Today we will see how to grow cucumbers in Florida and the whole process of growing cucumbers, from planting to harvesting. The cucumber is one of the regulars of our summer garden, which besides being refreshing, is quite productive. Cucumbers should be planted in the spring after the risk of frost has gone. Then, there is a second time to grow plant cucumbers in late summer. Learn when to plant cucumbers in South, North, and Central Florida, tips for caring, and a great cucumber harvest.
This is true as long as we consider certain care for its proper development, such as soil preparation and trellising, so the cucumbers do not spoil or rot. Also, in this article, we will see the step-by-step on how to grow cucumbers in Florida and also how we can obtain our cucumber seeds to be able to sow again in the following season.
Explained in a simple, visual, and adapted way for all those starting. Because at the end of the day, having our food does not have to be very difficult.
How to Sow Cucumbers in Florida
To plant cucumbers in Florida, the first thing we need is to have cucumber seeds, the ideal is to buy certified organic seeds, although we can skip this step and buy the plant directly. The sowing of cucumbers in Florida will be done in late winter in a seedbed, although direct sowing can also be done in spring.
It is possible to do direct sowing of cucumbers, as in all the species of its family. Still, it is much better and more sensible to make a seedbed to be able to control the environment of the new plants and at the same time not to have the garden occupied.
- Germination time: 6.0 days
- Seasons: Autumn
Can You Grow Cucumbers in Florida
Can You Grow Cucumbers in Florida? Yes, cucumbers can be grown in Florida. The cucumber is a warm-weather crop. It thrives under high levels of sunshine. Florida’s warm and humid climate is generally favorable for growing cucumbers, especially during the spring and fall seasons. However, cucumbers are sensitive to extreme temperatures, and the hot summer months in Florida can be challenging for cucumber plants. Consider trellising cucumber plants or providing support to keep them off the ground. High temperatures can cause the cucumber flowers to drop, resulting in reduced fruit production.
Best time to plant cucumbers in Florida and South Florida. March, April, May, and June are the best months for planting cucumbers in Florida. You can start cucumber germination indoors in March and then transfer the seedlings outdoors from April to June. Let’s this information in detail according to each Florida region.
When To Plant Cucumbers In Florida
Cucumbers should be planted in the spring after the risk of frost has gone. The best time to plant cucumbers in Florida is spring after the last frost. Then, there is a second time to grow plant cucumbers one more time, and it is in late summer by taking advantage of the fall planting season.
In the following paragraphs, let’s see when to plant cucumbers in South, North, and Central Florida.
When To Plant Cucumbers In North Florida
When To Plant Cucumbers In North Florida? Cucumbers may be planted in North Florida from February through April. The best is to plant them in the spring when the threat of frost has gone. Then, use the fall planting season to seed again in late summer. Therefore, cucumbers will be able to plant again in July and August.
When To Plant Cucumbers In Central Florida
When To Plant Cucumbers In Central Florida? Cucumbers may be planted in Central Florida from January to March and again in September.
When To Plant Cucumbers In South Florida
When To Plant Cucumbers In South Florida? Cucumbers should be planted from September to February in South Florida. Cucumbers thrive in gravelly soils in South Florida. Above the bedrock, the ground must be at least six inches deep.
Best Cucumbers to Grow in Florida – Cucumber Varieties
Best Cucumbers to Grow in Florida. The choice of cucumber variety to grow in Florida will depend largely on what we want to use the cucumbers for.
Short cucumbers are preferred for pickles and jarred preserves, while long cucumbers are used in culinary preparations, salads, etc.
It will also depend on the type of trellis we have for growing cucumbers. Trellis with tall structures will allow easy cultivation of long cucumber varieties such as the Japanese Long cucumber.
Cucumber varieties that grow well in Florida are those with optimum growth for USDA zones 8-11. Without drawbacks, most of the cucumber varietals available in the U.S. grow easily in Florida.
