Growing your own crunchy, just-the-right-size cucumbers is a cinch. Choose from dozens of varieties to grow at home. They will thrive in the garden, raised beds, and even large containers. They flourish in hot summer weather and the more you harvest, the more the plants will produce.
From long heirloom Chinese cucumbers to thumb-size pickling cucumbers, there is a wide range of cucumber varieties to choose from, and you’ll have a bounty to share with friends.
Cucumber Overview
Where to Plant Cucumber
Select a location in full sun and well-drained soil with a slightly acidic pH. If your vegetable garden fulfills these conditions, any spot is fair game, except those beds where you have grown other members of the cucumber family (melons, watermelons, winter or summer squash, zucchini), in the two years prior. Crop rotation helps to break pests and disease cycles and improves soil health.
Also, consider the growth habit of the variety you select. For a small garden space, look for bush varieties instead of vining cucumbers which produce 6- to 8-foot-long vines.
How and When to Plant Cucumber
Cucumbers are planted in the spring. You can either direct seed them in the garden or start the seeds indoors in pots about 4 weeks before transplanting. This is recommended for cooler climates as it gives you a head start on the growing season. For the seeds to germinate, the ideal soil temperature is around 70 degrees F. Cucumber seeds won’t germinate in a soil temperature lower than 50 degrees F. Sow seeds ½ inch deep, 2 seeds per foot or in a 4-inch pot. For potted seedlings, only keep one seedling per pot and cut the other one at the soil level.
Seedlings started indoors need ample light to prevent them from becoming leggy. If you don’t have a south- or west-facing window, place them under grow lights. After the last frost, gradually expose the seedlings to outdoor conditions. Transplant them when nighttime temperatures are consistently above 55 degrees.
Space transplants 1 foot apart or thin directly seeded plants accordingly.
Cucumber Care Tips
Cucumbers are one of the easiest vegetables to grow.
Light
Cucumbers need at least 8 hours of full sun every day.
Soil and Water
Plant cucumbers in loose, well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. Improve garden soil, if needed, by incorporating a 4-inch-thick layer of well-decomposed manure or compost into it before planting. The ideal pH for growing cucumbers is between 6.0 and 6.8.
Cucumber plants need consistent moisture. In the absence of sufficient rain, give them at least 1 inch of water per week. Irrigation is especially important once there is fruit on the plant—lack of water makes the cucumbers taste bitter.
Temperature and Humidity
Cucumbers are not cold-hardy; they are a warm-weather crop that prospers in temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees F. The plants do not have any particular humidity requirements or issues with high or low humidity as long as they are properly watered.
Fertilizer
Once the plants have started flowering, fertilize them with an all-purpose vegetable garden fertilizer. Repeat the fertilizer application about 3 weeks later. For specific amounts, follow the label instructions.
Pruning
Especially vining cucumbers benefit from pruning. It improves the yield, makes the plants more manageable, saves space, and helps prevent diseases caused by poor airflow, such as powdery mildew. Follow these detailed instructions on how to prune cucumber plants.
Pollination
With the exception of self-pollinating cucumber varieties, cucumbers require pollination to produce fruit. They are mostly pollinated by bees, including honeybees, bumblebees, sweat bees, and ants. Attract pollinators to your garden by planting bee balm, lavender, or catmint nearby.
Potting and Repotting Cucumber
Because bush cucumbers are compact and shorter than vining cucumbers, they are the best choice for containers. Use a container that is at least 1 foot wide and deep. Fill it with well-draining potting mix and a few handfuls of compost. Plant the seeds 1 inch deep and at least 4 inches from the edge of the container. When plants are 4 inches, cut off all but the strongest seedlings at the soil level (do not pull it out, which may damage the seedlings you want to keep). Water at least daily, up to twice in hot summer weather. As cucumbers are annuals, repotting won’t be necessary.
Pests and Problems
Cucumbers are susceptible to several pests and diseases, including cucumber beetles, bacterial wilt, powdery mildew, and mosaic virus. Selecting a variety with good disease-resistance is no guarantee that the plant won’t have any issues but it certainly decreases the odds.
