Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Cucumbers are rewarding plants to grow, but they need warmth and a little understanding. In this video I show how I grow both types, climbing cordon plants under cover and ridge cucumbers outdoors, and what to expect in a cooler climate.
Under cover, cucumbers are grown vertically, trained to a central stem with side shoots removed.
Outside, ridge cucumbers grow across the ground and grow shorter, more knobbly fruits. They have a relatively brief season because they're outside. So it’s about making the most of the conditions you have.
I also share how I sow, water and care for plants early on, including how to avoid common problems with seedlings. If they get wet around their roots and the wet stays there, they damp off.
On ridge cucumber plants, I remove no fruits. Whereas the under cover plants need more pruning and training.
🎥 Filmed April to August 2025 by Carly Dutton-Edwards
In Homeacres No Dig Garden, Somerset, UK
🎵 Music: Rory Dunwoodie, @rorydinwoodiemusic IG: rorydinwoodiemusic
You can join this channel by paying a monthly fee, to support our work with helping gardeners grow better, and to receive monthly videos made only for members:
youtube.com/channel/UCB1J6siDdmhwah7q0O2WJBg/join
#cucumbers #nodig #vegetablegardening #growyourown #gardeningtips
00:00 4th April, introduction, two types - cordon and ridge
01:17 Season for cucumbers - need for warmth
02:55 Sowing cordon variety in module tray cells, not pots - damping off
05:28 Warmth for germination, shallow sowing
07:00 2nd May - option to pot on, and comparison between two plants
08:51 Potting on
10:13 Ridge cucumbers - later sowing time, potted on
11:18 12th May - transplanting ridge cucumbers
13:51 23rd May - plants under fleece
15:19 Neighbouring peas - a mistake!
16:26 6th June - cordon plants in the polytunnel
17:00 Twisting stems around the string
17:11 Removing side shoots
17:43 Removing baby cucumber
18:46 Another pruning recommendation
19:30 Removing lower leaves
20:11 Downy mildew, not a problem
20:26 Watering
20:58 4th July - cordon plants, choosing variety
21:24 Removing lower leaves
21:34 Removing every 2nd cucumber
22:50 Stage of growth for harvesting
23:25 Pointy end to cucumber
23:38 Pruning at the top of the plant
24:57 Virus - plants removed
26:02 Dropping the plant
26:56 Ridge plants outside, peas and strawberries now removed
28:02 Watering - lack of moisture in the soil
28:32 Tidying leaves
28:53 When to harvest
29:54 Peeling skin
30:13 Compost mulch added
30:53 How often to water
Cucumbers are rewarding plants to grow, but they need warmth and a little understanding. In this video I show how I grow both types, climbing cordon plants under cover and ridge cucumbers outdoors, and what to expect in a cooler climate.
Under cover, cucumbers are grown vertically, trained to a central stem with side shoots removed.
Outside, ridge cucumbers grow across the ground and grow shorter, more knobbly fruits. They have a relatively brief season because they're outside. So it’s about making the most of the conditions you have.
I also share how I sow, water and care for plants early on, including how to avoid common problems with seedlings. If they get wet around their roots and the wet stays there, they damp off.
On ridge cucumber plants, I remove no fruits. Whereas the under cover plants need more pruning and training.
🎥 Filmed April to August 2025 by Carly Dutton-Edwards
In Homeacres No Dig Garden, Somerset, UK
🎵 Music: Rory Dunwoodie, @rorydinwoodiemusic IG: rorydinwoodiemusic
You can join this channel by paying a monthly fee, to support our work with helping gardeners grow better, and to receive monthly videos made only for members:
youtube.com/channel/UCB1J6siDdmhwah7q0O2WJBg/join
#cucumbers #nodig #vegetablegardening #growyourown #gardeningtips
00:00 4th April, introduction, two types - cordon and ridge
01:17 Season for cucumbers - need for warmth
02:55 Sowing cordon variety in module tray cells, not pots - damping off
05:28 Warmth for germination, shallow sowing
07:00 2nd May - option to pot on, and comparison between two plants
08:51 Potting on
10:13 Ridge cucumbers - later sowing time, potted on
11:18 12th May - transplanting ridge cucumbers
13:51 23rd May - plants under fleece
15:19 Neighbouring peas - a mistake!
16:26 6th June - cordon plants in the polytunnel
17:00 Twisting stems around the string
17:11 Removing side shoots
17:43 Removing baby cucumber
18:46 Another pruning recommendation
19:30 Removing lower leaves
20:11 Downy mildew, not a problem
20:26 Watering
20:58 4th July - cordon plants, choosing variety
21:24 Removing lower leaves
21:34 Removing every 2nd cucumber
22:50 Stage of growth for harvesting
23:25 Pointy end to cucumber
23:38 Pruning at the top of the plant
24:57 Virus - plants removed
26:02 Dropping the plant
26:56 Ridge plants outside, peas and strawberries now removed
28:02 Watering - lack of moisture in the soil
28:32 Tidying leaves
28:53 When to harvest
29:54 Peeling skin
30:13 Compost mulch added
30:53 How often to water
