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Planting cucumbers and squash together


Can You Plant Cucumbers by Squash? | Home Guides

By Nathalie Alonso Updated July 08, 2022

Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) and summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) are vegetables in the Cucurbitaceae family grown for their edible fruit. While cross-pollination between these plants is possible, it is acceptable for cucumber and squash to grow together as long as you are not planning to plant the seeds for a future harvest. This is because seeds from cross-pollinated cucurbit plants can produce fruit that is unviable.

Tip

Cross-pollination between cucumber and squash plants has no effect on the current season's crops. You should only avoid planting these vegetables near each other if you are planning to harvest squash or cucumber seeds to plant the following spring.

Pollination in Cucumbers and Squashes

Most squash plants are monoecious, which means that each plant has separate male and female flowers. The female flowers must be pollinated by insects with the pollen of the male flowers in order for the plant to set fruit. Some cucumber plants are monoecious, while others have all female flowers or are parthenocarpic, meaning they can set fruit without pollination. If they are grown near each other, it is possible for cross-pollination to occur between cucumber and squash plants and any other cucurbits in the vicinity.

Cross-pollination between cucumbers and squash plants does not have any effect on the current year's crop, so it is completely safe to grow these plants in close proximity to each other. However, you want to avoid planting seeds harvested from cucumbers and squash grown near each other because the fruit that grows from such seeds is often inedible, says the South Dakota State University Extension.

Growing Cucumbers and Squashes

Cucumber and squash seeds can be sown outdoors in the spring once the threat of frost has passed and soil temperatures have warmed up to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The seeds will not germinate well if the soil is too cold. The ideal soil pH for growing cucumbers and squashes is 5.5 to 6.8, according to the UConn Home & Garden Education Center. Soil should be amended with organic matter and should offer good drainage.

Cucumbers and squashes grow best in sites that receive full sun. Temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal for these crops. Both cucumbers and squashes need plenty of moisture in order to properly set and develop fruit. The UConn Home & Garden Education Center recommends giving these plants 1 inch of water a week in periods without rain. Cucumbers and summer squashes take 50 to 65 days to be ready for harvest, says Washington State University.

Cucumber and Squash Companion Plants

Companion planting is the practice of deliberately growing certain fruits, vegetables and herbs in close proximity to each other in order for one or more of the crops involved to derive a benefit from the others. One of these potential benefits is keeping pests away.

Because they are closely related, cucumbers and squash may not provide many benefits to each other. However, one type of squash, the blue hubbard squash, can be used as a trap crop to lure serious pests, like cucumber beetles and squash bugs, away from other cucurbit plantings, says the University of Minnesota Extension.

Another way to help keep pests away from your cucumber and squash plants is by growing them near flowers, such as nasturtium (Tropaeolum spp.) or African marigolds (Tagetes erecta). Both of these plants are believed to help keep pests, such as squash bugs, cucumber beetles and sap-sucking insects called aphids, away from cucurbit plants as well as other vegetables.

References

Writer Bio

<!--StartFragment-->Since beginning her career as a professional journalist in 2007, Nathalie Alonso has covered a myriad of topics, including arts, culture and travel, for newspapers and magazines in New York City. She holds a B.A. in American Studies from Columbia University and lives in Queens with her two cats.<!--EndFragment-->

13 Best Cucumber Companion Plants

Cucumbers are exuberant plants with vines that can sprawl over a lot of space—the healthier the plant, the more room they seem to take up. But, if you do not want your cucumbers to overgrow in a spot or choke out the competition, give the cucumber vines a trellis to grow up, giving you more space for other nearby plants.

Several garden plants fare well alongside these vigorous vines and make great companion plants for cucumbers. You'll find it's usually easiest to grow plants with similar care instructions, such as light, soil, water, and sun requirements. Some similar growing companions may include plants like tomatoes, zucchini, or squash. However, one thing to be careful of with similar-growing plants like cucumbers and tomatoes is they can sometimes fall prone to the same diseases, like mosaic virus or blight, which can spread easily if they're near each other.

The best companion plants help deter pests and do not compete with cucumbers for water or nutrients. The worst neighbors do just the opposite.

