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 61°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 16 - 24 inches 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
  • Cucumbers on plant (commons.wikimedia.org - Rasbak - CC BY-SA 3.0)
  • Young plant
  • Female flower with baby fruit
  • Male flower

A trailing plant which will grow tendrils as it gets bigger. Cucumbers can be started in small peat pots then transplanted when weather is suitable. Lebanese cucumbers are best picked about 10 -12 cm (4 - 5 in) and eaten whole. Gherkins are usually picked 5 or 6 cm (2 - 3 in) long and pickled. They have a prickly skin. Apple cucumbers are round with a pale, almost white, smooth skin.

Grow in full sun up a trellis or framework to save space and keep the fruit clean. Needs ties to support it at first. Water regularly and fertilise to encourage growth.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Cucumber

Pick frequently before the fruit become too big.
Use raw in salads, peeled if preferred. Bash them with a rolling pin before slicing and marinade with a rice vinegar/fish sauce/sugar mix and they will absorb the flavours of the dressing.

Your comments and tips

05 Dec 22, Harold J Roth (USA - Zone 10a climate)
What varieties of cucumbers do best in zone 10A
14 Dec 22, Anonymous (USA - Zone 6a climate)
Grow what you prefer to eat.
03 Aug 22, (USA - Zone 9b climate)
hi everybody this app is so helpful, but my cucumbers always die ,i live right between buildings and i got a good amount of breeze going through but too much shade because of all the trees i wonder if there is a seed type i can plant here in the shade most
31 Jul 22, Dee (USA - Zone 9b climate)
I have seedlings I am ready to transplant into a raised container bed. My question is, how much sun should they get for Zone 9? I know the package sys full sun, but I don't think that applies when temperatures can get over 100 for several days at a time. I have a large shade tree and I was thinking of putting them under it, but concerned it then wont get enough sun.
22 Jan 23, Tammy Rode (USA - Zone 9b climate)
partial sun partial shade 3pm shade if possible
02 Jun 22, Jesslyn (USA - Zone 10a climate)
I think I'm going to lose my cucumbers to mold. Is it too late to plant new?
14 Oct 22, Kim (USA - Zone 9b climate)
1 tbl. Baking soda to 1 gal. Water. Spray plant.
06 Jun 22, Mindi (USA - Zone 8a climate)
I'd try starting a packet of fresh cucumber seed in a domed container (to keep in moisture to speed germination) and soak the seeds the night before... Then you should be able to choose the biggest seedlings to up pot for a week or so and get them hardened off. You could still plant out the other small seedlings as well and with that many seedlings you may get the amount of cukes you were short on with the loss of your damaged plants. We lost plants due to deer eating them and had to do this... The heat of the summer was a challenge with tender transplants but we still had cucumbers in the end. Not as big, but smaller cukes are good for salads and pickles. I'd throw a packet in some water and get them in a container with drain holes and some good soil... get them going... they are pretty fast. Hope this helps! Best of luck!
18 Mar 22, Gina (USA - Zone 8a climate)
I planted my cucumber plants 3-4inch apart in about a15 inch space. At the end of a elevated garden. I took hog or pig wire made a arch off the end of the bed. Trained the plants to climb up and dow the arch. The wire was so spaced I could put the cucumber in the holes in the wire to support the vegetable. It loved it
23 Feb 22, Christine C (USA - Zone 7b climate)
My garden area isn't super big - how far away/close can my cucumber and tomato plants be?
Showing 1 - 10 of 42 comments

Wanting to plant cucumbers for pickling next year 2021. Have always bought from another source and would like to do it my self. Want small cucumbers.. any suggestions on which kind? I make refrigerator pickles so want the “Crunch”. Thank you in advance

- Nathan

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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