Cucumber: maxi yield and fun

The cucumber or Cucumis sativus is one of those must-haves for vegetable gardeners who have a greenhouse. The plant grows very quickly and vigorously, and the harvest is therefore phenomenal. I can harvest several fruits a day from my mini cucumber plants!

Cucumber plants are actually very easy to grow. But unfortunately many people don't know what causes the plant to die or gives you only a limited yield. Here are a few important points to consider:

1. The right temperature 🥒

The most important thing! Cucumber plants need even more warmth than tomatoes. So do not plant them until the average temperature is above 15°C. This is usually in mid-May. This is usually the middle of May. So it is best to wait.

2. The right place 🥒

Cucumbers, like tomatoes, need to be in full sun. This means at least 6 hours of sunlight a day (regardless of whether it is morning or afternoon sun). It is also best to give them enough space. The closer the leaves grow together, the greater the risk of disease. Cucumbers require a lot of energy. Feel free to mix some compost into the soil, and give them some organic fertiliser when planting.

3. Patience 🥒

It is best to remove the first few cucumbers as early as possible. These come out, just like tomatoes, in the "axils" between the main stem and the side stem. I usually pinch out the first 3 axils. The plant then puts no more energy into the fruits and produces even more leaves. This way you get a strong plant that will produce much more fruit.

4. Growth habit 🥒

There are different types of growth. You can let the plant crawl along the ground or you can use the side shoots to let the plant branch horizontally.

Personally, I am a fan of the same method of cultivation as with the tomato. I remove all side shoots, and let the plant grow straight up with a tomato spiral or cord with tomato clips. Once the plant reaches a height of 2 to 2.5 metres, I top it (as I did with the tomato) and allow the top two side shoots to run 1 metre to the left and right, and then guide them downwards again along a second cord. As soon as the plant grows well, I also regularly remove a few leaves so that the plant receives sufficient light.

5. Sufficient water & fertiliser 🥒

As soon as the plant starts to produce fruit, it needs an incredible amount of water. Be careful: It is better to give a lot of water every two or three days than just a little every day. This way you get a stronger root system. Otherwise, the roots will remain on the surface and you will get spoiled plants (why should they root deeply if they get water every day anyway?).

Also, never water the plant but the roots. Otherwise the chance of (fungal) diseases increases. I also regularly add some compound fertiliser with a lot of potassium (for fruit development) to the water.

6. Harvest regularly 🥒

Harvesting is best done daily. Do not let the fruits grow too large, because then they taste less good and above all: they take up unnecessary energy that the plant would do better to put into new fruits.

The right choice of plant is also important. As with tomatoes, you have the greatest choice of varieties if you sow the plants yourself. The seedfast varieties are fun to experiment with, but you better opt for the more expensive hybrid F1 seeds if you expect a large yield and good taste.

Personally, I do not sow cucumbers anymore but always choose grafted plants. These are much stronger (especially in the early days), are mostly resistant to various diseases and have a much higher yield.

Finally, I can also recommend the mini or snack cucumber to everyone. Its smaller size makes it very handy to eat straight away or to take with you (as a fruit snack for the children at school).

Have fun planting!

More tips & tricks for the vegetable garden 👇