggy. Also, bigger might mean bitter, so harvest the fruit when they are about 6 inches. If you periodically harvest your plant will continue to crop through the season. As you can see, the polytunnel creates the best environment for your cucumbers. Although the cucumber will grow outdoors, it doesn't like the cold, and it needs the moisture level in the soil well-managed.
We hope that you enjoy growing your cucumber in your polytunnel. There is nothing more satisfying for a gardener that to see the emergence of fruit on plants grown from seed.