Cucumbers are an easy warm-season vine, grown as slicers or picklers and planted in Florida in spring and again in late summer or fall. Outdoors they need bees to set fruit. In the warmest months powdery and downy mildew are the main troubles, so resistant varieties are worth seeking.1, 2
seed (UF/IFAS does not recommend transplanting; roots are easily damaged)
Seed depth (inches)
½ to ¾
Spacing in the row (inches)
6 to 12
Between rows (inches)
48 (SP 103); Gardening Solutions says rows 2 feet apart on beds 36 to 40 inches wide
Days to harvest
40 to 65
SP 103 planting dates: north Mar to Apr and Aug to Sept, central Jan to Mar and Sept, south Sept to Feb. Gardening Solutions gives north Feb to Apr and Aug to Sept. Keep the bed moist for at least a week after sowing.
5.8 to 6.3 (SP 103's general target for vegetable gardens on sandy soil; no change is needed anywhere from 5.5 to 7.0). No crop-specific figure was found.
Water
Needs frequent watering because the big thin leaves dry out fast, yet it is sensitive to flooding; use raised beds and well-drained soil in low spots.
Fertilizer
A balanced slow-release fertilizer as needed, guided by a soil test. Too much nitrogen gives leafy growth and fewer flowers and fruit.
Grows best between 80°F and 85°F and is very sensitive below 31°F; outdoor plants need freeze protection from late November through February. In south Florida, plant on gravelly soil at least six inches deep over bedrock. Trellising saves space and may raise yields. Many hybrids are gynoecious (mostly female flowers).
The FAO manual calls cucumbers ideal for media beds because of their large roots; they can also grow on rafts, but roots may clog NFT pipes. They need a lot of nitrogen and potassium, so match plant numbers to fish stock. Best at 24 to 27 °C by day; growth stops at 10 to 13 °C. Transplant at 2 to 3 weeks (4 to 5 leaves), support the vines and make sure pollinators can reach them; harvest can start 2 to 3 weeks after transplanting and continue 10 to 15 times. pH 5.5 to 6.5. SRAC 454 notes fruiting crops such as cucumbers suit batch rather than staggered cropping and bring more pest problems than leafy crops.
What this lesson doesn't cover yet
No crop-specific soil pH figure was found.
SP 103 and Gardening Solutions disagree on north Florida spring planting (Mar to Apr vs Feb to Apr) and on row spacing (48 inches vs 2 feet).
Your county extension office and its Florida Master Gardeners can fill these in for your garden.