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

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 ?
08 Oct 16, Julie (Australia - tropical climate)
How can you tell when they are ready to be picked
15 Oct 16, Tim (Australia - temperate climate)
Anything above 10cm is good. Younger ones have a nice nutty flavour. leave them too long and they become a bit watery and sour.
26 Aug 16, james (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
always grow cucumbers in summer so they grow faster
14 Jul 16, Herbert Nyakutsikwa (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
Where can I get english cucumber seeds in Johanessburg or rest of RSA
Showing 221 - 230 of 497 comments

Have you had a lot of humidity (higher than usual) lately ? If so, your plants may be having a hard time transpiring. Transpiration is the process of releasing moisture (like sweating and evaporation rolled into one). Plants suck up water through their roots and move the water up through their stems and into their leaves, where they release the water (transpiration). Only about 5-10% of the water they intake is used for growth - the rest is released into the environment. The movement of water facilitates the movement of nutrients. So if the movement of water is SLOWED due to really high humidity (and this mostly happens in greenhouses when they are not properly ventilated) plants start to show signs of nutrient deficiencies of all kinds (maybe blossom end rot in tomatoes despite having plenty of bio-available calcium in the soil). That is to say; you could have a lot of misleading signs like: blossom end rot, or nitrogen deficiency (honestly I'm not sure which nutrients need the most water to be moved).....but the take away is the signs could be really confusing, and appear totally illogical. This only happens in high humidity situations; again like an improperly vented greenhouse, or if somehow you have managed to trap the humidity in your space...... this is a long shot.....but I lived on the Gold Coast (Broad Beach area) 30+ years ago...... and I still remember how humid it could get... especially further North. Clearly, some plants are better at moving the water in high humidity situations....tomatoes tend to have difficulty in very high humidity. Ensuring proper air flow may be helpful.

- Celeste Archer

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. GardenGrow is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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