How to Grow Cucumbers: Organic Gardening Tips

Cucumbers love the heat of a summer garden. They thrive in a warm climate in full sun. Cukes are about 96% water, so they do need lots of water to grow properly. Here in the Midwest, cukes should be planted after the last expected frost date, about mid-May here in southern Indiana. They are susceptible to striped cucumber beetles and spotted squash bugs, both of which can be controlled in the garden by applying organic products. Potassium bicarbonate is an effective organic ingredient to look for, and it usually is in a spray suspension that includes canola oil or cottonseed oil as carrier/spreader. Mature cucumber vines may become infected with a bacterial wilt that is spread by the insects, so control of the bugs is important. Pyrethrum is another effective organic insect control. You can use a floating row cover before the plants blossom to help keep insects away, but be sure to remove it as soon as the flowers open so the bees can work their pollination magic.

Powdery mildew is a whitish, dusty looking fungus that attacks all kinds of squash, including cucumbers. One organic treatment for powdery mildew is a spray of 1 cup milk mixed with 1 gallon water. Spray the entire plant until it is quite wet with the milk solution. In my experience, dry milk powder mixed to the same ratio works just as well as liquid milk. There may be a bit of a sour milk odor as this dries (especially on a hot day). I have found that skim milk does not have quite as much of an odor as whole milk does, and powdered milk has the least odor of all. Someone told me it was due to the lower fat content, but I believe weather conditions at the time of application may also contribute. This treatment for powdery mildew works on any kind of cucurbit, and even other plants like zinnias.

Gherkins are genetically small cucumbers used for pickles. Larger varieties are also used for pickling. If pickles are your goal, plant the types bred for that purpose and you will have the best yield.

If slicing cucumbers are your summer favorite, then you can select from the regular 6-8 inch long slicing cukes, or the long "burpless" hybrids. There are so many varieties of cucumbers available now that it can be mind-boggling just trying to decide which to grow. Although I garden organically, I am not a purist when it comes to using hybrid seeds if they offer improvements to heirloom varieties. In the humid, insect-laden area where I live, I'll take all the help I can get to avoid having to use ANY kind of insect or fungus control product. My favorite cucumber varieties are a long green European type with a vining plant habit, and Salad Bush for a bushy plant habit. I don't even grow regular slicing cukes anymore, since my space is limited. The European types can be grown on a trellis or fence, which saves space, and the Salad Bush plants truly are quite compact and heavy-bearing. Salad Bush will grow well in a large container on a patio or balcony.

Select a variety that is resistant to a number of diseases. I really appreciate not having to constantly check for signs of fungi or wilt, and then having to dust or spray to try to control it. The bacterial wilt disease is actually carried over winter in the cucumber beetles' bodies, and then they infect the plants at a very early stage of growth, many weeks before there are any signs of the disease in the plant. They carry the disease from plant to plant, and if you have one plant infected, it is likely that all of your plants are. One of the best ways to control the disease is to clean up ALL of the vines and residual plant matter from your cucumber crop as soon as the plants stop producing.

Enjoy the cool, refreshing taste of your organic cucumbers. Check my other articles for my family's favorite recipes for cucumber sandwiches and candied dill pickles.

Recipes: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1905398/cucumber_sandwiches_and_other_cool.html?cat=22