Are you wondering how to plant cucumbers from seed to harvest? Join the Brilliant tech farmer to learn the right seeds, steps, manure, and strategy to grow a long, greenish, and crunchy cucumber in 10 simple steps.

How to plant cucumbers.

In order to learn how to plant cucumbers, we will be looking at the following:

• Choosing the Right Cucumber Seeds
• How to plant Cucumber seed the right way
• 10 simple steps on how to plant cucumbers
• Fertilizing Cucumbers
• Managing Cucumber Pests and Diseases
• Harvesting Cucumbers

Selecting the Right Cucumbers Seeds.

If you desire to learn how to plant cucumbers from seed and harvest a healthy cucumber fruit then choosing quality cucumber seed is your first step on how to plant cucumber seeds. In 2020, when I attempted to grow my first cucumber from seed, I made the mistake of selecting just any kind of seed and this brought me nothing but poor germination and yield. Until I found F1 African giant seed which have more resistance to pests and diseases. I will advise you to get our F1 Hybrid African Giant Seed

Check out: 5 Common Pepper Pests That Is Eating Your Peppers At Night.

How to plant Cucumbers seed the right way

Now that you have the right seed, it is time to learn how to plant cucumbers seed the right way. Because we are looking at how to plant cucumbers seeds only, we will only focus on just that (seeds) and not seedlings. Regardless of the seed you choose, these steps below will guide you to grow your cucumber from seed to harvest.

Step 1: Check your soil temperature.

When it comes to how to plant cucumbers seeds, checking your soil temperature is one thing you need to do to achieve great success. This might not apply to everyone and every location. However, if you are planting in large quantities or large farmland it is important you do this. Here is how: Get a soil thermometer.

You can find this in any garden stores. Then use it to check out soil temperature. Because cucumber prefer warm temperature, So, it is advisable you plant at a temperature of 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cucumber planted in cold soil has been proven to always struggle with sprouting or germination. I know this from experience. However, those who are planted in warm soil sprout faster and perform better.

Step 2: Prepare your land, garden or container.

If you are using farmland, you must have cleared it and made your beds by now. For your garden, you can use raised beds or grow bags. If yours is just a little space at your backyard, you must have gathered your plastic containers, sack bags or grow bags as well. These are the important thing in how to plant cucumber seeds.

After clearing and removing all weeds, the next thing you have to do on your journey on how to plant cucumbers is to till your soil.  This will help you loosen the soil for easy planting and easier penetration of your cucumber roots into the soil.

I advise you start gathering all these before the last frost in spring. Doing this before the last frost gives you time and ensure you are set to grow a healthy and crunchy cucumber. You can consult your county extension agent can to help you determine when the last frost in spring is.

Step 3: How to space rows before planting cucumber seed.

Congratulation, you are making progress on how to plant cucumbers seeds. So, now that your land (beds), garden and containers are ready. Check the back of the seed you got from us and you will find specific instruction on how to space your row. In case you got your seed from another source or if you are using local seeds, you can use 2 to 6 feet apart.

Local seeds have been proven to need less support compared to hybrid. So, get ready to give your hybrid seed the support it needs.

Check Out: 10 Benefits of Growing Vegetables in Sacks and Containers.

Step 4: How to plant cucumbers seeds in a hole

When it comes to how to plant cucumbers seeds in a hole, I advise you sow just one seed in a hole of 2cm to 3cm depth. Yes, just one cucumber seed in a hole. Sowing more than that in one hole will be you creating unnecessary competition for your plant.

You will also not have the need to thin your cucumber plant when the sprout. Cucumber seeds are best sown in the evening. As for spacing between one hole and another, I will advise you give a planting space of 30 by 30cm. This will ensure your cucumber seed has a lot of space to grow and thrive.

Step 5: Watering Your Cucumber Seed.

Watering is a very impotant part when it comes to how to plant cucumbers. It shouldnt be overlooked. Now you have planted your cucumber seed. It is time to water it. Fill out a watering can and water all the spot where seeds were sown. Use a watering can especially if yours is a small garden or a backyard garden.

If you planted on a large farmland, you might consider deploying drip irrigation to constantly water your cucumber seeds. Ensure that your watering can has a sprinkler head. If it doesn’t, make sure you purchase one. Also put a sprinkler head on your hose too. This will ensure that the force of rushing water don’t pull out your seed from the soil.

6 Best Ways to Water Your Cucumbers, Tomatoes & Watermelons for Better Output.

Step 6: Expect Germination.

For you to confidently say you have learnt how to plant cucumbers, You shold be able to say tell when your cucumbers are likely going to germinate. It takes about 3 to 4 days for most cucumber seed varieties to germinate. I can say this from the experience of growing our hybrid F1 African Giant variety seeds. Other varieties might take longer. Regardless of the varieties you planted, you can expect germination between 1 to 7 days.

