Cucumbers 

Companion planting:
Like: basil, brassica, beans, carrots, corn, dill, lettuce, marjoram, nasturtiums, peas, radish, sunflower
Dislike: potatoes, sage

Sow in greenhouse in September, keep in large pots in greenhouse or plant out end of October to early November, also sow directly in garden end of October to early November. Harvest January to April.

Sow cucumbers in clumps into small mounds 80 cm apart, thin out gradually to one plant by mound. We grow them on vertical strings in the greenhouse and let them trail in the vegie garden. Here they are part of rotation 3 together with zucchini, squash, pumpkins and sweet corn.

In the first (2007) we only grew two heritage varieties (Marketmore and Straight Eight). They grew well in large quantities without problems, but they had to be peeled well because of their bitter and slightly prickly skin. In 2008 we tried varieties that don’t have to be peeled and also varieties that can easily be pickled. Unfortunately the 2008/09 season was very difficult weather- wise. The results were bad, but inconclusive.