How to Grow Organic Cucumber

Posted by admin on August 15th, 2007 at 11:14pm

From the wide variety of organic cucumbers - crisp long or lemon-shaped vegetables or sweet and dill varieties for pickling - this is one fun crop to grow. Like growing organic tomatoes, you should grow cucumbers during the warm days of summer, and the hotter it is, the better the cucumbers like it. You want to make sure that the soil you are growing your cucumbers in is rich in nutrients, but be careful not to overburden the soil with amendments like nitrogen, as this can be detrimental to your organic cucumber growth.

Our personal favorite for our own organic garden are the lemon cucumber varieties. There is just nothing like these little crisp, lemon-shaped pale organic cucumbers for a cool summer treat. Lemon cucumbers are great in salads or as additions to sandwiches, or even just to eat all by themselves, cold from the refrigerator with a little sprinkle of salt! We eagerly await the arrival of these delicious cucumbers in mid-summer and have been able to enjoy them here in the warm regions of Northern California all the way up until the end of October in a good growing year.

A secret to good organic cucumber growing is to use trellising on this crop. Encouraging the plants to grow upwards will allow you to plant more cucumbers in a limited amount of space and will make the most efficient use of your soil. Use string or mesh netting to grow your organic cucumbers. Once your cucumbers really get going, make sure that they have an adequate water supply, and encourage their production both by adding organic compost and by harvesting the fruits frequently. At harvest time, pick frequently. If your cucumbers are allowed to grow and then are not readily picked, it can strain your plant and prevent further growth.

How do I plant my cucumber seeds?
Always sow your organic cucumber seeds in rich, warm soil. This should be done after the last danger of frost in your area has passed, as cold soil will inhibit the germination of the cucumber seeds. Cucumbers are definitely a summer vegetable as they like the heat. Your first planting of this crop should be done in late spring, and, depending upon the variety you are growing, there will sometimes be enough of the season left to plant a second crop in the late summer for harvesting in early autumn.

Sow your seeds 1′ to 2′ apart in your rows, between 1/2″ to 1″ deep in the soil, and with about 3 seeds in each spot. Once the plants germinate and begin to sprout, you can thin them out to only the healthiest-looking plants. If you are growing your seedlings in a greenhouse, make sure to not let them get too big before you transplant. Also, make sure that the soil that you are moving the seedlings to outside has had ample time to warm up. In order to get a head start on the growing season, a black plastic mulch over your rows can help to effectively warm up your soil before transplanting. Give the soil a good helping of compost before you plant, and once the vines begin to appear, add another layer of compost around the plants and turn it into the soil.

How often should I water my cucumber plants?
Because cucumbers have a very shallow root system, they are not adept at digging deep into the soil in pursuit of a water supply. Therefore, planting them in good, moist soil and keeping the plants well watered throughout the growing period are absolutely essential for growing a successful organic cucumber crop.

What pests will affect my organic cucumber crop?
Once again, we find that the cucumber beetle will be the most common insect you’ll find helping himself to a meal in your organic garden. The cucumber beetle eats the leaves, vines, and flowers of cucumbers, squash, and melons. He knows a tasty vegetable like this one when he sees it! Remember, the little beetles are having their lives, too, and are looking for something to eat just as you are. Be good to the insects, to your crops, and to the environment by refraining from using any kind of chemical pesticides to combat this little bug. Simply remove the cucumber beetles from your plants, and give the leaves and stems a rub with a clove of garlic. The smell of garlic will keep the bugs away, and you will be taking care of your plants and your health the organic way! Also, keep a lookout for aphids, which can develop and grow in little colonies underneath the cucumber leaves. Treat the plant with garlic the same way you would for deterring the cucumber beetles.

How do I prevent my cucumber plants from suddenly wilting and dying?
You may have experienced, as we certainly have, that a crop of healthy and rapidly growing plants will suddenly become yellowed and discolored, begin to wilt, and quickly die. Why do some plants look to be in the prime of health one day, only to start dying the next? The most likely answer is that they have succumbed to bacterial wilt disease. This disease actually comes from the cucumber beetles themselves, and it is why it is so important to be on the lookout for these insects and to remove them from your plants as quickly as possible.

How should I harvest my organic cucumbers?
You should harvest any variety of cucumber in the early part of the day. Cucumbers don’t do as well when they are picked in the heat of the afternoon. Store your cucumbers in the refrigerator for up to three days for the best freshness.

Whether you are growing slicing cucumbers or pickling cucumbers, always pick the fruit when they are between 6″ to 8″ in length. If the cucumbers are allowed to grow longer than that, they begin to get tough and the seeds inside become hard. Never leave over ripe cucumbers on the vines. If the vines are not picked clean of fruit, they will stop producing cucumbers.

There’s nothing like a fresh cucumber, straight from your organic garden. Even compared to the supurb quality of a farmer’s market organic cucumber, nothing beats one of these vegetables when they are picked fresh and delivered onto your dinner table minutes later. Enjoy this crisp, tasty crop all summer long along with your other summer vegetables like tomatoes and squash.

Under Organic Gardening