Planting cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) in hills assists supply the optimal drainage that the plants need for an optimal yield. This fast, subtropical plant does well when the air temperature is 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and you can crop fruit in as few as 48 days. They can develop in many types of soil, so long as it is full of organic matter, with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. You can grow cucumbers in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 11.
Seeds Per Hill
To sow cucumber seeds in hills, make miles 6 to 8 inches high and space them 3 to 6 feet apart. Sow four to six seeds per hill, 1 inch deep and 12 to 24 inches apart. Once the seeds sprout and create two sets of true leaves, reduce the number of plants to three by selecting two or three healthy plants and snipping the others at the soil line with a pair of scissors. The first “leaves” to appear when the seeds aren’t true leaves and are a portion of the invading process.
Harvest an Ancient Crop
Extend your growing season with the ancient crop of cucumbers by starting your seeds inside. The very best way to begin cucumber seeds is in plantable peat pots or pellets so you do the least damage to their sensitive origins when it is time to plant them in the garden. Sow one seed per peat pellet, but it is possible to sow four or three seeds per container, depending on the size. Plant them in hills as explained in the prior section.
Varieties to pick From
Cucumbers come in a number of varieties and you plant the exact same number of cucumber seeds per hill for every single one. For cutting cucumbers, try early-ripening “Thunder” or the burpless varieties “Tasty Green” and “Sweet Slice.” For pickling, try out the seedless variety “County Fair” or the ancient to mid-season ripening “Calypso.” If you want a heavy yield of straight proportions with dark skin and white flesh, plant “Straight Eight.” For yellowish, lemon-shaped cucumbers with a gentle flavor try “Seman.”
Pesky Pests
Cucumber plants are vulnerable to a laundry list of pest problems, such as, aphids, armyworms and cucumber beetles, in addition to leaf hoppers, leaf miners and nematodes. Snails, thrips and white flies are drawn to cucumbers, also. You can frequently hand-pick beetles, snails and other substantially sized pests off the plants as a chemical-free management method. Other insects require applications of horticultural oils along with alternative pest-controlling products. One of the most effective methods to prevent pest infestations would be keeping the plants healthy, rotating the crops in your garden and also solarizing the soil before planting.
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