When to plant Cucumber
A warm-season vining crop that's thirsty and fast once it's going. Trellising saves space and gives straighter fruit. Pick often and young — leaving an overripe cucumber on the vine signals the plant to stop producing.
Companions: Beans, corn, radish, dill — avoid potatoes
How to grow Cucumber
Cucumber is usually started indoors and transplanted out, giving this tender crop the head start it needs. Give it full sun and space plants about 12 inches apart. It takes roughly 60 days from planting to its first harvest, so count that against your frost dates to be sure it can finish. Classic companions include beans, corn, radish, dill — avoid potatoes.
Grower's tip: Dislikes root disturbance — direct-sow if you can, or use peat pots for transplants.
When to plant Cucumber by USDA zone
Timing shifts with your climate — the same cucumber goes in weeks earlier in a mild zone than a cold one. Find your zone below for its planting window, or open that zone's full calendar.
| Zone | When to plant |
|---|---|
| Zone 1a | Start seeds indoors May 25–Jun 1 Transplant outdoors Jun 22–Jun 29 Direct sow outdoors Jun 22–Jul 6 |
| Zone 1b | Start seeds indoors May 20–May 27 Transplant outdoors Jun 17–Jun 24 Direct sow outdoors Jun 17–Jul 1 |
| Zone 2a | Start seeds indoors May 15–May 22 Transplant outdoors Jun 12–Jun 19 Direct sow outdoors Jun 12–Jun 26 |
| Zone 2b | Start seeds indoors May 9–May 16 Transplant outdoors Jun 6–Jun 13 Direct sow outdoors Jun 6–Jun 20 |
| Zone 3a | Start seeds indoors May 4–May 11 Transplant outdoors Jun 1–Jun 8 Direct sow outdoors Jun 1–Jun 15 |
| Zone 3b | Start seeds indoors Apr 29–May 6 Transplant outdoors May 27–Jun 3 Direct sow outdoors May 27–Jun 10 |
| Zone 4a | Start seeds indoors Apr 24–May 1 Transplant outdoors May 22–May 29 Direct sow outdoors May 22–Jun 5 |
| Zone 4b | Start seeds indoors Apr 19–Apr 26 Transplant outdoors May 17–May 24 Direct sow outdoors May 17–May 31 |
| Zone 5a | Start seeds indoors Apr 14–Apr 21 Transplant outdoors May 12–May 19 Direct sow outdoors May 12–May 26 |
| Zone 5b | Start seeds indoors Apr 9–Apr 16 Transplant outdoors May 7–May 14 Direct sow outdoors May 7–May 21 |
| Zone 6a | Start seeds indoors Mar 31–Apr 7 Transplant outdoors Apr 28–May 5 Direct sow outdoors Apr 28–May 12 |
| Zone 6b | Start seeds indoors Mar 25–Apr 1 Transplant outdoors Apr 22–Apr 29 Direct sow outdoors Apr 22–May 6 |
| Zone 7a | Start seeds indoors Mar 17–Mar 24 Transplant outdoors Apr 14–Apr 21 Direct sow outdoors Apr 14–Apr 28 |
| Zone 7b | Start seeds indoors Mar 11–Mar 18 Transplant outdoors Apr 8–Apr 15 Direct sow outdoors Apr 8–Apr 22 |
| Zone 8a | Start seeds indoors Mar 1–Mar 8 Transplant outdoors Mar 29–Apr 5 Direct sow outdoors Mar 29–Apr 12 |
| Zone 8b | Start seeds indoors Feb 22–Mar 1 Transplant outdoors Mar 22–Mar 29 Direct sow outdoors Mar 22–Apr 5 |
| Zone 9a | Start seeds indoors Feb 7–Feb 14 Transplant outdoors Mar 7–Mar 14 Direct sow outdoors Mar 7–Mar 21 |
| Zone 9b | Start seeds indoors Jan 25–Feb 1 Transplant outdoors Feb 22–Mar 1 Direct sow outdoors Feb 22–Mar 8 |
| Zone 10a | Start seeds indoors Jan 10–Jan 17 Transplant outdoors Feb 7–Feb 14 Direct sow outdoors Feb 7–Feb 21 |
| Zone 10b | Start seeds indoors Dec 25–Jan 1 Transplant outdoors Jan 22–Jan 29 Direct sow outdoors Jan 22–Feb 5 |
| Zone 11a | Start seeds indoors Dec 11–Dec 18 Transplant outdoors Jan 8–Jan 15 Direct sow outdoors Jan 8–Jan 22 |
| Zone 11b | Start seeds indoors Dec 11–Dec 18 Transplant outdoors Jan 8–Jan 15 Direct sow outdoors Jan 8–Jan 22 |
| Zone 12a | Start seeds indoors Dec 11–Dec 18 Transplant outdoors Jan 8–Jan 15 Direct sow outdoors Jan 8–Jan 22 |
| Zone 12b | Start seeds indoors Dec 11–Dec 18 Transplant outdoors Jan 8–Jan 15 Direct sow outdoors Jan 8–Jan 22 |
| Zone 13a | Start seeds indoors Dec 11–Dec 18 Transplant outdoors Jan 8–Jan 15 Direct sow outdoors Jan 8–Jan 22 |
| Zone 13b | Start seeds indoors Dec 11–Dec 18 Transplant outdoors Jan 8–Jan 15 Direct sow outdoors Jan 8–Jan 22 |