Straight Eight Market Cucumber Seeds

Straight Eight Cucumber Seeds - Classic Market Variety, High Yield
Cucumis sativus
Listing is for 1 packet of 15 seeds

Straight Eight Cucumbers are a classic heirloom variety prized for their straight, smooth, and crisp 8-inch fruits with a refreshing flavor. Perfect for fresh eating, slicing, and adding to salads or sandwiches, this highly productive variety is a staple in home gardens and farmers' markets. Plants thrive in warm, sunny conditions and produce best when grown on a trellis for straighter fruits and better airflow. Direct sow seeds after the last frost in well-draining, fertile soil, and keep them evenly watered for steady growth. Harvest regularly to encourage continued production and enjoy a season-long supply of delicious, crunchy cucumbers.

Ideal Growing Conditions

Sun: Full Sun

Water: Keep soil consistenly moist but not waterlogged

Fertilizer: Cucumbers benefit from regular fertilizer. Use an all purpose organic granular fertilizer like Espoma Garden Tone, so you can fertilize in small amounts, about 1/4 cup every 7 to 10 days. You can easily burn plants if fertilizing this often with a synthetic fertilizer, thus why I recommend organic. Keeping nutrients consistent, makes the plant grow lots of new healthy green growth to outpace all the growth that is catching diseases.

When & How To Sow Seeds: For a spring crop: direct sow seeds after your last spring frost date. For a fall crop: direct sow seeds at the end of summer. Use square foot gardening guidelines to grow 2 cucumber plants per square foot. Or dig a shallow trench right under a vertical trellis structure, sprinkle in the seeds, and cover with about 1/2 inch of soil. You can sow cucumber seeds pretty densely. Keep the soil moist for better germination. If you have multiple rows, space them with 3-4FT in-between for better airflow. Or you can sow seeds indoors, 6-8 weeks before your target date of transplanting into the garden. Use a 4inch pot or a solo cup with holes cut out of the bottom for drainage. Fill with seed starting mix. Sow 2-3 seeds per container.

Germination: 7-14 days

Days To Maturity: 65-75 days after direct sowing the seed

How & When To Harvest: Harvest when cucumbers are still all green and plump, before they start turning yellow. Try to harvest before the cucumbers get over 8-10 inches long for the best flavor and texture. 

Common Diseases: Cucumbers get a lot of leaf diseases caused by pathogens like molds, fungus spores, bacteria etc.... It is very common, so dont worry. Spray with 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water to clean and disinfect. Repeat every 5 days or so as a preventative, or until you notice the spread of the disease has stopped. 

Common Pests: Critters like rabbits love to munch on newly germinated seedlings, so protection from small animals might be required. If you notice the leaves are chewed up and there are small black, green, or orange balls, worms/caterpillars are chewing up the plants. Spray with BT or spinosad to treat for the worms.    

Do I have a YouTube video tutorial on how to grow this? YES

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/_aj19Mv2Lsg

Additional Tips/Information: N/A