The Cucumber Grower’s Guide—All You Need to Know About Growing, Harvesting, Cooking, and Eating the Garden’s Coolest Crop

By Bill Dugan, Executive Editor

In this month’s Food Gardening Magazine, you get everything you need to know about growing cucumbers at home—they’re the second most popular home-gardening food item behind tomatoes! With about 100 varieties of cucumbers, we’ll help you narrow down your list with a look at some popular varieties that make growing cucumbers easy, so you can have a delicious cucumber harvest! It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the possible choices, so we’ll help you choose the best tasting cucumbers to grow in your garden.

You get all the tips, techniques, and advice about how to start and maintain an awesome cucumber garden, including growing pickling cucumbers. We’ve got you covered when it comes to growing cucumbers!

Plus, you get specific advice about the best way to plant cucumbers—including growing cucumbers in pots or containers or a raised garden bed; and growing cucumbers on a trellis.

You’ve probably heard that some plants grow better together than others; that’s true. We’ll guide you through the best cucumber companion plants to consider for your cucumber garden. We’ll also give you tips on the ideal cucumber plant spacing so your cucumber vines have enough room to grow—while still leaving enough room for the rest of your garden.

This gardening guide about cucumbers is your #1 guide for being the best cucumber gardener you can be! You should refer to this gardening guide whenever you have questions about your cucumber garden—from planning to planting and from maintaining and nurturing to harvesting and reaping the rewards in your kitchen.

First, you get a complete Introduction to Cucumbers—including some history and basics about cucumbers. Did you know that the Roman Emperor Tiberius ate cucumbers every day? Find out how the cucumber earned its place in the expression “cool as a cucumber.” You’ll be amazed to learn how many ways cucumbers can add flavor to your kitchen and a boost to your health. And find out why the cucumber is actually a fruit—but why we treat it as a vegetable.

Then, you get Feature Articles about Cucumbers that include:

Types of Cucumber Plants—learn which cucumbers are good for salads, for pickling, or are prized for their unique appearance and flavor—including cucumbers that reduce gassiness!
How to Avoid Cross-Pollination of Seedless Cucumbers—discover the best ways to avoid cross-pollinating your seedless cucumbers, including where it’s best to grow them.
A Word About Varieties of Cucumber Plants—varieties of cucumbers explained! Get a quick summary about the varieties to grow for your salad and pickling pleasure, plus tips on specialty cucumbers.
Choosing to Grow from Seeds or Seedlings—find out how much effort it takes to grow your cucumber plants from seeds, or whether you’re better off starting your cucumber patch from seedlings.
Growing in Open Land, in Containers, or in Raised Beds—everything you need to know about growing cucumbers where you live. Find out which type of garden is best for your needs and situation.
Starting with the Right Soil for Your Cucumber Plants—healthy plants start with healthy soil; find out the ideal nutritional requirements for your cucumbers. And check our list of the ideal “companion” plants—plants that will grow well with your cucumbers or help repel pests that could try to munch on your cucumber crop.
The Right Sunlight for Your Cucumbers—ensure that your cucumber plants get just the right amount of sunlight with our advice. A full day of sun is ideal for cucumbers. Find out in this article how to get your cucumbers that right amount of sun.
Should You Fertilize Your Cucumber Plants?—when, how, and how much to fertilize your cucumber crop is essential to a successful harvest. Plus, specific guidelines on the best combination fertilizers for your cucumber plants.
How—and When—to Water Your Cucumber Plants—watering your cucumber garden is essential if you don’t get enough natural rain, and it should be easy. Here are the best methods for ensuring your plants get just the right amount of water in the right way. Plus, discover the best times of day to water your cucumber garden!
How to Spot, Treat, and Prevent Cucumber Diseases—tips to ensure that your cucumber plants don’t suffer from common plant diseases. It’s better to prevent than treat—get tips for both, just in case.
What to Do About Pests that Can Harm Your Cucumber Plants—easy tips for eliminating pesky pests from your cucumber garden!
The Right Way to Weed Your Cucumber Garden—preparation is the best prevention. Find out the best ways to keep your cucumber garden weed-free with this advice.
Cucumber Rot: How to Identify, Treat, and Prevent Blossom-End Rot—a little TLC will help keep your cucumbers healthy and help you avoid cucumber rot that can ruin your harvest.
Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing Cucumbers—get the full list of essential gardening tools and equipment for growing and enjoying cucumbers … and for almost all of your gardening needs.

Next, this premium gardening guide highlights six popular cucumber varieties to help you choose the varieties you want to grow—this is just a sampling of the many varieties available:

And all your cucumber-gardening efforts are more satisfying when you have quick and easy-to-make recipes, to ensure your harvest is enjoyed by everyone you serve at your home. Food Gardening Network is all about providing delicious recipes for making yummy dishes. Try these recipes and enjoy your cucumber harvest:

Next, you’ll learn all about the health benefits of cucumbers with Nutrition Facts about Cucumbers and Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Cucumbers. Learn about all the wonderful and beneficial attributes of cucumbers—including skin health, weight loss, and easy (and tasty) hydration.

And to be sure you have everything you need to grow your own cucumbers, we’ve included a Resources about Cucumbers section—so that you can easily find additional tools and information about cucumbers.

Finally, our Cucumber Glossary section gives you the explanation of key cucumber-gardening terms and concepts—so, you’re up to date about important cucumber-gardening ideas.

Check out this premium gardening guide now—The Cucumber Grower’s Guide—All You Need to Know About Growing, Harvesting, Cooking, and Eating the Garden’s Coolest Crop—and you’ll really learn everything you need to know about cucumbers!

Cate Prato, Norann Oleson, Victoria Arnold, and Samantha Pulcherz contributed to the creation of this gardening guide.

Growing food, fun & more