Growing Cucumbers in Arkansas: Everything You Need To Know

You want to know how you can grow great cucumber plants in Arkansas and also want to get some helpful tips and tricks in this regard?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you everything you need to know about growing cucumbers in Arkansas so you will be able to avoid many common mistakes other people often make and may be able to get pretty decent yields from your gardening project.

Not only will you learn what pests and plant diseases you may have to deal with when growing cucumbers in the Arkansas region but we will also talk about climatic conditions and how you can use them to your advantage.

At the end of this article, you will also find some really helpful resources about growing cucumbers at home in general so you may be able to become a real expert in this field.

Enough talk, let’s give you what you came for!

Do cucumbers grow well in Arkansas?

Cucumbers grow pretty well in Arkansas since climatic conditions are almost perfect since your plants will be able to benefit from hot weather and many hours of sun and you will therefore be able to grow cucumbers much faster in Arkansas compared to people growing cucumbers in Alaska or other cooler states.

How long does it take to grow cucumbers in Arkansas?

It takes most people between 13 and 17 weeks to grow cucumbers in Arkansas from seed to harvest.

If you are not a patient person and want to see results faster, you may want to get seedlings from the store since you can shorten the growing period by many weeks by doing so.

How big do cucumber plants grow in Arkansas?

While cucumber plants usually don’t grow really big in the vertical, they can still get quite bushy and you should take this into account when it comes to spacing your plants and sowing the seeds so every cucumber plant should have at least 5 feet to the next one so your plants will not take away sunlight and nutrients from each other.

Can you expect great yields when growing cucumbers in Arkansas?

Since climatic conditions are really good, you may be able to get pretty decent cucumber yields at the end of the growing period as long as you are willing to put some work into your gardening project and also follow the tips and tricks in this article.

When to grow cucumbers in Arkansas?

You can usually start sowing cucumber seeds outdoors around April as soon as you no longer expect frost in your region.

If you want to start growing cucumbers even earlier, you may want to pre-grow cucumber plants indoors between February and March and transplant them outdoors once it gets warmer outside.

Can you grow cucumbers in Arkansas in winter?

While winters are rather mild in many parts of Arkansas, growing cucumbers during this time of the year is still not a great idea since you would have to protect your plants from the cold and also spend lots of energy and money on your gardening project.

Hence, you may be better off just growing cucumbers in Arkansas during the main season in spring and summer.

Can you grow cucumbers in Arkansas multiple times per year?

Thanks to rather short winters, you may have enough time to grow multiple batches of cucumber plants at different times of the year.

For instance, if you start growing the first batch indoors around February, you may be able to transplant it outdoors around April and may be able to harvest cucumbers around July.

After harvesting the first batch, you can sow the second batch of seeds in July and harvest your cucumbers around October.

What cucumber varieties grow best in Arkansas?

When growing cucumbers in Arkansas, it is a good idea to rely on cucumber varieties that are able to deal with hot and humid weather in a proper manner. Those include:

• Eureka Cucumbers
• Thunder Cucumbers
• Spacemaster Cucumbers
• Tanja Cucumbers
• Fancipak Cucumbers
• Diva Cucumbers
• Marketer Cucumbers
• Picklebush Cucumbers
• Sweet Success Cucumbers

Is it better to grow cucumbers in Arkansas from seeds or seedlings?

Since growing season in Arkansas is pretty long, I suggest you rather try growing cucumbers from seeds instead of seedlings so you can get the full growing experience and don’t have to make any shortcuts during the process.

Should you start growing cucumbers in Arkansas indoors?

If you want to harvest your cucumber plants rather early in the year, it may also make sense to start growing them indoors early in spring and transplanting them outdoors later on so you may be able to harvest your cucumber plants as early as July while people growing cucumbers directly outdoors will usually have to wait a few weeks longer.

How to water cucumber plants in Arkansas?

Since Arkansas is a rather hot state, you may have to water your plants quite often and during hot summer days, it is not uncommon to water cucumber plants in Arkansas even multiple times per day so your plants will not dry up and get everything they need to deliver great yields at the end of the growing cycle.

Do you have to protect cucumbers against the sun in Arkansas?

Since radiation is not a big deal for your plants rather early in the year while your plants are still young and sensitive, you don’t have to protect your cucumber plants from the sun in an active manner.

Just let them grow and they will learn to become resistant to radiation and heat and will even enjoy those hot climatic conditions after a while.

Will wild animals feed on cucumber plants in Arkansas?

You may have to keep wild animals like rats, squirrels, rabbits and many other hungry intruders and this can be done by installing a fence or taking additional protective measures.

Cucumber pests & plant diseases in Arkansas

Thrips, slugs and aphids are just some of the pests you may have to deal with when growing cucumbers in Arkansas.

Fortunately, there are easy but still efficient ways how to get rid of cucumber pests and plant diseases.

When to harvest cucumbers in Arkansas?

When starting to grow cucumbers from seed outdoors in April, you will usually be able to harvest your cucumbers between August and September, depending on the variety you want to grow and also your skill level when it comes to growing plants at home.

Additional Information for Growing Cucumbers at Home

Now that you know many important things about growing cucumbers in Arkansas, you may also want to get some additional information about growing cucumbers at home in general in my cucumber grower’s guide.

Moreover, if you still have some really specific questions, you may also want to check out my FAQ section for growing cucumbers where you can find answers to most questions you might have about growing cucumbers in your garden or on your balcony.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucumber

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.