What's in my Garden: Cucumbers
Published July 17, 2026
Cucumbers are possibly my favorite vegetable. I love them on their own, I love them in salads and I love what they become when put in a jar with dill and vinegar.
Ironically, the last couple of years my cucumber crops have struggled.. But I’m learning!!
The first couple of years here my cucumbers did great (those are the pics you see here).
One year a family of starlings decided to call my backyard home which normally I wouldn’t mind but they made a hobby of decapitating my young vegetable plants and sadly they never recovered.
Last year (2025) I opted to plant them in pots thinking having them closer to the house would protect them.. Whelp we had a massive drought and I couldn’t keep up with watering in the raised beds let alone the pots so the harvest was once again bleak.
This year (2026), the cucumber plants are back in the raised gardens, I have managed to keep the troublesome birds away, the plants looks very healthy and so I think it will be the turning point for my cucumber luck!
Health Benefits
Cucumbers are 95% water which makes them great for hydration. They are also full of vitamins, fiber and are known for their soothing abilities when applied to the skin (which is why some people put a slice of cucumber over their eyes- it helps reduce puffiness.
Growing tips for cucumbers
Start indoors 3-4 weeks before last frost (I usually start mine in late April/ early May)
Plant seeds 1/2-1” deep
Transplant 6” apart in rows 4-6’ apart.
LOTS of compost, fertilizer and water.
Full sun.
pH 6-6.8
Spread mulch before they start to vine for moisture.
Harvest (slicing cukes): when cuke 6-8” long.
Harvest (pickling cukes): when cuke is 3-5” long.
Recipes
My favorite recipe with cucumbers of course, is Mighty Good Pickles (mustard pickles). This is a recipe from my grandmother and can literally eat these with a spoon.
