Cucumbers are usually planted in hills or mounds so excess water drains away from the seedlings. Five or six seeds should be placed in a hill and covered with about 1 inch of soil. Hills should be 4 to 6 feet apart. After emergence, thin each hill to the two or three strongest seedlings. Cucumbers can be planted next to fences or trellises to which they will cling. If the soil has not been tested for nutrient levels, then apply one pound of nitrogen and one pound of phosphorus pentoxide per 1,000 square feet. This may be obtained with two pounds of urea and two pounds of triple superphosphate, both of which contain about 46 percent active ingredients. The fertilizer should be worked into the top four inches of soil prior to planting the seed. If organic fertilizers are preferred, use two bushels of manure, one quart of heat-treated activated sewage sludge, or one cup of bone meal and one cup of dried blood per 100 square feet. These organic fertilizers also can be divided up and worked in around the hills rather than spread over the whole area.
If the seeds are planted in moist soil, no further watering should be needed until after the seedlings emerge. As the plants grow and the weather becomes warmer, more water will be required. When the plants cover the soil surface and in warm weather, the plants may use 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water per week. It is better to irrigate thoroughly every five to seven days than to sprinkle lightly every day. Temporary wilting in the heat of the afternoon is common, but wilted plants in the morning is a distress signal, and they should be watered. For more information on growing cucumbers, see fact sheet Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Squash and Melons.

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