Should your cucumber seed not germinate within this period, a couple of factors may have contributed to it such as your soil or not sticking to the instructed depth. It is at this point you will intensify the care you give to your newly sprouted seeds.

Step 7: Thinning Your Cucumber Seeds.

If you miss or fail to adhere to instructions in step 4 on this journey of how to plant cucumbers, then you will have to thin your seedlings. Do this immediately after they reach 4 inches tall. Cucumber hates competition, so you have to thin out other cucumber seedlings and leave just one to keep growing. While thinning, ensure that you don’t pull the seedling because it is likely to affect the root of other seedlings.

Just carefully cut out the seedling you want to thin from the base at the soil level. Many might say – this will reduce the number of cucumber seedlings in my farm or garden. Yes, it will. However, it will give those who are left a greater opportunity to perform well and produce massive yields.

Step 8: Fertilizing Cucumber plant.

Personally, I prefer to use organic manure in learning how to plant cucumbers. I also advise you use organic manure or compost to grow your cucumber from seed to harvest.  I specifically advise you use Fowl or cow dung or any form of organic manure. It is quite easier to use and mange. Another thing I will suggest is that you get some plant foods. Any organic plant food with the first number lower than the last two numbers (example: 3-4-6 is good).

Keep plants well watered to avoid bitter-tasting cucumbers. However, if you choose to chemical fertilizer, go for fertilizers that are moderate in nitrogen and have high phosphorus and potassium. Also note that too much nitrogen can inhibit blooming in cucumber.

Step 9: Cucumber Pest and Disease Control.

One big mistakes many people make in the how to plant cucumbers, is not trying to learn the various kinds of pest and disease that affects the plant. There are many pest and disease that can affect your cucumber. It is good you know them so that once you spot them; you can effectively manage and control them. These pest and diseases mostly attack the cucumber vines.

Here are some of these cucumber pests and disease you should know and how to manage them:

1. Downy mildew: Cucumber Downy Mildew is one of the frequent leaf diseases of cucumber. It always starts very small by creating small yellow areas on the upper leaf surface of your cucumber and then spread from there. This color can later turn to brow as the disease spread.
2. Angular leaf spot:  This bacterial is disease often affects everything from the gourd family, including squashes and melons. It causes the affected cucumber plant to water-soaked spots. It is a fungal plant pathogen.

• Cucumber mosaic virus: This disease is very easy to spot. It creates a distinctive, yellow, mosaic-like pattern on the foliage of your cucumber plants. It specially found in temperate, tropic and sub-tropic regions of the world. Aside of cucumber, it also affects spinach.

• Spider mite: This is one of thecommon pests in cucumber cultivation. The Red spider mites are the most dangerous. They are tiny, sap-sucking insects that give the foliage a mottled appearance.

• Gummy Stem Blight: This pest affects watermelon, cucumber and pumpkin. It is a stem and leaf disease of cucumber, cantaloupe and pumpkin.

• Powdery mildew: Cucumber powdery mildew are those pest that causes white, powdery fungal growth on your cucumber leaves, stems, and petioles. You will always find their symptoms usually at the bottom surface of older cucumber leaves. Powdery mildew is a fungal cucumber disease.

How to Harvest Cucumber

Now that you have learnt how to plant cucumbers from seed, it is now time for harvest. Finally, it is time to eat the fruit of your labor. Yes, it is time to harvest your cucumber. Harvest your cucumber 29 to 42 days after sowing. By this time, your cucumber must have attended the proper size for the variety you planted. If your variety is the African Giant F1 Hybrid seed we suggested, you will be smiling to a big and very long giant like cucumber fruit. Cucumbers mature quickly, so harvest fruits before they get too large or overripe.

To harvest your cucumber, follow these tips:

1. Get a garden scissors.
2. To cut the cucumbers from the stems using the garden scissors.
3. Never tug or pull fruits from the plant.
4. You can twist from the vine, please do not pull. Pulling fruit can result in damaged vines and pulled-up plants.
5. Handle with care as cucumber fruit can bruise easily, so fruit should be handled with care to avoid damage
6. Cucumber vines and stems are fragile, and you may damage plants and end your harvest early.

Final thought:

Now that we have put the knowledge to grow cucumber in your hand, go ahead and grow your own healthy and crunchy cucumber. You can click here to purchase our African Giant Hybrid F1 seed. For more guidance, you can join our fast-growing farmer’s community: Brilliant Tech Farmers Hub.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How to control cucumber diseases?

The best preventive way to control cucumber disease is to get and plant our African Giant F1 Hybrid disease-resistant varieties of cucumber. Avoid crowding plants too closely and allow for good air circulation so leaves dry faster after rain. Dont water leaves and stems and ensure you clean up and dispose of symptomatic leaves and stems.