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When to plant
cucumbers in the UK
Outdoor varieties are tougher and easier than greenhouse ones. Keep picking and they keep producing — ignore them and they swell to marrow size.
Work out your own dates
Starts from the recommended sow date for your area. Sowed on a different day, or planted out late? Adjust below and the harvest moves with it.
Using the UK-average last frost · 15 April · add your postcode to tune it
Growing journey
10 weeks from planting out to harvest · Start indoors 8 weeks before planting out
Get cucumbers seeds
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What cucumbers need
Sun. Shelter. Rich moist soil. A frame or trellis saves space.
Spacing
45cm between plants
These are larger plants — give them plenty of space for air circulation.
Varieties worth growing
Marketmore
commonDark green, uniform, and reliably productive outdoors — which is the key bit, since most cucumbers want a greenhouse. Slightly thicker skin than indoor types, but the flavour is crisp and fresh. The outdoor cucumber that actually delivers.
Tzatziki
Grate the cucumber, squeeze out every last drop of water (seriously, squeeze harder), fold into thick Greek yoghurt with garlic, mint, a drizzle of olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon. The dip that makes everything better.
Crystal Lemon
rareRound, yellow, and about the size of a tennis ball. Looks like a lemon, tastes like the freshest cucumber you've ever eaten. A heritage variety that confuses visitors and delights everyone who tries it. Prolific and easy outdoors.
Crystal Lemon in gin and tonic
Slice thinly and float in a G&T instead of regular cucumber. The round yellow slices look extraordinary against the glass, and the flavour is cleaner and more delicate. A talking point that also tastes better.
Telegraph Improved
commonThe classic long, smooth greenhouse cucumber that's been in catalogues forever. Thin-skinned, seedless-when-young, and the one that makes sandwiches taste like summer. Needs indoor warmth but repays it with beautiful, straight fruits.
Cucumber sandwiches
White bread, crusts off, a thin layer of softened butter, paper-thin cucumber slices, a crack of white pepper. Cut into fingers. The most British thing you can do with a vegetable.
Beth Alpha
uncommonA Middle Eastern variety with small, smooth, thin-skinned cucumbers that are perfect for eating whole. Grows well in cooler conditions than most, and the thin skin means no peeling. The cucumber for people who actually want to eat the skin.
Fattoush
Chunk the small cucumbers, toss with tomatoes, radish, mint, parsley, fried pitta shards, sumac, and a lemony dressing. The thin-skinned cucumbers absorb the dressing beautifully. A Middle Eastern salad that puts all other salads to shame.
Cucumbersdrink heavily through summer — a good soak at the roots beats a daily sprinkle. How I water, and the lance I use →
When to sow cucumbers
Based on UK average frost date. Enter your postcode for exact dates, or find your city.
Where to buy cucumbers seeds
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What you'll need for cucumbers
The stuff beginners wish they'd bought sooner.
For support, staking, and building frames. The most versatile length for the plot.
More in our equipment guide →For tying plants to canes and a hundred other jobs. Biodegradable, won't cut into stems.
High-potash liquid feed. Once the first fruits form, feed weekly — it makes a real difference to yield.
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Get your exact dates
Enter your postcode for personalised planting dates for cucumbers.