Growing Cucumber

cucumis sativis : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

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

(Best months for growing Cucumber in Australia - temperate regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed

September: Bring on in pots

  • 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

Your comments and tips

09 Jan 17, Joanne2167 (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, I have had the same problem and looked it up and decided it was they were not pollinating. Try hand pollination. There are plenty of web sites to help.
09 Jan 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Usual reason is they haven't pollinated. Give them a bit more time and some more male flowers and you should get your rewards.
07 Jan 17, Jeff (Australia - temperate climate)
I have picked crystal apple cue's in past seasons and they have been bitter i have a few that look like they are close, any tips on the best time to pick? nothing nicer than an apple cucumber sandwich :-)
09 Jan 17, John (Australia - arid climate)
I have always eaten Crystal Apple when they are quite white. When they go creamy, then yellow they have always have been bitter for me. I don't grow them now for that reason.
01 Dec 16, David (Australia - temperate climate)
I have read good and bad things about growing tomatoes and cucumbers together. Mine are doing really well together. Why do they say it's bad
28 Dec 16, Jane (Australia - temperate climate)
Apparently it can stunt or inhibit the growth but I guess if yours grow well together then just go with it.
20 Nov 16, Margaret Morris (Australia - temperate climate)
Where do I buy apple cucumber seedlings in the southern suburbs of Melbourne please?
18 Dec 16, james allan (Australia - temperate climate)
grow from seed quite easily , transplant and support on trellis , have found west facing wall too hot ...
21 Nov 16, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Apple cucumbers will germinate very quickly at this time of the year and will take off easily. Cucurbits resent root disturbance as well. A packet of seeds would be half the price and would give you 2 or 3 times as many plants. You could save some of the seeds for next year. trust this helps.
01 Nov 16, Julie howe (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Do you need to manually fertilise the females flowers with male pollen like we do with pumpkin ?
Showing 131 - 140 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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