How to grow Cucumber in Australia
Cucumbers are fast, productive summer vines: sow into warm soil, give them sun, rich soil, steady water and a trellis, and you can be picking within about two months. Growing them up a support saves space, keeps fruit clean and cuts down mildew. Uneven watering is the main cause of bitter, misshapen fruit.
📖 Our full guide: When to Plant Cucumbers in Australia and Companion Planting
At a glance
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | August to March | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | September to March | Sow from September to March. Inland, wait out the last frost risk before sowing. |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | September to February | Sow from September to February. Start September sowings indoors, then direct sow from October once the soil warms to 18°C. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | October to December | Sow direct or transplant Oct to Dec once soil warm. Frost-sensitive; no winter sow. Shorter season than SEQ. |
| Adelaide & SA | September to January | Sow Sep undercover, Oct to Dec direct. A Jan sowing gives an autumn crop. Afternoon shade and steady water through heatwaves. |
| Perth & WA | August to October | Mediterranean: Aug to Oct sowing only. Cucumber fails in extreme Jan to Feb heat; needs moderate warmth, not extreme. |
| Tasmania | October to December | Sow Oct to Dec, or start indoors Sep to Oct. The season is short, so a greenhouse or warm wall makes a big difference. |
| Canberra & ACT | November and December | Sow direct Nov to Dec after the last frost in early November. Frost kills; harvest before the April frosts. |
| North Queensland | March to August | Dry season Mar to Aug. Wet season humidity wrecks cucurbits with mildew; a winter crop here, not a summer one. |
| Darwin & Top End | April to August | Dry season only Apr to Aug. Cucurbits collapse with fungal disease in wet season humidity. Darwin harvest peaks Sep. |
Where to plant
Grow cucumbers in full sun in rich, well-drained soil with plenty of compost and manure dug in. They are thirsty, frost-tender plants that need warm soil to germinate and grow, so wait until the soil reaches about 18°C. Growing them up a trellis, fence or wire frame keeps the fruit off the ground and lets air and sun in, which reduces fungal disease.
Rotate beds: do not grow cucumbers where pumpkins, melons, zucchini or other cucurbits grew in the last few years.
- Sydney: sow from September to February, starting September sowings indoors and direct sowing from October once the soil warms.
- Adelaide: sow under cover in September and direct from October to December; a January sowing gives an autumn crop. Give afternoon shade and steady water in heatwaves.
- Melbourne and Hobart: sow or plant from October to December once the soil is warm; in Hobart a greenhouse or warm wall helps.
- Canberra: sow direct in November and December after the last frost, and pick before the April frosts.
- Perth: sow from August to October, so plants crop before the extreme heat of January and February.
- South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers: sow from September to March.
- North Queensland and Darwin: a dry-season crop, sown from March or April to August. Wet-season humidity brings mildew and collapse.
Choosing a variety
- Lebanese cucumbers are small, thin skinned and prolific, picked at about 12 to 15 cm.
- Continental (telegraph) types are long and smooth, and many are bred to set fruit without pollination.
- Apple cucumbers are round, pale and mild.
- Small pickling types are picked young for gherkins.
- Look for powdery mildew resistant varieties in humid areas.
How to plant
- Put up a trellis or frame about 1.5 to 2 m tall before sowing.
- Sow two or three seeds about 2 cm deep at each spot, 40 to 50 cm apart along the support, once the soil is warm.
- Keep the soil moist but not soggy; seedlings appear in about a week.
- Thin to the strongest seedling and guide the young vines onto the trellis; they cling with tendrils.
Watering and feeding
Water deeply and regularly at the base of the plants, keeping water off the leaves. Never let the soil dry out once flowering starts: dry spells give bitter, dry or misshapen fruit, such as cucumbers that are fat at one end and thin at the other. Mulch thickly.
Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser as the vines grow, then one higher in potassium once flowering and fruiting begin.
