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

Your comments and tips

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02 Nov 09, Katja (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have 2 cucumber plants growing quite well with lots of flowers and some cucumbers starting to grow. The older leaves are starting to get what looks like white bits of mould on them, and some of those 'mouldy' leaves are starting to turn yellow. Overall the plants still seem quite healthy but I don't seem to be able to control the mould. I always water them from the bottom and they are growing on mounds. They don't have full sun all day so their growing position isn't ideal. The same type of thing appears to be happening to my zucchini and squash plants (even those in pretty much full sun). Is there any way to stop the mould? Any tips much appreciated! : )
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12 Oct 09, Wayne (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Liam, I would buy cucumbers after the last frost. When the soil warms they are more profilic.
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11 Oct 09, Liam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
What time is the best time to buy cucumbers?
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02 Oct 09, Kate (Australia - temperate climate)
Why do my cucumber plants keep dying as seedlings. I'm lucky to keep one alive this year where as last year i couldn't give enough cucumbers away. They just seem to wilt and shrivel up. Any suggestions?
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27 Sep 09, Steph (Australia - temperate climate)
I've had cucumber seedliings that germinated with quite abstract looking seed leaves, though further growth was slow but normal in appearance. I'm wondering whether cucumbers dislike fertiliser in the soil at germination. I've been told beans dislike it at germination as well. Does anyone know about this or can offer any advice?
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17 May 09, Amanda S (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
An organic farmer handed me an old cucumber of his and said I could use it to grow my own. Being completely new to this I just dug a small hole and buried it. Should I have taken out the seeds and dried them or do you think this will work?
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16 May 09, Jeff (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
We have successfully grown long cucumbers with over 2 doz picked in last month or so. But all of a sudden, we have these small black crawling insects attacking our bushes which are growing on a trelis. Any thoughts please
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10 Mar 09, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Jenny, Cucumbers have male flowers and female flowers. (females have a mini cucumber behind the flower. Sometimes the bees are too few to get the pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers, so you can use a little paintbrush to take pollen from the male flowers over to the female flowers. If you don't yet have female flowers then wait a bit - the male flowers seem to come first. Applying a soluble complete fertilser with potassium seems to help bring on female flowers - or maybe this is coincidence.
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09 Mar 09, jenny (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have three lovely healthy cucumber vines with lots of flowers but I never get any fruit, what should I do?
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01 Mar 09, eofferyed (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Our cucumbers have been on the vine sometime and have very pale skin and when cut are very mushy inside and have very few seeds. What's wrong?
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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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