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When to Plant Cucumbers for the Fall

Gardeners with long growing seasons can plant more than one crop. Some crops, like carrots, are planted and harvested throughout the growing season while other crops, like lettuce, grow while the weather is cool. Once harvested, warm-weather crops replace them. Cucumbers are a warm-weather crop. They germinate and mature during the heat of summer, but their quality and flavor improves as weather cools.

  1. Frost Dates

    • Before choosing a cucumber variety, determine the length of your region's growing season. This information varies slightly from year to year. Your local county university extension, almanacs and local weather reports provide information on your area's last frost date. This date is the start of the growing season. The first frost date is the end of your area's growing season. The backs of seed envelopes provide information on the time from seed planting to crop harvest. Subtract the number of days till harvest from your region's last frost date and you will have a rough estimate on the best time to plant your cucumber seeds. Many cucumbers take approximately 50 days from sowing to harvest. If your first frost date is Oct. 15, plan to sow cucumber seed by Aug. 25.

    Growing Conditions

    • Cucumbers are a fast-growing crop. When provided with temperatures consistently within the 65 to 75 degree range, a gardener can expect to harvest a crop in less than three months. Six to eight hours of bright sun per day encourages crop development and maturity speed. Before planting, assess the amount of light and heat available for your crop. Take into account the shortening of days and cooler night temperatures. Allow for slower growth rates under less than optimal conditions.

    Varieties

    • For fall harvests in cool climates, choose cucumber varieties with short maturity times. Slicing cucumbers, such as Fanfare, Sweet Slice and Salad Bush, mature within 40 to 50 days from sowing when given optimum growing conditions. Spacemaster is a slicing cucumber suited for container gardens. Pickling cucumbers, such as Calypso and Carolina, mature within 50 days while the Bush Pickle hybrid grows well in containers.

    Harvest

    • Most cucumbers are ready to harvest within 50 to 75 days of planting. Size isn't necessarily the best indicator of harvest readiness. The bigger the fruit, the more likely it is to be bitter and seedy. Instead, harvest your cucumber plants frequently. This allows the plant to produce a steady crop of quality cucumbers. Most seed packets and container labels feature information on the cucumber variety's size. Harvest by cutting the cucumber from the vine, leaving a 1/4-inch stem on the cucumber once it reaches its maximum estimated size.

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Vegetable Garden
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