<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n12. Crop Rotation Tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n If you intend on planting cucumbers in the ground, then it’s vital that you pay attention to crop rotation techniques. Cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, and some types of berries draw plenty of nutrients from the ground. As the plants mature, they may experience the buildup of pathogens in the soil that make the land unsuitable for planting a successive crop in the same location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To rotate your crops, choose one-quarter of your vegetable garden, and don’t plant anything in this space. After harvesting your first batch of cucumbers, you can pull up the plant and transplant it to the open area to allow it to fruit again before the end of the growing season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the late fall starts to close in on the winter, remove all the plants from your garden and till the soil. Add the necessary fertilizer to adjust your soil nutrition and pH, then let the ground rest over the winter. By the time spring rolls around again, your soil will be fertile and filled with nutrients, ready for springtime planting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n13. Harvesting Tips <\/h3>\n\n\n\n Each variety of cucumber finishes in a different period. Therefore, it’s vital that you adhere to the directions of the seed packet for harvest dates. As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to harvest cucumbers before they get too big. The bigger they get, the less flavor they have, and you may also notice that they turn out mushy after cooking. Large cucumbers also tend to get too seedy, giving the vegetable a slimy mouthfeel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the plants start fruiting, it may surprise you at how quickly they develop, and you’ll need to check your plants every day for ripe cucumbers that are ready for harvest. Another great tip is to leave plastic trays around the base of the plant to catch any falling cucumbers. Those cucumbers that land on the bare ground may start to rot before you have the chance to pick them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When harvesting cucumbers, it’s better to cut them from the vine than pull them off, pulling may damage the vine, stunting the fruiting process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n14. Storage Tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n After harvesting your cucumbers, you need to wash them to remove the dirt and pathogens from the surface of the vegetable. Fill a sink with warm water and add a few tablespoons of baking soda. The baking soda turns the water alkaline, which is deadly for fungi, bacteria, viruses, and pests. You may find that if you dump a bunch of cucumbers into the weather, that bugs start running from their hiding places in the cucumbers as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After cleaning the cucumbers, dry them thoroughly before packing them into plastic bags and storing them in the crisper tray of your fridge. If you have more cucumbers than you know what to do with, then consider researching a pickling recipe to make pickles out of your cucumbers. Pickled cucumbers can store in the fridge for months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In general, cucumbers don’t store well, and you’ll need to eat all the raw produce within a few weeks after harvest, and pickle the leftovers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n