Growing Cucumbers In Missouri: Everything You Need To Know
You want to know whether it is possible to grow great cucumber plants in Missouri?
Of course, it is! However, there are still some specific things to consider if you want to be able to grow cucumbers in Missouri in the best possible manner.
Not only will you have to adjust to climatic conditions but you may also have to keep away some wild animals and pests from your plants.
At the end of this article, you will also find some helpful resources regarding growing cucumbers at home in general so you can become a real expert in this field in the long run.
Without further ado, let’s get right into the action!
Table of Contents
Do cucumbers grow well in Missouri?
While cucumber plants grow reasonably well in Missouri, you may still have to put more work into your gardening project to get the same results compared to people growing cucumbers in Mississippi or other warmer regions.
How long does it take to grow cucumbers in Missouri?
It will usually take you between 13 and 17 weeks to grow cucumbers in Missouri from sowing to harvest.
If you want to see results quicker, you may want to rely on seedlings from the store since this shortcut would save you many weeks of growing time.
How big do cucumber plants grow in Missouri?
Cucumber plants can get really bushy depending on the cucumber variety you want to grow and you should therefore provide lots of space (at least 14 square feet) to your plants so they will not have to compete for important natural resources with each other and can grow in a solid manner.
Can you expect great yields when growing cucumbers in Missouri?
If you care well for your cucumber plants, you will likely be able to get pretty decent yields even though your yields may still be smaller compared to people growing cucumbers in Arizona or other regions where your plants might get much more sunlight and better growing conditions in general.
When to grow cucumbers in Missouri?
The best time to start sowing cucumber seeds outdoors is usually between April and May.
In general, you should start with your gardening project outdoors as soon as you no longer expect frost outdoors.
Can you grow cucumbers in Missouri in winter?
Since winters can be pretty cold and lighting conditions are not perfect, you should not try to grow cucumber plants in winter in the Missouri region unless you are willing to invest lots of money in a heated greenhouse and are also not afraid of the energy bill that may come along with using this greenhouse.
Can you grow cucumbers in Missouri multiple times per year?
While it might be possible to grow multiple batches of cucumber plants at different times of the year, you may still be better off growing just one main single batch since later batches may just not get ready to harvest before winter frost hits and your plants may just decay before the harvest.
What cucumber varieties grow best in Missouri?
The best cucumber varieties to grow in Missouri are the ones that grow well under cool climatic conditions in the early months of the year and can also tolerate hot weather during summer months. Those include:
- Rocky Cucumbers
- Dasher Cucumbers
- Dominator Cucumbers
- Jogger Cucumbers
- Lucky Dance Cucumbers
- Corinto Cucumbers
- Genuine Cucumbers
- Fanfare Cucumbers
- Impact Cucumbers
- Exocet Cucumbers
- Arola Cucumbers
Is it better to grow cucumbers in Missouri from seeds or seedlings?
Since growing season in Missouri is reasonably long, you will not have to take the shortcut of relying on seedlings from the store.
Instead, you can just grow cucumbers from seed in a natural manner and enjoy every step of the growing cycle.
Should you start growing cucumbers in Missouri indoors?
If you want to harvest your plants rather early in summer, you may also want to pre-grow cucumber seedlings indoors around March and transplant them outdoors later between April and May when you no longer expect frost in your region so you may be able to harvest your plants as early as July.
How to water cucumber plants in Missouri?
Since climatic conditions in Missouri are rather cool during the early months of the year, you may not have to water your plants much at the beginning of the growing cycle.
However, things change pretty quickly once your plants get bigger and it gets hotter outdoors.
Do you have to protect cucumbers against the sun in Missouri?
There is no need to actively protect your cucumber plants against the sun.
Instead, just let them grow in a natural manner and over time, they will become more resistant to radiation and sunlight anyway.
Will wild animals feed on cucumber plants in Missouri?
Deer, rabbits and mice may try feeding on your cucumber plants in Missouri and it may therefore be a wise idea to install a fence or taking other protective measures so you may not lose your yield to those hungry companions.
Cucumber pests & plant diseases in Missouri
You should also know that whiteflies, hornworms and many other pests may try getting their share of your cucumber plants.
Fortunately, it is not hard to keep away pests and plant diseases from your cucumber plants.
When to harvest cucumbers in Missouri?
If you start sowing cucumber seeds outdoors between April and May, you will usually be able to harvest your plants between August and September in most parts of Missouri.
Additional Information for Growing Cucumbers at Home
I hope you got lots of value out of this article.
If you also want to get instructions on how to grow cucumbers at home step-by-step, you should have a look at my cucumber grower’s guide.
If there are some really specific questions left when it comes to growing cucumbers at home, you should also have a look at my growing cucumber FAQ section.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucumber
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cucumber_varieties
Own research.
About the Author
My name is Andreas and I’m really passionate about our environment and also about growing plants. In fact, I have grown several different plants over many years. I love to see my own plants grow and also always try new things to improve my overall conditions at home.
In my blog posts, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can become successful in growing various different plants and improving your home as well, even though you might still be a beginner right now.
