Cucumber Seeds - Boston Pickling Cucumber Heirloom Garden Seeds

Cucumber Seeds- Boston Pickling Cucumber Garden Seeds Plant Basics: Germination: 3-10 days Harvest: 55-60 days Plant Depth: 1 inch Spacing: 5ft between mounds or 18in between mounds if trellising Sun: Full sun 8+ hours Yield: 4in+ cucumbers Boston Pickling Cucumbers plants are very prolific heirloom variety that produces cucumbers early and will continue to produce all season long. The cucumbers taste best when they're 6 inches or smaller. Many growers choose to harvest early when the cucumbers are around 2 inches- perfect for pickling! These plants do well in the garden or in containers, but will require a trellis or other support. Growing Instructions: 1) Direct sow: In spring after last frost date or threat of frost has passed. Plant 5-6 seeds 1 inch deep in 8 inch high mounds. Space mounds 5ft apart if you plan to grow the plants on the ground or 18in apart if you plan to use trellises (my preferred method). Keep soil moist but not overly wet. After seeds germinate, thin to the strongest 1-2 plants in the mound. 2) Transplant: *I prefer this method, but cucumbers are sensitive to transplant so please be very gentle and attentive if you choose this planting method.* Start seeds indoors in spring around 4-5 weeks before last frost date. Planting 1 inch deep in starting mix in container or tray. Cover the container or tray loosely with plastic to retain moisture. Place in a warm spot (80 degrees+ is ideal. Placing heating mats under plants helps speed up germination time.) After seeds germinate, remove plastic covering and continue to keep soil moist but not overly wet. Grow lights are a good addition at this point, especially if seedlings do not receive a lot of direct sunlight. Keep plants as close to grow lights as possible but not closer than 2-3 inches. (Soil will dry out quicker under the grow lights.) Move plants to larger containers after they've grown 2 sets of true leaves. At this point, I like to use a tabletop fan pointed at the plants help prepare them for outdoor conditions. About 1-2 weeks before you plan to transplant outdoors, start to harden the plants off by placing them outside. Start in the shade for an hour or two and extend the time each day, gradually exposing them to more sunlight, until they can be left outside for several hours in direct sunlight. Transplant after threat of frost has passed and soil temp is around 60-65 degrees. Transplant into garden: 1-3 seedlings into 8 inch mounds. Space mounds 5ft apart if you plan to grow the plants on the ground or 18in apart if you plan to use trellises (my preferred method). Early Planting Tips: Remove any blossoms that form before transplanting and any that emerge in the first several weeks. (Even if it's SO difficult to make yourself do this!) The plants will acclimate to their new environment better and use resources to grow stronger and fuller and produce a much larger harvest mid and late season. I like to mulch around the plants with about an inch of mulch, leaving a couple of inches diameter around the base of the plants. (We use grass and leaf clippings for this, but anything garden-friendly will work.) Covering the ground between the plants with tarps, cardboard, or similar will help keep the soil warm if temperatures still get cold at night. If frost is possible after transplanting, cover plants with sheets or tarps not heavy enough to damage branches or leaves. Eating: Boston Pickling Cucumbers are great for... pickling! They can be harvested early and pickled whole, or cut into slices or wedges. They're great on a veggie tray, in salads, or gazpacho! This variety is especially tasty sliced and eaten raw, plain or with a little salt. All of our seeds are: •GMO Free •Open Pollinator •American grown FREE SHIPPING - orders of $35+ $3.99 flat-rate shipping on all orders under $35. Additional growing instructions, tips and recipes on our website. Growing information provided for informational purposes only. Please message with any questions.