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How to Grow Cucumber Plants: Easy Guide to Planting & Harvesting

cucumbers growing on the vine
Botanical Name
Cucumis sativus
Plant Type
Vegetables
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Flower Color
Yellow

Grow crisp, refreshing cucumbers with this easy guide

Catherine Boeckmann
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What’s green, crunchy, and the star of every summer salad? That’s right—cucumbers! Whether you’re dreaming of garden-fresh slices or homemade pickles, growing cucumbers is surprisingly simple and seriously rewarding. From trellis-loving vines to patio-perfect bush varieties, there’s a cucumber plant for every space. Let’s dig into the cool world of cukes!

About Cucumber Plants

There are two types of cucumber plants: vining cucumbers and bush cucumbers. 

  • Vining cucumbers, the most common varieties, grow on vigorous vines shaded by large leaves. The growth of these plants is fast, and the crop yield is abundant if you care for them properly. Vining varieties grow best when trained up a trellis or fence. Since they grow off the ground, the fruits will be cleaner—versus those that grow directly atop soil—often more abundant and easier to pick.
  • Bush cucumbers, however, are nicely suited to containers and small gardens.

There are different cucumber varieties for growing outdoors and for growing in a greenhouse. Outdoor cucumbers can tolerate cooler climates and often have rough or spiny skins. Greenhouse cucumbers produce smoother fruits but need extra warmth and protection for success. Some varieties will happily grow indoors or outdoors.

Buy Seeds Now

If you’re interested in making pickles, we recommend several prolific varieties below that are bred especially for pickling, such as heirloom ‘Boston Pickling’ or ‘Calypso.’ For crispy pickles, be sure to prepare them within a few hours of harvesting!

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Planting

Select a site that gets full sun (at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day). Cucumbers like warmth and lots of light!

Cucumbers require fertile soil. Before planting, add about 2 inches of organic matter (aged manure and/or compost) and a complete fertilizer to the area. The soil should be moist but well-draining (not soggy) and have a pH of around 6.5 to 7.0.
 

When to Plant Cucumbers

  • For an early crop, sow cucumber seeds indoors for about three weeks before transplanting them outside. Provide bottom heat of about 70ºF (21ºC) with a heating pad or place the seed flats on top of a refrigerator or water heater. Sow two seeds an inch deep in each pot, then water well. Once the seedlings emerge, remove the weakest to leave one per pot.
  • Outdoors, sow or transplant when soil is about  70ºF (21ºC), and no earlier than 2 weeks after the last frost date. Cucumbers are extremely susceptible to frost and cold damage. (In cooler climates, warm the soil by covering it with black plastic before planting.)
  • Make successive plantings (every 2 weeks) for continued harvests through the season. In warm soil, cucumbers will grow quickly and ripen in about 6 weeks.

Spacing for Cucumbers

How to Plant Cucumbers

  • Sow 4 to 6 seeds directly in the garden about 1 inch deep, 12 to 18 inches apart, in rows 4 feet apart.
  • Cucumbers can also be planted in mounds (or “hills”) that are spaced 1 to 2 feet apart, with 2 to 3 seeds planted in each mound. Once plants reach 4 inches in height, thin them to one plant per mound.
  • After planting, mulch around the area with straw, chopped leaves, or another organic mulch to keep pests at bay, and bush types should be kept off the ground to avoid disease.
  • A trellis is a good idea if you want the vine to climb or if you have limited space. Trellising also protects the fruit from damage from lying on the moist ground. See how to build a trellis and support for vining vegetables.
  • If you’ve had pests, cover freshly planted cucumber seeds with row covers, netting, or a berry basket; this will keep them from digging out the seeds.

You can also grow cucumbers in containers!

Growing

  • When seedlings emerge, begin watering frequently. Cucumbers need at least one inch of water per week (or more if temperatures are particularly high). Inconsistent watering leads to bitter-tasting fruit.
  • When you water, irrigate deeply.  Avoid getting the leaves wet, as that may encourage leaf diseases that can ruin the plant. If possible, water your cucumbers with a soaker hose or drip irrigation to keep the foliage dry.
  • Mulch around plants to retain soil moisture and reduce weeding; however, do not apply mulches until soils have warmed to 75°F.  Harvest cucumbers when fruits are young and tender.
  • Cover young plants with row covers or berry baskets if pests appear. Continually check for pests or disease.
  • When seedlings reach 4 inches tall, thin the plants to two plants per location
  • After the vines develop runners, side dress with additional nitrogen fertilizer.
"Cucumbers on the vine"
Photo by barmalini/Getty Images

Making a Cucumber Frame

A cucumber frame is a great way to support outdoor cucumbers. Stretch chicken wire or netting over a wooden frame and secure it into place with staples or U-shaped nails. Lean the frame against an A-frame made of sturdy bamboo canes.

Salad leaves such as lettuce can then be grown in the shade of the frame – a clever solution for growing cool-season crops in hotter areas.

Also, see our video on how how to build a trellis and support for cucumbers.

