Homemade Pickles Cucumber Seeds

You'll find new meaning in the term "cool as a Cucumber" when you discover the delights of this delicious, easy-to-grow vegetable! Slice 'em, dice 'em, pickle 'em, or pull 'em straight off the vine and enjoy their unmistakable and delicious flavor right there. They can be grown on hills, in rows, on trellises, or in containers, so there's a variety just perfect for you, no matter where you live or how large or small your gardening space.

Choosing a Cucumber Variety

When you choose which Cucumbers to grow, you'll want to consider length, thickness, use, and the amount of space required for the plant. They come in a wide variety of sizes, from tiny Gherkin-appropriate ones to long, delicious slicers. The pickling types are usually smaller, and some of the slicers are burpless (less bitter and contain less burp-causing compounds).

There are several compact varieties just right for those with limited gardening space, and of course, you'll also be able to pick from various shades of green cukes, with some white and yellow types thrown in the mix!

When to Start Cucumber Seeds

Cucumbers are best direct sown outdoors 1 to 2 weeks after all danger of frost has passed in the spring and once the soil has warmed -- it needs to be at least 60 degrees F. They can be sown indoors (at a temperature of 70 degrees F) 4 to 6 weeks before planting out, but direct sowing is recommended.

How to Start Cucumber Seeds

Sow the seeds at a depth of 4 times the size of the seed, siting them in full sun in light, rich, well-drained soil. Fertilize before planting and then again every 3 weeks until you harvest. It's very important to keep the plants weeded and well watered. Be sure to disturb the roots as little as possible when weeding.

If you're growing your Cucumbers on hills, plant 4 or 5 seeds per hill, spacing them 4 to 5 feet apart. If instead you choose to plant in rows, space them 2 to 3 feet apart in rows that are about 5 to 6 feet apart. You can also grow them on a trellis, an option especially appealing if you have limited space. Expect germination in 7 to 10 days and harvests in 50 to 70 days.

Special Considerations

• If your Cucumbers become too large (hard and seedy) they will sap the strength away from the plant that would otherwise be used to grow more fruit. Just throw away any that become too large.
  
• Take care not to over-fertilize with nitrogen, as this can increase growth of the vine but decrease the amount of fruiting.
  
• Standard varieties of Cucumbers need more fertilizer than do bush, dwarf, and short-vined types.
  
• Cucumber vines produce both male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers. The first to arrive are male and will drop from the vine without bearing fruit. The ones to follow will be both male and female, allowing for pollination. So don't become discouraged when the first flowers you see don't produce fruit.
  
• There are also Cucumbers available that bear only female flowers (gynoecious). These varieties will include in the seed packet specifically marked seeds of a pollinator that must be planted as well in order for proper pollination to take place.

Growing Tips for Cucumbers

• If you want to start your seeds indoors, use peat pots or pellets -- something that can be planted as-is, thus minimizing root disturbance. Transplanting shouldn't be done until all danger of frost has passed.
  
• Cucumbers need long, warm, sunny days and mild nights in order to be productive.
  
• Keep well watered and fed throughout the growing season.
  
• Mulches, including black plastic varieties, can be useful in conserving moisture, preventing the soil from becoming compacted and the fruit from rotting, and in minimizing the presence of weeds.
  
• Harvest your Cucumbers depending on their use, and therefore their size. They can over mature (and become bitter) rather quickly since they develop so rapidly after pollination, so check your crop frequently in order to pick them at their peak quality.
  
• Be careful not to trample the vines any more than necessary while harvesting, and cut the stems about ¼ inch above the fruit.

Pests and Problems to Watch For

Powdery mildew:

• Plant mildew-resistant varieties whenever you can.
• If you can avoid it, don't apply nitrogen fertilizers late in the season. This will limit the production of succulent tissue, which is the most susceptible to infection.
• Avoid overhead watering.
• Remove and destroy infected plants -- DO NOT compost them!
• Allow for as much air circulation as you can.

Squash bugs:

• Choose pest-resistant varieties when possible.
• Early detection is very important, so look over your plants often.
• If only a few of your plants are infected, you can just collect and destroy the bugs and their egg masses. Boards, shingles, or something similar can be placed on the ground near the plants -- the bugs will often concentrate themselves to that area.
• You can cover the vines until blossoming begins, at which time they'll have to be uncovered for pollination.
• Burn or compost plant debris at the end of the season.
• Chemical insecticides can be used if nothing else works. Follow all label directions and safety precautions.

