Grow your own Cucumbers

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Kitchen gardening

Grow your own Cucumbers

Cucumbers are a quick growing crop; they are ready for harvesting just two months after seeds have been sown. There are two main varieties of cucumbers: the English/Dutch cucumber is smooth-skinned and longer (typically used in salads), while the Beta Alpha cucumber is shorter and prickly (often used to make gherkins).

Step-by-step guide for growing your own cucumbers :

  • Cucumbers can be sown directly into the soil, or in pots. They grow upwards which means they don’t take up much space, but they will requiresome form of support as they grow taller.
  • Cucumbers fare best in fertile, moist soil.Add plenty of compost to the soil before sowing and make sure the soil is kept moist at all times while they are growing.
  • Water your cucumbers at ground level so that the leaves don’t get wet, as they are rather prone to fungal diseases.
  • Feed your cucumber plants with 2:3:2 every two weeks while they are growing. Yellow leaves are a sign that the plant is hungry – in this case, feed them with a good dose of 2:3:2 immediately.
  • English and Dutch cucumbers are ready to harvest when they are 25-30cm long. Beta alpha cucumbers are ready to harvest when they are 12-15cm long.

Did you know? Cucumbers are high in vitamin C and caffeic acid, two ingredients found in skincare products. This explains why cucumber slices placed on your eyelids help to reduce puffiness and swelling.