How to grow Cucumber in New Zealand
Cucumbers are a quick, productive summer crop, and training them up a trellis or fence saves space, keeps the fruit straight and clean, and helps keep powdery mildew down. They are frost tender and need warm soil and steady water, as dry spells make the fruit bitter. Most need bees to carry pollen between male and female flowers.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Cucumber in New Zealand
At a glance
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| Northland | October to January | |
| Auckland | October to January | |
| Waikato & Bay of Plenty | October to January | |
| Central North Island | November and December | |
| Wellington & Lower North Island | November to January | |
| Nelson & Marlborough | November to January | |
| Canterbury | November and December | |
| Otago & Southland | December | |
| Central Otago | December |
Where to plant
Grow cucumbers in full sun in warm, rich, well-drained soil, sheltered from strong wind. Put up a trellis, fence or tripod for them to climb. In cooler regions a glasshouse or tunnel house gives the best crops, and long telegraph types are especially suited to growing under cover.
- Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty: sow or plant from October to January, once the soil has warmed.
- Wellington and Nelson and Marlborough: sow from November to January.
- Central North Island and Canterbury: sow in November or December.
- Otago and Southland and Central Otago: sow in December, or raise seedlings under cover and plant out after the frosts, ideally into a tunnel house.
Choosing a variety
- Lebanese: one of the most popular cucumbers in New Zealand home gardens, bred for outdoor growing, with smooth, thin-skinned, crisp fruit.
- Telegraph types such as Tasty Queen: long, slender, thin-skinned fruit, excellent in a glasshouse.
- Crystal Apple: round, apple-sized, sweet and crisp, easy and heavy cropping, and sets fruit even in dry conditions.
- Burpless types: thin skinned and low in the compound that causes 'cucumber burps'.
How to plant
- Sow seed about 1.2 cm deep in pots in a warm spot from late winter, or directly into warm soil once frosts are over. Bottom heat helps germination.
- For direct sowing, sow 4 or 5 seeds into mounds of moist soil 40 cm apart and later thin to the two strongest.
- Plant seedlings 30 to 45 cm apart at the base of a trellis, without disturbing the roots.
- Tie young stems to the support; the tendrils will then cling on their own.
- Mulch with pea or lucerne straw to hold moisture.
Watering and feeding
Keep the soil moist at all times, as drying out makes cucumbers bitter. Water at the base in the morning, not over the leaves, to reduce mildew.
Feed every week or two with a liquid fertiliser for fruiting vegetables once flowering starts.
Pruning and care through the year
- Pick fruit regularly to keep the vines producing.
- If flowers fall without setting fruit, it is usually cold weather or a lack of bees. Hand pollinate by touching a male flower (no tiny fruit at its base) onto the centre of a female flower.
- Grow flowers such as marigolds, borage and nasturtiums nearby to draw in bees.
- Remove leaves badly affected by powdery mildew to improve airflow.
Harvesting
Pick cucumbers young, when they are firm and full of colour, about 50 to 70 days after transplanting, and before seeds harden or skins yellow. Cut rather than pull them from the vine.
Cucumbers keep up to a week in the fridge. They do not freeze well, but pickle well.
Growing in pots
Use a pot or trough at least 40 cm wide and deep in full sun, out of strong wind, with a trellis behind it or a tripod in the middle. Keep the mix constantly moist and feed regularly.
Using it
Slice cucumbers into salads and sandwiches, make tzatziki, or pickle small fruit. Lebanese and apple cucumbers are eaten skin and all.
Companion planting
Cucumbers grow well with tall summer crops and flowers that draw in bees.
Good companions
- Beans Beans add nitrogen and share the trellis or bed.
- Corn Corn gives some shelter and cucumbers cover the ground between rows.
- Nasturtium Draws aphids away and brings in pollinators.
- Sunflower Its flowers attract bees, which cucumbers need.
- Marigold Brings beneficial insects to the bed.
- Radish A quick crop sown around young cucumbers before they spread.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to cucumber.
Pests and diseases
Powdery mildew is the most common problem with cucumbers in New Zealand, especially late in summer.
Pests to watch for
- Aphids Clusters of insects under leaves, with curled leaves and sticky honeydew.
- Whitefly Small white insects that fly up when disturbed, with yellow, mottled leaves.
- Spider mite Fine stippling and webbing on leaves in hot, dry weather, especially under cover.
- Slugs Seedlings and young fruit chewed.
Diseases to watch for
- Powdery mildew White, powdery patches on the leaves, spreading in late summer. Trellis for airflow and water at the base.
- Downy mildew Angular yellow patches on the upper leaf with grey-purple fuzz underneath in humid weather.
- Mosaic virus Mottled yellow and green, crinkled leaves and stunted plants. Remove affected plants and control aphids, which spread it.
Common questions
Why are my cucumbers bitter?
Usually because the plant dried out or was stressed by heat. Keep the soil constantly moist and mulch well.
Why are the flowers on my cucumber falling off?
Male flowers naturally fall. If female flowers (with a tiny cucumber at the base) drop without setting, it is usually cold weather or too few bees. Hand pollinate with a male flower.
When do I plant cucumbers in New Zealand?
Once the soil is warm and frosts are over: from October in the warm north, November in Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury and the central North Island, and December in Otago, Southland and Central Otago.
How do I stop powdery mildew on cucumbers?
Grow them up a trellis for airflow, water at the base in the morning, and remove badly affected leaves. Mildew is common late in summer.
Can I grow cucumbers in a pot?
Yes, in a pot at least 40 cm wide and deep with a trellis or tripod for support. Keep them well watered.
Should I grow cucumbers on a trellis?
Yes. It saves space, gives straighter, cleaner fruit and improves airflow, which helps prevent mildew.
Sources we checked: Yates NZ: How to grow cucumber; Yates NZ: Common problems of cucumber; Kings Seeds: Cucumber Lebanese; Kings Seeds: Cucumber Crystal Apple; Kings Seeds: Cucumber Tasty Queen F1.