How to Propagate Cucumber
Cucumbers are grown from seed. If you are growing an open-pollinated heirloom variety, it is possible to collect the seeds for next year. The seeds of hybrid cultivars won’t produce plants that are true to the parent so in order to get the desired cucumber quality, you’ll need to purchase seed from a seed company every year. Follow the instructions for planting cucumbers above.
Harvesting
Plan to harvest your first cucumbers 50 to 70 days after planting the seeds, depending on the variety and weather conditions. In order to harvest the cucumbers at the right time, it is important to know the mature size of the cucumber variety you are growing. This information is usually included on the seed package or plant label. Harvest pickling cucumbers when they are 2 to 4 inches long. Start picking slicing cucumbers when they are 6 to 9 inches long.
Make sure you check cucumber vines at least every other day for fruit that is ready to harvest. Use scissors or pruning shears to cut the cucumbers off the tender vines rather than pulling them off the plant.
Pick all mature cucumbers, because when fruits are left on a vine they signal the plant to stop producing. Plus, oversized cucumbers tend to be seedy or bitter. Eat or preserve cucumbers within a day or two for the best taste.
Types of Cucumber
'Green Fingers' Cucumber
'Green Fingers', also known as Persian baby cucumbers, are crispy-sweet mini cucumbers that are picked when they are 3 to 5 inches long. They have a tender, smooth skin and a small seed cavity. The plant is self-pollinating. 60 days to harvest.
'Lemon' Cucumber
This heirloom variety bears tennis ball-sized yellow cucumbers that are 2 to 3 inches in diameter. The crispy cucumbers are used for pickling or slicing. 60 days to harvest.
'Salad Bush' Cucumber
Because of its compact size of 6 to 8 inches in height and spreading 26 inches, this hybrid cucumber is ideal for containers and raised beds. The slicing cucumbers are harvested when they are 8 inches long. 57 days to maturity.
'Marketer' Cucumber
If you live on a hot and humid southern climate, this old-time favorite is a good choice for a late spring planting. It is a slicing cucumber and was an All-America Selections winner in 1943. The uniformly shaped cucumbers are harvested when they are 8 inches long. 65 days to maturity.
'Tasty Jade Hybrid' Cucumber
This Asian-type hybrid cucumber is a vigorous, high yielder with slender, foot-long fruits. It requires trellising. The plant has only female flowers and bears fruit without pollination. 54 days to maturity.
Garden Plants for Cucumber
French Kitchen Garden
This kitchen garden plan reflects the French kitchen garden aesthetic with geometrically shaped beds separated by paths and enclosed within a wall or hedge. The raised beds are filled with a variety of vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers. You can substitute the suggested cucumber variety with another one suitable for container gardening.
Easy Children's Vegetable Garden
This easy children's vegetable garden plan will please gardeners of all ages with unusual and fun-looking vegetables and a shade-providing playhouse made out of bean vines. The marigolds that flank the bed's edge deter cucumber beetles and attract pollinators.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do cucumber plants need to climb?Not necessarily, there are vine and bush cucumbers; only the first type benefits from climbing instead of spreading over the ground, which makes them susceptible to disease and rotting and wet conditions. They are also easier to pick when climbing.
Not necessarily, there are vine and bush cucumbers; only the first type benefits from climbing instead of spreading over the ground, which makes them susceptible to disease and rotting and wet conditions. They are also easier to pick when climbing.
- Should you water cucumbers every day?How often and how much you need to water cucumbers depends on many factors, such as the life stage of the plant, natural soil moisture, and the amount of rain. Cucumber seeds need consistent moisture to germinate, which means a daily light watering. Young seedlings should also be watered every day, unless the weather is wet. Once the plants are established, they need at least 1 inch of water per week in the absence of rain but significantly more in hot weather. Container plants need to be watered daily because the soil dries out much faster than garden soil. During a heat wave, also water the cucumber plants in your garden daily.
How often and how much you need to water cucumbers depends on many factors, such as the life stage of the plant, natural soil moisture, and the amount of rain. Cucumber seeds need consistent moisture to germinate, which means a daily light watering. Young seedlings should also be watered every day, unless the weather is wet. Once the plants are established, they need at least 1 inch of water per week in the absence of rain but significantly more in hot weather. Container plants need to be watered daily because the soil dries out much faster than garden soil. During a heat wave, also water the cucumber plants in your garden daily.