Types

  • ‘Boston Pickling’ (vine) is our favorite heirloom variety bred especially for pickling.
  • ‘Burpless Bush Hybrid’ (bush) is good for small gardens, pots, or pickling.
  • ‘Bush Crop’ (bush) is a dwarf variety with a high yield. Great for eating fresh.
  • ‘Calypso’ (vine) is disease-resistant and has a high yield. Perfect for pickling.
  • ‘Lemon’ (vine) produces round, yellow, super-sweet fruits. Fun for kids!
  • ‘Parisian Pickling’ (vine) produces long, thin cucumbers perfect for making gherkins or cornichons.
  • ‘Sweet Success’ (vine) is good for greenhouses, as it requires no pollinators. Produces seedless fruit.

Harvesting

  • Cucumbers should be harvested when they are young and tender! They are picked when immature—before their seeds harden and they become bitter.  Do not let them get yellow. A cucumber is of the highest quality when it is uniformly green, firm, and crisp.
    • Harvest regular slicing cucumbers when they are about 6 to 8 inches long (slicing varieties).
    • Harvest dills at 4 to 6 inches long and pickling cucumbers at 2 inches long.
    • The large burpless cucumbers can be up to 10 inches long, and some types are even larger.
    • Gherkin varieties are picked very small – an inch long for crunchy cornichons or three inches long for larger pickles.
  • At peak harvesting time, you should be picking cucumbers every couple of days. They’ll grow quickly!
  • Use a knife or clippers to cut the fruit off the plant. Pulling it may damage the vine.
  • Keep on picking! If you don’t, as plants mature, they will stop producing.
  • Any cucumbers left on the vine too long will also get tough skins and lower plant productivity.

How to Store Cucumbers

  • Cucumbers are over 90 percent water. Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap to retain moisture.
  • They keep for 7 to 10 days when stored properly in the refrigerator.
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Pests/Diseases

Cucumber Pests and Diseases
Pest/DiseaseTypeSymptomsControl/Prevention
AnthracnoseFungusYellow/brown/purple/black spots on leaves; sunken, dark spots on stems and fruit; spots may develop a salmon-pink, gelatinous mass; eventually, rotDestroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties; provide good drainage; avoid overhead watering; apply compost; use mulch; rotate crops
AphidsInsectMisshapen/yellow leaves; distorted flowers/fruit; sticky “honeydew” (excrement); sooty, black moldGrow companion plants; knock off with water spray; apply insecticidal soap; put banana or orange peels around plants; wipe leaves with a 1 to 2 percent solution of dish soap (no additives) and water every 2 to 3 days for 2 weeks; add native plants to invite beneficial insects
Blossom-end rotDisorderDark, water-soaked spots on blossom end of fruit (opposite stem) may enlarge and become sunken and leatheryCaused by lack of calcium in fruit, often due to roots failing to obtain sufficient water and/or nutrients. Remove affected fruit; plant at proper soil temperature; water deeply and evenly; use mulch; maintain proper soil pH (around 6.5) and nutrient levels; avoid excessive nitrogen; provide good drainage; prevent root damage
Cucumber beetlesInsectHoles in leaves/flowers; rasped fruit; plants stunted/die (Bacterial wilt signs: wilting; plants die; ends of cut stems, when pressed together for 10 seconds and pulled apart, release stringy, white sap)Handpick; mulch heavily; use row covers; destroy plants infected with bacterial wilt
Cucumber mosaic virusVirusVaries with plant, but may include stunting, mottled green/yellow/white pattern or ringed spots on leaves/fruit; distorted leaf growth; warts on fruitDestroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties and certified virus-free seed; use row covers; disinfect tools; weed; control aphids; use mulch
Downy mildewFungusYellow, angular spots on upper leaf surfaces that turn brown; white/purple/gray cottony growth on leaf undersides only; distorted leaves; defoliationRemove plant debris; choose resistant varieties; ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering
Powdery mildewFungusTypically, white spots on upper leaf surfaces expand to flour-like coating over entire leaves; foliage may yellow/die; distortion/stunting of leaves/flowersDestroy infected leaves or plants; choose resistant varieties; plant in full sun, if possible; ensure good air circulation; spray plants with 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 quart water; destroy crop residue
Squash bugsInsectMany small, yellow/brown/black spots on leaves; wilt; scarred fruitHandpick; crush yellow/bronze egg clusters on leaf undersides; lay boards on soil and check for pests underneath each morning; remove plant debris; use row covers; rotate crops
WhitefliesInsectSticky “honeydew” (excrement); sooty, black mold; yellow/ silver areas on leaves; wilted/stunted plants; distortion; adults fly if disturbed; some species transmit virusesremove infested leaves/plants; use handheld vacuum to remove pests; spray water on leaf undersides in morning/evening to knock off pests; monitor adults with yellow sticky traps; spray with insecticidal soap; invite beneficial insects and hummingbirds with native plants; weed; use reflective mulch

Little or No Fruit:

  • If your cucumber plants do not set fruit, it’s not usually caused by a disease. There is probably a pollination issue. The first flowers are usually all male. Both female and male flowers must be blooming at the same time for fruit to set. This may not happen early in the plant’s life, so be patient. (Female flowers are the ones with a small cucumber-shaped swelling at the base that will become the fruit; male flowers do not have this swelling at the base.)
  • Lack of fruit may also be due to poor pollination by bees, especially due to rain or cold temperatures, or insecticides. Do rest assured, you could always hand pollinate. (Dip a Q-tip into the male pollen and transfer it to the center of the female flower.)
  • Remember, gynoecious hybrid varieties (those that produce primarily female flowers) require companion cucumber plants with male flowers in order to produce fruit.

