When to sow cucumbers?

Cucumber is a dicotyledonous plant and can usually be sown when the soil temperature exceeds 15℃. Under natural conditions, cucumbers can be grown outdoors, with a wide sowing period, divided into spring, summer and autumn cucumbers. Under the influence of natural climate, areas south of the Yangtze River can usually carry out three seasons of sowing, while areas north of the Yangtze River are suitable for two seasons of sowing. Let’s take a look at when to sow cucumbers.

When to sow cucumbers?

Cucumber sowing is usually scheduled between March and April every spring. The climate during this period is relatively mild, with night temperatures maintained above 5°C and daytime temperatures reaching around 18°C. Such temperature conditions are very suitable for the growth and development of cucumber seedlings. However, the specific sowing time needs to be adjusted appropriately according to local climatic conditions, and sometimes it may need to be advanced or delayed.

Cucumbers can also be planted in the fall, with the best time usually being about two months before the first frost. If sowing is done too late, frost may adversely affect the quality of the cucumbers and even lead to a reduction in yield.

When choosing cucumber varieties, priority should be given to those excellent varieties that can tolerate low temperatures in the early stage, withstand high temperatures in the later stage, and have strong disease resistance to ensure that the cucumbers can grow healthily throughout the growing season.

The open-air sowing period of cucumbers spans a wide range, usually extending from Qingming Festival to the Beginning of Autumn Festival. Depending on the sowing time, cucumbers are divided into spring cucumbers, summer cucumbers and autumn cucumbers. Spring cucumbers are favored for their excellent quality and high yield. The best time for sowing is between Qingming Festival and Guyu Festival, when the climatic conditions are suitable and the cucumbers grow rapidly and healthily.

The sowing time of summer cucumbers is slightly later, usually after the summer solstice, when the temperature is higher and the cucumber growth cycle is shortened, but the risk of diseases and pests increases, resulting in relatively low quality and yield.

Autumn cucumbers are sown after the Beginning of Autumn. Although the seeds germinate quickly and grow fast, as the temperature drops, the growth of the plants slows down, and the quality and yield are usually not as good as spring cucumbers. In order to improve the cold resistance and quality of autumn cucumbers, it is necessary to apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in a timely manner and take measures to increase yield before the arrival of frost.

Cucumber Harvest Precautions

Harvest at the right time: Cucumbers should be harvested when the fruits reach a certain size but are not fully ripe. Harvesting too early will result in low yield and poor quality; harvesting too late will affect plant growth and cause subsequent fruit development to be poor. It is generally recommended to harvest in the morning because the temperature is lower at this time and the fruit stalk wounds lose less water, which is conducive to maintaining quality.

Harvesting standards: Harvesting standards vary depending on the growth stage and purpose of the cucumber. Early cucumbers can be harvested early to promote plant growth and subsequent fruit development. The harvesting time of cucumbers in the middle and late stages can be adjusted appropriately according to market demand and transportation conditions.

Harvesting method: Be careful when harvesting to avoid mechanical damage to the cucumbers. Usually leave a 1 cm long stalk at the handle and cut it off with scissors . After harvesting, cucumbers should be protected from sunlight and rain, placed in a cool place or cold storage for precooling in time, and packaged as soon as possible.

Control water: For cucumbers that need to be transported and stored over long distances, watering should be stopped 2 to 3 days before harvesting to enhance storage tolerance and reduce rot.

Safety interval: Ensure that cucumbers reach the safe interval of pesticides before harvesting to ensure consumer safety.

Fertilizer and water management: After entering the harvest period, fertilizer and water management should be adjusted in time according to plant growth and harvest conditions to maintain plant health and increase yield.

Avoid harvesting on consecutive cloudy days: In the case of consecutive cloudy days, harvesting should be done in time to prevent the plants from premature aging or disease.

Avoid overharvesting: Do not let cucumbers hang on the plant for too long to avoid consuming too many nutrients, which will affect plant growth and subsequent fruit development.

Generally speaking, spring is an ideal time for sowing cucumbers, not only because of the excellent growing conditions, but also because there are fewer pests and diseases, which is conducive to improving the overall quality and yield of cucumbers. For professional vegetable growers, spring cucumbers are the preferred variety. Although summer cucumbers and autumn cucumbers can also grow under specific conditions, more management measures are needed to cope with the challenges of climate change and pests and diseases.