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

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31 Oct 08, Bruce (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I am having trouble with my cucumber seedlings, they start off okay and then wither away and die. What am I doing wrong? I do not water the leaves, I live in a cool climate and have them in a hot house.
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01 Nov 08, Grahame (Australia - temperate climate)
Bruce, My first guess is that you are over-watering them, but to make a proper assessment we would need to know how much you are watering them etc. Titi, I have tried espresso coffee (diluted) sprayed around the seedlings and this seems to keep the slugs and snails at bay.
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06 Nov 08, steven (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
my cucumbers are full of flowers but not many fruit they are in a 13ltr tub each plant and are fertilized am i watering to much HELPthankyou
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05 Dec 08, Emma (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I planted some cucumbers, as soon as they formed a nice leaf, something came along one night and ate the leafs, then next couple of nights they ate the hole stem right down to the grouend. What does that? PS This is the first stuff we have ever planted...we know nothing.
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06 Dec 08, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Emma, it sounds as though your cucumber plants have been eaten by slugs or snails. You could try some slug bait in half a plastic bottle (so that birds can't reach it) or go out with a torch to catch and kill them at night.
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18 Dec 08, dennis (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi! steve. when growing cucumbers in a container you must have good drainage the best fertilizer is blood and bone,& superphosphate.when first planted in a 13ltr container about one good handfull of each mixed well in to your potting mix then half a hand full wartered in when you have five leaves on the plant dont worry about to many flowers as the males will drop off and your females will give you fruit dont water the leaves or your will invite disease and white fly.all the best.
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01 Jan 09, Graeme (Australia - temperate climate)
I have 3 lebanise cucumber plants, all growing well and producing nice sized staight cucumbers. Then all three plants produced cucumbers that are curled, fat at the end and narrow towards the stem. Any ideas????
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05 Jan 09, ross (Australia - temperate climate)
how do u know when cucumber is ready for picking
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19 Jan 09, cal (Australia - temperate climate)
when planting cuccumbers it is a good idea to make a little mound so as they get bigger the vine runs down the mound and encourages growth PS if the cucumbers are lying on the ground the side on the dirt will go pale yellow or white, its a good idea to prop them up with a stake or rod
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21 Jan 09, Suzanne (Australia - temperate climate)
We planted about 6 cucumber plants and they were growing really well, but the fruit it produced left a bitter after taste. I'm not sure what is lacking in our soil. Does anyony have any suggestions?
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Showing 11 - 20 of 493 comments
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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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