The Growing Stages of a Cucumber

Planting

• Seeds are planted in the ground after the last frost when the ground is warm. When planted seeds come in contact with water, the seed absorbs the water and activates an enzyme causing the seed to shed its coat as the seed bursts open. This process is called germination. Seeds may take three to 10 days to germinate, depending on soil temperatures. Seeds will not germinate when soil temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The warmer the soil, the faster germination occurs.

Emergence

• After a seed germinates, the root grows into the soil in search of nutrients and anchors the plant. The seedling emerges from the soil seeking light. Multiple roots are developing beneath the soil in search of nutrients, while the rest of the plant develops above ground. Warm soil temperatures speed this process. Emergence occurs between three to five days after germination.

Vine Tip Over

• As the cucumber plant grows and establishes four to six true leaves, it is considered to be in the "vine tip over" stage. At this point the weight of the plants' foliage causes the vine to tip to one side. This stage can occur anywhere from seven to 21 days after emergence. Soil temperatures, weather and soil conditions are factors that determine when cucumber plants reach this stage.

Flowering

• Cucumber plants typically have male and female flowers. The male blooms are the first to appear and create pollen. Fruit forms from female blooms. The amount of cucumbers produced depends largely on pollination and other factors such as weather, temperature and soil. On average the time between tip over stage and the flower stage is five to seven days.

Fruit Harvest

• Cucumbers develop between the female bloom and the vine. Once they appear, growth rate is rapid. Cucumbers are harvested at varying intervals dependent upon usage and preference. This is the final stage in cucumber growth. Plants continue to produce cucumbers throughout the growing season when cucumbers are harvested frequently.