Cucumbers are warm season vegetables. They do not tolerate frost. Temperatures below 10 C (50 F) may impact crop growth and negatively affect fruit quality. They require well drained, compaction-free locations with ample fertility. Freshmarket cucumbers respond well to plasticulture and fertigation. High levels of nitrogen may result in excess leaf growth and poor fruit development. Most vine crops benefit from supplemental beehives to promote pollination.
Seeding and Spacing
Plant seeds into moisture, no more than 2-2.5 cm (1 in.) deep. Deeply planted seed is often slow to emerge, resulting in lower plant populations. Quick, uniform emergence is essential to avoid uneven stands weakened by insects and disease. Delay direct seeding until the soil temperature is 15°C (59 F) or higher. The optimum soil temperature range at planting is 25-30 C (77-86 F.) Do not set transplants in the field until all risk of frost has passed.
Row spacing ranges from 3-4 feet for handpicked cucumbers. Use 20-30" rows for machine harvest fields. In-row spacing for both hand and machine harvest should be set at 4-6".
Transplants
Successful cucumber establishment from transplants requires special care and attention. Germination and establishment in the greenhouse can be finicky. The young root system is easily injured and they are often slow to resume growth in the field. Overgrown transplants are readily damaged during planting, resulting in poor stand establishment.
Plant cucumbers 2-4 weeks before the anticipated field setting date. Use a maximum tray size of 128's. Larger tray cells will help promote faster crop establishment and earlier harvest. However, there is no great benefit to using cells larger than 50's.
Integrated Pest Management
Cucumbers are susceptible to a wide range of insect and disease pressures. For a full description of each pest and its available control measures, please refer to the Ontario Vegetable Production Recommendations, OMAFRA publication 363.
