Plant of the Day: Cucumber
Photo of Siberian squill (Cucumis sativus)

Photo by Cornell University


Up With Cukes!


Cucumbers want to climb. Like their kin in the gourd family (squashes, melons) they have long, hairy, branching stems with tendrils that coil around anything they touch, if it’s no thicker than a baseball bat. They will climb a trellis, a chain link fence, or an arbor. Up in the air, the fruits and leaves are less prone to suffer diseases. And the fruits tend to grow straight, helped by gravity.


I grew cukes for several years on a trellis. The frame was two 2 by 4s ten feet tall, anchored two feet in the ground, and two cross bars, one at the top, one near the ground. Inside the 2 by 4 rectangle, I stapled fence wire. The plants (two of them) climbed the trellis to the top and filled in the rectangle with branches, leaves, and fruits (so many that I pinched off young ones so the first fruits could grow larger).


Cucumbers are ancient. They were grown as early as 2,000 B.C. Today they come in many sizes and shapes; long, narrow Asian cucumber, soft-skinned Middle Eastern cucumber that don’t need peeling, even a round, yellow fruit (called ‘Lemon’).


By Mark Kane - the Groundskeeper, YourGardenShow.com

Copyright © 2012YourGardenShow.com

Want to read more about this plant and other varieties? Click here for the Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) Plant Page!

Plant Photo Tagging - How it Works

Video by Tom Finerty, founder YourGardenShow.com

Plant Photo Tagging allows you to turn any garden photo into a rich tapestry of what you have planted. It’s fun, informative, and helpful to others visiting your garden. As you photo tag, you can easily add plant names from our database and/or make notes about anything you’d like. To get started, sign-in and go to your Garden.


Click on any image in your garden's slideshow Carousel to get to full-view mode. Click on the “Tag” icon just below your photo and you are ready to tag! Simply click and drag your mouse over a plant or area you’d like to highlight or tag. A pop-up box will appear and ask for either a plant name or a note - add one or both, then click “tag” and you’ve just tagged your garden!


Write and tell us your suggestion for a "How it Works" video:
how-it-works@yourgardenshow.com


For more info contact: help@yourgardenshow.com

Photo of Siberian squill - Scilla siberica

Siberian squill

Scilla siberica

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Photo of Snowdrop - Galanthus nivalis

Snowdrop

Galanthus nivalis

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Photo of Douglas fir - Pseudotsuga menziesii

Douglas fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii

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Photo of Norway spruce - Picea abies

Norway spruce

Picea abies

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Photo of Common Lilac - Syringa vulgaris 'Marie Frances'

Common Lilac

Syringa vulgaris 'Marie Frances'

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Photo of Common Lilac - Syringa vulgaris 'Wedgwood Blue'

Common Lilac

Syringa vulgaris 'Wedgwood Blue'

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Manchurian lilac - Syringa pubescens subsp. patula 'Miss Kim'

Manchurian lilac - 'Miss Kim'

Syringa pubescens subsp. patula

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Photo of Red mulberry - Morus rubra

Red mulberry

Morus rubra

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Photo of White spruce - Picea glauca

White spruce

Picea glauca

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Photo of Striped squill - Puschkinia scilloides

Striped squill

Puschkinia scilloides

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Photo of Scotch pine - Pinus sylvestris

Scotch pine

Pinus sylvestris

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Photo of Frazier fir - Abies fraseri

Frazier fir

Abies fraseri

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Photo of Colorado Spruce - Picea pungens

Colorado Spruce

Picea pungens

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Photo of Hardy Pecan - Carya illinoinensis

Hardy Pecan

Carya illinoinensis

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Photo of Asparagus - Asparagus officianalis

Asparagus

Asparagus officianalis

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Photo of Beets - Beta vulgaris

Beets

Beta vulgaris

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Photo of Brussels Sprouts - Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera

Brussels Sprouts

Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera

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Artichoke - Globe 'Imperial Star' - Cynara scolymus

Artichoke - Globe 'Imperial Star'

Cynara scolymus

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Photo of American Hazelnut - Corylus americana

American Hazelnut

Corylus americana

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Photo of Black Alder - Alnus glutinosa

Black Alder

Alnus glutinosa

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Photo of Seven-son flower - Heptacodium miconioides

Seven-son flower

Heptacodium miconioides

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Photo of European larch - Larix decidua

European larch

Larix decidua

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Photo of Maidenhair tree - Ginkgo biloba

Maidenhair tree

Ginkgo biloba

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Photo of Butterfly weed - Asclepias tuberosa

Butterfly weed

Asclepias tuberosa

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Photo of Creeping Zinnia - Zinnia angustifolia

Creeping Zinnia

Zinnia angustifolia

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Photo of Garlic 'Spanish Roja' - Allium sativum

Garlic 'Spanish Roja'

Allium sativum

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Photo of Garlic 'Georgia Fire' - Allium sativum

Garlic 'Georgia Fire'

Allium sativum

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Photo of Garlic 'Persian Star' - Allium sativum

Garlic 'Persian Star'

Allium sativum

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Photo of Garlic 'Asian Tempest' - Allium sativum

Garlic 'Asian Tempest'

Allium sativum

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Photo of Aster - Aster frikartii 'Monch'

Aster

Aster frikartii 'Monch'

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Photo of Aster - Aster novae-angliae 'Purple Dome'

Aster

Aster novae-angliae 'Purple Dome'

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Photo of Chrysanthemum - Chrysanthemum morifolium

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum morifolium

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Beans 'Black Seeded Blue Lake' - Phaseolus vulgaris

Beans 'Black Seeded Blue Lake'

Phaseolus vulgaris

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Photo of Corn 'Ashworth' - Zea mays

Corn 'Ashworth'

Zea mays

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Photo of Pumpkins 'Young's Beauty' - Cucurbita Pepo

Pumpkins 'Young's Beauty'

Cucurbita Pepo

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Photo of Gourds 'Birdhouse' - Lagenaria siceraria, Cucurbita spp.

