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 Aug 12, john (Australia - temperate climate)
hi. that sounds like slugs or snails wait till night.take a torch with you and you will find out;
06 Jan 12, Miguel (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Sandra, It sounds like the skin may have split as a result of growing too quickly. Try cutting down the watering a bit
17 Dec 11, cheryl (Australia - temperate climate)
Why do my cucumbers go fat in the middle and curl up
25 Nov 11, Valli (Australia - tropical climate)
I have the same probelm too, too many flowers, but all tiny fruits. I am going to try this manual fertilization.
24 Nov 11, patrick (Australia - temperate climate)
white bloches appearing when 100mm.long approx fead well watered well
18 Nov 11, Pam (Australia - temperate climate)
HELP, i have been trying to grow cucumbers (burpless), the plant looks great, get flowers, get little tiny cucumbers then they go YELLOW and die. I have been watering and regular sea sol. Do you think it is because they are planted next to tomatoes? Help please,
13 Mar 12, malcolm mckercher (Australia - temperate climate)
have you tried mag potash at first flowering?
29 Jan 12, Bryan (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Pam, Seasol is NOT a fertiliser, it is a plant tonic and soil conditioner. When used accordingly, it is highly beneficial in assisting the plant with nutrient uptake.
21 Nov 11, Hannah (Australia - temperate climate)
Pam, it sounds like your female flowers are trying to produce fruit but because they aren't getting fertilised by the male flowers, the little fruit are turning yellow and dying. You might want to give manual fertilising a go - pluck off the male flowers (small ones with no tiny 'fruit' at their base) and brush their faces on the faces of the female ones to transfer the pollen. Good luck!
03 Dec 11, (Australia - temperate climate)
Thankyou so much, I have now real fruit
Showing 391 - 400 of 498 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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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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