Garden Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

How much light does a Garden Cucumber need?

Full sun is the light garden cucumber prefers outdoors. That means 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day. As a warm season crop, it is listed with conditions of 80 to 85 °F (27 to 29 °C) and plenty of sunlight. Choose a site that gets at least six hours of direct sun before you sow.

• Light: Full sun¹

How often to water a Garden Cucumber

Medium to wet describes the water needs of garden cucumber. It has high water needs and requires consistent moisture for proper growth. Its soil is listed as both well drained and moist. No cited source gives a watering schedule in days. Consistent moisture is the condition the listed water needs call for.

• Water: Medium to wet¹

Best soil for a Garden Cucumber

Garden cucumber soil should be well drained and moist. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center lists well-drained sandy loam to clay loam for this crop. University of Minnesota Extension says the soil pH should be between 6.0 and 6.5, which is slightly acidic. A bed that is both well drained and moist matches the record for this plant. Its water needs are also listed as medium to wet.

• Soil drainage: Well drained and moist^1,2,3
• Soil pH: pH 6–6.5^4,2,2

Hardiness and temperature

Hardiness zones 2a to 11b are listed for garden cucumber. It is a warm season crop with required growing conditions of 80 to 85 °F (27 to 29 °C). Sowing outdoors calls for soil at least 70 °F (21 °C) at the one-inch depth. That soil temperature applies after the last frost date. The plant is recorded as an annual and as a rapid grower. Its growing conditions also include plenty of sunlight. No cited source records a minimum temperature or a humidity range, so those values are not documented here.

• Hardiness: Zones 2a–11b¹

How to plant a Garden Cucumber

Zones 2a to 11b are the hardiness zones listed for this plant. Plan for plants that reach 8 to 18 inches (20 to 46 cm) high and 3 to 8 feet (0.91 to 2.44 m) wide. Choose a spot with full sun, at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. Sow outdoors once the last frost has passed and the soil is at least 70 °F (21 °C). The plant grows at a rapid rate, and its maintenance is rated medium.

• Hardiness: Zones 2a–11b¹

Winter care

No cited source records a minimum temperature for garden cucumber. The hardiness listing runs from zone 2a to zone 11b. The plant is recorded as an annual. It is also a warm season crop. Its required growing conditions are 80 to 85 °F (27 to 29 °C). Outdoor sowing waits until the last spring frost has passed, with soil at 70 °F (21 °C) or warmer. Seed can be started indoors 2 to 3 weeks before that last frost.

• Hardiness: Zones 2a–11b¹

When to plant Garden Cucumber

Indoor sowing runs 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost. For direct sowing, plan on the last spring frost date itself, with soil at least 70 °F (21 °C). Measure that soil temperature at the one-inch depth. Plants then take 50 to 65 days from seed to reach maturity.

• Start indoors: 2–3 weeks before last spring frost²
• Direct sow: at last spring frost, soil at least 69.8 °F (21 °C)⁴

When and how to harvest Garden Cucumber

From seed, expect maturity in 50 to 65 days. Harvest before the flesh becomes bitter, seeds harden, or skin begins to yellow. Pickling types are typically picked between 2 and 6 inches (5 to 15 cm) long. Bitter flesh, hard seeds and yellowing skin are the three signs the harvest guidance names.

• Harvest: Harvest before the flesh becomes bitter, seeds harden, or skin begins to yellow; pickling types are typically picked between 2 and 6 inches long²
• Days to maturity: 50–65 days from seed⁵

How to propagate a Garden Cucumber

Seed is the recorded propagation method for garden cucumber. Sow seeds after the last frost date, once the soil is at least 70 °F (21 °C) at the one-inch depth. You can also start seed indoors 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost. Plants grown from seed reach maturity in 50 to 65 days.

• Propagation: Seed^6,1,2

Common problems

Recorded pests include aphids, cucumber beetles, spider mites, squash bugs, thrips and whiteflies. Diseases on record include powdery mildew, downy mildew, damping off, root rot and verticillium wilt. Nematodes, cutworms and wireworms also appear on the pest list. The disease list also includes angular leaf spot, cucurbit viruses, curly top and white mold.

• Common pests: aphids, armyworms, crickets, cucumber beetles, cutworms, darkling beetles, driedfruit and sap beetles, earwigs, flea beetles, grasshoppers, leafhoppers, loopers, nematodes, seedcorn maggot, snails and slugs, spider mites, squash bugs, stink bugs, thrips, vegetable leafminers, whiteflies and wireworms^7,2,7
• Common diseases: angular leaf spot, cucurbit viruses, curly top, damping off, downy mildew, powdery mildew, root rot, verticillium wilt and white mold^7,2

Questions and answers

Is garden cucumber toxic to cats or dogs?

The ASPCA lists garden cucumber as non-toxic to cats and non-toxic to dogs. The NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox gives the same position for both animals.

How much sun does garden cucumber need?

It prefers full sun, which means 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day. As a warm season crop, it also lists plenty of sunlight among its growing conditions.

When can I sow garden cucumber seed outdoors?

Sow outdoors after the last frost date, once the soil is at least 70 °F (21 °C) at the one-inch depth. Indoors, start seed 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost. The plant takes 50 to 65 days from seed to reach maturity.