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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18 Nov 10, Russell (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted (seedlings) 4 cucumbers and 6 zucchinis (Zs) in deep well nourished soil (Bokashied food scraps) in an area about 140 X 90cm, put 4 180cm stakes at the corners and strung wire horizontally at 20cm intervals to support the Z leaves which are huge. During growth I am removing many of the Z leaves to let the sun in. I spray any powdery mildew (pm) with Echo Rose which 'eats' pm (and black spot). Fantastic results. Not like last year when the Zs went all over the place on the ground with stacks of pm
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28 Jul 10, Darren (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Has anyone tried growing the armenian type cucumbers up in brisbane if so did you grow on a trellis
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13 Apr 13, Alex (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Heya did you ever find about growing these? They sound amazing and I was considering giving it a shot on the GC Hinterland.
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28 Jul 10, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I grew them in Armidale (cool climate) last summer. They did fine growing sprawling across the ground.
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16 May 10, Phil (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I've heard that leaving sliced or whole cucumber in the garden helps to ward off bugs and beasties. Is this true?
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05 Jun 10, Martyn (Australia - temperate climate)
We've had success with sliced cucumber on aluminium trays. Maybe its the taste (to the slugs and snails) or a chemical reaction with the Al but they've stayed away
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18 May 10, (Australia - temperate climate)
Lots of slugs and slaters have been tucking into the old cucumbers I didn't harvest, so it doesn't work for them!
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03 Apr 10, Michelle (Australia - temperate climate)
I've just transplanted my lebanese cucumbers & they've now started turning yellow on their leaves. I'm not sure what could be the problem as the ground is very fertile and there's no problem with the amount of water that I give them. Please help !!
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29 Jan 11, Bob (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You may have damaged the root system, pop some more seeds in, keep mulch away from the stem.
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15 Feb 10, Kellie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
hi there, I am a new gardener, growing cucumber in pots on my verandah. I get to the stage where a couple of fruit are produced and then the leaves turn yellow and brittle and the whole plant seems to die back. Any ideas? Many thanks!
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Showing 441 - 450 of 504 comments
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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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