Best Cucumber Companion Plants

Special note about tomatoes and other cucurbits: Tomatoes and other cucurbits (cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin) grow in the same conditions, complementing each other. They also attract similar pollinators to increase your plant's harvest. The reason these plants are not on the list as "best" companions is they are susceptible to some of the same diseases as cucumbers. If one plant gets infected, it's possible to wipe out your entire crop.

Learn more details about the garden plants that make the best cucumber companions and discover why you should not grow potatoes, sage, mint, and melon with cucumbers.

How to Grow Cucumbers

What Is Companion Planting?

Companion planting is the practice of planting different species together based on their ability to enhance one another's growth, offer some form of pest protection, or other advantages.

Sometimes this is a matter of choosing plants with different growth habits that do not compete with one another for space, or it can mean choosing companions that have different nutrient needs in order to make efficient use of soil. Ideally, companion plants help ward off destructive insects, making garden pest management easier.

Some companion planting simply involves common sense—making sure that taller plants don't provide too much shade to low-growing plants, for instance. Strategic companion planting is especially important in small gardens or wherever careful space planning is needed. 

Companion Planting for Garden Insect Balance

Benefits of Companion Planting

Seasoned gardeners swear by companion planting because it increases the health and productivity of crops like cucumbers. Benefits of companion planting for cucumbers and other plants include:

The Spruce / K. Dave

Best Companion Plants for Cucumbers

Various vegetables, flowers, and herbs make excellent companions for cucumbers.

How to Grow and Care for Oregano

The Spruce / K. Dave  

Worst Companion Plants for Cucumbers

What plants should you not plant near cucumbers and why?

The Spruce / K. Dave 

Is it possible to plant cucumbers and zucchini side by side: vegetable compatibility

In order to harvest a quality crop, you must know whether it is possible to plant cucumbers and zucchini next to each other. The successful neighborhood of crops allows you to grow vegetables with pleasant taste, plentiful harvest. It is possible to reduce the risk of spreading infections and protect against the attack of insect pests. Some combinations of plantings adversely affect the growth and development of plants.

Contents

Growing Similarities

Every vegetable in a vegetable garden does not grow alone and has to grow side by side with other crops. A certain part of the plant releases bioactive substances into the environment, such as antibiotics, phytoncides. These substances are either absorbed by all nearby plants or inhibit their development . This property must be taken into account when planting vegetable crops in adjacent rows.

Cucumbers and squash belong to the gourd family. The processing and selection of seeds, the preparation of the soil for sowing, the complex of necessary fertilizers applied during the digging of the earth are exactly the same.

Both types of vegetable crops need the same growing conditions:

Having chosen your favorite variety, start pre-sowing preparation. Seeds of zucchini and cucumbers begin to prepare at the same time. First you need to select only large and dense seeds. A day before sowing, it is recommended to soak the seeds in nutrient solutions that strengthen the immune system and accelerate growth.

Since marrow seeds have a denser structure, germination will be later, by about 2-3 days. After the seeds germinate, they can be sown immediately on the garden beds, pre-treated and fed.

Too tall plants should not be planted next to cucumbers and courgettes. This is necessary so that light and heat can reach the vegetable beds without obstacles.

Top dressing is applied at least three times during the entire growing season. The first time the wells are fertilized before planting, the second time before flowering and the last time during the period of mass ripening of fruits.

Possible difficulties

Cucumbers and squash have the same inflorescences and buds, so problems may arise during the pollination period. Being side by side, these two crops pollinate incorrectly. As a result, female flowers receive an excess of pollen, which negatively affects the formation of ovaries. The yield may be reduced.

When growing zucchini and cucumbers, the neighborhood with carrots, garlic, onions is considered successful. Beetroot has a beneficial effect on their development. These are good neighbors that have different inflorescences and ovaries, so there is no risk of deterioration in plant growth.

It is not recommended to plant zucchini and cucumbers in open ground nearby for another reason.

To get an excellent harvest of cucumbers and zucchini, you need to know what to plant with and how to properly combine the planted vegetable with other crops. The linear arrangement of plants in the garden is popular. This method is especially helpful for gardeners who have only a few acres of land at their disposal. The beds in this case are made square.

