Cucumbers
2016
Strangely, the cucumbers I started in the greenhouse (Green Finger from High Mowing Seeds) germinated quickly and grew rapidly into healthy plants. Transplanting them proved to be the issue. In one area I transplanted five seedlings. Only one survived the first several days. In another several survived. So I conclude that the varieties (at least) that I planted don't like to be transplanted.
I sowed some seeds directly in the same area and all germinated and are just about to catch up with the one surviving transplant. I had similar experience last year with cucumbers.
At this time it does seem that by virtue of three different plantings I may have cucumbers for a while. The excessive heat we’ve been having may counter that possibility. Time will tell.
2017
Things were different this year! I knew better than to attempt to germinate in the greenhouse and transplant to the garden. However, the soil temperature was apparently so low that the direct-sown cucumbers (Green Finger and Marketmore 76) failed to germinate until well into july. I replanted twice thinking that the earlier seedings had rotted or been eaten. But eventually I had 3 or 4 seedlings peeking out in each mound.
I did have row cover over the mounds so I need to figure out some other method for getting the cucumber seeds to germinate. Hey! How about direct-seeding later!? In this case I need to plan on a shorter season for cucumbers.