When to Plant Cucumber in Perth, Mediterranean Guide

Sow August to January. Right now in October you can sow.

Planting window
Start in trays under cover in August, then sow direct from mid-September in Perth or October in Adelaide. Keep well watered through summer.
Days to harvest
55 days
Sunlight
Full sun (minimum 6 hours). In hot climates (tropics, arid), light afternoon shade reduces heat stress.
Water needs
Heavy water demands. Deep, consistent watering at base is critical. Irregular watering...
Spacing
50cm apart, 120cm between rows
Soil pH
6.0-7.0
Shop price
$6.44/kg average

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

This Cucumber guide is written for the Mediterranean zone, which takes in Perth, Adelaide and Bunbury. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs

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.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Planting Calendar for Mediterranean

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

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

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Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 15.6°C (optimal range: 18–35°C) ✗ Outside optimal range

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

What this month normally looks like

In October the Mediterranean zone normally runs 22°C by day and 10°C overnight, with about 38 mm of rain over 6 or 7 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -0.2°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 19 postcodes, SILO.

How to Grow Cucumber in Mediterranean Australia

When to Plant

Start in trays under cover in August, then sow direct from mid-September in Perth or October in Adelaide. Keep well watered through summer.

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)

Grow before, grow after

Cucumber belongs with the cucurbits, the fruiting crops turn of a four turn bed rotation.

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.

Mediterranean Growing Tips for Cucumber

Recommended Varieties

  • Lebanese
  • Burpless
  • Continental
  • Crystal Apple
  • Gherkin types

Key Challenges

  • Summer drought without irrigation
  • Powdery mildew in late season

Pro Tips

  • Mediterranean climate produces excellent cucumbers with irrigation
  • Drip irrigation is essential. Summer rainfall is insufficient
  • Succession sow every 3-4 weeks for continuous supply

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 Mediterranean Zones

Powdery Mildew, risk: MODERATE (score: 40/100)

In the pest library for cucumber:

Queensland Fruit Fly, critical severity Whitefly (Silverleaf and Greenhouse), high severity Thrips (Onion, Tomato, Western Flower), high severity Two-spotted Spider Mite, high severity Root-knot Nematode, high severity Powdery Mildew, high severity Downy Mildew, high severity Fusarium Wilt, high severity Damping Off, high severity Botrytis / Grey Mould, high severity Mosaic Viruses (CMV, ToMV, ZYMV), high severity Aphids (Green Peach, Cabbage, Cotton), moderate severity Mealybug, moderate severity Pumpkin Beetle, moderate severity

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.

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 mediterranean zone this October: Lemongrass, Dwarf Beans (Bush), Eggplant (Aubergine) and Parsnip.

The pest most likely to find your cucumber: Queensland Fruit Fly.

Supermarket Price

Current average retail: $6.44/kg (12-month range: $3.99–$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 Perth?

No. In the Mediterranean zone the planting months are Jan, 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 Mediterranean zone, Perth is its reference city.