Marketmore 76 Cucumber

Sow seeds indoors in 50-cell plug trays, placing 1-2 seeds per cell, about 3-4 weeks before your intended transplant date. Maintain temperatures above 70°F during the day and 60°F at night to ensure strong germination and growth. Do not disturb the roots when transplanting; handle seedlings gently to avoid checking growth.

Transplant seedlings outdoors only after both soil and air temperatures have warmed, spacing plants 12 inches apart in rows 60 inches apart. Cucumber seeds germinate best between 65-80°F, so wait until conditions are consistently warm before moving plants outside.

Direct sow after the last frost date, or start seeds indoors under protection up to three weeks before transplanting (but no earlier, as cucumber seedlings grow quickly and can become root-bound). For continuous harvests, sow in succession at three-week intervals throughout the growing season.

Once fruit bearing begins, harvest daily. Pick cucumbers when they reach 8-9 inches long; regular harvesting is critical because once fruits become overripe on the vine, the plant tends to stop producing new flowers and cucumbers. The fruits are ready to eat at this size, with dark green color and firm texture being good indicators of prime ripeness.