Gourds 'Birdhouse'

Lagenaria siceraria, Cucurbita spp.

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Photo of Sargent crabapple - Malus sargentii

Sargent crabapple

Malus sargentii

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Photo of Gooseberry - Ribes 'Poorman'

Gooseberry

Ribes 'Poorman'

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Photo of Dwarf pear - Pyrus communis 'Moonglow'

Dwarf pear

Pyrus communis 'Moonglow'

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Photo of American chestnut - Castanea dentata

American chestnut

Castanea dentata

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Photo of Parsnips - Pastinaca sativa

Parsnips

Pastinaca sativa

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Photo of Black walnut - Juglans nigra

Black walnut

Juglans nigra

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Photo of Potato - Solanum tuberosum

Potato

Solanum tuberosum

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Photo of Smooth sumac - Rhus glabra

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra

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Photo of Juniper - Red cedar - Juniperus virginiana 'Hillspire'

Juniper - Red cedar

Juniperus virginiana 'Hillspire'

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Photo of Clematis - Clematis 'Nelly Moser'

Clematis

Clematis 'Nelly Moser'

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Photo of Clematis - Clematis durandii

Clematis

Clematis durandii

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Photo of American elderberry - Sambucus canadensis 'Laciniata'

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis 'Laciniata'

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Photo of Russian arbor-vitae - Microbiota decussata

Russian arbor-vitae

Microbiota decussata

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Photo of Resurrection lily - Lycoris squamigera

Resurrection lily

Lycoris squamigera

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Photo of Sweet potato - Ipomoea batatas

Sweet potato

Ipomoea batatas

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Photo of Stonecrop - Sedum erythrostictum 'Frosty Morn'

Stonecrop - Sedum

Sedum erythrostictum 'Frosty Morn'

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Photo of Blackberry - Rubus 'Navaho'

Blackberry

Rubus 'Navaho'

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Photo of Cucumber - Cucumis sativus

Cucumber

Cucumis sativus

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Photo of Mache - Valerianella locusta

Mache

Valerianella locusta

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Photo of Japanese falsecypress - Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea'

Japanese falsecypress

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea'

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Photo of Sweet autumn clematis - Clematis terniflora

Sweet autumn clematis

Clematis terniflora

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Photo of Japanese anemone - Anemone hupehensis

Japanese anemone

Anemone hupehensis

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Photo of Carrots - Daucus carota

Carrots

Daucus carota

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Photo of Peppers 'Aci Sivri' - Capiscum annuum

Peppers 'Aci Sivri'

Capiscum annuum

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Photo of Cilantro - Coriandrum sativum

Cilantro

Coriandrum sativum

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Photo of Okra - Abelmoschus esculentus

Okra

Abelmoschus esculentus

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Photo of Peppers 'Cal Wonder Orange' - Capiscum annuum

Peppers 'Cal Wonder Orange'

Capiscum annuum

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Photo of Tomatoes 'Cherry Pink' - Lycopersicon esculentum

Tomatoes 'Cherry Pink'

Lycopersicon esculentum

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Plant of the Day archive

Siberian squill

Snowdrop

Douglas fir

Norway spruce

Common Lilac 'Marie Frances'

Common Lilac 'Wedgwood Blue'

Manchurian lilac 'Miss Kim'

Red mulberry

White spruce

Striped squill

Scotch pine

Frazier fir

Colorado Spruce

Hardy Pecan

Asparagus

Beet

Brussels Sprouts

Globe Artichoke 'Imperial Star'

American Hazelnut

Black Alder

Seven-son flower

European larch

Maidenhair tree

Butterfly weed

Creeping Zinnia

Garlic 'Spanish Roja'

Garlic 'Georgia Fire'

Garlic 'Persian Star'

Garlic 'Asian Tempest'

Aster 'Monch'

Aster 'Purple Dome'

Chrysanthemum

Beans

Corn

Pumpkin

Gourd

Sargent crabapple, Sargent

Gooseberry

Dwarf pear

American chestnut

Parsnip

Black walnut

Potato

Smooth Sumac

Juniper

Clematis - Nelly Moser

Clematis durandii

American elderberry

Russian arbor-vitae

Resurrection lily

Sweet Potato

Sedum

Blackberry

Cucumber

Mache

Japanese falsecypress

Sweet Autumn Clematis

Japanese Anemone

Carrots

Hot Peppers

Cilantro

Okra

Peppers 'Cal Wonder Orange'

'Cherry Pink' Tomatoes