Cucumber beetles:

• Choose pest-resistant varieties if possible.
• Plow early to remove vegetation and discourage egg laying.
• Sandy soils aren't usually as susceptible to pest problems.
• Row covers can keep them off until the plants are well established.
• You can apply a foliar insecticide at the cotyledon stage (the appearance of the first leaves). Be sure to follow label instructions and safety precautions.

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Cucumber Germination Information

How to Sow Cucumber:

• Best sown outdoors
• Sow 1-2 weeks after danger of frost is past
• Seeds can also be sown indoors, 4-6 weeks before planting out, at a temperature of 70°
• Sow in individual pots to avoid root disturbance when transplanting
• Indoors and out, sow at a depth of 4 times the size of the seed and expect germination in 7-10 days

How to Grow Cucumber:
Transplanting: Transplant to same distance when there are at least two sets of true leaves. When transplanting, be careful with the roots as they resent being disturbed

Spacing: Thin seedlings to 12 inches apart. Cultivars vary in size, but they are generally grown in rows spaced 2 feet apart or in 4 feet by 4 feet hills with 4 plants per hill

Lighting: Site in full sun

Soil: Site in a light, rich, fertile, well-drained soil. Feed prior to planting and again every 3 weeks

Additional Care: Keep plants well watered. When weeding, do so with as little disturbance to the plants as possible

Appearance and Use:

This prostrate or climbing vine grows approximately 8 feet long, but there are also bush varieties that don’t require support. They produce 1 inch, yellow flowers that are followed by the edible fruit. Harvest when they are dark green, before they turn yellow. The slicing types will be 6-8 inches long, while the pickling types will be 11/2- 3 inches long. Gently cut them off the vine; do not break them off. Cucumbers are eaten fresh; the pickling types are preserved with pickling spices and then canned

About Cucumber:
Botanical name: Cucumis sativus
Pronunciation:  ku’ku-mis sa-ti’vus
Lifecycle:  Annual
Origination: Cucurbitaceae; native to southern Asia

Superior Germination Through Superior Science

Park Seed offers some of the highest-quality vegetable and flower seeds available in the industry, and there are a number of reasons for this.

First of all, we have humidity- and temperature-controlled storage, and we never treat any of our seeds with chemicals or pesticides. Nor do we ever sell GMO's (genetically modified seeds), so you always know the products you're buying from us are natural as well as safe for you and the environment.

Superior Standards - University Inspected

To make sure we are providing the best seed product possible and that our customers will get the highest number of seedlings from every packet, we conduct our own germination testing and have quality-control measures in every stage of our seed-handling operation. We hold ourselves to standards that are at or above federal and state standards, including testing specific crops more frequently than recommended by federal guidelines. And in order to maintain our organic certification, we welcome Clemson University to inspect us annually to make sure our organic seeds, which are stored and processed separately, are being handled properly.

Hand Packed By Experienced Technicians

Park Seed has been handling and packing vegetable and flower seeds for 145 years, a history that has given us a great understanding of how each variety should be cared for and maintained throughout every step of theprocess, from collection to shipping.

When packing our seeds, the majority are actually done by hand (with extreme care!), and we often over-pack them, so you're receiving more than the stated quantity.

The Park Seed Gold Standard

And many of our seeds are packed in our exclusive Fresh-Pak gold foil packets, which are lined to keep moisture out, so the seeds stay fresher for longer. We carefully pack very tiny or fragile seeds in crush-proof vials to ensure safe delivery to your home. Some of the small seeds are also offered as "pellets" (have a clay coating) to make sowing and growing easier.

When it comes to the kinds of seeds we offer, we are constantly seeking something new and provide many unique and hard-to-find varieties from all around the world. Our on-staff horticulturists are ready and available to share their expertise to help you with the success of these seeds, so you can grow a beautiful and productive garden!

It is important for our customers to know that Park Seed does not sell GMO or treated seed. We do buy a small amount of traditional hybrid seed from Seminis, a division of Monsanto Co., but that is all we purchase from them.