What can be planted together with cucumbers

The best neighbors for cucumbers, which favorably influence their development and the quality of the crop.

If the question arises of what to plant with beds where zucchini and cucumbers grow, then you can think about flowers. Planting nasturtium flowers will help prevent the invasion of the whitefly. If you plant calendula next to the cucumber bed, then the pollination process will improve. The smell of these flowers attracts insect pollinators.

Vegetable growers need to know which herbs are considered a good neighborhood. From the greens, you can choose dill and basil. Basil has a good effect on all surrounding crops due to its high vitamin content and special aroma. This smell repels many insect pests.

Dill can be planted with many crops. You can also sow dill between squash or cucumber plantings. But it should be remembered that dill does not get along well with basil.

Away from each other

It is not advisable to plant plants together that are subject to the same diseases. For example, late blight often affects tomatoes and potatoes, viruses pose a danger to peppers, bacterial rot often affects radishes, cabbage, turnips, powdery mildew and root rot are considered dangerous for zucchini and cucumbers.

It will not be possible to grow tasty and crunchy cucumbers planted next to potatoes. Potatoes contain substances that cause yellowing and wilting of cucumber leaves. In addition, these two vegetable crops require different growing conditions.

Do not plant cucumbers and zucchini in place of the potato field for a few more years. Potatoes, during their growth, take potassium and phosphorus from the soil, which are so necessary for the growth of cucumbers and zucchini.

Do not plant cucumbers next to pumpkins. During the pollination period, there is an excess of pollen on the female inflorescences, which affects the taste and shape of the fruit. Pumpkin seeds are best planted away from tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, eggplants.

It is impossible to plant watermelons with cucumbers or zucchini on the same bed or even nearby. These crops have different care requirements, especially watering. Cucumbers love moisture, and watermelons do not do well in high humidity. Excessive soil moisture can lead to the death of melon crops.

But it is allowed to plant a melon nearby, but not on the same bed. If planted close to melons, then cross-pollination occurs, which affects the taste of both crops.

90,000 is it possible to plant cultures together (on a row)

Content:

When planning plantings on the site, special attention should be paid to growing certain plants next to each other. Having figured out whether it is possible to plant zucchini and cucumbers together, you will be able to get a good harvest of both crops.

Conditions for growing cucumbers

Seed and seedling cultivation methods are widespread in our country and around the world. With the proper level of agricultural technology, the culture forms full-fledged crops both in open ground and in greenhouses and greenhouses.

The soil is of great importance for the plant. It should be light, saturated with moisture and humus. The soil must contain all the necessary macro and micronutrients, potassium is of particular importance for cucumbers.

Important! The temperature of the soil must not be lower than +14C, otherwise the seed or seedling material may die in the first days after planting.

The best predecessors for cucumbers are:

It is not recommended to grow a vegetable on a plot where any representatives of the Cucurbitaceae family were cultivated in the previous season. The air temperature during cultivation should be at +25C.

Cultivation conditions for zucchini

Is it possible to plant zucchini and squash next to each other

The crop is recommended for cultivation on light loams and sandy loams with the application of appropriate mineral fertilizers. Waterlogged, heavy soil, as well as acidified soil is not suitable for this crop.

Important! Zucchini is a thermophilic crop, so they need a site with good access to sunlight without shading.

Good forerunners of zucchini on the plot include:

Crops after which it is better not to plant marrows in the garden:

Zucchini in garden

Cross-pollination

Is it possible to plant zucchini next to a pumpkin

When growing different crops next to each other, the process of cross-pollination is often observed, in which pollen from the stamens of one plant falls on the stigma of the pistil of another. This method is often used in breeding for interspecific and intergeneric crossings, but under natural conditions, such pollination, as a rule, causes only problems. The harm of pollination for perennials is less pronounced, while for annuals, which include cucumbers and zucchini, this can cause irreparable consequences for the crop.

Please note! When pollinating, the main damage is done to the crop. Often the flowers do not set fruit, dry out, fall off. This is caused by pollen incompatibility. The fruits that do appear may be small, ugly. Their taste and commercial qualities are usually at a low level.

