DIY Network

Bush Cucumbers, Pest Protection Bush Cucumbers, Pest Protection From "Fresh from the Garden" episode DFFG-114

Vining cucumbers and bush cucumbers grow differently and therefore should be planted differently. Here, learn how to successfully plant and grow bush cucumbers, then discover the best ways to protect your cucumber plants from potential predators....

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	To plant cucumbers, space the plants 8 to 10 inches apart and about 6 inches in front of the trellis. In each hole, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of slow-release fertilizer.
	Pieces of stocking work well because they let air through and they don't get heavy when wet.
	They need lots of water and if the soil gets too hot or it dries out the plants will stop producing fruit.
	Young cucumber plants are a favorite target for bugs and beetles. They attack the young plants before the stems can harden, sucking the moisture out of the leaves and vines.
	Beetles and flies love to attack cucumber plants.
	When you apply the soap to the plants be sure you only cover each plant with a fine mist. If you soak the plant the soap will clog the tiny pores on the leaves, making it difficult for the plant to breathe.

• To plant cucumbers, space the plants 8 to 10 inches apart and about 6 inches in front of the trellis. In each hole, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of slow-release fertilizer.

• Young cucumber plants have a great ability to grab a hold of things by sending out small tendrils and vines. Until they get large enough to hold on for themselves you have to help them out by tying them to the trellis. Pieces of stocking work well because they let air through and they don't get heavy when wet. Tie pieces loosely around the vine and trellis. Since there are many plants that are going to use the trellis, the stockings help keep each plant in its proper place. Cucumbers have much healthier fruit when they're kept up off the ground, so if you can, give them something to climb on.

• Bush cucumbers grow very differently than vining type cucumbers. Even though they technically still have vines, they're short and stay with a few feet of the plant. Bush varieties take up about a third the amount of space as a vining cucumber. Because of this they grow well in pots where you can grow 1 or 2 plants in a 5-gallon bucket.

• Bush cucumbers can be grown in groups on what's known as hills. The mounds support the plants and because of their shape, they help the plants get plenty of sun. To make a hill mound the dirt up so that you have a hill that stands 6-8 inches higher than the surrounding dirt. Smooth out the sides so they gently slope back into the beds. This way all of the roots will be in the hill where they have lots of loose fertile soil and the branches can move out around the space.

• Plant 4 plants per hill.

• It's critical to give cucumber plants plenty of mulch. They need lots of water and if the soil gets too hot or it dries out the plants will stop producing fruit. When you mulch around any vegetable be sure to add at least 4 inches of mulch. Keep the mulch away from the stem of the plants so they don't get too wet. Stems rot if they get water logged so give then 2-3 inches of clearance. The mulch not only keeps valuable moisture from evaporating out of the soil, it keeps weeds from popping up and competing with your plants for nutrients.

• Water in the new cucumber plants with liquid fertilizer. Fertilizer pellets take time to start breaking down but liquid fertilizer is absorbed immediately, getting the new plants off to a quick start. Cucumbers, like tomatoes and summer squash, need lots of nutrients all the time. By giving them liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks they have a constant supply of food entering their leaves and coming through the ground up into their roots.

• Young cucumber plants are a favorite target for bugs and beetles. They attack the young plants before the stems can harden, sucking the moisture out of the leaves and vines. Bug netting or row covers keep out bugs until the plants are starting to bloom. To install a row cover you need to first measure the area you need to protect. You need a cover larger than the space so that it can drape loosely so it won't press down on the plants while they're growing. You can use netting to cover both the trellis and the hills. To hold it down, you can use bricks, blocks or timbers around the edges.

• Beetles and flies love to attack cucumber plants. You can use sticky bug paper to catch some of them before they can do too much damage to your plants. Nail pieces of bug paper along the sides of the trellis to catch white flies and cucumber beetles. They're attracted to the scent and yellow color. The bugs get stuck on the paper when they land on it. Also hammer in a couple of stakes with bug paper around the cucumber mounds.

• Bugs don't like soap and one way to get small bugs like aphids and thrips off of your plants is to use a homemade bug spray. To make this use 1 tablespoon of liquid soap mixed with 1 gallon of water. Peppermint scented soap is best but any type will do. Carefully mix the 2 ingredients but don't shake it up or you'll have bubbles. You can now put this in a garden sprayer or a hand-pump sprayer and mist your plants.

• When you apply the soap to the plants be sure you only cover each plant with a fine mist. If you soak the plant the soap will clog the tiny pores on the leaves, making it difficult for the plant to breathe.

• You can reapply the spray if needed. One coat will keep bugs off until the soap is washed or rained off.