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Growing Cucumbers
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Cucumbers
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Cucumbers
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An easy-care vegetable that loves sun and water, cucumbers grow quickly as long as they receive consistent watering. Most varieties will grow in any amount of space, thanks to the plant’s ability to climb. Of course, these prolific veggies are perfect for pickling!
There are two types of cucumber plants: vining cucumbers and bush cucumbers. The most common varieties grow on vigorous vines shaded by large leaves. The growth of these plants is fast, and the crop yield is abundant if you care for them properly. Vining varieties grow up a trellis or fence. They will be cleaner—versus those that grow atop soil—often more prolific, and easier to pick.
Bush cucumbers are, however, nicely suited to containers and small gardens. Make successive plantings (every two weeks for continued harvests). In already-warm summer soil, cucumbers will grow quickly and ripen in about six weeks!
If you’re interested in making pickles, we recommend several prolific varieties below that are bred especially for pickling, such as heirloom ‘Boston Pickling’. For crispy pickles, be sure to prepare them within a few hours of harvesting!
Planting
- Cucumber plants are seeded or transplanted outside in the ground no earlier than 2 weeks after last frost date. Cucumbers are extremely susceptible to frost damage; the soil must be at least 70ºF for germination. Do not plant outside too soon!
- Before you plant outside, select a site with full sun.
- Soil should be neutral or slightly alkaline with a pH of 7.0.
- Cucumbers require fertile soil. Mix in compost and/or aged manure before planting to a depth of 2 inches and work into the soil 6 to 8 inches deep. Make sure that soil is moist and well-drained, not soggy.
- Improve clay soil by adding organic matter. Improve dense, heavy soil by adding peat, compost or rotted manure. (Get a soil test if you are unsure of your soil type; contact your local county cooperative extension.) Light, sandy soils are preferred for northern gardens, as they warm quickly in the spring. See our guide to soil amendments.
- Plant seedlings one inch deep and about 36 to 60 inches apart, depending on variety. For vines trained on a trellis, space plants 1 foot apart.
- For an early crop, start cucumber seeds indoors about 3 weeks before you transplant them in the ground. They like bottom heat of about 70ºF (21ºC). If you don’t have a heat mat, put the seeds flat on top of the refrigerator or perch a few on top of the water heater.
- If you live in the cooler climates, you can help warm the soil by covering the hill or row with black plastic.
- Once the ground is warm, mulch with pine straw, chopped leaves, or another organic mulch to keep pests at bay, and also keep bush types off the ground to avoid disease.
- A trellis is a good idea if you want the vine to climb, or if you have limited space. Trellising also protects the fruit from damage from lying on the moist ground. See how to build a trellis and support for vining vegetables.
Care
- The main plant care requirement for cucumbers is water—consistent watering! They need one inch of water per week (more if temperatures are sky high). Put your finger in the soil and when it is dry past the first joint of your finger, it is time to water. Inconsistent watering leads to bitter-tasting fruit.
- Water slowly in the morning or early afternoon, avoiding the leaves so that you don’t get leaf diseases which will ruin the plant. If possible, water your cucumbers with a soaker hose or drip irrigation to keep the foliage dry.
- Mulch to hold in soil moisture.
- Cover seeds with netting or a berry basket if you have pests; this will keep them from digging out the seeds.
- When seedlings emerge, begin to water frequently, and increase to a gallon per week after fruit forms.
- When seedlings reach 4 inches tall, thin plants so that they are 1½ feet apart.
- If you’ve worked organic matter into the soil before planting, you may only need to side-dress your plants with compost or well-rotted manure.
- If you wish, use a liquid fertilizer from your garden store such as vegetable plant food which is low nitrogen/high potassium and phosphorus formula. Apply at planting, 1 week after bloom, and every 3 weeks, directly to the soil around the plants. Or, you can work a granular fertilizer into the soil. Do not over-fertilize or the fruits will get stunted.
- If you have limited space or would prefer vertical vines, set up trellises early to avoid damage to seedlings and vines.
- Spray vines with sugar water to attract bees and set more fruit.
Pests/Diseases
- If your cucumber plants do not set fruit, it’s not usually a disease. There is probably a pollination issue. The first flowers were all male. Both female and male flowers must be blooming at the same time. This may not happen early in the plant’s life, so be patient. (Female flowers are the ones with a small cucumber-shaped swelling at the base that will become the fruit.)
- Lack of fruit may also be due to poor pollination by bees, especially due to rain or cold temperatures, or insecticides. To rest assured, you could always hand pollinate. (Dip a Q-tip into the male pollen and transfer it to the center of the female flower.)
