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 S
T T T           T T T T
P P             P P P P

(Best months for growing Cucumber in Australia - sub-tropical 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

Your comments and tips

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20 Dec 19, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If you look at the flowers, the male has no little cue behind the actual flower, whereas the female has the little cue then the flower in the front. I had 8 apple cues in recently and they produced hundreds of flowers if not thousands. Only picked about 100 cues from it all together. If you can check the cues about 7-10 am to see if the bees are working. I read it takes about 10-12 visits by bees to pollinate a pumpkin flower. Cues could be similar. Hope you have some cues growing by now.
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25 Nov 19, David (Australia - temperate climate)
my apple cucumber die just after they come up ,they get about 3 or 4 leaves on them then they just die off. can you help???
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02 Mar 20, Jason (Australia - temperate climate)
Not a lot of info to go on... what happened to the leaves? And how often did you water? I'd hazard a guess at overwatering/poor drainage, as from your description it happened suddenly. Or possibly pests, but I guess you'd have noticed that
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26 Nov 19, anon (Australia - temperate climate)
Don't have your soil boggy wet either. Have good draining soil. If very hot protect them from the sun a bit while they establish themselves.
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26 Nov 19, anon (Australia - temperate climate)
My first thought is watering. If hot to very hot weather little plants need watering morning and afternoon. Little plants only have a shallow root system so require watering a lot more often. If the leaves are not eaten then maybe watering. If the leaves have parts eaten off, then some kind of grub probably. Big plants need a lot of watering - just common sense. .
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16 Nov 19, Mick (Australia - temperate climate)
What fertiliser can you use on apple cucumbers crystal
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18 Nov 19, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
A comment about WHAT fertiliser to use on different plants. In a hardware store's catalogue last week. Complete Garden Fertiliser NPKS 12-1-5-16, Fruit & Citrus 13-1-5-16, Rose 11-1-6-15. Like really, they are virtually the same fertiliser. We are brainwashed about all the different fertilisers to use. My local agronomist recommends for vegetables what the commercial farmers use Nitrophoska 12 N 5.2 P 14.1K 8S and you can have it with trace elements also. Works for me. Or if you are an organic person use organics but you need to apply about 2-3 time the required amount per square meter to have the same NPKS.
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18 Nov 19, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
General all-round vegetable fertiliser.
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21 Feb 19, Tony (Australia - temperate climate)
Is it to late to plant cucumbers and how get rid of rats low cost way no poison thanks
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28 Sep 19, Lynne (Australia - temperate climate)
Tony, an old bushy's trick is to grease a tub or bucket (plastic works well) to about 3 to 4 inches from the top, fill to just below the grease line with water and put grain or food that floats onto the water. Check daily.
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Showing 51 - 60 of 387 comments
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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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