How to Grow and Manage Cucumber

Cucumber is a vine annual crop that is in demand as a salad dessert item in every meal for  the entire family and a commercial crops. It’s grown and tolerates in an acidic soil between 5.5 - 6.8 pH and 2.5 Ec tolerance of salinity.

It response satisfactorily in a full sunlight exposure as against a shady areas.

It could adapt to a temperature at an early planting on the last spring frost, that’s when the first apples bloom.

Plant care requirements

First and foremost, select the variety that’s not taste bitter. There are some cucumber species that are bitter.

But you can reduce this bitterness by planting them in a moderate weather condition. Avoid planting cucumber in high temperature especially with inadequate water supply, since the fruits well develop a bitter taste.

Most bitter portion of the fruit is found near the skin, and the parts close to the stem.

Select some varieties that are bitter-free even under stress condition.

To have a good fruit quality, plant them at distance of 48”-60” apart . Train the plants by putting support like; fences, trellis or cages.

Pruning

Cucumber needs to be pruned to provide a better fruit quality and reduce some pest and disease attacks. Pruning also improves the plant stand and eliminate unnecessary branches that competes nutrients requirements.

Here are the steps in pruning cucumber…

1)   Remove the lateral vines including flowers and fruits up to the 5th node.

2)   Allow to develop fruits on the 6th node up

3)   In every secondary vines allow two fruits to develop then cut the tip after the 3rd node.

Fertilizer Requirements

For better result, basally apply an all purpose fertilizer before planting, followed by applying side dress in between rows with urea during fruiting stage at about I tablespoonful of 33-0-0 in every plant.

Water Requirement

Cucumber does not tolerate in waterlogged soil. You should select a well-drained soil but avoiding a dry soil. Apply water when the soil dries up. Keeping the soil moist at all times.

Pests and disease control

Cucumber and other cucurbits have similar pests and diseases. In any stages of the plant growth, these pests and diseases attacks.

Insect Pests

Chemical Control

Natural Control

CUCURBITS

(Ampalaya, upo, patola, squash, cucumber, melon, kondol, chayote)

-Squash beetle

-Fruit fly

-Leaf folder

-Aphids

-Cutworm

-Cucurbit bugs

-Thrips & Mites

-White flies

-Root grub

Azodrin 168 EC, Decis, Seven, Malathion

Attractant, Malathion

Malathion, Lannate

Tamaron, Confidor

Actara, Selecr54on, Malathion, Cymbush

Lannate

Dicarsol

Malathion, Azodrin

Furadan

Predators, cultural, botanical

Parasites, Predators

Cultural, Parasites, Predators, Botanical

Botanical. Predators

Botanical, Predators, Parasites

Cultural, Botanical, Predators

Predators, Botanical

Cultural, Botanical, Predators

Cultural, botanical

Harvesting

Cucumber can be harvested 40 Days after planting, or you can see by ocular inspection where you’ll select the fruit when they reach at a desired size.

You can harvest them for whatever purpose you intend to use them.

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Cris Ramasasa is a freelance writer, retired horticulture teacher. Writes on home gardening and Internet marketing tips. Written ebooks, titled; “Discover How to get Started in Flower Gardening” and “Vegetable Gardening Made Easy”. Subscribe his Free articles at: www.crisramasasa.com