Selecting the Right Cucumber

When choosing the cucumber you want to grow, consider both your gardening space and the use you have in mind. Cucumbers have two different growth habits: bush and vining. Bush varieties are compact and don't require a trellis. They're ideal for growing in containers or small raised beds.

Vining cucumbers produce more fruit, but they require more space than bush varieties. Though some gardeners let vining cucumbers sprawl on the ground, that practice promotes disease.1 Growing vine cucumbers vertically on a trellis or netting helps improve airflow and discourage common fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, which can cause the loss of cucumber leaves meant to shade crisp cucumbers from intense sun.

Cucumbers also come in varieties suited to specific culinary uses. Slicing varieties and pickling varieties are available in both vining and bush types. Slicing varieties have tender skin and soft flesh ideal for fresh eating. Pickling cucumbers have tougher skin and flesh that stands up well when preserved. There are also numerous types of novelty cucumbers, such as the vining lemon cucumber, which grows in the shape and color of a lemon.