Cucumbers & Fertilizing

Prepare the Soil

• Select a sunny patch for the cucumbers and prepare the soil for planting with an initial dose of fertilizer, making it fertile and welcoming for the young plants. First, work compost into the soil, blending it with the earth to enrich it with nutrients the plants require to thrive. Next, apply an all-purpose fertilizer to the soil, containing 20 percent potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus, and allow it to soak in before planting the seeds.

Plant the Seeds

• Plant the cucumber seeds in the prepared garden bed. Create rows for the cucumber seeds, spacing them 6 1/2 feet apart from one another, as recommended by Vegetable Gardening Ideas. Allow for 2 feet of space between individual plants, though small cucumber varieties only require 8 to 10 inches of room between each plant, so plan accordingly.

Water

• Water the cucumbers regularly to hydrate the fruits, nourish their foliage and prepare them for fertilizer. Give the plants about an inch of water each week and aim the hose or watering can at the stem of the plant, avoiding the leaves, as dampness makes them prone to disease. Try to water the plants in the morning, allowing the sun to evaporate excess water. Backyard Vegetable Garden also advises watering slowly, so as not to erode the surface soil.

Apply Fertilizer Again

• Wait until the cucumber plants develop blossoms and then apply a second dose of fertilizer. As in the beginning, use an all-purpose fertilizer, but select one labeled 10-10-10 or 12-12-12, which describes the percentage of phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium it contains. Backyard Vegetable Gardening explains the nitrogen helps the growth of foliage and the potassium and phosphorus help the plant produce fruit. If using granular fertilizer, avoid letting it touch the leaves and flowers of the cucumber plant, as it can damage them.