We all would like a higher yield and less work in our gardens, right?
I won't say I'm a lazy gardener, but while I do enjoy being out in the garden, and seeing the fruits of my labor, I don't have the time or desire to spend hours every day, pulling out every weed, meticulously thinning and pruning plants, or sometimes even, starting seeds indoors. I prefer to throw seeds in the ground and let nature do it's thing.
I acknowledge that this technique limits my plant options, but I have been able to find many varieties that work well with this technique in our USDA Hardiness Zone of 6a. (Find out your zone here.)
Cucumbers are one of them. Our property is very wet in the spring and summer, but gets nice and hot mid to late summer. Conditions that cucumbers love.
What works best for me is the mound technique.
How to grow organic cucumbers easily
{I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.}
Pile a bunch of dirt in a mound. Sprinkle a bunch of cucumber seeds all over the mound. Stir up the dirt to cover the seeds.
Water generously. Wait for tons of cucumbers.
Now, there's no law that says you can't get out there and weed, or thin out the plants (cucumbers need LOTS of room to roam), or fertilize, or add row covers, or water regularly. By all means, if you feel so lead, have at it. It will only help your cucumber crop. Cucumbers like their feet warm and wet, but their leaves warm and dry. And they prefer not to have direct sunlight for part of the day, so they make a great vegetable to plant near larger trees.
The beauty of this method is that the cucumber leaves will naturally block out sunlight from reaching the weeds, while keeping moisture in.
I did have an issue with slugs this past summer because it was an especially wet year. But I found an easy solution that worked incredibly well. I buried small bowls up to their brim, every 5 ft or so, around the perimeter of the garden and filled them with beer. It attracted the slugs and they don't swim well. I also sprinkled diatomaceous earth periodically around the base of the plants.
That's pretty much all there is to it. Be sure to check under the prickly leaves when you start harvesting; those veggies love to hide!
Here are the varieties I've had excellent success with: High Mowing Seeds - Saber F1 Fruition Seeds - Marketmore 76
Looking for the perfect pickle recipes? Crunchy Sweet Pickles Crunchy Dill Pickles
Comments