Crop: Cucumber (Cucumis sativas L.

)
Member: Hanny Elsadr
Growth habit: prostrate or can be trained vertically, indeterminate.
Growth Season: annual
Hardiness: warm season crop
Sunlight requirements: 16-20 hours
Greenhouse cultivars: must use parthenocarpic cultivars in greenhouse to avoid
pollination requirements. Gynoecious (female flowers only produced) cultivars/plants are
best suited for good yields. English type: 'Kalunga', 'Bellissma', 'Millagon', 'Discover',
'Marianna', 'Fitness', 'Aramon', and 'Fidelio', ‘Jessica’, ‘Optima’, ‘Flamingo’ (mildew
tolerant), ‘Corona’, ‘Sandra’, ‘Fertila’, ‘Factum’, ‘Toska’. '90-0048', E1828', 'Futurea',
and 'B-1157' are most susceptible to mildew. Miniature type: beit-alpha types (ie.
‘Tandora’)
Optimal soil type: soilless media closely representing loam or sandy loam in properties.
pH: 5.5 - 6.5
Pot size: 20 liters/plant
Spacing: between row: vertical cordon (4-5 ft), v-cordon (5 ft) wires spaced 2.5 ft apart
In row: vertical cordon (1-1.5 ft), v-cordon (1 ft)
Area /plant: 5-7 ft2
Training methods: vertical cordon, V-Cordon
Temperature regime (ºC): Germination: 29
Seedling: 25
Vegetative growth: 26-29
Flowering/Fruiting: 26-29
Additional requirements/notes: If temperatures go below
18 ºC or above 35 ºC fruit production will be greatly reduced.
Watering regime: Seedling: keep moist at all times, water stress unacceptable
Vegetative growth: 5.4 L/m2/day
Flowering/Fruiting: 5.4 L/m2/day
Additional requirements: cucumbers require high levels of oxygen
in the root zone compared to many other crops. If oxygen is insufficient the plants may
wilt. Improve oxygen in root zone by adding perlite or aerating the nutrient solution if
applicable.
Fertilizer regime: most of the nutrient requirements are during fruit set and
development. For fertilizer regime refer to the table at the bottom of this page.
Pollination requirements: If using parthenocarpic cultivars pollination is not required.
Pruning systems: Umbrella system for both vertical cordon and v-cordon. All lateral
branches pruned until plants reach 2-3 leaves above overhead wire, lateral shoots arising
from the top 2 leaves should NOT be pruned. These 2 laterals should be trained on
overhead wires and then these shoots should be trained down the wires towards the floor
again. Cucumbers arise at each leaf node. For larger type cucumbers only one fruit should
be left per leaf node unless the plant is very vigorous. For miniature type cucumbers
several fruit may be allowed to develop at each leaf node. Any distorted fruit should be
removed immediately. Flowers arising within the first 2.5 ft of growth should be removed
early on to encourage vigorous growth and better yields.
Days to Germination: 3-4
Days to maturity from: Seedling: 6-8 weeks
Transplant: 2-4 weeks
Anthesis: 11-14 days
Transplanting stage (if applicable): 3-4 true leaf stage, transplants should be
maintained upright.
Optimal harvest stage: when fruit are 12-14 inches in long and still firm/actively
growing, about 1 lb each. However, mini fruited cucumbers are becoming more popular.
Fruit should be harvested before their blossom ends begin turning yellow. Harvest usually
occurs 2-4 times/week in order to encourage new fruit production and to avoid over
mature fruit.
Expected yields: 20-25 lb of fruit/plant/12 weeks, or 1-3 lb of fruit/week.
Major Pests: Insects: aphids, spider mites, thrips
Disease: gummy stem blight, gray mold, downy mildew, powdery mildew,
cucumber mosaic, watermelon mosaic, and Pythium root rot in NFT
Characteristics of edible portion: fruit, seedless, thin edible skin, mild flavored flesh.

Table 4. Formula 2. Cucumber, open and closed systems (J.B. Jones,

1983),

A B
First fruit to
Seeding to first
Fertilizer termination g
fruit g per 100 L
per 100 L
Magnesium sulfate 50 50
Monopotassium phosphate 27 27
Potassium nitrate 20 20
Calcium nitrate 68 136
Chelated iron (Fe 330) 2.5 2.5
Micronutrient stock1 15 ml 15 ml
Final nutrient conc. (ppm)
N P K Ca Mg S Fe B Cu Mn Zn Mo
2 2
133(240) 62 150 130(260) 50 70 2.5 .44 .05 .62 .09 .03
1
Use micronutrient formula above.
2
Numbers in parens. are for stock B.