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Grow your own Cucumbers
Cucumbers are a member of cucurbitaceae family (that's marrows, melons, squashes, pumpkins to me and you). When buying your cucumber seeds make sure you pick the correct variety to suit your needs. You've a choice ridge cucumbers (outdoor growing) or the more common greenhouse cucumbers which are grown in grow bags. Ridge cucumbers are tougher cookies than their indoor counterparts. You'll find the flesh is hard and crunchy.
Outdoor varieties need plenty of organic compost and well draining soil between pH 6.0 and 7.0.
Sowing
It's best to sow your seeds indoor. Use 3 inch pots with good seed compost. Create a hole a couple of centimeters down and put one or two seeds in per pot. Cover over, place in a propagator and don't forget to water. It can be helpful to use biodegradable pots. This avoids damaging the seedlings when you plant them out. Rather than buying these pots in the shop a self sufficient way of doing this is to make your own out of old toilet rolls and a little paper.
Germination usually takes anything from 3 to 10 days. Get rid of the weakest seedlings - survival of the fittest and all that...
Planting Outdoor Cucumbers
Before planting out the outdoor varieties get them used to the real world by putting them in a cold frame for a week or two. Cucumbers love the sun and aren't too fond of the wind. Make sure the spot has some shelter.
Start by digging a trench about 20cm deep. Fill this with manure or compost. Create another trench next to it. Put the earth from the second trench on top of the compost. This will create a ridge - hence the name ridge cucumbers! Plant about 90cm apart. The root ball should be just level with the soil. It's a good idea to use some grass clippings as mulch around outdoor cucumbers. This retains moisture and will stop the roots drying out.
Planting Indoor (green house) Cucumbers
You'll need a grow bag. You can get them at your local DIY or garden centre. In early May plant two to three seedlings per bag. You will need to support them with garden canes/wire. Best to get them in at the start so you don't damage any root systems. Tie the cane/wire to the top of the green house. Using wire, secure the plant to the cane.
Pinch out any side shoots from the branches with fruit just leaving two leaves.
If you have got an all female variety get rid of any side shoots as the fruit will develop the main stem.
You can let the outdoor varieties tail over the ground in the same way you'd let its cousin the pumpkin. You will however need to prune the leaves. Once you have six leaves on the plant clip the growing tip off. This will encourage the side shoots to develop.
Don't remove any of the flowers on the outdoor varieties. On the indoor you will need to get rid of the male flowers - it's girls only! The way to tell the male and female apart is to look for a longer more bulbous stem on the flower. This will be the female. If you use your imagination it will look like a baby cucumber with a flower on the end (that's becuae it is!)
Obviously if you get an all female variety you won't need to worry about this.
Feed weekly with a good liquid fertilizer when the fruits are about 7cm in length.
Harvesting
Cut when you are happy with the size. The size will vary depending on which type you've grown. Harvest regularly - this will encourage the plant to bear more fruit. You will be able to harvest the indoor as late as October. The outdoor will be around september.
