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Garlic can be a simple crop to grow, but the sight of small, underwhelming bulbs can be disappointing come harvest time. If you want to grow bigger garlic next year, here are six key pointers to learn.
There are hundreds of varieties of garlic around the world; they come in different types, flavors, and sizes. I have grown garlic for many years, both as a professional gardener and on my home vegetable plots, and have been downhearted with small bulbs on multiple occasions.
The world record for the heaviest garlic bulb is held by Robert Kirkpatrick of Eureka, California, when his bulb weighed in at 1.19 kg in 1985. While we’re not guaranteeing you’ll reach record levels when you grow garlic, following these expert tips will help boost your bulbs.
Cucumbers are a refreshing, tasty summer staple that are fun and easy to grow yourself. With just a bit of gardening knowledge, you can have an abundant cucumber harvest from your own backyard or balcony. Raised garden beds provide the ideal growing environment for cucumbers to thrive. Follow this complete guide to learn how to grow cucumbers successfully in raised beds from variety selection and planting to troubleshooting and harvesting an impressive crop.
Why Grow Cucumbers in Raised Beds?
Raised beds offer several advantages that make them perfect for growing cucumbers:
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Improved drainage and airflow Cucumbers need consistently moist, well-draining soil Raised beds allow excess water to drain away, preventing soggy roots while still retaining moisture. Their shape and height also promote better air circulation around plants.
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Warmer soil. Raised beds warm up faster in spring than ground soil, letting you get a head start on the growing season. Cucumbers will germinate and grow better in the warmer looser soil of raised beds.
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Convenience. Raised beds elevate plants, making them easier to tend, prune, pollinate, and harvest without bending over. Their defined shape keeps plants neatly contained.
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Higher yield. The improved growing conditions in raised beds translate to higher cucumber yields per square foot compared to planting directly in the ground.
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Weed and pest control. Raised beds help minimize weeds. Their borders act as a barrier to keep invasive spreading vines like squash out of the cucumber beds. Proper spacing also aids pest and disease control.
For optimal results, build or purchase a raised bed at least 12 inches high and fill it with a quality organic potting mix or garden soil blend. Place it in a sunny spot. Now you’re ready to start growing cucumbers!
Choosing Cucumber Varieties for Raised Beds
With the array of cucumber varieties available, it can be tough to decide what to plant. Here are top types that perform well in raised garden beds:
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Slicing cucumbers – The classic cucumber for fresh eating and salads. Look for raised bed-friendly compact varieties like ‘Spacemaster’, ‘Bush Crop’, or ‘Salad Bush’.
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Pickling cucumbers – For canning pickles. Good compact varieties include ‘Calypso’ and ‘Pepinex’.
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Mini/baby cucumbers – Cute bite-sized fruits perfect for snacking. Try ‘Little Leaf’ or ‘Mini Munch’.
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Lemon cucumbers – Round, lemon-sized fruits with refreshing flavor. ‘Lemon’ is a prolific variety.
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Specialty – Unique options like striped Armenian ‘Painted Serpent’ or round, green-skinned ‘Poona Kheera’.
Choose disease-resistant varieties when possible. Mini and compact types are ideal for small raised beds.
When to Plant Cucumbers
Cucumbers require consistently warm weather to thrive – ideal growing temperatures are 65-75°F.
In most regions, the best time to plant cucumbers is:
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Spring: 1-2 weeks after your last expected frost date once the soil has warmed.
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Summer: Sow a second crop 6-8 weeks before your first fall frost for a fall harvest.
Planting too early when it’s still cool will cause seeds to rot and poor germination. You can start seeds indoors 2-4 weeks before your last spring frost to get a head start. Just be sure to harden off seedlings before transplanting into beds.
How to Plant Cucumber Seeds in Raised Beds
Once your raised beds are prepared and the weather is suitable, it’s time to plant! Follow these steps:
1. Direct Sow Seeds
Cucumbers don’t transplant well due to their sensitive root system. For best results, directly sow seeds into your raised beds about 1 inch deep. Space seeds 12-18 inches apart down the center of the beds in rows 2-3 feet apart.
2. Thin Seedlings
Once seedlings emerge, thin them to leave the strongest plant every 12-18 inches.
3. Use Trellises
Install trellises along the north side of beds when plants are 4-6 inches tall. Help vines attach by gently twisting them around the structures. Trellising improves yields and airflow.
4. Apply Organic Fertilizer
About 2-3 weeks after seedlings emerge, distribute a balanced organic fertilizer around plants following package directions to fuel growth.
5. Mulch Beds
Top dress beds with 2-3 inches of shredded leaves, straw, or other organic mulch to retain moisture and prevent weeds. Leave space around plant stems.
6. Water Regularly
Cucumbers need consistent moisture for best growth and to prevent bitter fruits. Water raised beds regularly to maintain evenly moist soil, especially when fruits start to form.
Follow these simple steps for a successful cucumber crop in your raised garden beds season after season.
Caring for Cucumber Plants
Don’t let your efforts go to waste – properly caring for plants throughout the growing season is key to keeping cucumber vines healthy and productive.
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Water 1-2 inches per week depending on rainfall. Check soil – if top few inches become dry, it’s time to water.
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Weed beds regularly to avoid competition for water and nutrients. Spread more mulch if needed.
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Fertilize plants every 2-3 weeks with organic granular or liquid fertilizer.
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Prune overloaded vines, removing excess leaves and stems to improve air circulation.
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Monitor for pests like cucumber beetles and diseases. Treat organically at first sight.
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Train vines to climb trellises and wrap stems if they lose their grip.
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Hand pollinate flowers using a small brush if needed to ensure fruit set.
