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 16°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 40 - 60 cm 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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28 Nov 19, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
The yellow leaves might be due to too much fertilizer. Try just using one type. They should grow if you are giving them enough water and protecting from very cold nights. The female flowers have a tiny, cucumber shape just behind the flower.
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11 Nov 19, Bhaidas Bhula (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Sometimes the cucumber plant only has male flowers. Is this normal? and sometimes the female flower forms a cucumber and shrinks and falls off.Why is this?
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11 Nov 19, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Most curcubits (cucumbers, courgettes etc) produce male flowers first. If the weather is cool, no female flowers appear for a while. If the immature cucumber falls off it has not been fertilised. If there are not many bees around, you can use a soft artist's brush or cotton bud, to transfer some pollen from the male stamens to the female flower.
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14 Sep 19, Kirsty (New Zealand - temperate climate)
What cucumbers are suitable for growing in hanging baskets?
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17 Sep 19, Anon (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
A plant needs a preferred amount of soil (nutrient) to grow a reasonably decent crop. Without knowing what size pot you have I always question whether people use a big enough pot for what they want to grow. For myself I would not try to grow cucumbers in a pot smaller than 500-600mm diameter and 300mm deep.
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16 Sep 19, Anon (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
What is the difference between growing in hanging basket and on trellis. Probably grow any kind. Try apple cucumbers - a lot more taste.
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07 Sep 19, maxine (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Can Cucumbers be grown in large garden pots?
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09 Sep 19, Anon (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Yes - have good fertile soil to start with and make sure you water them regularly.
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22 Aug 19, Alicia (New Zealand - temperate climate)
If your harvest is small then you could try hand pollination to ensure a larger harvest, as no pollination means no fruit.
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26 Aug 19, Anon (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Hand pollen in the morning as the flower is shut in the arvo.
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Showing 11 - 20 of 25 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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