Best Cucumbers to Grow in Florida. Some of the cucumbers that grow best in Florida are:
- Beit Alpha Cucumber and Straight Eight Cucumber, are the best cucumbers to grow in Florida. These cucumbers can be harvested at 8 inches or smaller.
- Armenian Dark Green Cucumber (very long) growing on a trellis is required
- Japanese Long Cucumber (very long) growing on a trellis is required
- Boston Pickling Cucumber
- Space Master Cucumber
In 40 to 65 days, cucumbers will be ready for harvest. However, these cucumber days of maturity are tentative, and you should check specific characteristics of the cucumbers to predict the exact harvest time. I recommend reading our post When to Harvest Cucumbers (Boston Pickling, Pickling Northern, Straight Eight, Armenian, Lemon, Spacemaster Cucumbers) to understand when they are ready to pick.
Tips for a Successful Cucumber Plants Grow in Florida
Directly sowing cucumber seeds is the best option for this crop to develop perfectly, as the roots are susceptible and easily damaged during transplanting. The cucumber is a warm-weather crop. It grows best at temperatures ranging from 80°F to 85°F. It thrives under high levels of sunshine. Cucumbers cultivated outside are incredibly susceptible to temperatures below 31°F. From late November to February, they will require freeze protection.
Although cucumber plants are susceptible to flooding, it is a type of plant that requires frequent watering and well-drained soil.
Too much nitrogen in the soil can impair fruiting plants like cucumbers by promoting excessive leaf development, among other adverse effects. Additionally, it may hurt fruit and flower output. Phosphorus and potassium, on the other hand, might enhance the development of flowers and fruits. Gardeners are advised to use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer as required. The results of a soil test can be used to assess if any nutrients are required.
How to Grow Cucumbers in Florida Step by Step
We can grow cucumbers in Florida directly in the orchard or garden since, in Florida, we do not run the risk of freezing after the last frost. We also recommend planting cucumbers in seedlings to have better control of the plants, then transplant cucumbers into the ground in early summer. Learn how to grow cucumbers seedlings in Florida step by step by following these simple instructions:
1. We must prepare a suitable substrate for growing cucumbers in Florida. You can buy special substrates for seedlings in any specialized store or make your own with a mixture of soil with humus, perlite, and coconut fiber.
2. The cucumber seeds that we will use can be from a purchased cucumber or purchased seeds. We must moisten the substrate before planting the cucumber seeds, then bury the seeds no more than 0.8” (2 cm) deep.
3. We will place the seedbed in an area with plenty of natural light since the cucumber seed needs sunlight to grow and develop properly. Make sure not to flood the substrate as fungus could appear. You can sprinkle cinnamon on the substrate to avoid the appearance of fungus.
4. You will see how your cucumber seeds germinate after one to two weeks. After three weeks, your cucumber seedlings will be ready to be transplanted directly into the ground. However, keep in mind that directly sowing cucumber seeds is the best option for this crop to develop.
It is important to know that just as when planting zucchini, the cucumber crop is quite productive. So, if you don’t want to be fed up with cucumbers this summer, don’t plant too many. With Florida’s sun and climate, cucumbers develop perfectly.
Do Cucumbers Need Support to Grow?
The technique of trellising cucumbers is a widely recommended practice for this vegetable since its plant is a vine. The first thing to do is to try to get it entangled or supported by a stick or rod. It is a practice very similar to trellising peas or trellising tomatoes. That is why the main tools are wire fences, mesh or strong threads, as well as rods and sticks to give it a path.
In this way, the cucumber plants will not occupy much space in our garden and have the advantage of making it easier to care for them, especially in small gardens and planting sites where you want to make the most of the space.
When planting cucumbers, it is important to consider that if they are left to grow freely, they will end up watered by the soil, so when the plants begin to bear fruit, we must place some support or tutor to the cucumbers so that they do not touch the ground or else they will start to rot.
After trying a few commercial trellises, this is the best trellis for cucumbers I have found.
