Choosing the right cucumber varieties for every garden is the first step to a great harvest. Whether you have a big backyard or a sunny balcony, there’s a perfect cucumber for you. This guide will help you pick the best types for slicing, pickling, and more, based on your space and taste.
Cucumber Varieties – For Every Garden
This main category breaks down into a few key types. Knowing the difference helps you plan your garden layout and care.
Main Types of Cucumber Plants
There are three primary growth habits. Each has its pros and cons.
- Vining Cucumbers: These are the classic, sprawling plants. They produce the highest yield but need strong trellises or lots of ground space. They are often the best-tasting.
- Bush Cucumbers: Ideal for containers and small gardens. They take up much less space, usually about 2-3 feet wide. Their harvest period is often shorter than vining types.
- Parthenocarpic Cucumbers: These varieties set fruit without pollination. They are essential for greenhouse growing or if you have few pollinators. You must keep them separate from other cucumbers to prevent cross-pollination, which can cause misshapen fruit.
Choosing by Use: Slicing vs. Pickling
This is the most common way to select your seeds. The difference is in the fruit’s texture and size.
- Slicing Cucumbers: Grown for fresh eating. They are usually longer, have darker green skin, and a sweeter, milder flavor. Their skin is often thinner, and some have few seeds.
- Pickling Cucumbers: These are shorter, blockier, and have bumpier skin. They have a firmer flesh that stays crisp during the pickling process. You can eat them fresh too, but they are often more bitter.
Top Slicing Varieties to Try
- Marketmore 76: A reliable, disease-resistant heirloom that performs well in many climates. Produces straight, dark green fruits.
- Straight Eight: Another classic heirloom known for its perfectly straight, 8-inch fruits and excellent flavor.
- Diva: A award-winning variety. It’s parthenocarpic, burpless, and has thin, bitterless skin that doesn’t need peeling. Great for containers.
- Lemon Cucumber: A fun, heirloom variety with round, yellow fruits that taste sweet and mild. A fantastic choice for getting kids interested in gardening.
Top Pickling Varieties to Try
- Boston Pickling: An old favorite that produces high yields of uniform, 3-5 inch fruits perfect for gherkins or whole pickles.
- National Pickling: Very productive and early to mature. The blocky fruits are ideal for making crunchy pickles.
- Parisian Gherkin: A speciality variety for making authentic cornichons. The small, prickly fruits are harvested when only 1-2 inches long.
Planning for Your Garden Space
Not everyone has room for long vines. Here’s how to match the plant to your plot.
Best Cucumbers for Large Gardens
If you have space, vining types will give you the biggest harvest. Train them up a sturdy trellis to save space and keep fruit clean.
- Suyo Long: An amazing Asian variety that produces incredibly long, slender, and sweet cucumbers. They can grow over a foot long and have a unique ridged shape.
- Armenian Yard-Long: Actually a melon, but used like a cucumber. It produces huge yields of mild, burpless fruits on very vigorous vines.
Best Cucumbers for Small Spaces & Containers
Bush varieties are your best friend here. Look for labels saying “bush,” “compact,” or “patio.”
- Bush Champion: A compact plant that still produces full-sized slicing cucumbers. It only spreads about 2-3 feet.
- Patio Snacker: Bred specifically for containers. It’s parthenocarpic and produces an abundance of mini snacking cucumbers.
- Spacemaster 80: A famous compact vine that only grows about 2 feet wide. It’s very productive for its size and great for small raised beds.
Growing Tips for a Healthy Harvest
Once you’ve chosen your varieties, these steps will ensure they thrive.
- Plant in Full Sun: Cucumbers need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. More sun means more fruit.
- Provide Rich Soil: Mix plenty of compost into the planting area. Cucumbers are heavy feeders and need soil that holds moisture but drains well.
- Water Consistently: Water deeply at the base of the plant, especially when fruits are developing. Inconsistent watering leads to bitter taste and misshapen fruit.
- Use a Trellis: Even bush types benefit from a small cage. Trellising improves air flow, reduces disease, and makes picking easier.
- Harvest Frequently: Check plants daily when they start producing. Picking fruit regularly signals the plant to make more. Overripe cucumbers left on the vine will slow down production.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
A few issues can pop up. Here’s how to handle them.
- Bitter Fruit: Usually caused by stress from uneven watering or extreme heat. Mulch heavily to keep soil moisture even and choose heat-tolerant varieties.
- Misshapen Fruit: Often a pollination issue or lack of water. For parthenocarpic types, ensure they are isolated from standard types. Poor soil nutrition can also be a cause.
- Powdery Mildew: This white fungus on leaves is common. Prevent it by trellising for good air flow and watering the soil, not the leaves. Plant resistant varieties like ‘Marketmore 76’.
FAQ: Your Cucumber Questions Answered
What are the easiest cucumber varieties to grow for beginners?
‘Marketmore 76’ and ‘Straight Eight’ are very reliable, disease-resistant slicing cucumbers. ‘Boston Pickling’ is a tough and productive pickling type. These are all good for starters.
Which cucumber varieties are best for pots?
Look for bush or compact varieties. ‘Bush Champion’, ‘Patio Snacker’, and ‘Diva’ (which is a vine but does well in large containers with a trellis) are excellent choices.
What types of cucumbers don’t have seeds?
Most seedless cucumbers you buy are actually “burpless” or European types with very small, soft seeds. Varieties like ‘Diva’, ‘Tasty Green’, and ‘Socrates’ are known for having minimal, palatable seeds.
Are there cucumber varieties good for shade?
Cucumbers really need full sun. In partial shade (4-6 hours of sun), your harvest will be much smaller. It’s best to choose a different vegetable if you have heavy shade.
What cucumber varieties are good for hot climates?
Heat-tolerant varieties include ‘Suyo Long’, ‘Poinsett 76’, and ‘Armenian’. Providing afternoon shade and consistent, deep watering is also crucial in the heat.
Starting with the right seed makes all the difference. By matching the cucumber varieties for every garden to your specific conditions, you’ll be set for a season full of crisp, homegrown produce. Remember to rotate where you plant them each year to keep your soil healthy and prevent disease buildup.