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Vegetable Full Sun Frequent water

Cucumber

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Fast-growing vine that produces abundantly in warm weather. A warmth-loving plant that does best between 20°C and 30°C, cucumber adapts well to tropical and subtropical conditions but cannot tolerate frost. Give it full sun (6-8 hours of direct light daily) and frequent watering — it is a thirsty plant that dislikes dry soil, and expect to harvest in roughly 50-70 days. A staple of kitchen gardens and allotments, it rewards even first-time growers with a generous harvest.

Harvest 50-70 days
Temp Range 15°C — 35°C

Quick Answer: How to Grow Cucumber

Cucumber takes 50-70 days to harvest. It grows best in 20–30°C with full sun and frequent watering. Cucumber is not frost tolerant — wait until after the last frost to plant. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Cucumber in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun
💧
Water
Frequent
❄️
Frost
Sensitive
📅
Harvest
50-70 days

Temperature Range

20-30°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 20–30°C Tolerates: 15–35°C
Tropical suitable: Yes
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Provide trellis for climbing varieties. Pick frequently to encourage production. Wait until soil warms to at least 20°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Consistent moisture is critical. Mulch with straw or compost to retain soil moisture and keep roots cool during hot weather.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: 15°C to 35°C
  • Optimal growing: 20°C to 30°C
  • Harvest in 50-70 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Cucumber loves the heat! It thrives in tropical and subtropical climates year-round.
  • 🌱 Cucumber needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Cucumbers need fertile, well-draining soil at pH 6.0–7.0, rich in organic matter. Incorporate a generous 8cm layer of compost and a balanced fertiliser (10-10-10) at 200g per square metre before planting. Transplant seedlings 45–60cm apart for bush types, 30–45cm apart for trellised vining types. Plant at soil level — do not bury deeper than the nursery pot. Soil temperature must be at least 18°C; cucumbers transplanted into cool soil sulk and may never recover fully. Water frequently and consistently — at least 2.5cm per week, preferably more in hot weather, always at the base to prevent fungal disease. Drought stress causes bitter fruit, so mulch heavily. Feed with a balanced fertiliser at transplant; once vines are running, switch to a potassium-rich feed every two weeks. Provide a sturdy trellis at least 1.8m tall for vining varieties — trellising improves air circulation, reduces disease pressure, and makes harvesting far easier. Train vines by loosely tying with soft twine.

Common Pests & Problems

Powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) is almost inevitable by midsummer — white chalky coating on leaves reduces photosynthesis. Improve air circulation, apply diluted milk spray (40% milk, 60% water) weekly as a preventive, and plant resistant varieties. Cucumber beetle (Diabrotica spp.) is a small, yellow-striped or spotted beetle that defoliates young plants and transmits bacterial wilt — use row covers until flowering, then remove for pollination access. Bacterial wilt (Erwinia tracheiphila) causes overnight wilting that doesn't recover with watering; test by cutting a stem and touching the cut ends — bacterial wilt produces fine threads. Remove infected plants immediately; there is no cure. Control cucumber beetles to prevent spread.

Harvest & Storage

Slicing cucumbers are best at 15–20cm long, while pickling types are harvested at 5–10cm. The skin should be firm and deep green — yellow tinge means the fruit is overripe and seeds will be tough. Twist upward and snap off, or use scissors. Never leave overripe fruit on the vine — it signals the plant to stop producing entirely. Store unwashed at 10–13°C wrapped in a tea towel — standard fridge temperatures (4°C) cause chilling injury within 3 days. At correct temperature, cucumbers last 7–10 days.

Popular Varieties

Marketmore 76 is the reliable, disease-resistant slicing standard with dark green, bitter-free skin and excellent flavour. Lemon cucumber is a round, pale-yellow variety with thin, sweet skin and mild flavour — very productive and popular with children. Burpless Bush Pickle is a compact bush type perfect for containers, producing abundant, crisp pickling cucumbers. Telegraph Improved is a long (30–35cm), thin-skinned English greenhouse variety with nearly seedless flesh and a delicate flavour.

Companion Plants for Cucumber

Good Companions

These plants grow well alongside Cucumber:

Avoid Planting Near

Keep these plants away from Cucumber:

Learn more about companion planting.

