Growing Cucumber

cucumis sativis : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

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

(Best months for growing Cucumber in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Sow seed

October: After risk of frost

  • 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

14 Sep 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I planted borage about 4 mths ago and it has attracted a lot of bees. I recently planted some more bee attracting flowers.
20 Feb 18, Jim (Australia - temperate climate)
What is the best variety to grow in the Bendigo area to make cucumber pickles (4-6kgs per batch)
21 Feb 18, John (Australia - temperate climate)
We grow a variety called Biet Alpha and picked copious amounts of cucumbers off it. It is a more traditional green cucumber with bristle patches on the skin. The cucumbers were about 15-18 cm long but the size is certainly compensated by the yield.
20 Feb 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Go to internet seed selling companies - Boondie Seed, Collection, New Life and look through the varieties there. You need a burping variety I have read.
01 Feb 18, Margaret (Australia - temperate climate)
My apple cucumbers have flowers but no cucumbers there are lots of lady Beatles on them do not like to use a chemical spray could that be the reason?
05 Feb 18, Darren (Australia - arid climate)
By lady beetles, I assume you mean ladybugs. They are a beneficial insect so I wouldn't recommend spraying them. I am having the same problem; apparently it has something to do with the extreme heat.
05 Feb 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Check to see you have female and male flowers. There can be up to 7 times more male than female flowers. Usually on the vines come male flowers first and then produces female flowers. The female may only be open for 1 day. Do some hand pollinating. Look up the internet for a youtube video.
28 Jan 18, JOHN schofield (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Help I got such nice fruit but they get stung and I cut off the worst part deep cut and eat rest taste great so my question what do I do as I don’t spray and they grow against a wall ,
30 Jan 18, Mike (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I take it you mean they are stung by some insect. Try and find an organic spray on the internet. Try and work out what the insect is.
28 Dec 17, Tony (Australia - temperate climate)
Can you freeze Apple Cucumbers. As I have tons of them all growing at the same time
Showing 161 - 170 of 497 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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