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How to sow and grow cucumber
This is the tastiest snack cucumber. Great for growing outdoors or in a greenhouse. It produces a lot of cucumber fruits over a long period, doesn't get bitter, and has few seeds.
What is a snack cucumber?
Snack cucumbers are smaller than your average cucumber. That's for a reason: you can harvest them quicker and they fit perfectly in a packed lunch.
Cucumbers originally come from India. They've also been grown in the Middle East for centuries. The Romans brought cucumbers to France but it took until the 17th-century for them to catch on in the Netherlands.
Some older varieties still have prickly spikes. You won't see them very often in newer varieties.
The snack cucumber was developed at the end of the 20th century. It quickly became a popular variety. Makes sense: the small size makes these cucumbers a perfect healthy snack. Hence the name.
Cucumbers originally come from India. They've also been grown in the Middle East for centuries. The Romans brought cucumbers to France but it took until the 17th-century for them to catch on in the Netherlands.
Some older varieties still have prickly spikes. You won't see them very often in newer varieties.
The snack cucumber was developed at the end of the 20th century. It quickly became a popular variety. Makes sense: the small size makes these cucumbers a perfect healthy snack. Hence the name.
Are Snack cucumbers healthy?
A cucumber contains very few calories, but it does contain fibre and useful nutrients such as potassium, vitamin K and antioxidants. Potassium helps maintain normal fluid balance and supports normal blood pressure. Vitamin K supports healthy bones.
Cucumbers also contain a lot of water. That helps with thirst, and water from food and drink is important for your body to function well.
More about our Snack cucumber
This special variety grows quickly and produces fruit faster and more abundantly than most cucumbers: under ideal conditions, you can harvest within 6 weeks. That is why you can even sow it in July.
The flowers and small cucumbers grow in the leaf axils. Because the distance between leaves is shorter in this variety, and each leaf axil usually produces 2 flowers, the plant makes more fruit. It is also less sensitive to fungal diseases and other problems.
The flowers and small cucumbers grow in the leaf axils. Because the distance between leaves is shorter in this variety, and each leaf axil usually produces 2 flowers, the plant makes more fruit. It is also less sensitive to fungal diseases and other problems.
- Variety name: Snack cucumber Espanada RZ F1
- Family: fruiting vegetable
- Number per square: 1 by the trellis
- Height: up to 200 cm
- Start indoors: early May to late July
- Sowing depth: max. 1 cm (pre-germinate first)
- Germination: between 20 and 25°C in 3-6 days
- Time to harvest: from 6 weeks
- Sunlight: full sun in a sheltered spot
- Packet contents: 5 seeds for 5 squares
The seeds are expensive, but more than worth the price. And unlike many other varieties, you only need 1 plant per square instead of 2.
NOTE: cucumbers do not grow well right next to a square with spring onions, garlic or Chinese chives. Always put another vegetable between them.
For some varieties, you will see F1 in the name. This means they are hybrid seeds: seeds from a carefully bred plant variety.
Another word for this process is plant breeding. Seed growers do it to strengthen or reduce certain traits in a variety. That might mean better performance in warmer, colder, drier or wetter weather, a more even appearance, a larger harvest per plant, or better flavour.
By crossing and selecting varieties again and again, growers strengthen the traits they want and reduce the traits they do not want. This often also makes varieties more resistant to certain diseases.
Bred varieties are not scary or unnatural. Growers who work organically also develop them.
How do you sow and grow cucumber?
This cucumber variety is included in the free Makkelijke Moestuin app. Use it, and you'll get step-by-step guidance from seed to harvest.
Each vegetable goes through a number of stages - we call them levels. The app tells you exactly what to do at each level and checks in when your plants are ready for the next.
So you don't need to know how to grow cucumber before you start: the app takes you through every step.
But if you'd like to read more about those steps, here's what the process looks like:
Each vegetable goes through a number of stages - we call them levels. The app tells you exactly what to do at each level and checks in when your plants are ready for the next.
So you don't need to know how to grow cucumber before you start: the app takes you through every step.
But if you'd like to read more about those steps, here's what the process looks like:
What do you need to grow Snack cucumber yourself?
Besides the seeds, you need this for starting indoors:
- MM seed-starting mix or MM coconut seed-starting mix
- MM-Airpots (the large size)
- clear kitchen film (not needed with coconut seed-starting mix)
When the plant is big enough to plant outside, you need:
- one 30 x 30 cm square
- MM-Mix or MM coconut mix
- a spot with at least 8 hours of sunlight per day
- a trellis or something similar to train the plant upwards
- MM plant food
Level 1: pre-germinating the seeds
Cucumbers are true summer vegetables. The seeds only germinate above 20°C. The seedlings are also very sensitive to lower temperatures. That is why you start them indoors first and plant the young plants in your box from late May onwards.
Before sowing the seeds in a pot, let a little root appear first. This is called pre-germinating, and it lets you know for sure that the seeds have germinated properly.
It is easy to do: fold a piece of kitchen paper or toilet paper a few times, make it damp (not wet), and put it in a small container.
Then place the seeds between the paper. To stop the paper drying out, cover the container with a lid or a piece of kitchen film.
Before sowing the seeds in a pot, let a little root appear first. This is called pre-germinating, and it lets you know for sure that the seeds have germinated properly.
It is easy to do: fold a piece of kitchen paper or toilet paper a few times, make it damp (not wet), and put it in a small container.
Then place the seeds between the paper. To stop the paper drying out, cover the container with a lid or a piece of kitchen film.
