Overview

Did you know that cucumbers were first developed over 3000 years ago, making them one of the oldest vegetables around. They held a prominent seat with ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians they were so popular that the ancients developed some of the first artificial growing techniques, greenhouses, to keep them on the tables year-round.

The cucumber is a trailing vine that takes root in the soil and climbs up trellises or other supporting structures using delicate, spiraling tendrils. The fruit of common cucumber varieties is generally cylindrical, elongated with tapered ends, and can grow as large as 62 centimeters (24 inches) long and 10 centimeters (4 inches) in diameter. Botanically, the cucumber is categorized as a pepo, a type of botanical berry with a tough outer rind and no internal divisions. However, like tomatoes and squashes, it is often perceived, prepared, and consumed as a vegetable.

I never knew a cucumber was technically a berry?! My mind is officially blown and I will have to look further into that during another post, but for now, let’s talk about growing them in Zone 9b and beyond!

Zone 9b Florida

Let’s face it, Florida Gardening can be challenging! With heavy rains, humid summers, and pests you may wonder how you can be successful. Well, choosing the right crops, the right varieties, and the right season can make an extraordinary difference in your vegetable garden. So, what types of cucumbers are best suited for Florida? When choosing a variety you should consider the growth habits of that particular variety.

• Sweet Success
• Poinsett
• Ashley
• MarketMore 76
• Straight Eight
• Space Master
• Eureka
• Boston Pickling

Currently, I have the Space Master variety of cucumbers growing in my garden, but I have grown the National Pickling variety in the past. The National Pickling variety grew a very LARGE vine, which I tried to trellis in my small raised bed, but in the end, the support I was using gave way to the wildly successful weight of the vining plant. I had SO MANY CUKES that season!

Since I have a small garden space I was on the hunt for more size-appropriate plants for my beds. Last season I tried the Straight Eight variety and it was a total flop! It produced one very oddly shaped cucumber and the plant’s vine always appeared sickly throughout the growing season. Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise as it’s not a variety noted to do well in our Zone 9b Florida climate.

However, all that trial, success, and error led me to what I feel will be a staple in my garden for many seasons to come. The Space Master variety has a compact vine with full-sized fruit. To date, I have three plants growing that are giving me steady supply of delicious cucumbers without taking over the garden!

Care and Planting

Cucumbers are a warm-season crop, growing best between temperatures of 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This is what makes them perfect for planting throughout Florida’s summer season.

Seeds can be directly planted into the ground or started in seed trays for transplanting. You can directly plant seeds into the ground from March through June. If you decide to start seeds in trays they can be started from February through May and transplanted out April through July.

Harvesting

It will take about 8-10 weeks for the plants to produce mature fruit. When it is time to harvest simply cut the fruit off with a sharp knife or a pair of scissors. Take care not to cut the main vine of the plant when harvesting the fruit, don’t ask me how I know…LOL