EN
Open Studio
GridGarden Studio
Choose your climateBased on winter hardiness only.

Vegetable · Cucurbitaceae family

Cucumber

Cucumis sativus

Full sun 7⅞ in–1 ft 5¾ in × 2 ft 11⅜ in–7 ft 10½ in Harvest July–September Moderate care

In short a 10-second read

SunFull sun
Size7⅞ in–1 ft 5¾ in
spacing 15¾ in
Water1.1 gal
per plant a week
SowingMay–June
HarvestJuly–September
Care levelModerate care

Where to plant and how much to water

Sun, soil and water.

It grows best in full sun, in average to moist soil.

Sun

Sun6 hours or more
Part shade3–6 hours
Shadeunder 3 h

Soil

acidic to neutral soil
acidicneutralalkaline
average to moisthumus-richloamy

Watering

Cucumber — Watering
1.1 galper plant a week
keep the soil evenly moistmore when fruitingless when it rains

How much space it takes

Mature size.

The mature plant next to a person (69 in).

19¾ in3 ft 3⅜ in4 ft 11 in7⅞ in–1 ft 5¾ inspread 2 ft 11⅜ in–7 ft 10½ in
7⅞ in–1 ft 5¾ in× spread 2 ft 11⅜ in–7 ft 10½ in

Plant 15¾ in apart.

How to plant: next to a support, 11¾ in apart

The final size depends on the cultivar and the spot — we give the range from smallest to largest.

Calendar

Through the year.

Typical for a temperate climate (four seasons). The line shows the current month.

The year at a glance

Sowing: JanuarySowing: FebruarySowing: MarchSowing: AprilSowing: MaySowing: JuneSowing: JulySowing: AugustSowing: SeptemberSowing: OctoberSowing: NovemberSowing: DecemberFeeding: JanuaryFeeding: FebruaryFeeding: MarchFeeding: AprilFeeding: MayFeeding: JuneFeeding: JulyFeeding: AugustFeeding: SeptemberFeeding: OctoberFeeding: NovemberFeeding: DecemberCare: JanuaryCare: FebruaryCare: MarchCare: AprilCare: MayCare: JuneCare: JulyCare: AugustCare: SeptemberCare: OctoberCare: NovemberCare: DecemberHarvest: JanuaryHarvest: FebruaryHarvest: MarchHarvest: AprilHarvest: MayHarvest: JuneHarvest: JulyHarvest: AugustHarvest: SeptemberHarvest: OctoberHarvest: NovemberHarvest: DecemberJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
SowingFeedingCareHarvest
Now, in October: nothing to do — the next job is in May.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Sowing

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

direct sowing: May–June

Feeding

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

May

Care

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

pinch out the tips (June–July)

Harvest

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

July–September

Feeding

Nutrition.

Cucumber — Feeding
Horn meal

up to 0.33 oz/sq ft · in 1 dose · May

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Pests and diseases

Common problems and what to do.

The most common problems in Central Europe. Protection is listed from the gentlest option.

High riskMedium riskLow riskRisk for this plant according to the source · no label = no documented level

What you will see

Yellow mosaic on leaves, distortion and stunted growth.

The source says: it is the most destructive disease of cucumbers and melons.

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Remove weeds (chickweed, groundsel): they are a source of the virus.
    • After handling suspect plants, wash your hands and tools with soap.
    • Grow resistant varieties.
  2. By hand as soon as it appearsDispose of suspect plants immediately. There is no chemical product against viruses.
Cucumber mosaic virusdiseaseHigh risk

What you will see

Yellow mosaic on leaves, distortion and stunted growth.

The source says: it is the most destructive disease of cucumbers and melons.

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Remove weeds (chickweed, groundsel): they are a source of the virus.
    • After handling suspect plants, wash your hands and tools with soap.
    • Grow resistant varieties.
  2. By hand as soon as it appearsDispose of suspect plants immediately. There is no chemical product against viruses.
More about this problem

What you will see

White powdery coating on leaves, stems and flowers.

The source says: cucurbits like this one are very susceptible to powdery mildew.

When to look

From spring, especially later in the season

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Water regularly and do not let plants suffer from drought; mulch (leave the area by the stem clear).
    • Improve airflow around plants.
    • Grow varieties with partial resistance, if available.
  2. By hand as soon as it appearsRemove affected leaves early; dispose of fallen affected leaves in fall.
Powdery mildewsdisease · from spring, especially later in the seasonHigh risk

What you will see

White powdery coating on leaves, stems and flowers.

The source says: cucurbits like this one are very susceptible to powdery mildew.

When to look

From spring, especially later in the season

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Water regularly and do not let plants suffer from drought; mulch (leave the area by the stem clear).
    • Improve airflow around plants.
    • Grow varieties with partial resistance, if available.
  2. By hand as soon as it appearsRemove affected leaves early; dispose of fallen affected leaves in fall.
More about this problem

What you will see

Speckled leaves and early leaf drop.

When to look

Outdoors in summer, especially in hot, dry weather; under glass March to October

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Plants in a hot, dry, overcrowded greenhouse suffer more: increase humidity and airflow.
    • In fall, remove heavily infested plants and clear away debris, canes and ties; disinfect the greenhouse thoroughly.
    • Weed around the greenhouse; weeds are hosts.
  2. Biological March to OctoberPredatory mites (from a biological control supplier) are the most common biological control against spider mites.
  3. Chemical — only when nothing else helps according to the product labelLast resort only: a product authorized in your country against mites. Try non-chemical methods first.
Two-spotted spider mitepest · outdoors in summer, especially in hot, dry weather; under glass March to October

What you will see

Speckled leaves and early leaf drop.

