{"id":376,"date":"2017-01-03T19:46:01","date_gmt":"2017-01-03T19:46:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gardendad.co.uk\/?p=376"},"modified":"2020-11-02T09:32:24","modified_gmt":"2020-11-02T09:32:24","slug":"how-to-grow-cucumbers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gardendad.co.uk\/how-to-grow-cucumbers\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Select And Grow Cucumbers In Your Garden Or Greenhouse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cucumbers are amazingly easy to grow, and there are so many different varieties that adding an assortment of these hardy plants to your garden or greenhouse can bring lots of nutrition, flavour and enjoyment to your mealtimes.<\/p>\n

Many types of cucumbers can be harvested on an ongoing basis throughout the summer months. They make an ideal addition to light summer fare, veggie smoothies and specialty summertime drinks. Some types have been developed and bred especially for pickling<\/a>. Others are ideally suited for slicing. Exotic Asian and Indian specialty cucumbers are excellent for preparing and accompanying exotic dishes or enjoying on their own.<\/p>\n

Thanks to the many different varieties and their varied growing habits, you can enjoy cucumbers from early spring until late in the autumn. This is especially true if you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse<\/a>. You can grow a combination of greenhouse cukes and those that can be grown from start to finish in the garden.<\/p>\n

Choose the right plants for your garden, greenhouse or patio<\/h2>\n

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Cucumbers can be divided into two basic types, greenhouse<\/strong> and outdoor or \u201cridge\u201c<\/strong>. Within these two types there are many different varieties. Cucumbers are also very fine container plants, and they can also be grown in grow-bags. The key to success lies in selecting the right plants for your setting.<\/p>\n

Greenhouse cucumbers are easy to grow year-round, and they produce very nice looking fruits of a uniform shape and size. When you grow greenhouse cukes, you do need to take care that they are not pollinated as this will result in bitter tasting fruits.<\/p>\n

Be sure to either purchase “all-female” F1 hybrids or remove any male flowers that might appear on your plants. You can tell the difference between male and female flowers because the female flowers have a cucumber-shaped bulge at the base. This will become a cucumber. Male flowers just have a straight stem and no bulge.<\/p>\n

Ridge cucumbers are the type that grow outdoors. Outdoor cukes are not as pretty as the greenhouse variety. They are shorter and tend to have rough, bumpy skin. The outdoor variety does need to be pollinated, so you should leave all flowers in place. You don’t need to stress over pollination as long as you have a healthy population of friendly fauna (e.g. bees, butterflies, hummingbirds) in your garden.<\/p>\n

While it is possible to grow ridge cukes in a greenhouse, you must be sure not to grow both ridge and greenhouse varieties in the same building. If you do, they may cross-pollinate and your greenhouse variety will produce bitter tasting fruit.<\/p>\n

Specialty varieties can add fun and interest to the garden and to your table. There are a number of interesting variations to choose from. For example, there are ball-shaped cukes and some types that are pale yellow<\/a> or white rather than green. These specialty specimens can be had in both ridge and greenhouse varieties, and the smaller types make great container plants.<\/p>\n

Guide to cucumber types<\/h2>\n

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Your choice of plants will also depend upon your plans for the fruits. Some cucumbers are better for slicing, while others are designed for pickling. There are also good all-around varieties that can be used in multiple ways. Here\u2019s a brief guide:<\/p>\n

a. Best cukes for slicing<\/h3>\n