Cucumbers hanging from a vine on a trellis.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are one of the most common vegetables that people grow in their backyard gardens. The plant is easy to grow and can produce a lot of fruit, but it does require some care to get the best results. Use our guides down below to plant and grow your own cucumbers as well as finding cultivar selection recommendations and disease and pest control advice. Happy gardening!

How to Identify and Control Cucumber Beetles

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Your cucumbers and other cucurbit crops are at risk of infestation via cucumber beetles, which can defoliate them, reduce their yield aesthetics, transmit diseases, or even kill the plants entirely. In this guide, you’ll learn how to identify these pests, and how to prevent and control them in your garden. Read more now.

How to Plant and Grow Cucumbers

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Cucumbers have long been depended on to add a satisfying crunch to summer meals. This summer crop is easy to grow when you pick the right varieties for your growing zone and keep your plants healthy and high-yielding. Learn how to plant and grow cucumbers in your garden with this guide – we’ve even got recipe ideas too.

33 of the Best Cucumber Varieties to Grow at Home

A close up of a small cucumber growing in the garden, pictured in light filtered sunshine with foliage in soft focus in the backgrounds.

Cucumbers are a summer staple in the vegetable garden, and there are numerous of different cultivars available. Whether you want to grow slicing varieties for salads and sandwiches, or those more suitable for pickling, learn about 33 of the best cucumber varieties and choose your favorites. Read more now.

21 of the Best Pickling Cucumbers to Grow in Your Garden

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Pickling cucumber plants produce a bumper crop. Eat them fresh and then harvest a bounty for homemade pickles. The best varieties to grow in your garden include gherkins, heirlooms like ‘Boston Pickling,’ and dwarf types to grow in pots. We’ve rounded up the top choices, so you can pick your favorite and get growing.

Put Up Your Cukes: How to Grow Cucumbers on a Fence

A close up horizontal image of cucumber plants growing in a raised garden bed supported by a wooden fence pictured in light sunshine.

Aerial cucumbers are stars of the summertime vegetable garden. Just a few reasons to plant cucumbers on a fence include saving space, getting better yields, and preventing slug infestation. Our guide tells you how to choose the best site, variety of cucumber, and type of fencing for vertical growing. Read more now.

How to Store Homegrown Cucumbers for Maximum Freshness and Long-Term Use

A close up horizontal image of a pile of freshly harvested homegrown cucumbers set on a wooden surface with a wicker basket in the background.

What to do with all those extra garden cucumbers? Pickles are just the beginning! Try using them to make salsa, jelly, or even sorbet. If you have more cucumbers than you can eat, read on for suggestions on creative ways to preserve them, as well as tips for keeping them fresh for longer in storage.

Cucumber Hollow Heart Causes and Solutions

A close up background image of a pile of fresh cucumbers.

When the cucumber you grew in your garden reveals an empty cavity, you’re dealing with a condition called hollow heart. It could result from a soil deficiency or poor growing conditions, but bugs and disease are not factors. Our guide covers the most likely causes, and provides solutions and preventive measures.

What Causes Holes in Homegrown Cucumbers?

A close up horizontal image of small cucumbers growing in the garden on the vine, pictured in light filtered sunshine.

Pests like pickleworms, and even a fungus that causes belly rot, can leave holes in garden-grown cucumbers. Learn how to identify the culprits, cope with an infestation, and prevent repeats in the future. Our guide also addresses the all-important question: whether or not you can eat a cucumber that has a hole in it.

Bring in That Bumper Crop: How and When to Harvest Cucumbers

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Garden cucumbers grow fast and have high yields, so prepare for a bountiful harvest. These expert tips and techniques will help you pick the fruits at their tastiest, and extend the harvest, starting on day one of the growing season. Avoid rookie mistakes and pick with ease with this guide to harvesting cucumbers.

BFFs and Enemies: The Best and Worst Cucumber Companion Plants

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What should you plant with cucumbers? The best companions maximize space, discourage harmful insects, and suppress weeds. Beans, marigolds, and corn are beneficial, but steer clear of potatoes and sage! This guide will help you grow good companion plants for cucumbers, and avoid any that compete or encourage disease.

What Are the Different Types of Cucumber Plants?

A close up horizontal image of a large pile of cucumbers.

Which type of cucumber should you plant in your garden? All types grow fast and have high yields, but each has unique benefits, too. Vining types save space, pickling fruits hold up to processing, and seedless varieties may grow without pollinators. This guide to cucumber categories will help you explore your options.