When to look

Outdoors in summer, especially in hot, dry weather; under glass March to October

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Plants in a hot, dry, overcrowded greenhouse suffer more: increase humidity and airflow.
    • In fall, remove heavily infested plants and clear away debris, canes and ties; disinfect the greenhouse thoroughly.
    • Weed around the greenhouse; weeds are hosts.
  2. Biological March to OctoberPredatory mites (from a biological control supplier) are the most common biological control against spider mites.
  3. Chemical — only when nothing else helps according to the product labelLast resort only: a product authorized in your country against mites. Try non-chemical methods first.
More about this problem
Glasshouse whitefly

Glasshouse whitefly

Trialeurodes vaporariorum
pest
More about this problem

What you will see

Sticky honeydew on leaves, black sooty mold and tiny white winged insects.

When to look

Outdoors mainly in warm summers, under glass throughout the growing season

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Inspect new plants and, if possible, quarantine them.
    • Get rid of unneeded plants from the greenhouse so the whitefly has fewer hosts.
  2. By hand throughout the growing seasonYellow sticky traps are for monitoring, not a major control measure.
  3. Biological early, before a heavy infestationParasitic wasps (from a biological control supplier) attack whitefly larvae; release them early, before plants are heavily infested. Parasitised larvae turn black.
Glasshouse whiteflypest · outdoors mainly in warm summers, under glass throughout the growing season

What you will see

Sticky honeydew on leaves, black sooty mold and tiny white winged insects.

When to look

Outdoors mainly in warm summers, under glass throughout the growing season

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Inspect new plants and, if possible, quarantine them.
    • Get rid of unneeded plants from the greenhouse so the whitefly has fewer hosts.
  2. By hand throughout the growing seasonYellow sticky traps are for monitoring, not a major control measure.
  3. Biological early, before a heavy infestationParasitic wasps (from a biological control supplier) attack whitefly larvae; release them early, before plants are heavily infested. Parasitised larvae turn black.
More about this problem

What you will see

Irregular holes in soft leaves and young shoots and slime trails; they feed at night.

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Plant sturdy potted plants, not delicate young seedlings.
    • Water in the morning, not the evening (evening watering helps them move around).
    • Encourage their natural enemies: birds, hedgehogs, toads, ground beetles.
  2. By hand evening, after rainPick them off by hand on damp evenings and take them far away. Traps: hollowed-out citrus halves placed cut side down, or sunken containers of beer; check in the morning.
  3. Biological when the soil is warm and moistSlug-specific nematodes (from a biological control supplier) are watered into the soil.
  4. Chemical — only when nothing else helps according to the product labelLast resort only: a product authorized in your country against slugs and snails. Try non-chemical methods first.
Slugs and snailspest

What you will see

Irregular holes in soft leaves and young shoots and slime trails; they feed at night.

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Plant sturdy potted plants, not delicate young seedlings.
    • Water in the morning, not the evening (evening watering helps them move around).
    • Encourage their natural enemies: birds, hedgehogs, toads, ground beetles.
  2. By hand evening, after rainPick them off by hand on damp evenings and take them far away. Traps: hollowed-out citrus halves placed cut side down, or sunken containers of beer; check in the morning.
  3. Biological when the soil is warm and moistSlug-specific nematodes (from a biological control supplier) are watered into the soil.
  4. Chemical — only when nothing else helps according to the product labelLast resort only: a product authorized in your country against slugs and snails. Try non-chemical methods first.
More about this problem
Sources (10)

Bed neighbors

Good and bad neighbors.

Each neighbor shows how we know it.

✓Good neighbors

✕Bad neighbors

Frequently asked

Quick answers.

When do I sow cucumber?

In May–June (direct sowing).

When is cucumber harvested?

In July–September.

Does cucumber tolerate shade?

No, it needs full sun.

How much space does cucumber need?

At maturity 2 ft 11⅜ in–7 ft 10½ in wide and 7⅞ in–1 ft 5¾ in tall; recommended spacing 15¾ in.

Cucumber mosaic virus — what can you do?

Remove weeds (chickweed, groundsel): they are a source of the virus. Dispose of suspect plants immediately. There is no chemical product against viruses.

Two-spotted spider mite — what can you do?

Plants in a hot, dry, overcrowded greenhouse suffer more: increase humidity and airflow. Predatory mites (from a biological control supplier) are the most common biological control against spider mites.

Sources (6) Checked 27 October 2026

Similar plants

Have a look at these too.

winter squash

Cucurbita maxima

11¾ in–1 ft 11⅝ in × 2 ft 11⅜ in–9 ft 10⅛ in
Moderate carevegetable

pumpkin

Cucurbita pepo

11¾ in–1 ft 11⅝ in × 3 ft 3⅜ in–6 ft 6¾ in
Moderate carevegetable

watermelon

Citrullus lanatus

3⅞ in–7⅞ in × 4 ft 11 in–9 ft 10⅛ in
Moderate carevegetable

onion

Allium cepa

11¾ in–1 ft 5¾ in × 5⅞ in–11¾ in
Moderate carevegetable
Design a bed with this plant in Studio