Cucurbits in Your Garden
By Oakleaf
No, I’m not talking about rabbits eating in your garden but cucurbits. Cucurbits aren’t a furry creature nor are they an insect pest. Cucurbit is the formal name for the family of plants that includes some of the most popular garden vegetables: cucumbers, gourds, muskmelons, pumpkins, summer squash, watermelons and winter squash.
These vegetables are characterized by their sprawling vines that seem to take over the garden by the time August arrives. Interestingly enough, I’ll bet you never realized that all cucurbits (except for one variety of gourds) have a bright yellow flower.
These vegetables are characterized by their sprawling vines that seem to take over the garden by the time August arrives. Interestingly enough, I’ll bet you never realized that all cucurbits (except for one variety of gourds) have a bright yellow flower.
Cucurbits require sufficient warmth and must be planted in late spring or early summer. Cucurbit seeds require a soil temperature of at least 60° F in order to germinate and need full sun to grow properly. Cucurbits are frequently planted in hills or mounds of soil because the small raised mound retains more warmth, especially early in the season, than the surrounding flat garden plot. To make a hill or mound for growing cucurbits, rake or shovel garden soil into a low broad heap about 8 to 10 inches high with a flat top about 18 inches in diameter. Plant 4 to 6 seeds 1 inch deep in a circle evenly spaced over the top of the mound. Place mounds about 8 feet apart in the garden to allow plenty of room for the vines to grow. Once the seeds germinate, thin the seedlings to just three plants per hill. Having a smaller number of plants in the garden space reduces crowding, reduces the chance of disease, and improves the yield.
Rather than planting seeds, you can purchase plants from your local nursery or any garden center. Look for transplants that have been grown in individual peat pots or plastic containers. Cucurbits are ready to transplant when the plant has sprouted two adult leaves. The best time of day for transplanting into your garden is the late afternoon or early evening so the newly transplanted seedling avoids the stress of the hot summer sun. Plant three seedlings per hill as you would thin home-grown plants from seed. Remember to use a root stimulator or starter fertilizer for the roots to get established in their new environment.
Cucurbits do best with low nitrogen, high potassium, and high phosphorus fertilizer such as 4-8-5 or 6-10-10. If you have ever made the mistake of fertilizing any cucurbit with a high nitrogen fertilizer, you discovered that the result is a giant profuse plant that belongs on the SciFi channel but doesn’t produce much crop.
Cucurbits put down deep roots and should be watered slowly so the water penetrates deeply into the soil. It is best to water in the morning or early afternoon so that the leaves are dry by nighttime; this practice helps the plant to avoid leaf diseases. It may seem counter-intuitive, but do not water cucurbits late in the season. Drier conditions actually encourage the fruit to mature.
Cucurbits produce male and female flowers; the female flowers are the ones that mature into edible fruits when they are pollinated by insects who bring pollen from the male flowers. Female flowers have what appears to be a tiny fruit just below the flower while male flowers grow next to the vine. Male flowers blossom for awhile and then drop off of the plant.
There are numerous varieties of cucurbits and the cucurbit family contains some of our favorite summer vegetables. These easy to grow and prolific vegetables are popular in the home garden.
