How to Plant and Grow Cucumbers

Cucumbers are the most tender plant in the squash family. Traditionally, there are two main types of cucumbers: greenhouse cucumbers and outdoor ones. The outdoor cucumbers are the traditional varieties, while indoor cucumbers have smoother thinner skins.

Instructions

1. 

   Start cucumbers indoors in pots full of potting mix. Set the seeds on edge to minimize the risk that they will rot. Seedling should be ready to plant out about four weeks after sowing. Make sure the soil is warm enough.

2. 

   If planting seeds outside directly into the ground, sow in mid-spring to early summer. Warm the soil using cloches or plastic sheeting. Cucumbers should be grown in a sheltered sunny spot. Seeds should be sown on its side at a depth of 1". Sow in well fertilized soil.

3. 

   Keep weeds down around plants as they grow. Mulch to retain moisture. Construct a trellis, or framework of strings and wires as a support for climbing plants.

4. 

   Regular harvesting will encourage the plants to produce new cucumbers. Remove vegetable before they start to turn yellow, if you do not remove the yellow cucumbers they will weaken the rest of the crop. Harvest cucumbers while they are quite young for best quality.