cucumber.

At a glance

Care level

Easy

Plant type

annual vegetable

Light

full sun

Indoor light

direct

Water

Every 1 to 3 days

Mature size

200 to 300 cm

Growth rate

fast

Hardiness

USDA 3 to 11

Bloom time

Mid to late summer

Care

Provide a sturdy trellis to keep vines off the ground and improve air circulation. Watch for powdery mildew on leaves and harvest fruits frequently to encourage more production. Keep the soil consistently moist to prevent bitter tasting cucumbers.

Watering

Water deeply and consistently to keep the soil evenly moist.

Feeding

Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer every two weeks once the plant begins to flower.

Pruning

Trim back excessive side shoots to focus energy on fruit production.

Repotting

Cucumbers are annuals and are not typically repotted.

Soil

well draining, nutrient rich

Soil pH

6.0 to 6.8

Temperature

15 to 35°C

Humidity

40 to 70%

Drought tolerance

low

Lifespan

Annual, typically 4 to 6 months.

Deer and rabbits

low

Safety

People

The plant is non toxic, though some people may experience mild digestive upset if they consume large quantities of raw cucumber skin.

Children

The prickly stems can scratch delicate skin, so supervise young children when they are harvesting.

Contact allergens

Some individuals may experience contact dermatitis from handling the prickly hairs on the stems and leaves.

Airborne allergens

There are no significant airborne allergens associated with this plant.

Edibility

Always wash store bought cucumbers to remove potential pesticide residues or wax coatings.

How to identify it

• large, rough, heart shaped leaves
• yellow, bell shaped flowers
• elongated, cylindrical green fruits
• vining stems with tendrils
• bumpy or smooth skin

Height

0.3 to 3m

Spread

0.3 to 1m

Leaves

green, deciduous

Flowers

yellow, 3 to 5cm

Fruit

green, yellow, summer to autumn

Common problems

• Powdery mildew — A white fungal growth appears on leaves, often caused by high humidity and poor air circulation.
• Cucumber beetle — These beetles feed on foliage and can transmit bacterial wilt.

Growing it

Propagation

seed

When to plant

spring, early summer

Overwintering

This is an annual plant that will die after the first frost, so remove the vines and compost them once the harvest is finished.

In containers

They grow well in containers, provided you use a pot at least 5 gallons in size with a trellis for support.

Planting flowers like marigolds nearby helps attract pollinators necessary for fruit set.

Grows well with

• Nasturtium — They act as a trap crop for aphids and beetles.
• Dill — Dill attracts beneficial predatory wasps that hunt cucumber pests.
• Radish — Radishes grow quickly and help deter cucumber beetles.

Keep away from

• Potato — They compete for nutrients and can share blight issues.

Similar species

• Zucchini — It is a related vining vegetable that requires similar growing conditions.

Science

Family

Cucurbitaceae

Genus

Cucumis

Order

Cucurbitales

Class

Magnoliopsida

Native range

South Asia, specifically the Himalayan region.

Conservation

This species is widely cultivated and not of conservation concern.

In the wild, these plants grow as trailing vines that use tendrils to climb over other vegetation to reach sunlight.

Value to wildlife

nectar source

Pollinators

bees

Uses

culinary vegetable, pickling, fresh salads

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Why are my cucumbers bitter?

Bitterness is usually caused by heat stress or inconsistent watering.

Do I need to prune them?

Pruning isn't strictly necessary, but removing side shoots can improve airflow.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Cucumis is the classical Latin term for the cucumber, while sativus means cultivated.

Good to know

• Cucumbers are roughly 95 percent water.
• They belong to the same family as pumpkins and melons.
• Ancient Romans grew cucumbers in greenhouses to have them year round.