Good neighbors for cucumbers

Cucumbers can be combined well with various plants in the bed or greenhouse. We give tips on mixed cucumber culture, good and bad neighbors and crop rotation.

Vegetables have a permanent place in many gardens, such as tomatoes and peppers in the greenhouse and kohlrabi with lettuce on the raised bed. But even among plants there are those that get on well with each other and even benefit from one Mixed culture draw. With others, a close relationship is more harmful to both partners. the cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a popular vegetable culture and can be found in most gardens and balconies. But can tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) plant next to cucumbers? Do cucumbers and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo var. pepo convar. giromontiina) together? And how about the combination of cucumber and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)? In this article we provide answers to these questions and more about mixed cucumber culture.

Good neighbors for cucumbers: mixed cultivation works with these plants

At a glance: which plants are good cucumber neighbors?

• Borage (Borago officinalis)
• Broad bean
• dill (Anethum graveolens)
• pea (Pisum sativum)
• fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
• garlic (Allium sativum)
• Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes)
• Salad (Lactuca sativa)
• leek (Allium porrum)
• Corn (Zea mays)
• celery (Apium graveolens)
• spinach (Spincia oleracea)
• Onions (Allium cepa)

Cucumbers go well with many types of vegetables in a mixed culture. Good planting partners are umbellifers (Apiaceae) such as fennel and celery. Dill, which is also known as cucumber herb, also belongs to this large family of plants. In the garden, it is particularly worth planting cucumbers and dill together, also in combination with borage. The herbs promote cucumber growth and can later be used as a flavorful spice for cucumber salad and pickled cucumbers. The cucumber also goes well as a plant neighbor to low-growing butterflies (Fabaceae) such as peas and French beans. Onion family (Allioideae) like garlic, leek and garden onion keep pests like that Whitefly far away and are therefore good neighbors for cucumbers. You can just as successfully plant low-eating leafy vegetables like spinach and lettuce alongside cucumbers. Unused space at the feet of the cucumber plant can thus be used efficiently and the soil is protected from erosion or drying out.

Bad neighbors for cucumbers: these plants do not get along well

At a glance: which plants are bad partners for cucumbers?

• potato (Solanum tuberosum)
• pumpkin (Cucurbita)
• paprika (Capsicum annuum)
• radish (Raphanus sativus)
• zucchini
• tomatoes

In the greenhouse, it is a good idea to plant cucumbers and tomatoes together. But these plants don't get along well either - it often harms both partners more than it's good. In extreme cases, both species grow poorly and hardly bear fruit. The reason for this is that they are both high-eating vegetables and compete for water and nutrients. In general, you should not plant the very eating nightshade family (Solanaceae), such as peppers and potatoes, next to cucumbers. Relatives of the cucumber, such as zucchini and pumpkin, should also not be placed in the immediate vicinity. In addition to the competition for space and nutrients, there is also the risk of diseases such as mildew transferred to. An alternative is to plant cucumbers and kohlrabi together in the greenhouse. This means that heights can be staggered in a similar way to that of peppers and paprika, so that both planting partners receive sufficient light.

Crop rotation

A varied crop rotation prevents the soil from leaching out, optimally promotes the build-up of humus and prevents the transmission of soil-borne diseases. In order to prevent the soil from becoming fatigued, it is advisable to use the areas every four years: Here, heavily consuming crops such as cucumber, tomato and the like are followed by a year of soil regeneration Green manure. In the following year, low consumers such as leafy vegetables and in the third year medium consumers such as bulbs and root vegetables are grown. It is only in the fourth year that heavy feeders are brought out again. Since cucumbers are very eating, i.e. nutrient-hungry, vegetable plants, no species with similar fertilization requirements should be planted as pre- and post-crops in the same year. Ideal precultures for cucumbers are salads and spinach as well as cress (Lepidium sativum). Spinach is also suitable as a post-crop after cucumbers in autumn, but also Lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta), Winter purslane (Claytonia), endive salad (Cichorium endivia) and Winter hedge onion (Allium fistulosum).

Tip: A sufficient supply of nutrients is a basis for healthy cucumber plants. Organic liquid fertilizers, like ours, are particularly easy to use Plantura organic tomato & vegetable fertilizerthat are applied together with the irrigation water.

In order to be able to enjoy cucumbers not only fresh in summer, the fruits, which are often produced in abundance, are pickled or boiled down. Tips, recipes and instructions for Preserving cucumbers can be found in our special article.