Cucumbers masterclass: best expert content

Here’s a collection of the best independent content to help you grow your own crunchy cucumbers. These videos, articles and Instagram posts feature everything from sowing cucumber seeds through to pricking out and pollination. There’s even a tasty recipe suggestion in case of a glut! If you want to successfully grow cucumbers in your garden or allotment, you’ve come to the right place…

Jack Bennet – Jack’s Garden

The most important thing for Jack of Jack’s Garden is getting the right cucumber for the job. Ridged types are good for outdoor growing while smooth-skinned varieties do better in the greenhouse, he says. And that’s before you consider which are best for slicing, pickling and eating whole! To help you choose the best variety and raise a successful crop, read Jack’s full article: How to grow cucumbers.

Monika – @monikabrzoza

Cucumbers are one of the crops that taste completely different when you grow your own. And you can choose varieties that can’t be bought in a supermarket. Check out @monikabrzoza’s amazing cucumber harvest where she shows off her sweet cucamelons, large round ‘Crystal Apple’ cucumbers and spiky, snack-sized cukes. Imagine the refreshing salads you could make from ribbons of these extra long fruits. Take a leaf from Monika’s book when it comes to cucumbers – more is more!

Claire Burgess – Claire’s Allotment

“You’re not pulling the seedling out, you’re guiding it out,” explains Claire in her excellent video over at Claire’s Allotment. Her top tip for pricking out cucumber seedlings? Lever your seedling from underneath using a pencil or a spike, going into the soil a good distance away from the stem so you don’t damage the roots. See how Claire chooses which seedlings to prick out, and which should be left for another day in this step-by-step guide.

Emily & Chris – It’s Sow Simple

Did you know that you can take cuttings from your cucumber plants? This great hack, from Emily & Chris over at It’s Sow Simple, allows you to grow successive batches of cucumbers through the entire summer. It also reduces the need for lots of fiddly seed sowing. Find out how to root your cuttings with this concise guide.

Tina Lawlor Mottram – Garden Patch

Looking for a novel way to support your cucumbers? Use the pruned branches from other garden plants, says Tina at Garden Patch. Guests will love trying to work out exactly what you’re growing. Find other fun ideas for supporting your vines and get help choosing the right trellis in this comprehensive guide for outdoor, indoor and container grown plants.

Thompson & Morgan blog

Make sure your indoor grown cucumbers don’t pollinate, says Sue Sanderson, writing for Thompson & Morgan’s blog. Fruit from pollinated female flowers will have a bitter tasting flesh, she explains, so pinch any male flowers you find off the plant as soon as you see them. Read the full article to find out how to grow indoor and outdoor cucumbers.

Abdur – ​​Garden Ideas & DIY

If you notice that the stems of your vines look a little flat, don’t worry, says Abdur over at his YouTube channel Garden Ideas & DIY. This is just a sign of a harmless genetic disorder called ‘fasciation’. Your flat stem will likely just branch out into multiple healthy stems, he says, but if it doesn’t, you’ll just get unusual and fun shaped fruit. See Abdur’s impressive indoor grown cucumber plants for yourself – this experienced grower is definitely one to watch!

Daniel – Patient Gardener

Wondering whether you need to pinch out your cucumber side shoots? It all depends on how much space you have, says Daniel, AKA Patient Gardener. “If you don’t have the height to allow your cucumber to grow up to or past 6ft in height, then a little side growth is no bad thing,” he says. See Daniel’s full guide to pinching out for more advice on how to prune your cucumber plants.

Ian – DIY Home and Gardening

Ten litres is a good final container size for your cucumbers, says Ian from DIY Home and Gardening. He starts with a three foot stake, but when he gets to the final pot size, he carefully adds a five foot cane to support their last burst of height. Watch how Ian adds extra support with minimal root ball disturbance, and have a peek at his healthy outdoor container grown cukes in this friendly video: How to Tie Up Cucumber Plants.

Ali Raja & Aqib Ullah – Ali Raja Bagan Bari Uk

If your cucumber leaves are covered in white spots, it could be powdery mildew, says the greenfingered father and son duo behind YouTube channel Ali Raja Bagan Bari Uk. They use everyday household ingredients like baking soda to keep their plants healthy, and by the looks of their impressive vines, it’s working! Watch their video on treating common cucumber diseases to find out how to mix your own natural and organic remedies.

Pete – Real Men Sow

You don’t need a greenhouse, or even a trellis, to successfully grow your own cukes, says Pete from Real Men Sow. “I plant the cucumbers in the corners of my raised beds and then guide them to where I want them as the vines begin to sprawl,” he says. Not only does this blogger get excellent harvests, the creeping vines look fantastic on his Scottish allotment! Read his full article on growing outdoor cucumbers for more tips.

Ingrid – @ingrid_grows_and_eats

Don’t turn your back on your cucumbers for long! Left to their own devices they’ll be groaning under their own weight in no time, just like this outdoor pot-grown vine courtesy of @ingrid_grows_and_eats. Pick your cucumbers often so you don’t become overwhelmed, and enjoy the bounty while it lasts. Check out Ingrid’s pot grown vine as part of her patio vegetable garden. She’s starting a new allotment too, if you want to follow her progress.

Tony – The Little Farmers Farm

Don’t worry if you suddenly get a glut of cucumbers – they preserve beautifully and make excellent pickles. Watch this fun video to see how Tony gets his from vine to jar in just 60 minutes. Garlic, demerara sugar and Himalayan pink salt are just a few of the ingredients that go into his flavour-packed brine. Visit The Little Farmers Farm for the full recipe.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our favourite cucumber growing content. If you didn’t get round to sowing cucumber seeds this year, there’s still time to try some new varieties from our range of cucumber plants. Remember to share your journey with us via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or tag us at #YourTMGarden. And if you’d like more advice and help on growing and caring for your cucumber plants, visit our cucumbers hub page to find links to a wealth of online resources.