Cucumber spacing is the gap you give your cucumber plants on your farm. The spacing of a plant can affect a lot of things. The yield of your cucumber plant can be impacted by the spacing you use.
The level of diseases and pest infestation can also be affected with the spacing you use. The ideal cucumber spacing in Nigeria is 30 – 60cm intra-plant spacing and 50 – 100cm inter-row spacing.
The type or variety of cucumber can also impact the spacing requirement.
The wider the spacing, the lesser the risk of diseases and pests infestation.
Factors to consider before choosing your cucumber spacing
The following factors should be considered before choosing your cucumber spacing:
The Variety of Cucumber
Varieties of cucumbers with bigger leaves and stems will naturally need wider spacing than cucumbers with smaller leaves and stems.
For example, Darina F1 cucumber variety will need a wider spacing than Poinsett cucumber variety.
The Agro-Climatic Zone of your Area
Growing cucumber in humid forest zones of Nigeria like Ondo and Ogun will need a wider spacing in order to improve aeration and reduce the risk of fungal infections on plants.
You can use a tighter spacing for your cucumber plants in areas that fall in the Savannah belt of Nigeria like Sokoto and Kebbi.
The Type of Irrigation System you Use
If you use drip irrigation for the growing of your cucumber, you can use tighter spacing to grow your cucumber plants.
If you rely on the rain, you may need to use wider spacing for your cucumber plants.
Advantages of using the right spacing for growing cucumber
The following are the advantages of using the right spacing for growing cucumber:
High Crop Yield
Using the right cucumber spacing can lead to an increased crop yield. A cucumber plant can produce 50% – 100% more fruits if it is well spaced.
Lesser Incidences of Pests and Diseases
The right spacing can reduce the intensity of pests and diseases on your cucumber farm. A poorly spaced cucumber farm can result to an increased level of pests and diseases.
Ease of Harvest
If your cucumber plants are well spaced, it will be easier for the farmer or gardener to pick the cucumbers when they are ready for harvest.
Inter-Cropping
Inter-cropping can be possible if your cucumber plants are properly spaced. Intercropping can reduce pests and diseases in your cucumber farm and also increase the yield of your cucumber crop.
About Cucumber Farming in Nigeria
Cucumber farming in Nigeria is one of the most profitable farming ventures anyone can do. As a matter of fact, cucumber farming is called Farmers’ Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in Nigeria because of its ability to make a farmer earn good income within a short time. As a profitable as cucumber farming can be, it can also be a loss making business if you do not implement good agronomic practices.
Cucumber farming involves the cultivation of cucumbers with the aim of harvesting and marketing the cucumber fruits for consumption or for sales to the public. Cucumber farming starts from soil preparation to the marketing of the harvested cucumber fruits.
Do you have problems with your cucumber spacing requirement? If yes, kindly contact us on 08025141924.