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

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04 Mar 16, Linda Mitchell (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, My apple cucumbers grow great and have plenty of flowers and little tiny cucumbers. Then the leaves start going yellow and brown from the bottom of the vine and the whole plant dies. What is wrong with them?
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02 Mar 16, Andre (Australia - arid climate)
G'day John,maybe it is a pollination issue or you may have another plant that is not a good companion,this might sound strange but you could give your cukes a shake I do this with tomatoes almost like self pollinating,oh and by the way I live in Japan.Cheers...
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01 Mar 16, My name is John (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted three A/C well before xmas I got one Cu early january nothing since plenty of healthy growth and flowers with little what I thought were little c/us the plant is growing like mad should I pull it out and wait till next year.
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01 Mar 16, Bron Ramey (Australia - temperate climate)
We have had an extremely humid hot summer here on the coast. Plenty cucs no zucs. It's definitely a pollinator thang- few bees but lots of others ie wasps etc. If you are in a warmish enviro, just wait; those female or male flowers will arrive and the bees will come. Provide water in your garden- dishes, baths etc. Other reasons could be that the cucs are being over fertilised, not in the sun enuf etc. Google (but wait)
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17 Feb 16, Tyler (Australia - temperate climate)
good website and tips
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12 Feb 16, GREG (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I am growing standard cucumbers, have heaps on vines, also growing in with tomatoes,an chilli plant. No chillies yet though. So why can't you grow cucumbers with tomatoes
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26 Jan 16, Maggie (Australia - temperate climate)
I have a great vine with heaps of flower still haven't got any cucumber I have had to pollinate myself do the cucumbers grow where the flowers fall off.
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17 Jan 16, David (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi guys new to this site just looking for helpful hints on starting my cucumber plant for best results. I have read that a trellis set up is best and no fertilizer until it flowers
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24 Jan 16, Sarah Day (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi David, i dont bother to trellis, i let them grow like pumpkins along the ground. yes this can leave a yellowing on the bottom, but they grow well and taste perfect, in fact im having trouble keeping up with them. I did this last year because i planted seeds in a large seed raising tray and let them go to far before transplanting and so i just upturned the tray and planted it undisturbed in the middle of a garden bed. We are growing on raised beds as our soil is stoney and clay and we are totally reliant on rainwater. We are in central Victoria and have hot harsh summers so i set up a shadecloth cover for the really hot days. 13mm spray irrigation and we have had no powdery mildew at all. Hope your cues are starting to grow. :)
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17 Jan 16, Alex (Australia - temperate climate)
I am growing the apple cucumber variety for the first time and have had very good success. Does anyone have a good recipe for preserving or similar as I have far too many to eat fresh. Many thanks Alex x
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Showing 241 - 250 of 497 comments
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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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