- [A-FRAME & FOLDABLE DESIGN] The trellis features A-frame and foldable designs, which allow plants to get sunshine evenly and helps them grow healthily. Plus, using this foldable trellis is easy to expand the extra space you want or convenient to store for next growing season.
- [PACKAGE INCLUDES] There are 2pcs connecting panels and 4pcs springs included. Besides, we offer 328ft twist ties as an additional bonus, which can be used to secure the plants to the trellis to avoid the plants falling down.
- [SIZE & VERSATILE APPLICATIONS] The trellis is 34" W x 48" L. Enough space for growing different flowers and vines plants, such as cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes, ivy, roses, etc.
Would you like to save space in your garden growing cucumbers vertically? Here is our recommended post, How to Grow Cucumbers in a Trellis.
How to Water Cucumbers in Florida?
Cucumbers are very demanding in water since their large leaves transpire with heat, especially with low humidity.
In hot periods above 77 °F (25 °C), each plant usually requires about 0.5-0.8 Gallons (2-3 liters) per plant per day.
Soil for Cucumbers in Florida
Cucumbers can be grown in any soil, the main factor to consider being optimal moisture conservation.
Keep in mind that cucumbers need large doses of water due to the size of their leaves and the continuous production of compact fruits with weights of 0.4-0.6 lbs. (200-300 grams).
Cucumber needs a soil depth of at least 16”- 20” (40-50 cm), so a good deep plowing of the soil and removing obstacles such as stones or high-water tables is required.
The soil pH of cucumber is usually between 5.5 and 7. That is why Florida soil is ideal for growing cucumber. If you are unsure what your soil pH is, you can measure it.
How Many Cucumbers Do You Get Per Plant?
How Many Cucumbers Do You Get Per Plant? According to data from the ASABE (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers), in which the yields of different varieties of cucumber are mentioned, it seems that each cucumber plant usually bears between 11 and 16 fruits throughout the growing season and in the case of cucumber harvested for salad.
As for the total weight of fruits per plant, we can expect between 6 and 13 lbs. (3 and 6 kg) of cucumbers, weighing about 0.6 lbs. (300 grams) each.
Diseases and Pests of Cucumber
The cucumber, like all plants of its family, tends to have many fungal problems in the more temperate regions of Florida. Apart from certain pests, such as whitefly or red spider mites, many can be easily combated by always being attentive during cultivation.
Another problem we usually encounter in the cultivation of cucumbers is that they have a bitter taste when harvested.
If you find cracked fruits, it is usually due to irregular crop irrigation during drought periods. It is important to water regularly and continuously.
On other occasions, it usually happens that our plant does not produce female flowers, which are the ones that will give us the fruit. If we have this problem, it is usually because the plant is not yet ready to produce fruit.
Recommended Post: How to Get Rid of Ants in Cucumber Plants
Final Thoughts Regarding Growing Cucumbers in Florida
Florida offers great weather for gardeners wanting to grow cucumbers, with no problems in South, Central, and North Florida. Just check the best months to grow cucumbers according to the Florida region in the section “When To Plant Cucumbers In Florida” of this article.
Although directly sowing cucumber seeds is the best option for this crop to develop ideally, as the roots are susceptible and easily damaged during transplanting, buying seedlings and transferring them to the ground successfully is possible. It grows best at temperatures ranging from 80°F to 85°F. Remember, cucumber plants require frequent watering and well-drained soil.
Between 40 a 65 days to maturity, the best Cucumbers to Grow in Florida are the varieties Beit Alpha, and Straight Eight Cucumber are the best cucumbers to grow in Florida. Boston Pickling Cucumber and Space Master Cucumber are excellent for growing in Florida. Also, lengthy cucumber varieties such as Armenian Dark Green Cucumber and Japanese Long Cucumber will thrive in Florida when growing on a trellis.
We hope this article on how to grow cucumbers in Florida will be helpful. If you want to know more about cucumbers, we recommend our article about how to grow cucumbers.