Over the next few days, check now and then to see whether a little root has appeared. Sometimes you see it after 2-3 days; sometimes it takes a little longer.
Level 2: starting indoors
Once you see a little root on a seed, you can start it indoors. You need:
- a pre-germinated seed
- 1 MM-Airpot (large size)
- MM seed-starting mix or MM coconut seed-starting mix
- clear kitchen film (not needed with coconut seed-starting mix)
Note: MM coconut seed-starting mix does not contain plant food yet. So when you prepare it for the first time, add one heaped tablespoon of MM plant food.
Fill the Airpot with MM seed-starting mix and make it moist (not wet). Then place it in a bowl or saucer.
Make a hole in the mix and place the seed in it very carefully, so you do not damage the little root.
Then close the hole and cover the Airpot with kitchen film to keep the mix - and the seed - moist (not needed with coconut seed-starting mix).
Finally, put the pot in a warm spot in the living room. Preferably not above a radiator or in full sun, because that can quickly become too warm.
Finally, put the pot in a warm spot in the living room. Preferably not above a radiator or in full sun, because that can quickly become too warm.
Level 3: seedling
As soon as you see the seedling come up, you know things are going well. Remove the film from the pot if you used it, and put the pot in the brightest spot you have, but preferably not too warm.
Keep the mix moist and turn the pot a quarter turn every day. This stops the seedling from growing crooked.
After another 5 days or so, it is time for the next level.
Levels 5-10: windowsill care and hardening off
To grow well, your plant needs full light but should not be kept warmer than 20°C.
The seedling quickly grows into a real plant. To stop it growing crooked, turn the pot a quarter turn every day. It is also important to keep the mix properly moist, but not soaking wet.
After 3-4 weeks, the plant is big enough to plant outside. If it is after 15 May, and the outdoor temperature is not much lower than 15°C, let it get used to outdoor air for a few days first.
The seedling quickly grows into a real plant. To stop it growing crooked, turn the pot a quarter turn every day. It is also important to keep the mix properly moist, but not soaking wet.
After 3-4 weeks, the plant is big enough to plant outside. If it is after 15 May, and the outdoor temperature is not much lower than 15°C, let it get used to outdoor air for a few days first.
Level 11: Plant it in your garden box
Once your plant is used to outdoor air, move it to your outdoor box by the trellis.
To help the plant get going, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of extra MM plant food into the planting hole before putting the plant in.
To help the plant get going, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of extra MM plant food into the planting hole before putting the plant in.
Note: cucumbers do not grow well right next to onions or Chinese chives. Leave at least one square between them.
Levels 12-14: care in the garden
As soon as the plant is big enough, weave the main stem through the trellis.
Cucumber plants flower in the leaf axils and on the side shoots. That is where the cucumbers will grow later.
Those side shoots take a lot of energy from the plant. Let the first side shoot grow into a second main stem, but cut the others back to about 10 cm, just beyond the second flower. This gives you a large harvest while helping the plant last fairly long.
Cucumber plants flower in the leaf axils and on the side shoots. That is where the cucumbers will grow later.
Those side shoots take a lot of energy from the plant. Let the first side shoot grow into a second main stem, but cut the others back to about 10 cm, just beyond the second flower. This gives you a large harvest while helping the plant last fairly long.
Levels 15-16: harvesting
These cucumbers grow very quickly. From flower to harvestable fruit can take as little as 10 days. You can also harvest this variety quite soon: if the weather cooperates, about 2 weeks after planting outside.
If the plant is happy, it keeps going for a long time and grows well above the trellis. To give it the best chance, sprinkle an extra scoop of plant food (30 ml, or 2 tablespoons) around the base of the plant every 5 weeks. The app will remind you.
If the plant is happy, it keeps going for a long time and grows well above the trellis. To give it the best chance, sprinkle an extra scoop of plant food (30 ml, or 2 tablespoons) around the base of the plant every 5 weeks. The app will remind you.
These little cucumbers taste best when they are 8-12 cm long.
The final levels
Because this cucumber grows so quickly, it also runs out of energy a little sooner: usually after about three months. The stem then grows less quickly, the leaves start to look rough, and fewer flowers appear.
But because you can sow it even in July, two or three plants can give you masses of little cucumbers from late June until well into autumn.
You can keep harvesting from the last plants until it gets properly colder, around early October. Then the plants decline quickly, and it is best to remove them from your box or MM-Mini.
But because you can sow it even in July, two or three plants can give you masses of little cucumbers from late June until well into autumn.
You can keep harvesting from the last plants until it gets properly colder, around early October. Then the plants decline quickly, and it is best to remove them from your box or MM-Mini.
What can you use Snack cucumbers for?
Snack cucumbers are great eaten raw straight from your hand, or chopped into cubes or slices for salads.
In the Netherlands, tangy cucumber salad is popular, but you can use them in many other ways too: Greek tzatziki, cucumber soup, or a mash with potatoes, cucumber, onion and minced meat.
No peeling needed: the skin is quite thin, and you get more vitamins if you leave it on.
In the Netherlands, tangy cucumber salad is popular, but you can use them in many other ways too: Greek tzatziki, cucumber soup, or a mash with potatoes, cucumber, onion and minced meat.
No peeling needed: the skin is quite thin, and you get more vitamins if you leave it on.
So, what is stopping you from sowing and growing Snack cucumber yourself?
These little snack cucumbers grow quickly, have much more flavour than supermarket cucumbers, and are great fun to grow yourself. Plus, with our app and materials it is almost impossible to fail.
Good luck!
