Summer Squashes
Cucumber
I grow two types of cucumbers, the ‘Marketmore’ slicer cucumber and a pickling cucumber, this season named ‘Cool Customer’. I offer two plantings separated by a month if you would like to extend your season.
Spacing & Yield
Cucumbers can be grown as a ground crop, but I really do not recommend it. What I have had tremendous success with is growing them on a trellis very similar to the one I use for tomatoes. Rather than cages and strings for the plants, I use a cattle panel, which is essentially a fence with 6” squares. The cucumbers grow up the trellis with a little help and stay off the ground, where they are be likely to get diseased.
On 30” or 4’ beds, Cucumbers are planted 1’apart along the trellis; expect yields of 2-4 cucumbers per plant per week for about 4 weeks.
Pests
Cucumbers are susceptible to Cucumber Beetles, which carry cucumber mosaic virus. Floating row covers are recommended for Cucumber Beetle infestations.
I grow two types of cucumbers, the ‘Marketmore’ slicer cucumber and a pickling cucumber, this season named ‘Cool Customer’. I offer two plantings separated by a month if you would like to extend your season.
Spacing & Yield
Cucumbers can be grown as a ground crop, but I really do not recommend it. What I have had tremendous success with is growing them on a trellis very similar to the one I use for tomatoes. Rather than cages and strings for the plants, I use a cattle panel, which is essentially a fence with 6” squares. The cucumbers grow up the trellis with a little help and stay off the ground, where they are be likely to get diseased.
On 30” or 4’ beds, Cucumbers are planted 1’apart along the trellis; expect yields of 2-4 cucumbers per plant per week for about 4 weeks.
Pests
Cucumbers are susceptible to Cucumber Beetles, which carry cucumber mosaic virus. Floating row covers are recommended for Cucumber Beetle infestations.
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Marketmore 76 Cucumber
58 Days Planting Notes: Planted in May and June for harvests in July to September “Long, slender, dark green cucumbers. The slender, refined "Marketmore look" has long been the standard for slicing cucumbers in the North. 8-9" fruits stay uniformly dark green even under weather stress. Begins bearing late, but picks for a relatively long time.” |
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Cool Cucumber Pickling Cucumber
58 Days Planting Notes: Planted in May and June for harvests in July to September “Medium green fruits bear early, and set heavily on short, space-saving vines. Fertilize well and pick frequently at a small size to maintain good color and fruit shape. “ |
General Squash
Summer squash pulls together the summer menu. I am a strong believer in multiple plantings of squash so that you can remove old large plants and save space in your garden.
Spacing & Yield
On 30” and 4’ beds, 1 row of Summer Squash can be planted, 2’ apart; expect yields of about 2# per harvest per week for about 4 weeks. Patty Pans produce less poundage, as they are smaller. Expect about 3-6 squashes per week.
Season Extension
Row covers will be required for this planting.
Summer squash pulls together the summer menu. I am a strong believer in multiple plantings of squash so that you can remove old large plants and save space in your garden.
Spacing & Yield
On 30” and 4’ beds, 1 row of Summer Squash can be planted, 2’ apart; expect yields of about 2# per harvest per week for about 4 weeks. Patty Pans produce less poundage, as they are smaller. Expect about 3-6 squashes per week.
Season Extension
Row covers will be required for this planting.
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Costata Romanesco Zucchini
52 Days Planting Notes: Planted in May and June for harvests July - September “Traditional Italian heirloom with the best flavor. This distinctive zucchini is medium gray-green, with pale green flecks and prominent ribs. Big, large-leafed semi-bush plants with only about half the yield of hybrids, but much better flavor; clearly better textured, nutty, and delicious, raw or cooked.” |
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Golden Glory Zucchini
50 Days Planting Notes: Planted in May and June for harvests July - September “Spineless yellow zucchini with excellent yields. Open habit and few spines make it easy to harvest blemish-free fruit. Excellent disease resistance keeps the plant productive over a long season. Bright yellow fruits with solid green stems.” |
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Dunja Green Zucchini
47 Days Planting Notes: Planted in May and June for harvests July - September “Organic, early, powdery mildew resistant. Dunja is a high yielder of dark-green, straight zucchinis. Open plants and short spines make for an easy harvest.” |
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Zephyr Yellow Squash
54 Days Planting Notes: Planted in May and June for harvests July - September “Unique appearance for easy recognition. Distinctive, slender fruits are yellow with faint white stripes and light-green blossom ends. Harvest young at 4-6" for unusually delicious, nutty flavor and firm texture. Vigorous, high-yielding plants. |
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Y-star Patty Pan Squash
52 Days Planting Notes: Planted in May and June for harvests July - September “Yellow organic patty pan. Prolific yielder of shiny, yellow, scalloped squash fruits, with light green on the blossom end.” |