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

13 Mar 21, Peter Cyr (USA - Zone 8b climate)
I plan to plant them in a spot with a bag of composted chicken manure in Zone 8b. Any suggestions? Last year my cuke plants were glorious and were started from a packet of seeds. Unfortunately I did not get one cuke. Lots of flowers but I think they turned out to be all males.
02 Oct 22, Tera in El Paso (USA - Zone 8b climate)
Same problem here this year; beautiful leaves, taking over the area on my balcony....but all male flowers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know with tomatoes you have to get the temperature to drop low enough to get them to fruit, maybe same with cucumbers?
15 Mar 21, Anonymous (USA - Zone 4b climate)
Mix in well composted manure with some good friable soil - about 1 part manure to 3 parts soil. Too much manure and the soil will have too much nitrogen. The female flowers have little cucumbers behind the flower. You need bees to pollinate the flowers. Check between 7 and 11am to see if bees are active. You can hand pollinate, read how to do it.
08 Mar 21, Bill Lott (USA - Zone 9a climate)
How close is too close, to not plant near my tomato plants Thank You
09 Mar 21, (USA - Zone 4b climate)
Probably 2m.
08 Feb 21, Lisa (USA - Zone 9a climate)
I heard they, like peas, don’t transplant well BUT you could start them in peat pots so the process of transplanting is less stressful. So I guess the answer is, “Yes, sow them indoors in peat pots.”
25 Jan 21, Glenys Smith (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I had planted Lebanese cucumber and only got 2 cucumbers then the plant got riddled in grubs have since planted some more and wondering what I can do to prevent it happening again. I hate using chemicals if I can help it
27 Jan 21, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
Look up an organic spray on the net. Most things in nature breeds around rainfall - birds, weeds, insects etc.
23 Jan 21, Andy Tobbins (USA - Zone 9a climate)
Can I grow Unagi cucumbers in 9a Zone
25 Jan 21, (USA - Zone 9a climate)
Just treat as a normal cucumber for planting.
Showing 61 - 70 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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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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