Cucumber Help/What to plant?

[Aida]

Hi everyone!
I live in zone 9 central Florida, and I'm just now starting my fall/winter garden. I still need to clean up and transplant the peppers I have in my raised bed...

I know I want to grow radishes this year, as they have always done well. However, I also just recently got the idea to grow cukes.
Is it too late to plant my cukes outdoors, from seed?
What variety should I grow? I'd prefer smaller-to-medium sized(not tiny though), high-yield cucumbers.

[catgrass]

You may still be able to plant cucumbers-I have some just coming up now-I am in zone 9 also. I usually plant Marketmore-which is a good 6-8 inch cuke. Personally, I think its still too early for radish-but I'll be planting some in late September.

[Aida]

You may still be able to plant cucumbers-I have some just coming up now-I am in zone 9 also. I usually plant Marketmore-which is a good 6-8 inch cuke. Personally, I think its still too early for radish-but I'll be planting some in late September.

Thank you!
I'll look into that variety, I'm very happy that I can still give them a shot.
I'm starting the radishes later, too. Mid-Sep, I'm planning.

[imafan26]

I like the Japanese cucumbers aka English cucumbers. They are crisper and not bitter. I grow Suyo Long which has been very reliable. It is parthenocarpic and does not require a pollinator. It does have ridges and small thorns which will rub off in a day. I also like Tendergreen. It is an American cucumber that can be pickled or used in salads. It is thicker and has some thorns but is burpless and not bitter. Armenian cucumbers are really melons but are eaten like cucumbers and have tender skins. They prefer warm weather but check them out sometime.

All of these seeds are available on the Baker Creek Website.

[Francis Barnswallow]

I'm in central FL as well and I got my cucumber plants ready to be planted. They can't wait to be planted. I haven't decided yet where to put them because the cucumber worms always annihilate my cukes every year. I'm thinking about keeping half of them in the screen area and pollinate them myself.

[Aida]

Thanks guys!
I'm heading out to the store soon and I will see if they have those varieties. If not, I will buy from one of the seed websites.

As for trellis, what should I use? I have a raised bed I will be planting these in.

[Lindsaylew82]

I'm in central FL as well and I got my cucumber plants ready to be planted. They can't wait to be planted. I haven't decided yet where to put them because the cucumber worms always annihilate my cukes every year. I'm thinking about keeping half of them in the screen area and pollinate them myself.

This is the first year I've ever had an issue with pickle worms AND melon worms...

Pointless to plant outside without row covers here in SC.

[imafan26]

I use a folding tomato trellis for cucumbers. They are useless for tomatoes but work fine for smaller plants. I don't bother with the cone shaped trellis. My folding tomato cage can be opened up to a fence. I use it for beans, peas and cucumbers and the occasional bell pepper since they have a hard time not leaning when they have large fruit and suport the side branches better than stakes. I only stacked the cages once. I would rather use CRW rather than stack cages. The stacked cages need to be supported with long stakes or at least for me they end up falling over in the wind.

[Aida]

Thanks imafan!
I'm going to see how much those are at the store, and if they are expensive, I'll try to make my own.

[jal_ut]

Can't imagine planting this time of year. Here in this high mountain desert we will be getting frost in another week or 10 days.

Marketmore is a good one for me too. I just plant and let them sprawl on the ground. I have not trellised cukes at all. I like the Japenese Long type too for eating.

I have not had pests on the cukes this season. Sometimes the "critters" get after them. Keep a close watch on them for beetles and aphids.

[Aida]

Thanks everyone!
I looked for tendergreen but couldn't find any, so I got marketmore. Planted them last night.

I think I'll look into some simple trellis, just because it should be easy in my raised bed, and because it's so damp and humid around here.

[catgrass]

My garden area is about 8 X 16, 1/2 I use for cukes-3 plants. I use four T-posts, the 4 ft ones, and hog wire. I tie the hog wire to the posts with electrical ties and let the cukes ramble on them. Keeps them off the ground, and they seem to grow straighter with the help of gravity.

[imafan26]

Posts do work well. It takes time in the beginning to train them. Make sure they go in deep enough especially if you have soft soil or they can fall when it gets heavy.

I tried Marketmore and Straight 8, I did not really like the bitterness of those varieties.

[Aida]

Thanks imafan! I think I'll do something like very simple posts, criss-crossed for easier training.

The cukes have sprouted!!!! I see 3 so far.