Growing Cucumber

cucumis sativis : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
      S S              
        T T T          
        P P            

(Best months for growing Cucumber in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 16°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 40 - 60 cm apart
  • Harvest in 8-10 weeks. Cut fruit off with scissors or sharp knife.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Nasturtiums, Beans, Celery, Lettuce, Sweet Corn, Cabbages, Sunflowers, Coriander, Fennel, Dill, Sunflowers
  • Avoid growing close to: Potato, Tomatoes

Your comments and tips

24 Nov 11, patrick (Australia - temperate climate)
white bloches appearing when 100mm.long approx fead well watered well
18 Nov 11, Pam (Australia - temperate climate)
HELP, i have been trying to grow cucumbers (burpless), the plant looks great, get flowers, get little tiny cucumbers then they go YELLOW and die. I have been watering and regular sea sol. Do you think it is because they are planted next to tomatoes? Help please,
13 Mar 12, malcolm mckercher (Australia - temperate climate)
have you tried mag potash at first flowering?
29 Jan 12, Bryan (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Pam, Seasol is NOT a fertiliser, it is a plant tonic and soil conditioner. When used accordingly, it is highly beneficial in assisting the plant with nutrient uptake.
21 Nov 11, Hannah (Australia - temperate climate)
Pam, it sounds like your female flowers are trying to produce fruit but because they aren't getting fertilised by the male flowers, the little fruit are turning yellow and dying. You might want to give manual fertilising a go - pluck off the male flowers (small ones with no tiny 'fruit' at their base) and brush their faces on the faces of the female ones to transfer the pollen. Good luck!
03 Dec 11, (Australia - temperate climate)
Thankyou so much, I have now real fruit
09 Nov 11, bryan mathison (Australia - temperate climate)
i have several apple cucumber plants in my gardes and all the lower leaves ara dying off can you help me fix my problem
11 Nov 11, Dee (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Bryan The same thing was happening to my apple cucumbers but they seem ok now. I just pulled the leaves off which gave the plant more breathing space. I dont know if they're lacking in something (I feed them with a weak mix of worm waste) but they're fruiting and seem ok now. Dee :)
23 Oct 11, sharman (Australia - temperate climate)
hi my cucumber is very healthy with many flowers but is not forming the fruit can you give me soom tips to get it to fruit regards sharman
10 Nov 11, David (Australia - temperate climate)
try potash as it promotes fruit development
Showing 291 - 300 of 387 comments

If you have TRUE high humidity: humidex above 95% consistently -- then you have a real issue. If you have a "created" high humidity situation: like a poorly ventilated greenhouse; then correcting the ventilation will fix things. You can create an updraft by placing a screened window/door very close to ground level (or the lowest level that opens to fresh air) and then furthest and highest away from this point another screened window (on the ceiling/roof, or very high on the wall). So if you have a door on the North/East Bottom. the window goes on the South/West Top. When both of the windows are open, you should get a nice updraft that will whisk away all your humidity. It is best to situate the ground level door/window in a shady spot -- because this will be cooler air, and as this comes in it will force the hot/humid air up and out. There are also green house fans that can be installed (but if you do your updraft correctly you will probably not need one) ; and if you are fully indoors even a dehumidifier might work. If you are in a garden setting like the situation above; I think perhaps the cucumber created a roof that was helping hold in the moisture. In this case prune the cucumber to increase airflow. Things like fences can hold moisture; for example if you have a garden between two houses and there is a wood picket fence; this could impede the flow of air, and cause humidity to build up. The answer will ALMOST always be to increase air flow. If this is a true climate issue then you should select what you are growing with care, choosing plants that can tolerate high humidity; and still trying to situate your plants/garden in such a way that air flows freely. I have an allotment, that has "dense" fencing on two sides (I am in the back corner) and I can feel that I have an extra humid situation. I have found that runner beans do well; once they climb higher than fence level, they get a lot of air flow and do nicely. As far a hydroponics; I am not well versed enough to even begin guessing at the issues that may exist in these environments. Just remember that even when the humidex is NOT high, plants still need the airflow to move what they have transpired away from their leaves.

- Celeste Archer

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