- Remember, gynoecious hybrids require pollinator plants.
- Squash bugs may attack seedlings.
- Aphids are always a nuisance for any vegetable plant but easily managed.
- Powdery mildew can be a problem if the leaves get wet (water at the soil level). Apply fungicides at the first sign of its presence.
- Cucumber Beetles may attack the vines and can cause disease.
Harvest/Storage
- Don’t let cucumbers get too large or they will taste bitter.
- At peak harvesting time, you should be picking cucumbers every couple of days. They’ll grow quickly!
- Harvest regular slicing cucumbers when they about 6 to 8 inches long (slicing varieties).
- Harvest dills at 4 to 6 inches long and pickles at 2 inches long for pickles.
- The large burpless cucumbers can be up to 10 inches long and some types are even larger.
- Cucumbers are best picked before their seeds become hard and are eaten when immature. Do not let them get yellow. A cucumber is of highest quality when it is uniformly green, firm, and crisp.
- Any cucumbers left on the vine too long will also get tough skins and lower plant productivity.
- How to pick? Using a knife or clippers, cut the stem above the fruit. Pulling the fruit may damage the vine.
- Keep them picked. If you don’t, as plants mature, they will stop producing.
- Cucumbers are over 90 percent water. Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap to retain moisture.
- They will keep for a week to 10 days when stored properly in the refrigerator.
Recommended Varieties
- Burpless Bush Hybrid is a popular bush form of cucumber.
- ‘Boston Pickling’ is our favorite heirloom variety bred especially for pickling.
- We also recommend disease-resistant ‘Sassy’ or ‘Calypso’ for early yields.
- Long, thin ‘Parisian Pickling’ is great for making gherkins or cornichons.
- Lemon cucumber is a smaller cucumber many folks find reliable.
Wit & Wisdom
- Plant cucumbers while you are wearing your pajamas, on the first day of May, before sunrise, and no bugs will eat them.
- If you’re pickling, consider growing dill, the favorite pickling herb! Plant every few weeks into midsummer to ensure a constant supply. See how to grow dill.
- Don’t forget that cucumbers aren’t just for eating. When puréed in the blender, cucumbers make a great summer facial for toning the skin. Check out other great and unexpected uses for cucumbers.
- With special molds, you can grow cucumbers in different shapes like hearts and stars!
Recipes
Cooking Notes
- See our section on pickling with lots of recipes and ideas.
- Enjoy our fun video on How to Make Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles!
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Reader Comments
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Mealybugs in Cucumber leafs
I am growing cucumber in a pot(medium size pot), The plant is growing well ,it is now 3-4 inch tall, however when I was watering my plant I observe mealybugs under the leafs. Can I use neem oil to remove mealynugs from cucmber or will it destroy the plant.
Mealy Bugs
If you don’t see many mealybugs, it would be better to simply pick them off by hand and squish them. Check everyday until they’re no longer appearing on the plant.
Seed processing
I am growing cucumber, but want to know how to process seed.
Thank you.
Gardening
I love gardening, and I always come here for plant help! Thank you Old Farmers Almanac!
Cucumbers!
My cucumbers have really ‘pulled me out of the ground’, as it were, in terms of getting what I want out of life. They inspire me every day! I love tending to and nurturing them, it’s a real sense of cylindrical responsibility. They are my green friends. Would anyone like to form a friendly research group into the mass production of our verdant vegetable violins? If so, please contact me ASAP via any means you see fit.
James
Yellow Cucumbers
Last year my cucumbers were growing great. Then they turned yellow then died. I researched it and I believe I found that they developed Mosiac Virus. I pulled all my cucumber plants then. But every year I plant in the same area (it’s a small garden) so I need to know if there is a natural way to treat the ground so I can plant again in the same general area? Also would this have occurred from compost that I put on my garden or would it have been in the plant from the beginning? Since I was late in starting my seeds I purchased plants from a local superstore and I was wondering if it is safe to do in the future. And I live in Penna where my garden freezes every year so I was also wondering if that kills the virus as well. Any help would be appreciated on this. Thank you
Best Guide To Growing and Harvesting Cucumber
Thanks for this awesome article on how to grow a cucumbers, I will have to bookmark this site for further more experiments.
Cucumber Tips
Here are some of the cucumber tips one should always adhere to ..
Plant where they will get full sun but in hot climate afternoon shade is best.
Space plants 3’ apart and rows 4-5’ apart.
