Growing Cucumbers In Massachusetts: Everything You Need To Know
You want to know whether it is possible to grow great cucumber plants in Massachusetts at home?
Sure, it is! However, it still helps to have some knowledge regarding how to adapt and react to the growing conditions in this region.
Hence, in this article, I will show you what you should account for so you will be able to grow cucumbers at home in the best possible manner.
Not only will you learn what hungry animals you may have to keep away from your plants but you will also get information on how to adjust your watering behavior and much more.
Enough talk, let’s get right into the action!
Table of Contents
Do cucumbers grow well in Massachusetts?
Since Massachusetts is a rather cool state, you may have a harder time growing decent cucumber plants compared to people growing cucumbers in Florida or other warmer places.
However, you will still be able to grow decent cucumber plants in Massachusetts as long as you follow the advice in this article and my grower’s guides.
How long does it take to grow cucumbers in Massachusetts?
It will usually take you between 14 and 19 weeks to grow cucumbers in Massachusetts from seed to harvest.
If you are a rather impatient person and don’t want to wait that long, you may be better off growing cucumbers from seedlings from the store since this can save you many weeks.
How big do cucumber plants grow in Massachusetts?
Cucumber plants can get pretty bushy and you should therefore provide each plant with at least 14 square feet of space so your plants will have enough space to grow in a proper manner and don’t have to compete for important resources with each other.
Can you expect great yields when growing cucumbers in Massachusetts?
Even though climatic conditions may not be perfect, you can still expect pretty decent cucumber yields from your gardening project in Massachusetts as long as you care well for your plants and are also willing to put some work into it.
When to grow cucumbers in Massachusetts?
You should wait until May before sowing cucumber seeds outdoors in most regions of Massachusetts since winters are pretty long and in case you plant your seeds too early, winter frost may still hit and your plants may just decay.
Can you grow cucumbers in Massachusetts in winter?
Due to pretty strong winters, it is not a great idea to grow cucumbers in Massachusetts during winter months.
Instead, you should rather focus on growing your plants during the main season in spring, summer and fall.
Can you grow cucumbers in Massachusetts multiple times per year?
Since winters are pretty long and growing season is rather short, it is not advisable to grow multiple batches of cucumber plants at different times of the year since later batches will often not mature quickly enough and may decay due to cold weather in the later months of the year.
What cucumber varieties grow best in Massachusetts?
For growing cucumbers in Massachusetts, you should choose varieties that grow well under cool climatic conditions. Those include:
- Soarer Cucumbers
- Masterpiece Cucumbers
- Telegraph Cucumbers
- Impact Cucumbers
- Dasher Cucumbers
- Lider Cucumbers
- Kirby Cucumbers
- Harmonie Cucumbers
- Cutter Cucumbers
- Arola Cucumbers
- Swing Cucumbers
Is it better to grow cucumbers in Massachusetts from seeds or seedlings?
Since growing season is rather short, you may be better off growing cucumbers from seedlings instead of from seed since cucumbers from seedlings would often have a higher chance getting ready before winter frost arrives.
Should you start growing cucumbers in Massachusetts indoors?
If you still want to grow cucumbers from seed, I suggest you pre-grow your plants indoors early in March so you can transplant your plants outdoors during May and may be able to harvest them between August and September before the cold months of the year arrive.
How to water cucumber plants in Massachusetts?
Since Massachusetts is a rather cool state, you may not have to water your plants much at the beginning of the growing cycle.
However, things change once your plants get bigger and it gets warmer outdoors and during hot summer months, you may even have to water your plants daily so they don’t dry up and can grow in a solid manner.
Do you have to protect cucumbers against the sun in Massachusetts?
Since the sun is not really intense in the early months of the year in most parts of Massachusetts, you don’t have to actively protect your cucumber plants from the sun and heat.
Instead, just let your plants grow and they will become resistant to those things on their own.
Will wild animals feed on cucumber plants in Massachusetts?
Mice, rabbits and deer are just some of the hungry folks that may try getting their share of your cucumber plants in Massachusetts and it may therefore be a good idea to install a fence around your plants if you don’t want to share your yields with those companions.
Cucumber pests & plant diseases in Massachusetts
Nematodes, snails and whiteflies may also just be a small sample of pests trying to feed on cucumber plants in Massachusetts.
Fortunately, it is not hard to keep away pests and plant diseases from your cucumber plants.
When to harvest cucumbers in Massachusetts?
Most people who start sowing cucumber seeds outdoors around May will be able to harvest their plants around September.
If you want to see results earlier in the year, you may want to pre-grow cucumber seedlings indoors early in March so you may be able to harvest your plants as early as August.
Additional Information for Growing Cucumbers at Home
As you can see, growing cucumbers in a successful manner in Massachusetts is not really difficult.
However, if you want to become a real expert in growing cucumbers at home in general, you should also have a look at my cucumber grower’s guide.
If you still have some specific questions when it comes to growing cucumbers in your garden or on your balcony, you may also want to have a look at my growing cucumber FAQ.
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.
