Ilas

Family: Cucurbitaceae Vegetable

Planting Schedule

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Cool, crisp, and vividly refreshing—Ilas Beit Alpha Cucumber delivers a clean snap with a bright, subtly sweet flavor that lingers on the palate.

At maturity, the fruit forms an elegant, medium-long shape with a tender skin and a juicy, well-balanced bite that shines in fresh salads and quick pickling. Grow Ilas for dependable, garden-to-table crunch—ideal when you want cucumbers that stay crisp and flavorful from harvest to jar.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 55 DaysHabit: Vine

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Ilas 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	May 18th	Jun 1st	Jul 26th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	May 11th	May 25th	Jul 19th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	May 1st	May 15th	Jul 9th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	May 1st	May 15th	Jul 9th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	May 5th	May 19th	Jul 13th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	May 1st	May 15th	Jul 9th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 29th	May 13th	Jul 7th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Apr 24th	May 8th	Jul 2nd – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Apr 20th	May 4th	Jun 28th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Apr 17th	May 1st	Jun 25th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Apr 11th	Apr 25th	Jun 19th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Apr 6th	Apr 20th	Jun 14th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Mar 27th	Apr 10th	Jun 4th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Mar 18th	Apr 1st	May 26th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Mar 9th	Mar 23rd	May 17th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Feb 20th	Mar 6th	Apr 30th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Jan 26th	Feb 9th	Apr 5th – 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	55
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)	12

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Ilas is a Beit Alpha-type cucumber built for that immediate, clean crunch—tender skin, juicy bite, and flavor that doesn’t get lost when temperatures rise. Slice it thin for salads or turn it straight into quick pickles; it stays snappy instead of collapsing into watery mush.

Best Uses

cold cucumber salad—thin slices that hold crunch under vinaigrette
quick pickles where the texture stays snappy
briny cucumber garnish for sandwiches and wraps
lightly dressed crudités with yogurt or sour cream

Flavor Profile

clean, watery refresh with a crisp snap bright acidity when pickled subtly sweet cucumber flesh tender, not-too-thick skin bite

Kitchen Pairings

lemon garlic black pepper white vinegar feta cheese Greek yogurt

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease is most likely to hit Cucumis sativus (cucumber), and how do I manage it at home?

Cucumber beetles and powdery mildew are common issues for Cucumis sativus. Use yellow sticky traps plus row cover after sowing to reduce beetle feeding, then remove the cover once flowering begins; for powdery mildew, water at the base (not the leaves) and spray a labeled potassium bicarbonate or sulfur product as soon as white patches appear and repeat per label instructions.

How often should I water Cucumis sativus during the main growing phase to prevent problems?

During active fruiting (roughly mid-season through harvest), keep soil consistently evenly moist—typically about 1–2 inches of water per week, adjusted for heat and mulch. Water deeply 1–2 times per week rather than daily sprinkles, and avoid wetting foliage because cucumber roots need moisture stability while the leaves stay dry to reduce mildew.

How can I tell when my Cucumis sativus is ready to harvest?

Harvest when fruits reach the mature size for your plants (often within about 55 days from sowing) and before they become oversized or seedy. Look for firm cucumbers with a fresh, bright green color, and check daily once plants start producing—overgrown fruits slow new flowering and can turn bitter.