A Growing and Seed Saving Guide
About These Cucumber Seeds
A diverse mix of cucumber seeds (all tasty) grown by an Organic Farmer in Tennesee. Various shapes and sizes, selected for healthy plants in challenging conditions.
Days to Harvest: 0 days (early maturing)
Average Planting Date: April 15-May 15 (after last frost date).
Light: Plant in full sun
Days to germination: 3-
Return Address for Seeds
Planting Guide
PollinationNotes:Cucumbers will cross pollinate with all other varieties in the Cucumis Sativus species, including lemon cucumbers. If you have another variety you want to keep pure, it needs to be at least 100 feet away. We appreciate seeds fromanyhealthy & tasty cucumber grown in your garden.
IdealPlantingDates:May 15th- June 15th, or after night time temperatures have warmed above 55F. Cucumbers have sensitive roots and become healthier plants when direct sowed rather than transplanted. If transplanting worksbetter for your situation, avoid sowing too early (2 weeks before transplanting outside).. Cucumbers grow quickly and don’t thrive after getting rootbound.
PlantingInstructions:Sow half an each deap, and three inches apart. Keep moist until seedlings emerge (1-2 weeks).
Thinning
Diversecucumberseedlingsreadytobethinned. Keepseedlingswithbigger,greenerleaves.
Selecting the Best for Seeds
Oneoftheseplantsisthriving,anotherisdying,inexactlythesame conditions.Markthehealthyplantsandletcucumbersmature.
Some plants will naturally resist pests, handle poor soil, or thrive in your local conditions better than others. By planting saving seeds from the stronger plants, you are growing a crop that will adapt and thrive in your garden without purchased products like fertilizers and pesticides.
Cleaning and Saving the Seeds
Rinsing:Add pulp to a larger container and fill it with water. The good seeds will sink to the bottom. Pour off floating debris. Add more water, repeating this process until you see only seeds at the bottom of the container.
FinalDrying(ifneeded): Lay seeds on screens or racks in a shady, dry spot, but never dry in direct sun. Place near a heater fan, woodstove, or use a food dehydrator set to less than 0F.
Seeds are ready to remove and store when a kernel shatters or breaks (not squishes or bends) when hit with a hammer.
Storage: When very dry, store seeds in an airtight container kept cool and dark. Freeze for 4 hours first to prevent weevils, then let container warm to room temperature before opening to prevent condensation.
You can also add a tablespoon of sifted wood ash to keep out insects.
Maturecucumbersbeingprocessedforseeds
About Xxx Seed Library/Org
When you return seeds, you're helping build a living library of locally-adapted varieties that get stronger with each passing season.
Return Seeds Instructions:
Location
Mailing Address to mail in seeds
Volunteer Info– Days,Times,Address
Website
social media
Mailing List
Mission: We are cultivating community resilience by spreading regionally adapted seeds and knowledge.
Care of the Earth Community Farm
These cucumber seeds come from Megan Allen and Eduardo Lazaro of Care of the Earth Community Farmin Corryton, Tennessee. They have been working on adapting crops to their hot, humid summers where commercial seeds often fail. They are creating a cucumber population that is naturally heat-adapted and resistant to downy mildew, alternaria leaf-blight, and the many insect pests present in their climate.
Where are Cucumbers From Originally?
Cucumbers originated in India (known as 'Kheera' in Hindi) over 3,000 years ago. From there, they spread to China and eventually made their way to Western Europe. Ancient Greeks and Romans were known to cultivate cucumbers, with Pliny the Elder mentioning Armenian cucumbers in his AD writings. Throughout history, farmers have selected for different cucumber traits across regions - for instance, ancientRomans grew shorter, rounder varieties compared to today's longer varieties.
Locally Adapted, Community Selected
Year by Year Guide
How do crops adapt a crop to our local environment?
Year1: Lots of gardeners plant lots of seeds. Some plants will do better than others, and that’s OK, celebrate the strong ones. Save seeds from any plants that produce seeds, despite challenges.
Year2: Repeat the first year, but this time we can be more selective and saves seeds from the most delicious plants or fruits.
Year3andbeyond:Save seeds from plants with the traits that you love. This may include best flavor, dark colors or a preferred sizeand shape or early ripening. Keep the population diverse to allow it to keep adapting and evolving (always save seeds from multiple plants).
TheKey: Save your seeds and share then with the community through your seed library. Your seeds will be mixed with everyone's and shared back out through the seed libraries.
Please fill out this sticker or form and return with your seeds
Plant/species name:__________________________________
Variety (or parent varieties) ____________________________
Garden Location:_____________________________________
Year: _______________________________________
Grower name: ____________________________________
Email or phone: ___________________________________
Notes: ___________________________________________
● Make sure seeds are completely dry and clean.
● Bring them to your local seed library in any clean container
● Fill out a quick check-in slip (found near the seed cabinet, or use the tear-off page here.
● Note any special traits or reasons you saved the seeds.
Seed Packet
Why Save Local Seeds?
In this guide, you'll learn how to grow and save seeds that get stronger and more delicious with each generation. Along the way, you'll join an ancient tradition of seed stewards, helping to heal our food system from the ground up.
Localization - Over time, seeds learn your soil, local pests, climate, and your habits, and will thrive with less effort from you.
Strengththroughcommunity - Share seeds, stories and knowledge. Every gardener adds to our local food security.
Selectforwhatyoulove- Grow food that matches what matters to you—flavor, sustainability, resilience, or all three.
Seed Pledge: I commit to saving seeds from the earliest and best plants and sharing them with my community.