Pruning and care through the year
- Cucumbers have separate male and female flowers on the same plant; female flowers have a tiny cucumber behind the petals. Bees carry the pollen. If bees are scarce, transfer pollen from a male flower to a female one with a small paintbrush.
- Tie in vines that wander off the trellis.
- Remove yellowing or mildewed leaves to keep air moving.
- Hand pick 28-spotted ladybirds and their spiky yellow larvae from under leaves.
Harvesting
Pick cucumbers young and firm, before the seeds harden and the skin yellows, at the size expected for the variety. Cut them off with a short stalk rather than pulling. Pick every day or two in summer; leaving old fruit on the vine slows the plant down.
Cucumbers keep about a week in the fridge.
Growing in pots
Compact and bush varieties grow well in a pot at least 30 cm wide and deep with a rich potting mix and a small trellis. Water every day in hot weather, as pots dry out quickly and dry plants give bitter fruit.
Companion planting
Cucumbers like the company of flowers that bring in bees for pollination, and of other summer crops that do not compete for the same space.
Good companions
- Nasturtium A sacrificial plant that draws aphids away from the vines.
- Marigold Flowers that bring in bees and hoverflies.
- Sunflower Draws bees to the bed and gives some afternoon shade in hot areas.
- Beans A summer crop that adds nitrogen to the soil.
- Corn A tall summer crop that likes the same warm, rich soil and steady water.
- Radish A quick crop to sow along the edge of the bed while the vines are small.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to cucumber.
Pests and diseases
Leaf-eating ladybirds, sap-suckers and mildews are the main problems. Trellising and watering at the base help most.
Pests to watch for
- 28-spotted ladybird Orange beetles with many black spots, and spiky yellow larvae, that skeletonise the leaves. Hand pick them.
- Aphids Colonies of small insects under leaves, which curl.
- Spider mite Fine yellow speckling and webbing under leaves in hot, dry weather.
- Whitefly Clouds of tiny white insects that fly up from under the leaves.
Diseases to watch for
- Powdery mildew White, powdery patches on leaves, especially late in the season. Grow on a trellis, water at the base, and choose resistant varieties.
- Downy mildew Angular yellow patches on the upper leaf with grey-purple fuzz underneath in humid weather.
- Mosaic virus Mottled, yellow-green, crinkled leaves and distorted fruit. Remove affected plants and control aphids, which spread it.
Common questions
Why are my cucumbers bitter?
Usually water stress. Cucumbers that dry out, especially in hot weather, often turn bitter. Water deeply and regularly, mulch well, and pick fruit young.
Why are my cucumber flowers falling off without fruit?
The first flowers are often all male, and they fall off naturally. Female flowers have a tiny cucumber behind them; if these drop, they were not pollinated. Hand pollinate with a small brush if bees are scarce.
Why are my cucumbers fat at one end?
Uneven watering or poor pollination. Keep the soil evenly moist and encourage bees by planting flowers nearby.
Should I grow cucumbers on a trellis?
Yes, for most varieties. A trellis saves space, keeps fruit straight and clean, and lets air and sun reach the leaves, which reduces mildew.
When should I plant cucumbers?
Into warm soil after frost, from spring into summer in the south. In the tropics, grow them in the dry season. Pick your region at the top of the page for the months.
What is the white powder on my cucumber leaves?
Powdery mildew, common late in the season and in humid weather. Grow plants on a trellis, water at the base, remove badly affected leaves and choose resistant varieties next time.
How often should I water cucumbers?
Often enough that the soil never dries out: every day or two in hot weather, especially in pots. Water at the base in the morning.
Sources we checked: Sustainable Gardening Australia: How to grow cucumbers; ABC Organic Gardener: Cucumber, a salad essential; ABC Everyday: How to grow, store and eat cucumbers; ABC Organic Gardener: How to control the 28 spotted leaf eating ladybird organically; RHS: How to grow cucumbers.