Cucumber

Cucumber

Cucumis sativus

Sow outdoors 1 week after your last spring frost. Space plants 24 in (61 cm) apart.

Photo: Stephen Ausmus, USDA ARS, Public domain · source

When to plant

Timed from your frost dates, so it holds wherever you garden. Give yours and every step below becomes a date.

See the dates for your garden

Enter your average last spring frost and first fall frost. Every timing on this site turns into a calendar date. Not sure of yours? Your local extension service or a search for “last frost date” and your town will tell you; the app finds them from your location.

Last spring frost
First fall frost

Saved in this browser only. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Optimal Direct Sow

From seedRecommended
  1. Sow outdoors1 week after your last spring frost
  2. First harvestabout 55 days after sowing

Optimal Indoor Start

From seed
  1. Start indoors2 weeks before your last spring frost
  2. Begin hardening offaround your last spring frost
  3. Plant out1 week after your last spring frost
  4. First harvestabout 55 days after sowing

Optimal Fall Direct Sow

From seed
  1. Sow outdoorsabout 13 weeks before your first fall frost
  2. First harvestabout 55 days after sowing

Growing cucumber

Spacing in the row
24 in (61 cm)
Between rows
48 in (122 cm)
Planting depth
1 inch
Sun
Full Sun
Soil
Well-draining, rich in organic matter
Germination
3-10 days at 68-90°F (optimal 80-85°F)
Harvest season
Summer to Early Fall
Mature height
6-12 inches (bush), 6-8 feet (vining)
Support
Trellis
Life cycle
Annual

Sow seeds 1 inch deep directly into warm soil or start indoors 3-4 weeks before transplant.

Watering. Consistent moisture is critical, especially during flowering and fruiting. Avoid overhead watering to prevent fungal issues.

Neighbours

The companion chart →

Grows well beside

Keep apart from

Feeding

Seedlings
Begin with a balanced liquid fertilizer (half strength) once true leaves appear.
Growing
Apply a balanced fertilizer, shifting to slightly higher nitrogen during vigorous vegetative growth.
Flowering and fruiting
Shift to a fertilizer balanced or slightly higher in potassium to support fruit development.
How often
Every 2-4 weeks during active growth and fruiting.
Note
Monitor plant vigor; over-fertilization, especially with nitrogen, can reduce fruit set and increase vine growth.

Your cucumber, planned to the day.

Canopy turns these timings into dates from your own frost data, places every plant at its spacing on your garden map, and tracks it all the way to harvest.

Add cucumber to your planting calendar →

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