Cucumber
Cucumis sativus
Cucumber is a warm-season vine that can be direct-sown or transplanted. It needs full sun, steady moisture, and enough horizontal or vertical room for vigorous growth and repeated fruit development.
Plant family Cucurbitaceae · Also called garden cucumber
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Plant after soil and nights are warm.
Cucumber seed can be started indoors 2–3 weeks before the last frost or sown outdoors after the weather warms. Sow about 2.5 cm deep and expect germination in 3–10 days.
The outdoor window begins roughly one week after the last frost and extends to about three weeks after it. Cucumbers are frost-tender, so an early indoor start should not lead to premature outdoor planting.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Choose a trellis or spreading space.
The profile uses 30–45 cm between plants and about 90 cm between rows. Vines can travel well beyond the planting point, making direction of growth as important as the measured spacing.
Use a container at least 30 cm deep and around 20 litres in volume. Support is recommended rather than strictly required; a trellis can redirect growth upward where floor space is limited.
Core measurements
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Allow for the mature form of the selected variety.
Install support early when it is required or useful.
Prevent stress during flowering and fruiting.
Cucumbers prefer full sun, with six hours of direct light used as the minimum. A site should also leave enough air and working space around the vine for routine inspection and harvesting.
Water need is classified as high, with a weekly range of 30–40 mm. Containers, exposed balconies, and hot weather can dry faster than this comparison range suggests, so soil moisture should still be checked directly.
Sunlight
Full sun preferred (8+ direct-sun hours/day)
Soil pH
A suitable acidity range for general growth.
Weekly water
High water need.
Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, especially during establishment and harvest development.
Pick regularly once production begins.
Seed germination commonly takes 3–10 days. The 50–70 day harvest range begins at sowing, so it already includes the early emergence period.
A succession interval of about 21 days is included. Where the warm season is long enough, repeated sowings can extend production rather than relying on a single group of vines.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
A trellis saves space and improves airflow; pick frequently to keep plants productive.
Cucumber growing questions
Can cucumbers be started indoors?
Yes. Start seed indoors about 2–3 weeks before the last spring frost, or direct-sow outdoors once warm conditions arrive.
Do cucumbers need a trellis?
Support is recommended but not mandatory. A trellis helps direct the vining growth upward where horizontal space is limited.
How much water do cucumbers need?
The profile classifies water need as high and gives a weekly planning range of 30–40 mm, adjusted for weather and growing method.
When does the cucumber harvest range begin?
The 50–70 day range is counted from sowing, whether seed is started indoors or planted directly outside.
Profile values are crop-level planning ranges compiled from sources S1,S2,S4. Local climate and variety can change actual results.
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