Cucumber

Family: Cucurbitaceae Vining vegetable

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Cucumber to a garden.

Crisp as cool glass, Cucumber delivers a refreshing snap with a clean, gently sweet flavor that stays bright from garden to jar.

Its firm, straight fruits develop a classic pickling-and-slicing character—tender enough for quick pickles, yet sturdy with a satisfying crunch for fresh plates and hearty relishes. Grow it for dependable results in about 50 days, and enjoy the kind of harvest that feels as invigorating as it tastes.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 50 DaysHabit: Vine

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Cucumber Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Direct Sow	Jun 15th	Aug 4th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Direct Sow	Jun 8th	Jul 28th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Direct Sow	May 29th	Jul 18th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Direct Sow	May 29th	Jul 18th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Direct Sow	Jun 2nd	Jul 22nd – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Direct Sow	May 29th	Jul 18th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Direct Sow	May 27th	Jul 16th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Direct Sow	May 22nd	Jul 11th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Direct Sow	May 18th	Jul 7th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jul 4th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Direct Sow	May 9th	Jun 28th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Direct Sow	May 4th	Jun 23rd – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Direct Sow	Apr 24th	Jun 13th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Direct Sow	Apr 15th	Jun 4th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Direct Sow	Apr 6th	May 26th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Direct Sow	Mar 20th	May 9th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Direct Sow	Feb 23rd	Apr 14th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	50
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Vine
Support Needed	Trellis
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	65
Min Night Temp (°F)	55
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

This cucumber is all about temperature and texture: icy-cold slices and fast cures keep the glassy crunch instead of going soft. Its gentle sweetness and clean finish make it a natural match for sharp acid and dairy, so it behaves beautifully in quick pickles and cooling yogurt sauces.

Best Uses

quick refrigerator pickles that hold a crisp snap
cold cucumber salad with an aggressive squeeze of salt to draw moisture
slicing for raw plates—stacked, salted, and dressed fast so it stays snappy
chopped cucumber relishes and tzatziki-style sauces where the crunch matters

Flavor Profile

cool, watery crunch clean, gently sweet taste subtle cucumber tang with a fresh grassy finish tough-snap skin for quick pickling

Kitchen Pairings

lemon garlic black pepper yogurt salted butter feta

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most common cucumber disease/pest issue, and how can I stop it?

Powdery mildew is very common on Cucumis sativus, showing up as a gray-white powdery coating on leaves. At the first spots, remove heavily infected leaves, improve airflow by spacing plants, and avoid wetting foliage during watering. If it persists, use an approved fungicide labeled for cucumbers and reapply according to the label interval.

How often should I water cucumber plants during peak growth, and what soil moisture level do they need?

During the main growing/fruiting phase, keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged—aim for about 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) of water per week depending on heat and rainfall. Water deeply 1–2 times per week, then adjust so the top few inches of soil don’t dry out completely. Mulch helps prevent the day-to-day swings that cause bitterness and blossom-end problems.

How do I know when Cucumis sativus is ready to harvest?

Harvest cucumbers when they reach their typical size for your type and feel firm—usually about 50 days from sowing/transplanting, with fruits forming earlier as plants mature. Look for glossy, well-developed skin and cut them off with a knife or pruners, leaving a short stem. Pick every 1–2 days during peak production to keep new cucumbers coming and prevent oversize, seedy fruit.