Cucumber is a tender warm season crop, which produces an abundance even in small gardens if provide enough growing room and proper growing conditions. Cucumbers do best grown on a trellis. They are enjoyed sliced, in salads, and pickled. They can be started in small pot or sowed directly in the beds after all danger of frost has passed. However I prefer starting early in pots in the greenhouse. With ample soil moister cucumbers will thrive in warm summer climates. A second crop can be grown in mid to later summer.

Planting Suggestions
A good cucumber crop begins with large vigorous health seedlings 4 to 6 weeks old, grown in 4" or larger growing pots. Growing your own seedlings insure quality and varieties not commercially available. Cucumber seedling are commonly found commercially if you prefer just buying your seedlings. The seeds should be started about 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date in your zone., Make sure the seed starting mix is a light sterile soil mix with a liberal portion of Perlite or Vermiculite to maintain moisture. Sow 2 seeds per 4"pot about ½" to ¾" deep in pre-moistened growing mix. During the day, keep the seedling next to a sunny window after they have germinated. Move to top of the water heater or refrigerator at night if you do not have a greenhouse. A heated greenhouse will produce ideal, controllable growing conditions. I also use supplemental overhead florescent lighting when needed. Never allow your lights to burn more than 16 hours per day. A cheap electrical timer is the key to success here. Seedlings must be allowed to have a period of rest from light to grow properly. Hang your lights 1½ inches above the tops of the seedlings. This will prevent the Cucumber seedling from becoming leggy. Raise the lights suspended by a chain as the plants grow. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Feed newly emerged seedlings every other watering cycle. After they have grown 2 true leaves use a fertilizer high in phosphorus.  Fertilize every two weeks until transplant time. Four weeks after seedlings have emerged clip off the smallest of the 2 seedlings with scissors at the soil line. Seeds can also be started by directly sowing into your prepared wide row beds. Plant 2 seed ½" to ¾" deep about 12" apart, separate the two seed by 2" and water gently.

Harvesting and Handling
Transplant potted seedling or direct sow seed after all danger of frost has passed in the previously prepared 36" wide beds 12" to 16" apart. Plants can be set slightly deeper when transplanting. Water the cucumber plants well during transplanting using about 1 pint of starter solution on each transplant, or use commercially prepared starter solution according to manufacturer's instructions. This can be a weak solution of 20-20-20 general plant food or commercially available root stimulator. This will encourage rapid root growth & produce fruit of acceptable quality. If direct sowing, sow your seed about ¼" to ¾" deep placing 2 seeds per hole with individual seed separated by 2". Keep the soil moist to help prevent crusting of the surface. After the seeds have germinated and grown to the height of about 4" start constructing your trellis. A trellis can be easily constructed using old fencing, bamboo cane, or orange plastic construction barricade fencing stretched between T-posts. The trellis can be of the single vertical type placed above the trench between the rows in the 36" wide beds, or of the A frame design across the 2 rows within the 36"wide beds. A trellis will produce straighter & cleaner cucumbers and allows easier harvest. Fewer fruit will be missed if grown on a trellis. After constructing the trellis cover the entire 36" wide bed including the trench between the rows with leaves or straw mulch. The mulch will retain moisture, attract worms, and reduce the growth of weeds in the beds. Any weeds that do germinate are easily removed by hand or light cultivation. Side-dress plants with 1 tablespoon of 13-131-13 fertilizer in the trench between rows when the plants show first sign of blooming and again immediately after harvest of the first fruits. When it is time to water your plants simply apply a moderate amount of water into the trench between the row you formed earlier. Do not apply water to quickly as you may wash out soil holding the water. The water will slowly soak deeply onto the root zone. Using this method your plants will always have adequate moisture to perform well. It is of great importance that the soil be kept moist and weed free.