JanieL
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 1:07 pm
Location: Texas

Cucumber Plant

Well, if you read my intro, I accidentally pulled two cucumber vines, not knowing what they were. But, in viewing some pictures I saw that some gardeners use those lattice walls to hold up the vines. Is that typcial? I only have those for the tomatoes which by the way are growing very slow. Also, I'm confused and wonder which are weeds and which are actually plants. I'm learning as I do this. AND I read that it wasn't too late to plant corn. I live in San Antonio, Tx and the weather here is unusual for this time of year... lots and lots of rain combined with high humidity.

Thanks for reading! :D

User avatar
nes
Green Thumb
Posts: 631
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:20 am
Location: Rural Ottawa, ON

It takes a while to learn weed/wanted-plant, I'm still learning & I've been in this house with the same weeds for 3 summers :).

Mostly my motto is: if it's in the way of something I know I want, or there are several of them in another spot of the garden; it's a weed! :)

GL

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

I don't know about typical, but the cucumber vines take up a lot of room if allowed to sprawl all over. Growing them vertically instead of horizontally is a lot more space efficient. Also the cucumber fruit can tend to rot out if sitting on the ground (especially for those of us in rainy/ high humidity areas); trellising them avoids that.

User avatar
jal_ut
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7447
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:20 pm
Location: Northern Utah Zone 5

Growing them vertically instead of horizontally is a lot more space efficient. Also the cucumber fruit can tend to rot out if sitting on the ground (especially for those of us in rainy/ high humidity areas);
Here is a good point. Things can very considerably depending on where your garden is and the local conditions. Here in dry Utah, I just let the cukes sprawl on the ground, and have never seen one rot as you say.

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

It was with you in mind, Jal, that I added the part about rainy humid areas... :) Even so they take up a lot more room sprawling than trellised. That doesn't matter for you with acreage, but for backyard gardeners, it is important.

User avatar
Darceyoh
Full Member
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:21 pm
Location: Olympic Peninsula, WA

I thought I would give it a whirl with cukes up here in Western Washington, despite some people saying it's difficult to grow them here.

I know it can be done, I've seen it. but for whatever reason I can't seem to get them to grow much. That is, if they don't die. I sowed 4, they took off and were happy, I then planted them into the garden. Happy at first. Now I have 2 living, while one is barely hanging in there.

Any advice? Perhaps it's just been too wet this year to grow them?

User avatar
engineeredgarden
Green Thumb
Posts: 426
Joined: Thu May 13, 2010 11:51 am
Location: NW Alabama

I always grow mine vertically...

[img]https://i48.tinypic.com/2z6c6xl.jpg[/img]

DoubleDogFarm
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 6113
Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm

Any advice? Perhaps it's just been too wet this year to grow them?
You should know that are summer starts the 5th of July :D

Fellow web foot washingtonian. :wink:

It has been a wet and cool spring.

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

I don't grow cucumbers (partly because I don't like them... the only good thing to do with a cucumber is turn it into a pickle! :) JMO!!) I do try to grow zucchini, but always struggle with the vine borers. So I don't have a lot of expertise to share on this one.

But from what I read, cucumbers do seem to be kind of picky. They like it warm and sunny, but not super hot, temps in the mid-90's will stop fruiting. Along with the warm and sunny they like lots of water (how do you get that combination in nature!?) and inch or two a week. And they like loose slightly acid soil.

https://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s-5-16-1576,00.html

User avatar
jal_ut
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7447
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:20 pm
Location: Northern Utah Zone 5

I don't grow cucumbers (partly because I don't like them... the only good thing to do with a cucumber is turn it into a pickle! JMO!!)
My kids used to like to carve the big ones into boats. So now you have another use.

It has been wet and cool here too. I just planted my cukes yesterday. I usually plant them on June 1. The soil was warm, so I am hoping they will germinate. It is cloudy again today and 40° F.

User avatar
lakngulf
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1294
Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 4:34 pm
Location: Lake Martin, AL

I plant cukes every year, even though I do not eat that many because they stay around too long, if you know what I mean. They do grow rather well...I have the warm and sunny, and plenty of water to add.

[img]https://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab104/lakngulf/G2010May/G2010038.jpg[/img]

My wife and I were having an "only stuff from the garden" dinner the other night, and decided to try the cukes. I sliced them, added salt and pepper, and let them sit in some white vinegar in the fridge for awhile. They were good!! This year we planted the burpless kind. We will see

The rest of the dinner: Green Beans, Squash and Onion, Okra and green tomato fried together.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Do you like yogurt? Rahita -- I think it's called -- is an Indian side dish made with diced cukes, chopped mint, and salt mixed in plain yogurt and is very yummy. Yogurt should make it very digestible. Variations in recipe includes olive oil or sesame oil, hot red peppers or coarsely ground black peppers, but I think I like the simplest recipe the best.

Joyfirst
Green Thumb
Posts: 361
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:45 pm
Location: Southern California

OMG, how can anyone not to like cucumbers - we eat them everyday. And a lot. When they are not in our garden, we spend about 20 bucks a week just on cucumbers :D

User avatar
gixxerific
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 5889
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:42 pm
Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B

I am very much for trellising cukes. It is wet here and they rot for me as well. It also saves a lot of room if you have a smaller garden and the fruit tend to grow more straight while hanging.

User avatar
Darceyoh
Full Member
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:21 pm
Location: Olympic Peninsula, WA

I figured it was just a little too wet or cold here. I'm sure hoping the summer won't be a cold one.

I did re-sow some cukes, indoors. They'll stay inside until further notice. Now I just gotta figure out why other things are happening in the garden, fix that, and I'll be golden! lol



Return to “Vegetable Gardening Forum”