How to Grow Marketmore Cucumber
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Marketmore Cucumber
Cucumis sativus 'Marketmore'
vegetableMarketmore is a popular open-pollinated slicing cucumber variety known for its dark green, uniform fruits and exceptional disease resistance. Developed in the 1960s, it remains a favorite for home and market gardeners seeking reliable production and high-quality cucumbers. The plants are vigorous and productive, yielding straight, medium-length fruits ideal for fresh eating and salads.
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Example Marketmore Cucumber timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Marketmore Cucumber
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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Harvest Marketmore Cucumber
Around Jun 6≈ 50 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Marketmore Cucumber dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 3-10; grows best in warm-season areas with frost-free periods of 60+ days
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Get my Marketmore Cucumber timeline →Growth Stages
Seedling
7-14 daysEmergence of cotyledons and first true leaves. Plant is delicate and small.
Keep soil warm (70-85°F) and consistently moist. Provide bright light to prevent leggy growth. Thin to strongest seedling if direct sowing.
Vegetative
2-4 weeksRapid vine growth with large lobed leaves. Plant develops runners and climbing tendrils.
Water regularly and deeply. Apply mulch to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. Begin training vines to trellis if using vertical growing. Feed with balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks.
Flowering
1-2 weeks after first true leavesYellow flowers appear at leaf axils. Male flowers appear first, followed by female flowers with small bulbous ovaries.
Maintain consistent watering. Pollinating insects are essential; avoid pesticides during bloom. Continue nutrient feeding. Flowers typically open in early morning.
Fruiting
3-6 weeksSmall green cucumber fruits develop from pollinated female flowers. Fruits grow rapidly to market size (7-8 inches long).
Provide consistent water to prevent bitter or misshapen fruit. Harvest frequently to encourage continued production. Monitor for pests and diseases. Maintain mulch and weed control.
Harvest
4-8 weeks or until frostCucumbers reach ideal dark green color and firm texture at 7-8 inches long. Peak production phase.
Pick every 2-3 days to encourage more fruiting. Handle gently to avoid bruising. Morning harvest yields crispest fruits. Continue watering and feeding until frost.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Row covers until flowering; hand-pick; neem oil; yellow sticky traps; plant repellent herbs like radish nearby
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Increase humidity; spray with water; neem oil; insecticidal soap; maintain soil moisture
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Wrap vine base with foil; inject BT into stems; plant succession crops; remove affected vines
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Yellow sticky traps; neem oil; insecticidal soap; reflective mulches; remove affected leaves
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Strong water spray; neem oil; insecticidal soap; beneficial insects; remove infested growth
Uses
Fresh Eating & Salads
CulinaryMarketmore cucumbers are excellent for slicing into fresh salads, sandwich toppings, and snacking. Their crisp texture and mild flavor make them ideal for raw consumption. [source]
Pickling
CulinaryWhile primarily a slicing variety, Marketmore can be pickled, especially smaller specimens. The firm flesh holds up well to the pickling process. [source]
Skincare & Wellness
HouseholdCucumbers are traditionally used in skincare applications and contain hydrating and anti-inflammatory compounds. Fresh slices are commonly used in facial treatments. [source]
Beverages & Infusions
CulinaryMarketmore cucumbers can be juiced, infused in water for flavor, or blended into smoothies and cold soups like gazpacho. [source]
Pollinator Support
WildlifeCucumber flowers attract bees and other pollinators essential for fruit production, supporting broader garden ecosystem health. [source]
Harvest Tips
Harvest when cucumbers are 7-8 inches long, dark green, and firm. Pick every 2-3 days; daily picking during peak season encourages more fruit. Morning harvest yields crispest fruit. Grasp fruit and twist gently or use pruners. Overripe yellowing cucumbers left on vine reduce future production. Store at 50-70°F for up to 2 weeks; do not refrigerate if possible as cold damages the skin.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Marketmore was developed by Cornell University and released in 1968. It became the standard slicing cucumber variety in North American markets for decades due to its disease resistance (particularly to powdery mildew and cucumber mosaic virus) and consistent quality.
- 🌱 Despite being technically a fruit botanically, cucumbers are legally classified as vegetables in the United States following an 1893 Supreme Court decision that determined their culinary use as vegetables made them vegetables for tariff purposes.
- 🌱 Cucumber plants can produce 8-10 cucumbers per plant during the season, and a single vine can grow 3-6 feet long when trellised, making them highly productive space-savers in garden designs.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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