Cucumbers are considered a warm-season vegetable. Warm-season vegetables are most productive in higher temperature ranges (late spring, summer) and are better able to grow and produce a quality crop through Tennessee’s summer heat. They are damaged or killed by frost and freezing conditions; even cool, non-freezing temperatures may prevent them from growing and yielding well.

Cucumbers can be successfully planted in the garden by seed starting late spring or early summer (after the traditional spring frost date, which typically occurs in the middle to end of April) and can produce throughout the summer. If planting seeds, the seeds should be planted at a depth of 1/2 to 1 inch in the soil. A spacing of 1 foot between plants is ideal.

Most cucumber varieties prefer to have a trellis or object to climb on, attaching small tendrils as it climbs to support itself. A small piece of fence or tripod trellis can be used for this purpose. By allowing the cucumber plant to climb vertically instead of along the ground, the plant will receive better airflow and can decrease fungal disease pressure.

Read more about successfully growing cucumbers in Tennessee, including cultivar suggestions and harvesting and storage here.