Cucumbers are a very rewarding crop to grow! Home-grown cucumbers have a beautiful flavor and a satisfying crunch that is often missing from expensive store-bought cucumbers.
Growing crispy, crunchy cucumbers indoors is a lot of fun, and I'm betting you'll be obsessed (like I am!) with watching those little babies grow!=
Here are some of my best tips for successfully growing these mini cucumbers yourself:
Choose parthenocarpic (producing only female flowers and thus does not require pollination) snack-sized "mini" types, such as Mini-Me Organic Cucumber from Park Seeds or the Picolino from Johnny's Selected Seeds. Or, grow 2 Quick Snack cucumbers from Victory Seeds (they are extra small cucumber plants!).
Use grow lights and a cage. I grow on the Tower Garden Home Tower Garden HOME Unit with Lights and Support Cage Bundle.
Cucumber plants produce a lot of foliage that can block the grow lights, so add in a grow light that you can clip onto the cage. I like to slide the grow lights behind the foliage to add light from behind the plant. More light = more cucumbers!
Prune your cucumber plants so that you are managing the size of the plant. This is very important indoors! Here's a helpful article on the how and why to prune cucumbers.
Start your seed indoors. This is important so that you don't accidentally introduce pests into your system.
Plant ONE seed per cube and grow ONE cucumber per indoor Tower Garden. The vines grow long!
Enjoy growing crispy, crunchy cucumbers indoors.
I have my very own Tower Garden that I have fondly named "Cucumber." My husband connected it to a smart plug, so in the morning, all I have to say is, "Alexa, turn on Cucumber!" to activate the lights. The lights stay on for 16-17 hours during the day. Then, at night, all I have to do is say, "Alexa, turn off Cucumber!" to turn off the lights for the night. My husband thinks my daily Tower Garden "routine" is very amusing!
Questions? Just text Leah! 386-473-2638
Here's a recipe to enjoy those cucumbers all year round!
Greek Quinoa Salad for Lunch Prep ★★★★★ Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 6
Ingredients:
QUINOA
2 cups water 1 cup quinoa Pinch of salt
SALAD
Shredded kale, 2-4 cups 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved 2 cups cucumber, chopped 1 cup chopped peppers 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved 1/3 cup diced red onion (I like to keep pickled red onions [ I use this recipe ] on hand for this salad) 1 can of garbanzo beans or small white beans 1/2 cup mozzarella (feta is a wonderful alternative, but add it fresh right before eating) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
DRESSING
1/3 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon honey 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon dried oregano Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Using a strainer, rinse the quinoa under cold water. Add quinoa, water, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Let quinoa cool to room temperature. To make the dressing, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, garlic, mustard, and oregano in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a bag or bowl, combine the kale and about half the dressing. Massage the kale to make it tender.
In a large bowl or in lunch prep containers, layer kale first, then vegetables and olives, and top with quinoa and cheese. Drizzle the salad with dressing. Before eating, toss, season with salt and pepper, and enjoy!
Adapted from: https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/greek-quinoa-salad/
Happy Planting!
Feel free to contact me by clicking here with any questions or concerns!
~ Leah Brooks
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