Gardening Challenge Participant Page

Welcome to the Challenge!

This year for our warm season seed trials we will be growing Armenian cucumber. We have participants from all over the United States, as well as many from abroad.

This is a collaborative effort to further the development of this particular variety for hardiness, as well as disease & drought resistance in regions with adverse climatic conditions.

Participants range in experience from beginner to expert & everything in between.

We encourage participants to interact with each other throughout the growing process by sharing experiences, photos, & videos on the Facebook group page.

Our horticulturalist, plant geneticist & growers will monitor the trial & engage with participants via the group page, providing help when needed.

Growing information will be provided here, so check in for answers to your questions first.

Getting Started

Once you receive your seeds, the first consideration is when you should plant them.

Too early, & you run the risk of the seeds not germinating due to low temperatures or soggy wet conditions.

Too late, & you might run the risk of not having enough time for the cucumbers to produce by the time fall frost hits. This is mostly a concern for those who garden in areas with short growing seasons.

Direct sow, or start indoors?

Cucumbers are normally direct sown in the garden after all risk of frost has passed & soil temperature at the planting depth reaches at least 70 degrees F. Starting indoors is generally not recommended because cucumber roots are very sensitive, & therefore don't handle transplanting well.

However, we have been successful in transplanting Armenian cucumbers before, although it is not the preferred method.

You have been provided enough seeds to try it both ways, & that will add significantly to the data we collect from the trial.

Many of you garden in areas that would not normally support optimal growth of Armenian cucumbers, but our plant geneticist believes that this variety has the potential to thrive in adverse conditions such as colder climates. If not, he will work further towards achieving that goal.

We encourage you to attempt both direct sowing, & starting indoors if you have the means to do so.

Starting Indoors

note: Always label with dates! It will be helpful for sure.

cucumber seeds germinating in paper towels

Moist Paper Towel

Fold a paper towel in half, then fold it in half again to make a square. Place in a small plastic container (don't need a lid) & place seeds in between the folds. Saturate the paper towel with water, but there should be no water pooled up in the container. We want the seeds to be moist, but we don't want to drown them. Don't let the paper towel dry out at any point during the germination process!

Monitor Seeds For Sprouting

Be VERY careful unfolding the paper towel to check for sprouting after 3 days. It will likely take longer to see sprouts (maybe even a couple weeks), but we don't want them to sprout & grow into the paper towel before we notice them.

using toothpick to make hole for planting

Prepare Soil

Water the soil prior to planting (moisten).
As seeds sprout (they won't all sprout at the same time), plant them in soil in a cellular pot or something similar. Six packs or 50 cells work best. The cells are roughly the size of a shot glass. Any container will do, but the size of a shot glass is what we need. Use a toothpick to create a hole about 1/2" deep to set the seed in.

Be Gentle!

Avoid touching the root at all cost. Be extremely gentle with the sprouted seed. Lay it on its side in the bottom of the 1/2" deep hole.

covering sprouted cucumber seed with soil

Cover The Seed

Very carefully (gentle) cover the seed with the toothpick. Don't pack the soil down at all, just very gently push soil over the top to fill the hole.

Water In

A turkey baster works well for watering in. Just a little water to cave the soil in around the seed slightly so it contacts the seed. Be gentle, & don't flood the soil too much.