Wit and Wisdom

  • Plant cucumbers while you are wearing your pajamas, on the first day of May, before sunrise, and no bugs will eat them.
  • “Burpless” cucumbers have little to no cucurbitacin, which causes bitterness and increases the likelihood of burping by those who consume it.
  • If you’re pickling, consider growing dill, a favorite pickling herb! Plant every few weeks into midsummer to ensure a constant supply. See our Growing Guide for Dill.
  • Don’t forget that cucumbers aren’t just for eating. When puréed in the blender, cucumbers make a great summer facial for toning the skin and reducing puffiness.
  • With special molds, you can grow cucumbers in different shapes, like hearts and stars!
  • A favorite vegetable for more than 3,000 years, the cucumber originated in northern India and was cultivated in China before spreading to Europe and points beyond.
  • The name for the cucumber evolved from Europeans. To Romans, it was known as cucumerem; the French call(ed) it concombre; the English, who at first saw its value only as animal feed, referred to it as “cowcumber.”

Recipes

Chilled Cucumber Soup
Sweet Refrigerator Pickles
Cucumber-Mint Salad Dressing
Castilian-Style Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Cooking Notes

Vegetables
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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Comments

Ela (not verified)

8 years 1 month ago

I wonder why English cucumbers seem to grow nice and even all around for up to 4" but then...
The start to curl into weird shapes and become very thick at the ends while still attached to stem.
Any idea as to why?
In grocery stores they look straight and almost perfect.
I never had problem with growing good crops, just the shapes.
Thanks to anyone who can help :-)
P.S. I also live in Canada and my friend with a very green thumb, has similar "problem".

Hi, Ela: Thanks for this fantastic question! One thing that may be happening concerns the fact that English cucumbers are self-fruiting, not in the sense that they pollinate themselves (as self-fruiting often means), but that they don’t need pollination. For this reason, they produce only female flowers. If a bee or the wind or whatever comes along and pollinates that flower, then the resulting fruit will usually be misshapen in some way. So if your cukes are not only not straight, but also bulging or curving, etc., then you may have to take steps to prevent the flowers from being pollinated. However, if your cukes continue to be of uniform diameter as they curve, then the solution may be somewhat more straightforward: gravity. Just grow them from a trellis so that they hang down, and gravity will hopefully keep pulling them down on the straight and narrow—or at least more than they appear to be now. Thanks again, and good luck!

Thank you very much for a speedy answer and tips.
I didn't know about self-fruiting.
Now, that you explained the cause of misshapen cucumbers, I think the "external powers" have a lot to do with that since I tried growing them on trellis, netting, on the ground...You name it, I tried it :-)
I really like your website and all the neat and useful information.

Jackson (not verified)

8 years 2 months ago

I started growing cucumbers on March 8 in western Canada, they're sprouts now but I haven't seen much growth beyond that. When should I look into supports, how often should I water them, how should I water them, and will they be fine being grown indoors in a pot moved outdoors as weather permits?

Hi, Jackson: Be sure to read all of the cuke info above about care and watering. They can be moved outdoors OK, but well after the possibility for frost has passed; to find your last frost date, go here: http://www.almanac.com/content/frost-chart-canada. Sometimes the reason for slow cuke growth is simply that they are not warm enough. Cukes need both sun and warmth, but there is a difference between the two. Try using a (low) heating pad underneath, or just put them higher up in the room (heat rises) if possible. Thanks for asking, and good luck!

charlton tsuro (not verified)

8 years 8 months ago

thank you for educating but please may you mention the deasese and its suitable

Rosemary (not verified)

8 years 8 months ago

I live in Southern California. I'm growing cucumbers. They've been doing good. My question is, what is the ending of the season?

You can find out the recommended times to plant and harvest in your area, based on local climate, by going to this page and putting in your zip code.

http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/

For San Diego, for example, sowing cucumber seeds outdoors can be done in October, for a harvest in mid-November through December. Seeds can be sown indoors the month of January, as well as sown outdoors the first half of February, for a harvest from mid-April through mid-May.

Eric (not verified)

8 years 9 months ago

Aren't cucumbers a fruit, not a vegetable?

Botanically speaking, cucumbers are a fruit, developing from the flower and containing seeds. But as far as seed catalogs and salads, they are treated as a vegetable, in part because they have a more savory than sweet taste.