Add plenty of compost and aged manure to soil when planting. After vines and first flowers develop follow with side dressing of compost and manure.
If yellow leaves appear, your plant may need more nitrogen.
Trellising helps to keep fruit available for quick harvesting.
They need between 1 and 2 inches of water per week, keep the soil slightly moist at all times. Water deeply about once or twice a week and more often if you’re gardening in sandy soil.
Cucumber beetles will attack plants and spread wilt. Cover plants early with row covers, but once flowers for you must remove for pollinators.
Your soil should have a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
The more you pick cucumbers, the longer they will produce.
Better to pick these types of Planting pots for your cucumber (sijigreenhouse)
Production slowdown
I am in East TN, with a cucumber i bought as a seedling (I forget the variety and lost the label). It's been producing enough to nearly overwhelm the two of us, but has now slowed down dramatically. While I appreciate the respite, I'm concerned because most of the leaves have died off. There are yards and yards of vine wound around two tomato cages, and the vines mostly seem healthy and still have flowers, but there are hardly any leaves, and no obvious new leaf growth. Any ideas?
dying cucumber leaves
Dying leaves on cucumbers can be caused by several things, including just the age of the plant as it winds down for the season. Make sure that the plant has enough water; cucumbers like about an inch of water per week–if the soil is dry about an inch below in the soil, it is time to water. There are also several diseases (such as powdery or downy mildew, anthracnose, bacterial wilt) and insects that can cause wilting/browning/yellowing/dying of leaves–check for spots or holes in the leaves, or whitish patches. Be sure to provide good ventilation among the leaves; trellising cucumbers can help increase air flow to discourage disease. Remove any plant debris, which may harbor diseases or insects. Water in the morning so that the leaves have a chance to dry out before evening; watering at ground level is preferable than by overhead.
dying cucumber leaves update
Thanks, it was probably the erratic watering (travel-interruptus). And since I wrote in, there is new growth on a few of the vines, so I am reassured :-)
Cucumber and watermelon farming
Please, am interested in the above for farming. I reside in Lagos,Nigeria.
Cucumber
I am interested in planting cucumber, teach me how to plant and this is my first time. Though I went through the explanation, but I need proper clarification on to go about it. Thank you.
Cucumber
Is it possible to harvest cucumber in two or four days? Or what is the appropriate time of harvest of it. What is the minimum of harvest and maximum of harvest?
Harvesting Cucumbers
We’re not sure we understand your question. From planting to harvest, cucumbers take anywhere from 40 to 60 days to develop. Once they are ready to be harvested, you will want to harvest them every couple of days to make sure that none of them become overripe. The number of cucumbers you get from each cucumber plant depends on the variety and the health of the plant, but most produce quite a lot of cucumbers per season.
Prickly Cucumbers
I tried growing cucumbers this past season for the first time in about two decades. I bought a Bonnie burpless variety at the store which did well for awhile. My question is (and pardon my ignorance) why was the skin on the cukes all prickly? I don't remember ever having that with prior cukes. They were prickly to the point where it hurt to touch them. I assumed they were immature so I let them grow and grow until they were overripe. They lost SOME of the prickliness (is that even a word?) as they got really big but it never went away. I ended up not eating any of my crop because the cukes were all overripe and bitter and then the plant was decimated by some bug. Perhaps all cukes are prickly and I just don't remember that?!
spiny cukes
Many cucumbers have spines, but some varieties may be spinier than others. You can also get spineless types. As I understand it, the spines (also called trichomes in botanical terms), act as defense by the plant, protecting the developing cucumber from insects. The base of the spiny hairs contain compounds that taste bitter, to also deter hungry pests. As the cucumber matures, the spines become less or disappear. (Cucumbers at the supermarket often have had the spines removed.) Pickling cucumber varieties tend to be more prickly than slicing types. With some varieties, the spines are sparse and easily rubbed off before eating. However, with other types, it is best to peel the cucumber to remove the spiny skin before eating the interior. To check ripeness, carefully check the firmness of the cuke, the color, and size–follow recommendations on the seed packet or plant label, if you have it, for the variety that you are growing. Hope this helps!
Trellising cucumbers
I am planting tomatoes in a raised wooden garden & want to plant cucumbers in the same garden. I purchased a bush cucumber hybrid & a non-bush hybrid plant at least 4-5 inches tall. My question is can I use a large tomato cage as a trellis or can I leave them on the ground. I don’t want to block sun to the tomatoes. I live at the seashore & I do get a lot of wind so I thought leaving them low would benefit them as opposed to being higher & in the wind.
growing cucumbers on a trellis
We do advise that you use a trellis to grow your cucumbers and any type will do, even a tomato cage. Trellising will protect the fruit from damage from lying on the moist ground.