Seeds obtained as a result of the cross-pollination of cucumbers and marrows with other crops represent the material for propagation of a completely new genotype, which will carry certain traits of the mother and father plants, but at the same time will differ from both.

Important! When planted in a greenhouse or open ground, a significant part of these seeds do not germinate. The germinated seeds give weak sprouts that die or are more affected by diseases and pests.

What is often mistaken for cross-pollination is something that is not. Non-germination of sown seeds can be caused by such factors as:

Small fruits can be formed not only due to cross-pollination, but also due to mutation, poor care.

Cultivation of marrows and cucumbers

Similarities in cultivation

Young shoots

A number of agrotechnical activities carried out in the cultivation of both crops are completely identical, for example:

When to plant cucumbers and zucchini

There are other similarities in the cultivation of zucchini and cucumbers:

  • Cucumbers and squash have similar sowing methods;
  • plants need the same complex of mineral fertilizers for full growth and development;
  • zucchini and cucumbers need a site protected from drafts and saturated with sunlight.

    • Preparation for growing both plants starts at approximately the same time. Pre-select the largest, fully formed seeds.

    Note. The day before sowing, it is recommended, if possible, to soak the seed in nutrient solutions that help accelerate growth processes and increase the resistance of zucchini and cucumbers to unfavorable abiotic and biotic environmental factors.

    In zucchini, seeds have a higher density, as a result of which seedlings appear above the soil surface with a delay of 2-3 days in relation to cucumbers. Ready seedlings must be planted on the site, which must first be properly prepared and fed.

    Germinated marrow seeds

    Please note: in the area next to cucumbers and marrows, there should not be tall plants that would shade the sun and deprive the plants of heat and light.

    Three top dressings with fertilizers are applied under zucchini and cucumbers. The first time the nutrients are applied directly to the planting holes, then the application is carried out before the beginning of the flowering phase and the last time - during the mass fruiting, in order to extend this period.

    When planting seedlings of cucumbers and marrows in open ground, plants can be damaged by low temperatures. To avoid this, for the first time it is recommended to install frame metal arcs into the ground near the seedlings. In the event of frost approaching, a plastic film is stretched over them, which will protect the plants from the cold. Typically, such a shelter is made only for the night, but if low temperatures persist during the day, then the film is not removed. In this case, from time to time it is necessary to ventilate the plantings. A significant amount of condensate accumulates under the film, which can have a detrimental effect on seedlings of cucumbers and zucchini.

    Additional information: If the plants are planted in early June, frame arches are usually not installed, since the threat of returning frosts has already passed.

    If it is not possible to grow seedlings, zucchini and cucumber seeds may be planted directly into the soil. This method is justified if the soil has warmed up well enough and the threat of frost has passed. In this case, there is a significant saving of time, and money costs are reduced.

    Zucchini and cucumbers are commonly affected by similar diseases and pests. Chemical protection of plants from them involves the use of identical insecticides and fungicides. In the plantings of these cultivated plants, similar weeds are found, for protection against which the same herbicide is used on an industrial scale, and mechanical removal of weeds is carried out in country plots and greenhouses.

    Fertilization and spraying

    Collaboration difficulties

    At the same time, the question of whether cucumbers and zucchini can be planted side by side often has to be answered in the negative. This is due to the fact that when both vegetables are grown together, they can be pollinated. Female flowers will receive an excess content, which will adversely affect the setting and formation of the crop. To avoid this when co-cultivating zucchini and cucumbers, it is necessary to plant crops with different ovaries and inflorescences nearby.

    In open ground conditions, the proximity of zucchini and cucumbers is also not desirable side by side or in the same row for the following reasons:

    • tendril-shaped shoots that squash shoots spread over considerable distances and can interfere with the normal growth of cucumbers;
    • The powerful root system of zucchini extends far underground, intertwines cucumber roots and interferes with the flow of water and nutrients into them.

    For the same reasons, it is not recommended to plant cucumbers and pumpkins together. Optimal examples of good compatibility with cucumbers are:

    • celery;
    • lettuce;
    • garlic;
    • radish;
    • beans;
    • beets;
    • cabbage;
    • onion;
    • spinach.

    Dividing beds

    Zucchini is recommended to be grown next to the following crops: