If you’re looking for an easy-to-grow, great-tasting cucumber variety, I highly recommend making use of your greenhouse for this purpose. However, you have probably heard that these cucumbers are considered seedless, and if that’s the case, how can you propagate? Are greenhouse cucumbers actually seedless?
Greenhouse cucumbers do still have tiny seeds that can be used for propagation. Though these plants are generally considered seedless, they still contain small seeds; however these are smaller and far less noticeable than those found in traditional cucumbers.
In the rest of this article, I’ll more clearly define what a greenhouse cucumber is, what makes it different from regular cucumbers, as well as how to plant and care for it. So if you would like to learn more about these unique cucumbers, be sure to stick around.
What Is a Greenhouse Cucumber?
You might be thinking that any cucumber you plant in a greenhouse would automatically be considered a greenhouse cucumber, but you’d be wrong. There are several varieties of greenhouse cucumbers, but what they all have in common is that they are perfectly built to grow in the confines of a greenhouse.
A greenhouse cucumber is a variety of cucumber that primarily produces female plants, and the fruit is considered seedless. These cucumbers do not require outside pollination and therefore are great for growing in greenhouses. However, male flowers must be pruned in order to prevent bitter fruit.
As previously stated, there are multiple varieties of greenhouse cucumbers, and each type is perfectly formulated to thrive without the need for outside pollination of bees and other bugs or animals. It’s also important to note that they are not actually entirely seedless, and you can still propagate these types of cucumbers.
Greenhouse Cucumbers vs. Regular Cucumbers
Now that you know a little more about what makes a greenhouse cucumber unique, it’s time to talk about the differences between regular old cucumbers and greenhouse ones. So let’s get started.
Greenhouse cucumbers:
- Are designed to grow in a greenhouse.
- Consist of primarily female plants.
- Don’t need to be pollinated.
- Are seedless.
- Are bitterness-free.
- Are long.
So as you can see, there are quite a few benefits to growing these kinds of cucumbers in your greenhouse. There are also a few different varieties of greenhouse cucumbers, you can choose from such as:
- Socrates: A species known for its flavor, thin dark green skin, and ability to grow perfectly indoors. This cucumber is also great at handling stress and will be seedless if male flowers are quickly pruned away.
- Suyo Long: It is a long cucumber that is ribbed and can grow over a foot (30.48 cm) in length. They are also known for being tender, crip, and seedless so long as any male plants are quickly dealt with.
- Diva: Shorter small cucumbers with thin skin and known for being crispy and sweet. They also are not considered bitter and are highly resistant to most diseases that affect cucumbers.
- Tyria: It is a lightly ribbed cucumber that grows well. It can also be grown in both a greenhouse and out in the open.
- Tasty Jade: Super glossy exterior, high yielding, bitter free, and has thin skin. They are also considered to be sweet and crispy.
Next, I’m going to discuss some of the attributes of standard cucumbers. When I say regular or standard cucumbers, I am referring to the ones you most commonly purchase at the grocery store.
Regular cucumbers:
- Short.
- Wide.
- Referred to as the salad cucumber.
- Have a waxy film to lock in moisture.
- Lots of seeds.
- Dark green skin.
- Burpless.
- Generally used for pickling.
- Need to be pollinated.
Like the greenhouse cucumber, there are multiple varieties of this plant. However, the most common types of standard cucumbers are:
- Armenian: This cucumber is heat-tolerant, bitter, and fairly sweet. They also grow pretty long, and their vines can climb.
- English: This cucumber is long, thin, and lighter green than most. Often can be found at the store wrapped in plastic.
- Persian: A smaller, more tender cucumber that is smooth and has very few seeds. Often referred to as a snacking cucumber.
Here you have it – the main differences between these two cucumber varieties. One is more commonly purchased in grocery stores, while the other is easier to plant in your very own greenhouse.
How To Plant Greenhouse Cucumbers
Planting greenhouse cucumbers is pretty simple. However, as with most plants in your greenhouse, you will want to start growing the seeds so that they are ready to be transplanted into the greenhouse’s garden bed.
Here’s how to plant greenhouse cucumbers:
- Acquire greenhouse cucumber seeds. It’s great if you have previously grown greenhouse cucumbers and have some seeds. If not, you can purchase the seeds practically anywhere online.
- Sow your greenhouse cucumber seeds. You’ll want to time this so that you plant after the last harsh frost hits. You can place the seeds in small pots, egg cartons, or whatever you find works best for you to sow your seeds. If you have a heated greenhouse, then you won’t have to worry about the frost.
- Transplant the seeds to their new home. Once the seeds are ready (about 3 weeks), it’s time to plant them into the greenhouse garden and begin the waiting process for crispy cucumbers. Be sure to do so carefully so as not to send your little plants into shock.
- Ensure that there’s plenty of space between each plant. About 12 inches (30.48 cm) apart is best for optimal plant growth.
- Wait for them to grow. It will take about 12 weeks for your plants to produce fruit, so be patient and observe them for signs of disease or general health issues.
Growing greenhouse cucumbers is pretty simple, so once you have them planted, it’s really a waiting game to ensure that they are getting enough nutrients.
How To Care for Greenhouse Cucumbers
Now that you know how to get your greenhouse cucumbers started, you should learn a few essential care tips.
Tips for caring for greenhouse cucumbers:
- Make sure they are getting plenty of sunlight. In order for your cucumbers to thrive, you will want to make sure that your greenhouse is placed somewhere that gets lots of warm sun throughout the day. However, there are some plant varieties that will do better if your greenhouse is in the shade.
- Maintain humidity. Your greenhouse cucumbers will need a good amount of humidity, which can easily be achieved in an enclosed greenhouse with good sun coverage.
- Maintain heat. Cucumbers need to be kept warm, though not too hot, as they can get scorched. If you are planting during the colder months, some sort of heater should be considered to prevent frost from killing your plants.
- Remove all male flowers. Male flowers will cause your cucumbers to become bitter, so they must be pruned away immediately.
- Take steps to ensure bugs stay away. Bugs can demolish a cucumber plant quite quickly, so using mild pesticides like vinegar can help keep your plants healthy.
- Use good fertilizer. A good fertilizer will help keep your plants healthy, resulting in far more fruit and tastier cucumbers.
- Don’t over or underwater. Cucumbers need water, but they will get sad if overwatered, and they will die if underwatered, so you must find a happy medium.
If you follow these tips, your cucumbers should remain happy and healthy. Just remember to watch your plants. You will be able to tell if something is wrong. Plants droop, change colors, and begin to die when something is amiss.
Conclusion
Greenhouse cucumbers do still have seeds even though they are usually considered a seedless variety. This is because their seeds are pretty small compared to the standard salad cucumber. An ever-growing number of gardeners are opting for greenhouse cucumbers because they can be grown indoors without outside pollination. Moreover, they are known for being:
- Sweet
- Crunchy
- Stress resistant
Each variety of garden cucumber will be slightly different in color, size, and texture, but they will all thrive inside of your greenhouse and will make for a mouth-watering end result.
If you want to learn 10 farming secrets to increase your cucumber yield, you can read my other article here: 10 Farming Secrets to Increase Your Cucumber Yield