Cucumbers and tomato cages
My experience was that the cukes did NOT appear to like the metal cages at all! I live north of the 45th parallel, so my garden issues are usually cold and water, but this one, I think, may translate to southern latitudes too.
yellow marks on leaves
Hi Bought couple young seedlings/plants from local Dobbies. femspot f1. put them straight in to greenhouse. Next day one plant had wilted leaves were down on the soil and have developed yellow marks. I have brought them in and placed them on kitchen windowsill where they will be bright and warm. I wonder is it something I did or is it just bad luck. I noticed last year I started getting small grey like lines appearing on the fruit but before anything went in the greenhouse this year it was thoroughly cleaned and a smoke bomb ignited to kill any pests. This year also I have bought a hozelock tray to keep water constant to plants in growbag.
Trying to get English (Seedless) Cucumbers!
Okay, riddle me this.... for the past 3 years, I've bought seeds to start for English Cucumbers, and some starts. I've tried several brands for both seeds and starts... and EVERY YEAR I've gotten cucumbers Chalked full of seeds! I'm starting to develop trust issues with my local supplies, as well as online. I'm now arriving to the conclusion that there is no such thing (that's been bred yet) as a true seedless English Cucumber like what I buy in the produce section.
Anyone out there know if I'm not picking them soon enough, or if I'm planting too close to my squash perhaps (within 10 feet)? I'm planning now for next spring, and if someone knows of a sure fire seed supplier, please let me know! Otherwise, I might have to give the stink eye to my local seed bank and suppliers I normally go to.
Thank you in advance!
stumped by seeds
We just recently sliced into an grocery-store English cucumber and it too had seeds, albeit very small ones. A couple of thoughts here: We are inclined to go to the source, first: Have you inquired of your seed supplier what you should expect? And consulted the grower—not to be confused with the vendor—of the starts/seedlings? The “brand” of seedlings, if commercial (as opposed to local), would normally appear on the plant tag/stick.
Then there’s this: The proximity to other plants may be part of the problem. English cukes DO have seeds; however, they are considered “undeveloped” because they are, in the truest form, not as large as those in a conventional cucumber. The English cuke is parthenocarpic: It develops fruit without pollination. So, insects that pollinate nearby plants could also visit your cukes and alter the results. There is, according to some, a belief that English cukes do best in a greenhouse for this reason, although at least one other source suggests that you are more likely to achieve the desired produce/harvest, if you plant the cukes 115 feet or more from other cukes—or, presumably, other flowering plants. So, maybe there is something to the greenhouse idea… If that’s not feasible (understandably) perhaps row covers tightly secured over plants at a distance (not nec 155 feet) would yield a more satisfactory cuke.
reproduction
Does cucumber reproduce again after harvesting. If yes, why?
harvesting cucumbers
We’re not sure what you’re asking, but a cucumber plant will keep producing fruit if you keep harvesting. If you stop picking the fruit when mature, the plant will slow down or shut down production.
Cucomber
Why is it that the taste of cucomber will become bitter when you harvest during afternoon time?
why are cucumbers bitter
Lack of water can cause cucumbers to become bitter and you certainly don’t want the cucumbers to get too big because that can also cause bitterness. They’re too big if the end is getting yellow.
Germinating Vines
I have found it helps to germinate vine seeds early in pots by using warm water to water them.
cucumber's not getting green 2nd question
I read your reply thank you, the vines are healthy and seem disease free but it has a lot of leaves and there big can they be pruned to let more sun in to help them get darker green or will this kill the plant? I can't remember the name of the plant I bought, I wanted to get straight eight I planted this last year and I had no problem's but I couldn't find them at the store, anyway you also said they might be over ripe but how do I know that if there not green that's why I didn't pick them and they just kept getting bigger but not green? The temps were hot here 80-90 and I watered early morning and evening is that too much? sorry just trying to figure this out.
Cucumbers
Hi Anthony,
It’s hard to say exactly what’s the problem without knowing the variety. The cucumbers could be a light colored variety, they could be overripe (pick one and taste it to see if it tastes good), or they could not be getting enough light. If they taste good, you don’t need to do anything and can harvest them as you like. Cucumbers don’t need to be green to taste good. If they taste bad, then they are overripe.
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