Sowing

• Fill a container of your choice, with drainage holes, with 2 part garden soil & 1 part organic manure or 1 part garden soil, 1 part coco peat & 1 part Vermicompost.
• Sow 2 cucumber seeds at the centre of your container and if you are sowing directly ona raised bed, sow two seeds at a spacing of 3 x 3 ft.
• Push the seeds into the growing medium and cover it completely with the surrounding soil, up to twice the size of the seed.
• Water the sown seed bed immediately with a watering can to ensure an even light shower.
• Cucumber plant requires full sunlight so plant the seeds in a sunny spot.

Caring

• Your cucumber seeds will germinate within the first 6 - 8 days after sowing the seeds with tiny sprouts
• After the second week, keep only single seedling in one spot. Cut off the weak, small & lagging seedlings with a pair of scissors.
• Water the cucumber plant every day in summer with a watering can to make sure your plant gets water in the form of a shower or use a drip irrigation system.
• Add good quality 2:1 ratio organic manure before sowing seeds. It can either be well rotten cow dung manure, farmyard manure, Compost or Vermicompost.
• When your cucumber plant is more than 45 days old, feedone tablespoon of 15:15:15 (NPK) fertilizer per plant or mix handful of Vermicompost in the soil around each plant.
• Keep a watch for early signs of any insect/fungal or any other infections. Use appropriate medicines if you notice any ofthese signs.
• The plant will start flowering in the second month and to increase the yield, take pollens from the male flower on a painting brush or cotton bud & dust them on the ‘stigma’ of the female flowers.
• The cucumbers will be ready to harvest after 60 days from sowing and can continue for up to 3 months.

Common Problems

Why are my Cucumber seeds not germinating?
Growing conditions like moisture, improper soil temperature, over watering or under watering can all be a reason why your seeds are not germinating.
Why are flowers on my cucumber plant not producing cucumbers?
The cucumber plant has both male and female flowers. The male flowers bloom much before the female flowers. So it is possible that these flowers are not producing any fruit yet because they are male flowers. However, if despite of having abundant male and female flowers if your plant is not producing any cucumbers, it can be due to lack of pollination. To avoid this you can try hand pollination. Take pollens from the male flower on painting brush or cotton bud & dust them on ‘stigma’ of female flowers.
Why are my cucumber seedlings wilting?
Overwatering is the main cause for wilting. Too much water can drown your seedlings and deprive their roots of air, which leads to wilting and your seedlings might eventually die.