Cucumber
Cucumis sativus
Also known asCuke · Garden cucumber
Environment
The bounded range this crop tolerates. Strict on light; outside the DLI band, yields drop sharply.
Climate and zones
- USDA zones
- 10–13 (winter low around -1°C)
- Frost
- frost sensitive (dies at first frost)
- Season
- warm (summer, frost-sensitive)
Growing systems
Root mass: heavy. Thin-channel systems can't hold this crop.
Growing media
| Medium | pH effect | Retention | Bacterial surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expanded clay pebbles (LECA) | neutral / inert | low | high |
| Coco coir (Coconut coir) | slightly acidic | high | moderate |
| Perlite (Expanded volcanic glass) | neutral / inert | very low | low |
| Rockwool (Mineral wool) | alkaline until pre-soaked | very high | low |
| Soil-based mix (Potting soil) | varies | high | high |
Nutrient demand by stage
NPK ratios are relative weights. EC targets shift through the plant's life.
| Stage | N | P | K | EC (mS/cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| seedling | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| vegetative | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| flowering | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2.3 |
| fruiting | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2.6 |
Companion-growing notes
- Heavy uptake of potassium, nitrogen. Co-grown crops with the same demand will end up deficient even at "correct" EC.
- Very high transpiration. Reservoir drops fast; expect daily top-ups and EC creep.
Aquaponics suitability
Compatible
Fish waste provides enough nitrogen for healthy growth. Supplemental potassium, calcium, and iron may still be needed depending on fish stocking density.
Care notes
One of the most productive hydroponic crops per square meter. Dutch bucket, rockwool slab, or perlite bag systems are standard for commercial production. EC 2.0-3.0 mS/cm. pH 5.5-6.5. Temperature: 22–28°C daytime, 18–20°C night (cucumbers are heat-loving; below 15°C growth stalls). Very high light (DLI 20-30 mol/m2/day). Use parthenocarpic (seedless) varieties for indoor growing: 'Tyria', 'Picowell', 'Katrina', 'Marketmore 76' (slicing). Train the vine vertically on string, removing all lateral shoots below the first meter of growth, then allowing laterals above that to produce 1-2 fruits each before pinching. A well-managed cucumber plant produces 20-40 fruits over a 3-4 month season. Harvest frequently (every 1-2 days) to keep the plant producing new fruit. Cucumber plants are heavy water consumers and sensitive to salt buildup; flush the root zone regularly. Powdery mildew is the most common disease; resistant varieties and good airflow are the primary defenses. Spider mites thrive in the warm, dry conditions cucumbers prefer; monitor undersides of leaves. For home hydroponic growers, one or two cucumber plants produce more than a household can eat.
Notable varieties
| Cultivar | Type | Origin | Days | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketmore 76 | open pollinated | Cornell | 58 | 230 g | Cornell-bred slicing cucumber, 1976 release. Dark green 20cm fruit, disease-resistant package (CMV, DM, PM, S). The reliable US-market slicer in most climates. Open-pollinated, seed saves true. |
| Diva | hybrid | 58 | 200 g | Parthenocarpic F1 (sets fruit without pollination) so suits greenhouses, hoop houses, and any season too cool for active bee activity. Smooth thin skin, no bitterness, eat unpeeled. All-female (gynoecious) flowering. | |
| Suyo Long | heirloom | 60 | 350 g | Chinese trellising heirloom producing 40-50cm ribbed fruit. Mild, no bitterness, thin skin. Must be trellised vertically or fruit curls and twists. Tolerates hot humid summers better than American slicing types. | |
| Boston Pickling | heirloom | 55 | 80 g | Pre-1880 pickling heirloom. 8-15cm bumpy fruit specifically for jar pickling at the smaller end of that range. Productive on standard bush habit; supports without trellising. | |
| Lemon Cucumber | heirloom | 70 | 100 g | Pre-1894 heirloom. Round pale-yellow fruit the size of a tennis ball. Mild flavor distinct from green cucumbers, never bitter. Sprawling vine habit, productive once it starts. Eat at golf-ball to baseball size. |