Home › Vegetables › Cucumbers
When to plant cucumbers
Plant cucumbers 1–3 weeks after the last spring frost. Wait until the soil is at least 65°F. That works out to zone 5b (mid May to late May), zone 7a (late April to early May) and zone 9a (early March to late March).
Cucumbers planting dates by zone
| Zone | Plant outdoors | cucumbers ready from |
|---|---|---|
| 4a | May 22 – Jun 5 | Jul 18 |
| 4b | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 16 |
| 5a | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 14 |
| 5b | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 8 |
| 6a | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 3 |
| 6b | May 1 – May 15 | Jun 27 |
| 7a | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jun 18 |
| 7b | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Jun 9 |
| 8a | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 30 |
| 8b | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 19 |
| 9a | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | May 5 |
| 9b | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Apr 9 |
How to plant cucumbers
| Plant as | seeds outdoors |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 65°F or warmer |
| Depth | 1 in |
| Spacing | 12 in (36–60 in rows) |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to harvest | 50–70 days |
Sow a second batch 3–4 weeks after the first for a steady supply.
Trellising saves space and keeps fruit straight and clean.
Cucumbers are very cold-sensitive; a late frost kills seedlings outright.
When to harvest cucumbers
Pick slicers at 6–8 inches and picklers at 2–4 inches; check every day or two because overgrown fruit turn bitter and slow the plant down.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.
More vegetables to plant
Tomatoes · Bell peppers · Potatoes · Pumpkins · Okra · Zucchini · Watermelon · Green beans