Cucumber is a warm-season vegetable. Varieties differ in fruit type and use; both the sliced or fresh salad type and the pickle type are available. The pickle type can also be used fresh.
Varieties differ in flowering habit and amount of fruit set. The newer gynoecious or all-female-flower hybrids are well adapted to home gardens and produce high yields. Cucumbers are multiple-harvest plants, providing fruits for four to eight weeks. Care should be taken to remove older fruits during harvest, as these will prevent the production of new fruit if left on the plant. A second planting in mid-to-late June will provide quality fruit for late summer-early fall harvesting. Only a few plants are needed to provide an adequate supply.
