Saidat Olayinka
Cucumber is an important crop widely cultivated in different agroecologies of Nigeria. Planting of cucumber is not as complex as other areas of agriculture, so you can start small with relatively little or no experience.
Cucumbers are vine plants, vegetables with low calories, high water content, a refreshing taste, and various health benefits.
Cucumbers scientifically known as Cucumis Sativus have green rinds, with white flesh and are highly consumed in Nigeria and across the globe too.
Cucumber farming can be very profitable if done in the right way, it is a good business to venture into considering the health benefits and demand in the market.
Pickling, slicing, and seedless are the varieties of cucumber. You can make millions of naira from cucumber farming within months from a small size of land.
Cucumber farming in Nigeria was hitherto done mainly in the northern part, now farmers in the southern region plant this type of vegetable as well.
The demand for fresh cucumbers is quite huge in Nigeria as they are used in preparing salads and other types of food. Cucumber plants can only grow under tropical conditions.
However, being a certified cucumber farmer can distinguish you in the cucumber farming business as a result you will make more money.
Health Benefits Of Cucumbers
Cucumbers may prevent dehydration due to their high moisture content. It contains antioxidants that protect against heart, lung, and autoimmune diseases.
Sustaining good skin health, and anti-inflammatory benefits, it also prevents cases of high blood pressure, supports digestive health, and prevents constipation
Low-calorie content makes them perfect for losing weight. With high nutrient content, it may also function as a potent pain relievers. It fights against cancer, treatments for diabetics, skin irritations, and bad breath, and can be used to rehydrate the body and regain one’s self from dryness. It is also a great source of vitamins. A, B1, B6, and D which is known globally and not just in one particular location in the world.
Having established all these interesting facts about cucumber, it is now time for us to look into the steps necessary for you to consider owning your cucumber farm and share in the pure profits that it brings.
Bear in mind that you don’t need huge amount of money to go into cucumber farming, what matters is getting things right at first before going into it fully.
Steps for cucumber farming
Before you start your cucumber farming venture, a thorough background search and a study to determine its feasibility in the area you wish to establish it is important, and the same is true for any kind of vegetable farming in Nigeria as well. There are several breeds/varieties of cucumber that are specific and thrive best in a specific region. Thus, before you start cucumber farming in Nigeria, you need to gather all of the necessary information in order to setup your farm at the right location, right time, and the right cost.
Then, you have to be trained on cucumber farming as a business venture be it organic or non-organic.
Land preparation:
By the time you get your land, the next thing to do is land preparation. Except the land is already prepared, you will need to perform some activities on it before you can plant your cucumber seeds on it. You will need to perform clearing, plowing, and tilling operations to make the land suitable for cucumber farming.
These can all be done through manual or mechanized labor. Tilling and plowing will loosen up the soil, thereby making it for the roots of your cucumbers to penetrate the soil and reach enough amounts of water and nutrients.
Suitable soil for planting
Cucumber can be grown in wide varieties of soils from sandy loams to clay soil with good drainage. Make sure the soil contains organic matter by adding organic compost or any farm yard manure for higher yields. Soil PH should be between 5.5 and 6.7 is favorable for optimum growth. You can ask a consultant to help you determine whether you have the right soil.
Cucumber needs enough water for best performance. Starting your commercial cucumber farming in an area with low rainfall without irrigation, will lead to a huge loss.
If you do not have a lot of knowledge about land, then consulting with an expert before you start your cucumber farm would be wise. Since you are trying to produce cucumber on a commercial scale, it is essential that you cultivate it in the best conditions possible.
Application of manure:
Your cucumbers will need all the organic matter and nutrients they can get. Applying organic manure liquid or solid to the farm to enhance the land and get it ready for farming is key to getting a good result from the farm.
For organic manure, you can use compost manure which includes food processing residuals, food scraps, wood ash, animal manure (chicken manure specifically), grass clippings, and coffee grounds.
These materials will break down into useable nutrients for your cucumbers. After applying the compost, add just enough water and leave the site for about 7 days for decay to take its course. It is advisable to use Neem organic manure or liquid organic manure such as Agric Zyme 3X. Agric Zyme 3X is an organic Liquid fertilizer with booter and pesticide.
Planting of seed
As soon as your land is ready get a good seed to plant, then after that, plant your cucumber in a hole of about 2.5cm deep and a space of 50cm apart from each other to enable it to grow one on its own without having to be struggling against themselves.
Another important thing to do is to have the farmland in rows and columns to allow for easy human passage or tractors as the case may be.
Making it that way also allows for easy harvesting and sometimes weeding. Some of the most common hybrid seeds in Nigeria are; Murano F1, Tokyo F1, Gemini 7 F1, and Darina F1.
Vine Staking: Vine staking is an important post-planting operation and it is seen as one of the agronomic practices of cucumber. If everything goes according to plan, after two weeks, your cucumber plants must be growing into really long vines.
Staked cucumbers are easy to harvest, clean, and free from pests and diseases, they grow optimally and also do not decay from lying on moist soil.
Pruning and Clearing: In simple terms, pruning is the process of removing laterally growing shoots from the major cucumber vine. Pruning may prove to be an important step in grooming cucumbers because it helps create a balance between fruit production and vine growth.
Vine overgrowth may affect fruit production, hence the need for pruning. Start trimming cucumber vines by removing any dead or damaged parts.
You can also remove older leaves to allow sunlight access to developing fruit and improve air circulation in the vines.
Harvesting
Harvesting comes after the plants start fruiting and the maturation of the fruits.
Harvest is around 40 to 60 days after they have been sowed. Harvest time might be influenced by factors such as seed variety planted, flowering time, climate, and even moisture. The onset of fruiting is visible in the development of yellow flowers on the plants.
The best way to harvest cucumber is to cut the fruit itself from the vine using a sharp knife.
Marketing
Cucumbers can be sold in retail, wholesale, in a market near you, or in one of the many companies that specialize in cucumber processing. All you need to do is ensure that your cucumbers are green, big, attractive, fresh juicy, and of a high quality. So ensure that you have put in place high-quality regulations for your cucumbers.
Cucumbers are in high demand, and as long as you inform local customers that you have harvested cucumbers from your farm you will have them queuing to buy them.
You can make money every month from cucumber farm within your compound when you plant using bags. Or in a space in your compound as a certified organic cucumber farming.