Where to Grow Cucumber

Cucumber can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK medium
Amsterdam, NL medium
Ankara, TR medium
Antalya, TR medium
Athens, GR medium
Barcelona, ES medium
Bari, IT medium
Belgrade, RS medium
Bergen, NO medium
Berlin, DE medium
Bilbao, ES medium
Bologna, IT medium
Bordeaux, FR medium
Bratislava, SK medium
Brussels, BE medium
Bucharest, RO medium
Budapest, HU medium
Catania, IT medium
Cologne, DE medium
Copenhagen, DK medium
Corfu, GR medium
Cork, IE medium
Dublin, IE medium
Dubrovnik, HR medium
Edinburgh, GB medium
Florence, IT medium
Frankfurt, DE medium
Gdansk, PL medium
Genoa, IT medium
Glasgow, GB medium
Gothenburg, SE medium
Hamburg, DE medium
Helsinki, FI medium
Heraklion, GR medium
Istanbul, TR medium
Izmir, TR medium
Krakow, PL medium
Kyiv, UA medium
Limassol, CY medium
Lisbon, PT medium
Ljubljana, SI medium
London, GB medium
Lyon, FR medium
Madrid, ES medium
Malaga, ES medium
Marseille, FR medium
Milan, IT medium
Munich, DE medium
Naples, IT medium
Nice, FR medium
Nicosia, CY medium
Oslo, NO medium
Palermo, IT medium
Paris, FR medium
Porto, PT medium
Poznan, PL medium
Prague, CZ medium
Reykjavik, IS medium
Riga, LV medium
Rome, IT medium
Seville, ES medium
Sofia, BG medium
Split, HR medium
Stockholm, SE medium
Strasbourg, FR medium
Stuttgart, DE medium
Tallinn, EE medium
Thessaloniki, GR medium
Tirana, AL medium
Toulouse, FR medium
Turin, IT medium
Turku, FI medium
Valencia, ES medium
Valletta, MT medium
Verona, IT medium
Vienna, AT medium
Vilnius, LT medium
Warsaw, PL medium
Zagreb, HR medium
Zurich, CH medium

🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN medium
Almaty, KZ medium
Bali, ID medium
Bandung, ID medium
Bangalore, IN medium
Bangkok, TH medium
Beijing, CN medium
Busan, KR medium
Cebu, PH medium
Chandigarh, IN medium
Chengdu, CN medium
Chennai, IN medium
Chiang Mai, TH medium
Chittagong, BD medium
Chongqing, CN medium
Coimbatore, IN medium
Colombo, LK medium
Da Nang, VN medium
Dalian, CN medium
Davao, PH medium
Delhi, IN medium
Dhaka, BD medium
Dharan, NP medium
Fukuoka, JP medium
Galle, LK medium
Guangzhou, CN medium
Hangzhou, CN medium
Hanoi, VN medium
Harbin, CN medium
Ho Chi Minh City, VN medium
Hong Kong, HK medium
Hyderabad, IN medium
Incheon, KR medium
Indore, IN medium
Islamabad, PK medium
Jaipur, IN medium
Jakarta, ID medium
Jeju, KR medium
Johor Bahru, MY medium
Karachi, PK medium
Kathmandu, NP medium
Kochi, IN medium
Kolkata, IN medium
Kuala Lumpur, MY medium
Kunming, CN medium
Kyoto, JP medium
Lahore, PK medium
Lucknow, IN medium
Manila, PH medium
Mumbai, IN medium
Nagoya, JP medium
Nanjing, CN medium
Nha Trang, VN medium
Okinawa, JP medium
Osaka, JP medium
Pattaya, TH medium
Penang, MY medium
Phnom Penh, KH medium
Pune, IN medium
Sapporo, JP medium
Seoul, KR medium
Shanghai, CN medium
Shenzhen, CN medium
Siem Reap, KH medium
Singapore, SG medium
Surabaya, ID medium
Surat, IN medium
Taipei, TW medium
Tashkent, UZ medium
Tbilisi, GE medium
Tokyo, JP medium
Ulaanbaatar, MN medium
Varanasi, IN medium
Vientiane, LA medium
Visakhapatnam, IN medium
Wuhan, CN medium
Xi'an, CN medium
Xiamen, CN medium
Yangon, MM medium

🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US medium
Anchorage, US medium
Atlanta, US medium
Austin, US medium
Baltimore, US medium
Baton Rouge, US medium
Boise, US medium
Boston, US medium
Bridgetown, BB medium
Buffalo, US medium
Calgary, CA medium
Cancun, MX medium
Charleston, US medium
Charlotte, US medium
Chattanooga, US medium
Chicago, US medium
Denver, US medium
Des Moines, US medium
Detroit, US medium
Edmonton, CA medium
El Paso, US medium
Fargo, US medium
Fresno, US medium
Guadalajara, MX medium
Halifax, CA medium
Hartford, US medium
Havana, CU medium
Honolulu, US medium
Houston, US medium
Jacksonville, US medium
Kansas City, US medium
Kingston, JM medium
Knoxville, US medium
Las Vegas, US medium
Little Rock, US medium
Los Angeles, US medium
Louisville, US medium
Lubbock, US medium
Madison, US medium
Memphis, US medium
Mexico City, MX medium
Miami, US medium
Milwaukee, US medium
Minneapolis, US medium
Monterrey, MX medium
Montreal, CA medium
Nashville, US medium
New Orleans, US medium
New York, US medium
Oaxaca, MX medium
Oklahoma City, US medium
Omaha, US medium
Ottawa, CA medium
Panama City, PA medium
Phoenix, US medium
Pittsburgh, US medium
Portland, US medium
Puebla, MX medium
Quebec City, CA medium
Raleigh, US medium
Richmond, US medium
Sacramento, US medium
Salt Lake City, US medium
San Diego, US medium
San Francisco, US medium
San Jose, CR medium
Santo Domingo, DO medium
Saskatoon, CA medium
Savannah, US medium
Seattle, US medium
Spokane, US medium
St. Louis, US medium
Tampa, US medium
Toronto, CA medium
Tucson, US medium
Vancouver, CA medium
Victoria, CA medium
Winnipeg, CA medium

🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI medium
Accra, GH medium
Addis Ababa, ET medium
Algiers, DZ medium
Antananarivo, MG medium
Arusha, TZ medium
Bamako, ML medium
Bloemfontein, ZA medium
Cairo, EG medium
Cape Town, ZA medium
Casablanca, MA medium
Dakar, SN medium
Dar es Salaam, TZ medium
Douala, CM medium
Durban, ZA medium
Entebbe, UG medium
Fez, MA medium
Freetown, SL medium
Harare, ZW medium
Johannesburg, ZA medium
Kampala, UG medium
Kigali, RW medium
Kinshasa, CD medium
Lagos, NG medium
Libreville, GA medium
Lilongwe, MW medium
Lome, TG medium
Luanda, AO medium
Lusaka, ZM medium
Maputo, MZ medium
Marrakech, MA medium
Mombasa, KE medium
Nairobi, KE medium
Ouagadougou, BF medium
Port Louis, MU medium
Pretoria, ZA medium
Tunis, TN medium
Windhoek, NA medium
Zanzibar, TZ medium

🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE medium
Asuncion, PY medium
Barranquilla, CO medium
Belem, BR medium
Bogota, CO medium
Brasilia, BR medium
Buenos Aires, AR medium
Cali, CO medium
Campinas, BR medium
Caracas, VE medium
Cartagena, CO medium
Concepcion, CL medium
Cordoba, AR medium
Curitiba, BR medium
Cusco, PE medium
Fortaleza, BR medium
Georgetown, GY medium
Goiania, BR medium
Guayaquil, EC medium
La Paz, BO medium
Lima, PE medium
Manaus, BR medium
Medellin, CO medium
Mendoza, AR medium
Montevideo, UY medium
Paramaribo, SR medium
Port of Spain, TT medium
Porto Alegre, BR medium
Quito, EC medium
Recife, BR medium
Rio de Janeiro, BR medium
Rosario, AR medium
Salvador, BR medium
Santa Cruz, BO medium
Santiago, CL medium
Sao Paulo, BR medium
Sucre, BO medium
Trujillo, PE medium
Valparaiso, CL medium

🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU medium
Alice Springs, AU medium
Auckland, NZ medium
Brisbane, AU medium
Cairns, AU medium
Canberra, AU medium
Christchurch, NZ medium
Darwin, AU medium
Dunedin, NZ medium
Gold Coast, AU medium
Hamilton, NZ medium
Hobart, AU medium
Melbourne, AU medium
Noumea, NC medium
Perth, AU medium
Suva, FJ medium
Sydney, AU medium
Townsville, AU medium
Wellington, NZ medium

🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE medium
Amman, JO medium
Baghdad, IQ medium
Beirut, LB medium
Doha, QA medium
Dubai, AE medium
Erbil, IQ medium
Jeddah, SA medium
Kuwait City, KW medium
Manama, BH medium
Muscat, OM medium
Riyadh, SA medium
Sana'a, YE medium
Tabriz, IR medium
Tehran, IR medium
Tel Aviv, IL medium

When should I plant cucumber in my city?

The best time to plant cucumber depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 20°C and 30°C. Wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow cucumber in winter?

Cucumber is not frost tolerant and cannot survive winter outdoors in most temperate climates. In tropical areas (USDA Zones 10+), it may grow year-round.

Get Cucumber Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Cucumber seeds and starter plants online.

People Also Search For

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Similar Growing Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions about Cucumber

When should I plant cucumber?

The best time to plant cucumber depends on your local climate. Cucumber grows best in temperatures between 20°C and 30°C (can tolerate 15°C to 35°C). Cucumber is not frost tolerant, so wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can cucumber grow in tropical climates?

Yes! Cucumber can grow in tropical climates. It's successfully grown in tropical cities like Abidjan, Abu Dhabi, Accra. Cucumber requires full sun and frequent watering.

How long does cucumber take to grow?

Cucumber typically takes 50-70 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun and frequent watering. Provide trellis for climbing varieties. Pick frequently to encourage production. Wait until soil warms to at least 20°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Consistent moisture is critical. Mulch with straw or compost to retain soil moisture and keep roots cool during hot weather.

Find the Best Time to Plant Cucumber

See the planting calendar for Cucumber in these popular cities:

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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