Cucumber Seed Spacemaster (Cucumis sativus) The cucumber you can grow outside in Alaska

Description

Cucumber Seed Spacemaster (Cucumis sativus) The cucumber you can grow outside in Alaska

Cucumber Seed Spacemaster is a compact, productive slicing cucumber that is an excellent choice for Alaska gardens, raised beds, containers, high tunnels, and anywhere garden space is limited. Unlike traditional cucumber varieties that can send vines sprawling across the garden, Spacemaster produces short, manageable vines while still growing full-size, dark green cucumbers.

The smooth, slender fruits are generally harvested around 6–8 inches long with crisp flesh and classic cucumber flavor. Pick them young for smaller, crunchy cucumbers or allow them to size up for fresh slicing, salads, sandwiches, and summer eating.

Spacemaster is especially useful for gardeners who want to grow cucumbers without giving up a large portion of the garden to sprawling vines. Plants generally stay around 2–3 feet in spread, making them well suited to containers, small raised beds, intensive gardens, and compact growing spaces. They can also be grown vertically on a short trellis to keep fruit cleaner and make harvesting easier.

For Alaska gardeners, the combination of compact growth and relatively early maturity makes Spacemaster particularly useful. Cucumbers need warm soil and warm growing conditions, but a shorter-season variety can make better use of our limited summer. Growing in a high tunnel, greenhouse, raised bed, warm microclimate, or large container can provide additional heat and help plants get established quickly.

Spacemaster is an open-pollinated cucumber variety and is known for resistance to cucumber mosaic virus and scab.

Days to Maturity: Approximately 56–60 days
Fruit Size: Approximately 6–8 inches
Growth Habit: Compact bush/short vine
Sun: Full sun
Uses: Fresh eating, slicing, salads, and small cucumbers for pickling
Best For: Alaska gardens, containers, raised beds, high tunnels, patios, and small-space gardens

Planting Instructions

Cucumbers are warm-season plants and should not be planted into cold soil. For Alaska gardens, seeds may be started indoors approximately 3–4 weeks before transplanting outside. Cucumbers dislike root disturbance, so start seeds in individual cells or pots and transplant carefully.

Plant seeds approximately 1/2 inch deep. Warm soil produces the fastest and most consistent germination; temperatures around 70–85°F are ideal for germination.

Transplant outdoors only after danger of frost has passed and both the soil and weather have warmed. Direct sowing can also be used in especially warm locations, high tunnels, or later in the season once soil temperatures are consistently warm.

Space plants approximately 12–18 inches apart. Although Spacemaster is compact, providing adequate spacing improves airflow and gives each plant enough soil volume, moisture, and nutrients to produce well.

Growing Instructions

Plant cucumbers in fertile, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Cucumbers grow rapidly once temperatures warm and require consistent moisture, particularly while flowering and producing fruit. Avoid repeatedly allowing plants to become extremely dry and then soaking them, as uneven moisture can reduce fruit quality.

Spacemaster can be allowed to grow naturally along the ground or trained onto a short trellis. Trellising improves airflow, keeps cucumbers cleaner, and makes fruit easier to find and harvest.

Harvest regularly once production begins. Cucumbers left on the plant until oversized can slow production of additional fruit. During peak summer growth, check plants frequently and harvest fruits while they are firm, dark green, and tender.

For Alaska growers, protecting young plants from cold temperatures and giving cucumbers the warmest growing location available can make a significant difference. Raised beds, south-facing gardens, high tunnels, greenhouses, and other protected locations can help warm the root zone and extend the productive season.

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