VegetableCucumber
Salad Bush Cucumber
Salad Bush Cucumber is a compact hybrid that solves one of gardening's perennial space problems: how to grow crisp, sweet cucumbers when you don't have room for sprawling vines. Reaching just 12 to 24 inches tall, this AAS Award Winner produces uniform, dark green fruits about 8 inches long in 50 to 59 days, making it possible to succession plant for a steady harvest throughout the season. The smooth, tender fruits develop on very compact plants that thrive in containers, small garden beds, or even large pots, bringing fresh salad cucumbers within reach of apartment dwellers and small-space gardeners across hardiness zones 2 through 13.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
24 in
Height
TypeBush
Spacing
12
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-13
Size
24in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
At just 12 to 24 inches tall, Salad Bush Cucumber proves that you don't need sprawling vines to grow excellent salad cucumbers. The dark green, smooth fruits reach a convenient 8 inches long and develop their sweet, tender quality in under 60 days, allowing gardeners to plant multiple successions and enjoy continuous harvests. Its compact growth habit makes it one of the few cucumber varieties truly suited to containers and tight spaces, while its multi-disease resistance means fewer fungal headaches than traditional sprawling types.
Common Uses
Salad Bush Cucumber is bred specifically for slicing and eating fresh. The 8-inch fruits are the perfect size for fresh salads, and their tender, sweet character makes them ideal for crudités, cucumber sandwiches, and any preparation where you want mild flavor and crisp texture rather than pickling varieties. The compact growth habit also makes these excellent for market gardens and farmers' market growers working with limited space.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds outdoors after the last spring frost when soil temperatures have reached 60 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer. Plant seeds 1 inch deep in groups of 2 to 3 seeds, then thin to the strongest seedling once they emerge.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting when fruits reach 8 inches long and while the skin is still a glossy dark green; this is when they're at peak tenderness and sweetness. Harvest every two to three days once plants start producing, as regular picking encourages more flower formation and continuous fruiting. Twist or cut fruits from the vine gently to avoid damaging the compact plant structure.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Cucumis sativus
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Growth Habit
Bush
Native Status
L48 (I)HI (I)PR (I)CAN (W)