Cucumbers from seed

 

Cucumbers get a 4/5. Nice.

Cucumbers are another really easy plant to grow from seed. Mid may I popped about 3 seeds per compartment in a seeding block about 1/4 inch deep and by the first of June I had these.

Most of them germinated. sweet.

I'm sorry I don't have any intermediate photos (my camera got swiped) but I can tell you that I was a little in love with this plant. It extends little feeler things (that I don't know the name of) and these will wrap round anything and everything to give it support. Going to check on them everyday was like watching a dance in slow motion, the practical side of this is that building a trellis for them is very easy. They use poles, chicken wire and even garden furniture so you don't have to worry too much about support.

They climb over anything even each other and themselves.

So that's Mid may to 1st august. So from seed I had my first harvest after two months and a half. Nice.

Harvest them just when they start to go yellow for the best taste

They don't do as well in the hard limestone soil I have  in my bed at the moment. But they manage!

Pop them in the ground, keep them watered, build *any* kind of support structure for them (A tall stick lodged firmly in the pot will do) and wait. So easy.

Cucumbers and their food potential. Let's score!

Easy to germinate     
Easy to grow          
Harvest size          
Economy of space      
Easy to harvest seeds  

 

To explain those scores:

• Most seeds germinate with no special treatment or weather conditions. 
• Very easy to grow but it still needs support of some sort.
• I haven't finished the harvest but everyone says the same thing: I will get many cucumbers per plant and due to their size that's a lot of food.
• They don't take very large pots to grow and they will grow in any direction and into any spare space.
• Botanically it's a fruit, so the seeds are available when you eat.

This is another plant I'm going to try growing out of season due to growing in a hot climate. I'll keep you updated!

As always comment if you think anything is wrong or I've left something vital out!