Growing Cucumber

cucumis sativis : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

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

(Best months for growing Cucumber in South Africa - Semi-arid regions)

  • 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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05 Mar 23, Lolly (Australia - arid climate)
I had that as no bees so I now hand pollinate and they always grow. Pick when 3 to 4 inch long with Lebanese.
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02 Jan 10, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Matthew, Keep you cucumber plants well watered and well fed - hopefully they'll start fruiting again. Cuc's don't like drying out. They respond well to a complete organic liquid fertilizer like fish emulsion and/or good compost. They're very susceptible to powdery mildew so spraying with milk and/or chamomile tea helps. Are you getting female flowers or just male flowers?
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01 Jan 10, mand01 (Australia - temperate climate)
fezz you need to rotate your crop - planting the same plant in the same place each season increases the likelihood of a soil borne disease, or exhausting the soil of the nutrients preferred by that particular plant. Try growing something from a different family (not a curcubit) in that spot next season, and grow your cukes elsewhere.
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01 Jan 10, Matthew (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
My lebanese cucumber plant is growing beautifully and flowering well. However I seem to have only got two great cucumbers from it. The other cucumber leaves go yellow and die off. Is there anything I can do?
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22 Apr 12, (Australia - arid climate)
need fertilizer the soil is not good
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23 Dec 09, pete (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
hi katja sounds like you have sooty mould. how i get around this is to grow my cucumbers on a trellis. just a post at each end and string about 9 inches apart between the poles. clip the cucumber leaves to the string with a clothes peg. keep stringing until they reach a height of about 5ft. the air circulation reduces the amount of sooty mould.
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18 Dec 09, (Australia - temperate climate)
Does anyone know if possums eat baby cucumbers? I have plants that have been flowering for 2 weeks or more, but I cannot see any sign of fruit maturing. (Melbourne Australia)
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11 Dec 09, Tiggerbow (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi john d, It is possbile that that is as big as the cucumber/zuchinni was going to get. It is best to pick these fruits when they are still rather small. I have heard that when a cucumber goes dark green and the little spike start to grow on them they are ready. With a zuchinni is is best to pick when they are around 15 cm or so for nice sweet fruit. Apparently with zuchinni you are supposed to be able to pierce it with your fingernail. Both of these fruit grow very fast so it is best to check them at least every day. We have had success growing these for the first time this year. Good luck and happy eating !! Jodie
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10 Dec 09, john d (Australia - temperate climate)
hi i have planted cucumbers twice this year, they get to about 30cm then started going yellow and eventually die. any ideas what could be causing this? same thing happened to the zucchini planted near by but all the other vegies are ok.. i have mixed horse manure in th eground could that be th eproblem? any ideas would be much appreciated cheers
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10 Dec 09, fezz (Australia - temperate climate)
this (and last year) my cucumbs.never got off the ground . the first year i couldnt give enuff away so i pickled them. the next yr. igot half the yeild, although they grew 8 feet up the trellis. but the last two yrs. they grew only 2 foot . the cucumbs get to about 3-5 cms long and wilt and dry up brown b4 falling off. can anyonbe tell me whats going wrong. theyre grown in the same spot every year
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The rules of companion planting indicate that cucumbers and tomatoes/potatoes should not be planted in close proximity to one another. Let's consider what companion planting is all about first. 1. Companion planting is about creating a diversity in the garden that reduces the chances of PESTs/disease wiping out your garden. So in CP you don't plant things that are prone to the same diseases or attract the same pests close together. In the case of cukes and tomatoes it is: fusarium wilt and powdery mildew. (there could be more things...but this is enough that you have violated one of CP rules). 2. CP is about nutrition in the soil -- that is, you would not plant two things in close proximity that both require heavy amount of any particular mineral/vitamin. So for example if both plants are heavy feeders of potassium -- clearly they would compete too heavily for this resource most likely all plants would not get enough potassium. Cucumbers are heavy feeders and require lots of nitrogen and potassium. Pale, yellowish leaves indicate nitrogen deficiency. Leaf bronzing is a sign of potassium deficiency. Potatoes LOVE potassium, and low levels of potassium cause hollow heart (the middle of the potatoes looks like it is rotting), further the potato plant needs ALL it's potassium at the early stages (BEFORE setting tubers). Potatoes are also HEAVY feeders. Tomatoes are HEAVY feeders. So CP says not to plant heavy feeders next to each other... they compete to much for nutrition. Ok, so now you know why CP says not to plant these plants next to each other. The question then becomes.... but CAN I still do it knowing about the wilt and mildew and potassium and general heavy feeding of all the plants.... SURE, BUT be sure to add lots of nutrition to the soil (compost/manure) add lots of potassium (before planting mainly) and be sure to top up the nutrition during the growing phases... so maybe add manure/compost before planting, mid season and again when fruit starts setting. Also all these plants LOVE water... and lots of it, and this to me, makes it convenient when watering, to have my water lovers all in one spot... that way I can just dump a 5 gallon bucket of water int he middle of them. Also, careful how you trellis the cucumber, you don't want to create a roof over the tomatoes/potatoes that will hold moisture and encourage the mildews.

- Celeste Archer

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