With attentive care, your cucumber vines will stay vigorous and loaded with fruits all season long.
Maximizing Cucumber Yield in Raised Beds
Want your raised bed cucumber harvest to be epic? Follow these tips for maximum yields:
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Plant prolific varieties suited to containers like ‘Bush Crop’.
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Use trellises and prune back vines so energy goes to fruit not leaves.
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Start seeds indoors 2-4 weeks before planting out to get a head start.
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Use row covers at planting to warm soil and protect emerging seedlings.
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Use organic fertilizers and compost teas to keep plants well fed.
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Mulch beds to conserve moisture and prevent weeds and soil-borne diseases.
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Hand pollinate flowers to get more cucumbers forming earlier.
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Harvest fruits young and often – at least every 2-3 days.
Apply these tricks to make the most of your raised bed real estate and harvest bushels of cucumbers!
Troubleshooting Common Cucumber Problems
Even in ideal raised bed conditions, issues can still pop up. Here are some common cucumber growing problems and organic solutions:
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Poor fruit set – Results from inadequate pollination. Hand pollinate or introduce pollinators.
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Curled, twisted leaves – Caused by cucumber mosaic virus transmitted by pests. Control aphids and beetles.
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Holes in leaves – Caused by cucumber beetles. Use row covers and beneficial insects.
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Powdery white coating – Powdery mildew fungal disease. Improve airflow and use neem oil.
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Wilt – Fusarium wilt disease. Solarize soil and rotate crops. Choose resistant varieties.
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Bitter taste – Due to inconsistent watering. Ensure even moisture in beds.
With attentive growing practices and organic remedies, you can keep problems to a minimum for a bountiful cucumber harvest.
Harvesting Cucumbers from Raised Beds
One of the best parts of growing cucumbers is enjoying the fruits of your labor! Harvest tips:
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Pick fruits when 4-8 inches long for slicers, 3-5 inches long for picklers.
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Use pruners or scissors for a clean cut that won’t damage vines.
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Harvest every 2-3 days once they start ripening to encourage more production.
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Wearing gloves can prevent prickly spines from irritating skin.
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Handle fruits gently to avoid bruising.
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Check undersides of large leaves – ripe cukes often hide there!
Enjoy fresh cucumbers right away, store in the fridge for 5-7 days, or preserve by canning or pickling. Stagger planting dates for a continuous harvest all season long.
Get Ready to Grow Cucumbers in Raised Beds
With proper care, cucumbers thrive in raised garden beds, rewarding you with an abundant harvest. Follow this guide to get growing – soon you’ll be enjoying crispy, juicy homegrown cukes from your own backyard! Start seeds or seedlings after your last spring frost, provide sturdy trellises for vines to climb, and apply consistent water. Keep plants healthy with regular pruning, fertilizing, and pest monitoring. Before you know it, you’ll have a bounty of delicious cucumbers to enjoy all summer long.
Feed your garlic in spring (Image credit: Getty/Nikolaeva Elena)
As earlier touched upon, garlic is a heavy feeder that, along with preparing the soil ahead of planting, requires additional feeding for strong growth and the formation of a large bulb.
After planting in the fall, the crop will welcome being fed again come spring. ‘Fertilize in the spring when plants are actively growing and then 45-60 days later,’ says Mark V Wessel. ‘Spring applications can either be broadcast over the bed style plantings or side-dressed for row plantings.’
A well-balanced feed makes an excellent choice to fertilize garlic in the spring, such as a product with an NPK – where the nutrient make-up is shown as a ratio of plant fertilizer numbers on any packaging – of 5-5-5 or 10-10-10.
Only ever apply the product at the recommended rates; going over this is a fertilizing mistake that can harm the crop.
Boost the soil before planting (Image credit: Getty/Ekaterina savyolova)
Garlic will grow strongly in fertile soil that meets its nutrient needs. It is a hungry crop that requires lots of nutrients to grow through the season and produce large bulbs.
It is beneficial to get your soil type tested to check for the nutrient levels. Mark V Wessel, Director of Horticulture Research at Gardens Alive!, claims: ‘Soil tests are always a good idea before or during the growing season to determine what is needed.
This is especially true for phosphorus and potassium, which are both important nutrients for developing bigger garlic bulbs.’
Nitrogen is also a key nutrient. You can add nitrogen to your soil by mixing in organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, before planting garlic in the fall, or adding blood meal (you can get blood meal at Burpee) when, or just after, planting.
The likes of bone meal (such as this organic bone meal at Walmart) or rock phosphate are two ways to add phosphorus to soil if your tests identify any deficiencies.
Mark V Wessel is the Director of Horticulture Research and Research Farm Manager at Gardens Alive! – the company that specializes in selling organic garden and lawn supplies
How to Grow TONS of Cucumbers With Just a Few Plants! |Maximize Your Harvest|
FAQ
What vegetables should not be planted near cucumbers?
Tomatoes: Tomatoes are not a good companion plant for cucumbers because they can attract pests like aphids and whiteflies that can also attack cucumber plants.
What is the trick to growing cucumbers?
Cucumbers will grow quickly with little care. Be sure they receive an inch of water every week. Make the most of your food growing efforts by regularly feeding plants with a water-soluble plant food. When soil is warm, add a layer of straw mulch to keep fruit clean and help keep slugs and beetles away.
Do cucumbers grow better on a trellis or on the ground?
–A trellis provides a solid structure and space for cucumber plants to grow on. Cucumbers produce better-quality fruit with less disease or damage when supported on a sturdy trellis.
How many cucumber plants are in a 4×4 raised bed?
In a 4×4 foot raised bed, you can plant 6-8 cucumber plants if you plan to trellis them.