edenhana

Cucumber

A thirsty vine best grown on a trellis to keep fruit clean and save garden space; frost-tender so plant after the last frost.

Sun
full sun
Water
high
Spacing
40cm
Harvest
Ready in 55-70 days
Difficulty
intermediate
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
Expected yield
10-15 fruit per plant with trellising
Cost to grow
~$6 NZD
Grocery value
~$30 NZD
Companion plants
Beans, Celery, Onions, Strawberries, Sunflower
Plants to avoid nearby
Cauliflower, Potatoes, Basil, Strong-smelling herbs
Common diseases
Powdery mildew, Downy mildew
Common pests
Aphids, Whitefly

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: September-December. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: October-November. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast and Christchurch / Canterbury: November-December. In Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: December.

Growing stages

  1. Germination & sowing

    • Needs warm soil to germinate; direct sow or plant out only after the last frost
    • Keep seed-raising mix consistently moist, this is a thirsty crop from the start
    • Damping off risk in cold, wet soil

  2. Seedling & establishment

    • Set up a trellis early so vines have support as they grow
    • Aphids and whitefly can target young leaves
    • Water deeply and often, reflecting its high water needs

  3. Vegetative growth

    • Powdery mildew can appear on leaves in humid conditions, worse with inconsistent watering
    • Downy mildew can develop on the underside of leaves in damp weather
    • Keep training vines onto the trellis to keep fruit clean and off the ground

  4. Flowering & fruiting

    • Consistent watering is critical as fruit swells, given its high water needs
    • Aphids and whitefly often gather around flowers and new fruit
    • Powdery and downy mildew can spread quickly across foliage once fruiting starts

  5. Harvest55-70 days from sowing

    • Ready from about 55-70 days; pick often to keep production going (10-15 fruit per plant with trellising)
    • Fruit left too long turns bitter and swollen
    • Keep up watering through harvest, dry spells can stunt developing fruit

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