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
  • Cucumbers on plant (commons.wikimedia.org - Rasbak - CC BY-SA 3.0)
  • Young plant
  • Female flower with baby fruit
  • Male flower

A trailing plant which will grow tendrils as it gets bigger. Cucumbers can be started in small peat pots then transplanted when weather is suitable. Lebanese cucumbers are best picked about 10 -12 cm (4 - 5 in) and eaten whole. Gherkins are usually picked 5 or 6 cm (2 - 3 in) long and pickled. They have a prickly skin. Apple cucumbers are round with a pale, almost white, smooth skin.

Grow in full sun up a trellis or framework to save space and keep the fruit clean. Needs ties to support it at first. Water regularly and fertilise to encourage growth.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Cucumber

Pick frequently before the fruit become too big.
Use raw in salads, peeled if preferred. Bash them with a rolling pin before slicing and marinade with a rice vinegar/fish sauce/sugar mix and they will absorb the flavours of the dressing.

Your comments and tips

06 Dec 08, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Emma, it sounds as though your cucumber plants have been eaten by slugs or snails. You could try some slug bait in half a plastic bottle (so that birds can't reach it) or go out with a torch to catch and kill them at night.
03 Jan 17, Ken (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Planted at least 10 weeks ago,no sign of fruit.
08 Jan 17, Lynda Allan (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
My cucumbers start to develop then yellow and die off?
02 Feb 17, Kiri baird (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Hi I have only had two cucumbers of my 3 plants is still early days?
16 Mar 17, Margaret McDonald (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Why are the skins (of Lebanese cucumbers) so tough?
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.
26 Aug 19, Anon (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Hand pollen in the morning as the flower is shut in the arvo.
07 Sep 19, maxine (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Can Cucumbers be grown in large garden pots?
09 Sep 19, Anon (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Yes - have good fertile soil to start with and make sure you water them regularly.
14 Sep 19, Kirsty (New Zealand - temperate climate)
What cucumbers are suitable for growing in hanging baskets?
Showing 1 - 10 of 25 comments

I want to grow cucumbers from seed in a 24” container. Can you help me with when I should start them. I am in 4b zone.

- Kylee Slocum

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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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