When to Plant Cucumber in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide

Sow August to February. Right now in September you can sow.

Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

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.

Cucumber

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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. Monoecious plants with separate male and female flowers on the same vine. Cross-pollinate readily with other cucumber varieties but NOT with melons, pumpkins or zucchini.

Planting Calendar for Cool Temperate

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

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

Want a nudge when it is Cucumber sowing time in Melbourne?

One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cool Temperate zone right now, Cucumber included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.

Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 13.1°C (optimal range: 18–35°C) ✗ Outside optimal range

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Melbourne), not a live sensor.

How to Grow Cucumber in Cool Temperate Australia

When to Plant

Sow indoors October, transplant late November-December. Short season. Greenhouse growing extends season significantly.

Soil
Rich, well-drained soil with generous compost and well-rotted manure. Cucumbers are heavy feeders and need fertile, moisture-retentive soil.
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).

Companion plants: Corn, Beans, Peas, Sunflower, Radish, Dill

Avoid planting near: Potato, Aromatic herbs (sage, mint), Melon (same family rotation issues)

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

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.

Common Cucumber Pests in Cool Temperate Zones

Powdery Mildew, risk: MODERATE (score: 48/100)

Organic prevention: Row covers over young plants until flowering starts. Crop rotation. Remove cucurbit crop debris promptly after harvest.

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

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

Also worth sowing in the cool temperate zone this September: Ginger, Sweet Corn, Chilli Peppers and Snow Peas.

The pest most likely to find your cucumber: Botrytis / Grey Mould.

Supermarket Price

Current average retail: $10.06/kg (12-month range: $4.79–$15.80)

Grow your own and save on grocery bills.

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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:

Does cucumber grow all year round in Melbourne?

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

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page 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.