Cucumber Seed
Cucumis sativus • Cucurbitaceae
🌱 Seed Category
Vegetable
🌍 Origin Region
South Asia, particularly the foothills of the Himalayas in India, cultivated worldwide in temperate and tropical regions.
📅 Days to Maturity
50 to 70 days from direct sowing to first harvest, slightly faster if transplanted. Harvest continuously to encourage higher yields throughout the season.
🌡️ Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3-11 as a warm-season annual. Intolerant of frost and freezing temperatures.
About This Seed
Seeds are flat, oblong-oval shaped, creamy beige to light yellowish-brown in color, with a smooth texture and tapered ends. The resulting plant is a sprawling or climbing annual vine with large lobed leaves, yellow monoecious flowers, and cylindrical edible fruits ranging from crisp slicing cucumbers to smaller pickling types.
Growing Information
Growing Season
Warm-season crop. Plant in Spring after all danger of frost has passed. Can be direct sown or started indoors 3-4 weeks before the last frost date.
Germination
Germinates in 3 to 10 days at optimal soil temperatures between 70°F and 90°F (21°C–32°C). High germination rate (85-95%). Requires warm soil and moderate moisture; no pre-treatment or scarification necessary.
Planting Instructions
Plant seeds 0.5 to 1 inch deep. Space seeds or seedlings about 12 inches apart in rows spaced 3 to 4 feet apart, or plant 4-6 seeds in mounds (hills) thinning to the best 3 plants. Prefers rich, well-draining loamy soil amended with compost, with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily). Needs consistent moisture, about 1 inch of water per week, increasing during fruit development. Low drought tolerance; uneven watering can cause bitter-tasting fruit.
Companion Plants
Good companions include dill, radishes, marigolds, nasturtiums, and beans. Avoid growing near potatoes, aromatic herbs like sage, or strongly competing heavy feeders without adequate spacing.
Special Characteristics
Fast-growing vine with high productivity. Attracts beneficial pollinators like bees. Some modern cultivars offer resistance to powdery mildew, cucumber mosaic virus, and downy mildew.