Cucumber is one plant variety that is often grown because it has so many uses. It is used to make squashes and of course, it is the typical vegetable to be used in any salad.
Buy cucumber seeds from a local nursery to begin planting. If you want to pickle your cucumbers, buy cucumber seeds that are of the pickle variety. However, if what is required is to eat the cucumbers fresh, then you need to get the slicing variety. Cucumbers have nutrients that bring about healthy look in skin, hair and nails.
Cucumbers need warm weather for planting. They cannot withstand extreme heat, nor is cold weather conducive to them for growth. They are easily affected by various diseases and can fall prey to insect, so it is necessary to keep a cautious eye on them as you grow them.
You can start by planting cucumber in a pot that has a bottom with holes so that water drains out well. Put a gap of 40cm between different seedlings and by sowing seeds in groups of three into a hole, the chances of germination is better. The seeds should be planed at a depth of 2.5 cm. Put the pot in an area where the plant can get plenty of sunshine. It is necessary to water the plant twice a week. Add just enough water to ensure the soil is moist.
When you want to plant the seeds in your garden soil, it is necessary to ensure that the soil is well-drained and that the beds are raised to about 6 inches in height. The kind of soil that cucumbers need is loamy soil. Enrich the soil with manure and organic matter so that the cucumber plant gets the kind of nutrients that is required to grow. It is necessary to remove the weeds from the soil from time to time to ensure healthy growth of the plant. Guard cucumbers from insects such as beetles, squash bugs and squash vine borers so that they are unaffected and that they continue to grow well.
About 50 to 60 days after planting, the cucumber will reach a size wherein they can be harvested. The best time to harvest is when the cucumber skin is dark green in color. At this point you can remove the cucumber by twisting it from the plant or by just cutting off the cucumber from its stalk, which is above the cucumber tip.
