Cucumber Chaos: Growing Cucumbers in Your Kitchen Garden
When we planted cucumbers in our garden I didn’t expect such an explosive growth. It began with only two tiny leaves, then I saw two more, then another two more, then four more, and now we have a massive blob of vines, leaves, flowers, and tiny cucumbers!
The chaos began in the middle of May, once the garden was tilled, the fence installed, and the plants purchased. They seemed harmless and cute at the time, but when we put them in to the soil they started their growth. The six cucumbers grew slowly at first, and then they started to climb the small section of wire fence we placed between two posts. Before long we had a large lump spreading across the ground, getting bigger everyday. While weeding the garden I pushed aside some of the leaves and found a flower. The plants were starting to make cucumbers! Over the next few days I would look at them and see more flowers and more leaves. Their growth accelerated. Little lumps started to form behind the flowers; they were what we had been working for the entire time: Cucumbers!
When the cucumbers reach their full size (or you get hungry), gently pull them off the vine. If you let them hang on the vine, the plant will make seeds and stop making cucumbers. When you pick them, have a bucket of cold water by to dunk them in. It cools them down. Make sure the bucket is large though because for every ten feet of cucumbers plants, you will generally get twelve pounds of cucumbers. Cucumbers can be refrigerated for about two weeks in plastic bags.
Cucumbers are great for any gardener, first timer or experienced. They produce a lot, which is very satisfying and are well worth the money for the plants.
Want to grow your own cucumbers? Here are some great links to get you started:
Bush Pickle Hybrid Pickling Cucumber