Cucumber
Warmth is everything: sown into cold compost or planted out too early, cucumbers stall and rot.
Care
Full sun and warmth; greenhouse types need heat, outdoor ridge types a sheltered sunny bed.
High — water little and often and keep the compost evenly moist; irregular watering gives bitter, misshapen fruit.
Rich, moisture-retentive soil or compost with plenty of organic matter.
On greenhouse cucumbers, train the main stem up a support and pinch out side shoots two leaves after a female flower; remove male flowers from older varieties, as pollinated fruit is bitter. All-female modern varieties need none of this.
A high-potash tomato feed every one to two weeks once the first fruits form.
From seed sown on edge in small pots with warmth; they hate cold and root disturbance.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- AprilSow in individual pots with warmth (20°C or more). how ›
- JunePlant outdoor types out once nights are warm; keep greenhouse types under glass. how ›
- JulyWater regularly and damp down the greenhouse on hot days. how ›
- AugustFeed weekly and pick fruit young to keep more coming. how ›
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- AprilSow in individual pots with warmth (20°C or more). how ›
- MayPlant outdoor types out once nights are warm; keep greenhouse types under glass. how ›
- JulyWater regularly and damp down the greenhouse on hot days. how ›
- AugustFeed weekly and pick fruit young to keep more coming. how ›
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
- MarchSow in individual pots with warmth (20°C or more). how ›
- MayPlant outdoor types out once nights are warm; keep greenhouse types under glass. how ›
- JulyWater regularly and damp down the greenhouse on hot days. how ›
- AugustFeed weekly and pick fruit young to keep more coming. how ›
Months based on climate: Central Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
- MarchSow in individual pots with warmth (20°C or more). how ›
- AprilPlant outdoor types out once nights are warm; keep greenhouse types under glass. how ›
- JulyWater regularly and damp down the greenhouse on hot days. how ›
- AugustFeed weekly and pick fruit young to keep more coming. how ›
Months based on climate: Southern Italy and islands. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. White coating on leaves from midsummer.
What to do. Keep roots moist, ventilate and grow resistant varieties.
How to spot it. Speckled leaves under glass.
What to do. Damp down and raise humidity.
How to spot it. Bitter taste.
What to do. Irregular watering or pollinated fruit on old varieties.
Questions
Cucumber: is it hardy?
H1b: Tender, needs above 10°C. It survives above 10 °C.
Can it grow in a pot?
Yes — in large pots or grow bags with a support.
Cucumber: when do you prune it?
On greenhouse cucumbers, train the main stem up a support and pinch out side shoots two leaves after a female flower; remove male flowers from older varieties, as pollinated fruit is bitter.
Cucumber: when does it flower?
In the climate of UK it flowers in June–August.
When do you feed it?
A high-potash tomato feed every one to two weeks once the first fruits form. Feeding months, UK: June–September.