Planning to grow cucumbers? Avoid these spots in your garden or risk bitter, sickly plants

Cucumbers are easy to grow — but planting them in the wrong spot can ruin your harvest. They’re sensitive to soil fatigue and diseases shared with related crops.

Knowing where not to plant cucumbers is just as important as knowing how. Ignoring crop rotation leads to poor yields, bitter fruits and persistent fungal issues.

Some neighboring plants also compete for nutrients or attract similar pests — weakening the cucumber vines even before they bloom.

According to a guide from Pravda, avoiding risky combinations can dramatically improve your garden’s health and productivity.

❌ Places to avoid when planting cucumbers

• Areas where pumpkins, melons, squash or zucchini were recently grown;
• The same garden bed two years in a row;
• Next to potatoes, tomatoes or eggplants;
• Shady or overly damp areas.

🌿 Good and bad companions for cucumbers

⚠️ What happens if you get it wrong

• Wilt, mildew, and soil-borne infections;
• Deformed or bitter-tasting cucumbers;
• Stunted growth and fewer flowers;
• Wasted soil nutrients.

✔️ Smart planting strategies

• Rotate crops: wait at least 2 years before planting cucumbers again in the same spot;
• Choose sunny, well-drained soil;
• Grow with herbs like basil or coriander to repel pests naturally.

By the way, respecting plant rotation isn’t just tradition — it’s science. The soil needs breaks too.