When to Plant Cucumber in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide

Sow now in Cool Temperate Soil 18.6°C, best 18–35°C

Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Melbourne), not a live sensor.

What this month normally looks like in Cool Temperate

In October the Cool Temperate zone normally runs 19°C by day and 8°C overnight, with about 67 mm of rain over 9 or 10 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -3.0°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 28 postcodes, SILO.

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  1. Planting calendar
  2. How to grow
  3. Local tips and varieties
  4. Pests and problems
  5. Harvesting
  6. Storing and preserving
  7. Other zones and related crops
  8. Common questions

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This Cucumber guide is written for the Cool Temperate zone, which takes in Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Planting window
Oct to Jan
Days to harvest
55 days
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Water
Regular
Spacing
50 cm apart
Soil pH
6.0–7.0
Shop price
$6.35/kg

Cucumbers are warm-season cucurbits that produce prolifically in Australian summers. Three main types are grown: Lebanese (short, smooth, seedless), Continental (long, thin-skinned) and pickling/gherkin varieties.

Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

Cucumber

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Planting Calendar for Cool Temperate

  • Jan T
  • Feb -
  • Mar -
  • Apr -
  • May -
  • Jun -
  • Jul -
  • Aug -
  • Sep -
  • Oct S
  • Nov S/T/D
  • Dec S/T/D

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

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How to Grow Cucumber in Cool Temperate Australia

Soil
Rich, well-drained soil with generous compost and well-rotted manure. Cucumbers are heavy feeders and need fertile, moisture-retentive soil.
Salt
Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
pH Range
6.0-7.0
Sunlight
Full sun (minimum 6 hours). In hot climates (tropics, arid), light afternoon shade reduces heat stress.
Spacing
50cm apart, 120cm between rows
Watering
Heavy water demands. Deep, consistent watering at base is critical. Irregular watering causes bitter, misshapen fruit. Drip irrigation ideal. Water in morning to allow foliage to dry (reduces mildew).
Good companions
Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Lettuce, Sweet Corn, Radish
Keep away from
Galangal, Guava, Potato, Rockmelon (same family rotation issues), Sage
Grow before it
Leafy greens and brassicas (Lettuce, Silverbeet, Broccoli)
Grow after it
Roots and alliums (Carrot, Beetroot, Onion)

Give the bed 3 turns before cucurbits go back in. Pumpkin, cucumber and zucchini want a bed with fresh compost dug through.

Members see the exact salt threshold, how much harvest it loses as salt rises, and what to grow instead. See what members get

Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Cucumber

Recommended Varieties

  • Lebanese
  • Burpless (short-season)
  • Marketmore (reliable cool-climate variety)

Key Challenges

  • Short warm season
  • Cool nights reducing fruit set
  • Seedlings sensitive to cold

Pro Tips

  • Greenhouse or polytunnel dramatically improves cucumber growing in Melbourne-type climates
  • Black plastic mulch warms soil significantly
  • Choose short-season varieties

Pests and problems for Cucumber in Cool Temperate

Members see each pest score and pest risk alerts for your area. See what members get

Organic prevention (Powdery Mildew): Good air circulation (trellis growing helps). Avoid overcrowding. Choose resistant varieties (Socrates, Diva). Succession planting means younger, healthier plants replace mildewed ones.

Browse the full pest library →

Harvesting Cucumber

When ready: Lebanese: 12-15cm, firm, dark green. Continental: 30-40cm, firm. Gherkins: 5-8cm for pickling. All types: harvest BEFORE seeds inside become large and hard. Overripe cucumbers are seedy, bitter and watery.

How to harvest: Cut with scissors or secateurs leaving short stem. Do not pull (damages vine). Harvest early morning when fruit is cool and firm.

Storing and preserving cucumber

How to keep it
  • Lacto-Fermented Pickles. Pack whole small cucumbers into jar with dill, garlic, grape/oak leaf (provides tannin for crunch). Dissolve 30g salt per litre water. Pour brine over cucumbers ensuring complete submersion. Weight down. Ferment at room temperature 3-7 days. Refrigerate to slow fermentation. Keeps: 3-6 months refrigerated.
  • Freezing (for cooking only). Peel and deseed large cucumbers. Puree and freeze in ice cube trays. Use in smoothies, cold soups or tzatziki. Note: frozen cucumber loses all crunch and is unsuitable for salads. Keeps: 6 months.
  • Pickling (Gherkins / Dill Pickles). Use pickling varieties or small Lebanese cucumbers. Pack tightly into sterilised jars with dill, garlic, peppercorns, mustard seed. Bring 1L vinegar, 1L water, 60g salt to boil. Pour over cucumbers leaving 1cm headspace. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Wait 4-6 weeks before eating for best flavour. Keeps: 12 months sealed in cool dark place.
  • Relish. Dice cucumbers, onion and capsicum. Sprinkle with salt, stand 2 hours, drain. Combine with 500ml vinegar, 200g sugar, 2 tsp mustard seed, 1 tsp celery seed, 1/2 tsp turmeric. Simmer 20 minutes. Jar hot. Keeps: 12 months.

What cucumber costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

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What members get

  • Soil and weather from your nearest station
  • An email when it's time to sow
  • Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
  • Price history and price alerts
  • Pest risk alerts for your area
  • Full salt and canning detail

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Common Questions About Cucumber

When do you plant cucumber in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Can you grow cucumber all year round in Melbourne?

No. In the Cool Temperate zone the planting months are Jan, Oct to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

When should I plant Cucumber in Melbourne?

Frost tender. Start seed under cover in October and plant out or sow direct from November once the soil is warm.

What soil temperature do Cucumber need?

Cucumber germinate best when soil temperature is between 18°C and 35°C.

How do I know when Cucumber are ready to harvest?

Lebanese: 12-15cm, firm, dark green. Continental: 30-40cm, firm. Gherkins: 5-8cm for pickling. All types: harvest BEFORE seeds inside become large and hard. Overripe cucumbers are seedy, bitter and watery.

What are the best Cucumber varieties for Melbourne?

Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Lebanese, Burpless (short-season), Marketmore (reliable cool-climate variety).

What grows well with Cucumber?

Good companion plants for Cucumber include: Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Lettuce, Sweet Corn, Radish.

Are cucumber salt tolerant?

Only a little. Cucumber are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.