The Vigorous Bush Champion Cucumber

On the hunt for a vigorous cucumber plant that produces large, sturdy cucumbers without a hint of waxy buildup?

Then you’ve got to try growing Bush Champion Cucumbers! Read on to learn more about these emerald beauties, which are easy to grow in beds or containers and produce some of the best cucumbers around.

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Characteristics of Bush Champion Cucumbers

There are a few distinctive traits that make Bush Champion Cucumbers so appealing, both for growing and for eating!

First and foremost is a defining characteristic that sets this cucumber apart from many of its contemporaries: this is a bush cucumber type, rather than a vining type. This makes it a much more compact breed, easier for growing in smaller gardens or pots because it doesn’t spread out as much.

Bush Champion Cucumbers grow to be about 8 to 12 inches long—an impressive size for what is considered a miniature bush! The fruits are stout and bright, rich green, but lack the waxy film you may find on many grocery-store cucumbers.

Bush Champions fall under the “slicer” category, making for crisp, vivid rounds when cut. Their taste is classically refreshing, cool, and crunchy…everything you could ever want from a cucumber!

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All You Need to Know About The Bush Champion Cucumber

This incredible fruit has so many different uses and qualities that make it special, so let’s get into everything you need to know about the Bush Champion Cucumber

Eating Them

There are lots of ways to enjoy Bush Champion Cucumbers!

The size and sturdiness of this cucumber when cut makes it an ideal topping for salads and sandwiches. The crisp, fresh taste and texture pair well with milder flavors like certain deli meats or tuna, and with many dressing flavors.

It can also be added to cold fruit salads or sliced as a component for a vegetable tray.

If you want to get a little fancier, you can try substituting Bush Champion Cucumber slices where you might otherwise use crackers! Consider them with a bit of cheese, a dollop of tuna salad or curry chicken salad, or any other topping.

The bright, refreshing flavor profile of Bush Champions also makes them an ideal component for drinks. You can use them to infuse flavor into water, use them in juices as a garnish, blend them into smoothies, and even add them to adult beverages!

Health Benefits

Like all cucumbers, there is a bevy of health benefits to be found in consuming Bush Champion Cucumbers.

The first to note about this cucumber is its water capacity. Because they’re over 90% water, eating them regularly can help you maintain a healthy hydration level. In addition, that boost of fluid intake will help regulate your digestive system and keep things flowing smoothly.

These cucumbers also offer a great kick of vitamins and nutrients! A single Bush Champion Cucumber offers as much as 62% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin K when consumed with the peel on. The peel of these cucumbers stores a lot of added nutrients.

Cucumbers are also a fantastic source of Vitamin C, which helps boost your immune system. Along with other antioxidants in the body, this vitamin helps reduce the presence of free radicals in your system. This can help reduce inflammation all over and help you feel your best!

Other crucial vitamins and minerals in Bush Champion Cucumbers include potassium, fiber, magnesium, and manganese—all components that your body needs in order to thrive.

Due to their high water content, cucumbers like the Bush Champion offer all of these essential nutrients without packing a lot of calories. This makes them a great nutritional resource for those who are mindful of their caloric consumption.

Growing At Home

Even if you have limited garden space or want to grow cucumbers in a container, Bush Champion Cucumber plants are equal to the challenge!

No matter where you’re growing it, bear in mind your Bush Champion Cucumber plant will need warmth. This cucumber variety thrives in the heat and will not germinate in the soil below 60 degrees. Typically, once the air temperature has reached 70 degrees consistently, you should be in the clear.

Bearing this in mind, you will want to either begin your cucumber plants indoors about 4 to 6 weeks before the final threat of frost has passed in your area, or wait a few weeks after the final frost for the soil to warm up. Then, you can either transplant your cucumber plants or direct sow!

Choose a location for your Bush Champion Cucumber plant where it will have access to direct sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. This is necessary both for garden and container growth. You will want fertile, composted, well-draining soil.

Sow your cucumber seeds 3 inches apart at a depth of a half-inch, grouping them in batches of 4 to 6 seeds. Give them about 20 to 30 inches apart in every direction so the bushes don’t become entangled! Then, once your seedlings are about 1 to 2 inches tall, thin to keep the strongest ones from each group.

If planting in a container, you can follow a similar process, but with a single group thinned to a single plant. Make sure you have a container about 12 to 14 inches in diameter and about 10 inches deep. This will give your plant room to thrive!

Keep your Bush Champion Cucumber plants watered with about an inch a week, but be sure not to oversaturate them! Check for soil dampness by sticking the tip of your finger into about the first knuckle. If the soil is dry at your fingertip, it’s time to water.

You can also lay down a layer of mulch to help maintain soil moisture. This will also help reduce the number of insects you have to contend with.

Keep your plants fertilized every few weeks with new compost and fed with an organic cucumber plant mix or emulsion. After about 2 months, you should have your first cucumbers to harvest!

One added benefit of a bush cucumber type like this is you don’t have to go hunting for fruits below the vines. Bush Champion Cucumbers are pretty easy to spot.

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Wrapping Up Bush Champion Cucumbers

I hope this post has inspired you to grow your own Bush Champion Cucumbers!

Ready to continue discovering these funky fresh vegetables? Then learn more about cucumbers by checking out my planting guides, recipe tips, brand suggestions, and more!