Basically, organic seeds are seeds that are produced without the use and exposure to artificial/chemical fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and other chemicals. They have to be grown, harvested, stored, and handled under very strict organic rules and procedures. All of our organic seeds are USDA 100% certified organic through Clemson University and the certificate has to be renewed yearly.

Heirloom Seeds are open-pollinated -- they are not hybrids. You can gather and save heirloom seed from year to year and they will grow true to type every year, so they can be passed down through generations. To be considered an heirloom, a variety would have to be at least from the 1940's and 3 generations old (many varieties are much older -- some 100 years or more!).

Hybrid seed are the product of cross-pollination between 2 different parent plants, resulting in a new plant/seed that is different from the parents. Unlike Heirloom seed, hybrid seed need to be re-purchased new every year (and not saved). They usually will not grow true to type if you save them, but will revert to one of the parents they were crossed with and most likely look/taste different in some way.

Extremely small seed such as Petunias and Pentas are shipped as pelleted seed to make them easier to handle and sow. Pelleted seed are coated, usually with clay, to make them larger in size. After sowing, the coating will dissolve when wet and the seed will germinate. Pelleted seeds are shipped in vials placed inside seed packets, which protects them from being crushed. When sowing, be certain to use thoroughly moistened soil, to be sure that the clay coating absorbs enough moisture to dissolve. For sowing pelleted Petunia seeds, place the seeds directly on the soil surface and do not cover with soil, as light aids in the germination.

The ideal temperature to germinate most seeds is approximately 70 degrees F; give or take 1-2 degrees either way. This would be a good germination temperature for most flower and vegetable seeds and would be the most practical and feasible temperatures achieved for gardeners starting seeds in the home. You will notice for some seeds that it is recommended to use alternating day (warmer), night (cooler), temperatures, which is fine if one can provide such conditions. But most people are unable to provide those temperatures in a home setting, so just use the overall 70 degree F recommendation and the seeds should germinate well.

For germination and seedling/plant growth, you want to simulate the natural day-night cycles, and as a general rule, grow lights should be on 8-12 hours per day and off at night. You can vary this timing, as some seeds such as tomato, pepper, petunia, impatiens, and others, benefit from 14-17 hours of light per day (and the remainder of the 24 hour period in darkness). The most common grow lights used are fluorescent; using cool white, warm white, and wide-spectrum fluorescent tubes. These lights work well for germination and for growing plants up to a transplantable size. Fluorescent lights should be kept close though, 3-6 inches above the soil or the growing plants, adjusting the height as the plants grow.

Park Seed stores seed in a special temperature- and humidity-controlled storage facility, which keeps seeds in excellent condition. Our seeds should be good for at least 1-2 years on average. Seed viability and storage time will vary depending on the seed item; some will keep a shorter time and some will keep longer. Seeds should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place. A basement will do (if not too humid), or a cool, dark room or closet. We recommend the best way to extend seed storage life is to store them in something air tight, such as a plastic zipper storage bag or canning jar, and place it in the refrigerator. This will extend the life of seeds for many years.

We recommend the best way to extend seed storage life is to store seeds in something air tight, such as a plastic zipper storage bag or canning jar, and place it in the refrigerator. This will extend the life of seeds for many years.

When sowing seed outdoors, we recommend a maximum planting depth of 4X the width of the seed. When sowing seed indoors, the planting depth can be less, depending on the seed being sown, so it is always best to check specific directions. Here are some general guidelines concerning planting depth in relation to seed size: Tiny, dust-like seeds need to be sown on the surface of the growing medium or soil, uncovered, as they need light to germinate. The planting depth for small seed can be anywhere from barely covering, to 1/8-inch deep, to possibly 1/4-inch deep, depending on the recommendation. Medium seed should be planted at 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep, depending on the recommendation. Larger seeds can be planted 1-inch or deeper, depending on the recommendation.

Selecting the best varieties of vegetables to grow each year should include not only flavor, yield, and growth habit, but also disease resistance. Disease resistant varieties will suffer less damage from diseases than plants with no resistance. Find resistant varieties for issues you have had in your garden or those that are common in your region. Your local Extension office is a great resource for more information.