Plant profile
Cucumber
Cucumis sativus
Cucumbers grow quickly in warm weather and need steady water. A trellis keeps climbing varieties off the ground and makes fruit easier to harvest.
- Grows well in
- Tropical, Subtropical, Temperate, Cool / mountains, Arid / inland, Mediterranean
- Lifecycle
- Warm-season annual vine
- Light
- Full sun, Part shade
- Mature size
- Vines commonly grow about 1.5–3 m long, depending on variety and growing conditions.
- Spacing
- About 40–50 cm apart when grown up a trellis; sprawling plants need considerably more ground space.
- Growth habit
- Fast-growing annual vine that climbs and scrambles using curling tendrils.
- Native range
- Himalaya to south-central and south-eastern China and northern Thailand
- Natural habitat
- Seasonally dry tropical habitats. The cultivated cucumber is a long-domesticated crop.
When to plant
Tropical
March–August
Subtropical
August–March
Temperate
September–January
Cool / mountain
October–December
Arid inland
August–March
Mediterranean
September–January
Planting
Sow or plant into warm soil after frost risk. In tropical districts the drier, cooler part of the year is often more reliable than the wet season. Give climbing varieties a trellis from the start.
Position and light
Full sun in mild conditions. In very hot areas, light afternoon shade can reduce heat stress.
Soil
Fertile, well-drained soil with compost. Mulch helps keep moisture more even.
Watering
Keep moisture steady, especially during flowering and fruit filling. Water at the root zone where possible and avoid long periods of waterlogged soil.
Feeding
Use a balanced vegetable fertiliser after establishment, then continue light feeding through flowering and cropping if growth is strong and the product label recommends it.
Pruning
Routine pruning is not essential. Train climbing varieties onto their support and remove badly diseased leaves when needed.
Harvest
Pick cucumbers while they are firm and at the useful size for the variety. Frequent harvest prevents oversized fruit and keeps the crop moving.
Propagation
Grow from seed. Seed from hybrid varieties may not produce the same type next season.
Common problems
Powdery mildew, downy mildew, other leaf diseases, aphids and fruit fly can be problems. Warm wet weather can reduce reliability in tropical areas.
Worth knowing
A trellis saves a lot of room, keeps cucumbers cleaner and makes fruit easier to find. In very hot climates, afternoon shade can reduce heat stress while still giving the vines enough light to crop well. The first flowers on a cucumber vine are often male. Female flowers, which have a tiny cucumber behind the bloom, usually become more common as the plant settles into active growth.
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