When to Plant Cucumbers
Cucumbers grow fast from seed sown directly in warm soil. Starting indoors gains a couple of weeks, but handle the roots gently.
- Start indoors: 3–4 weeks before the last frost.
- Sow or transplant outside: 1–3 weeks after the last frost.
Cucumbers planting dates in major cities
| City | Start indoors | Sow or transplant outside |
|---|---|---|
| Mesa, AZ | Jan 4 – Jan 11 | Feb 8 – Feb 22 |
| Phoenix, AZ | Dec 11 – Dec 18 | Jan 15 – Jan 29 |
| Tucson, AZ | Jan 8 – Jan 15 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 |
| Anaheim, CA | Dec 8 – Dec 15 | Jan 12 – Jan 26 |
| Bakersfield, CA | Jan 3 – Jan 10 | Feb 7 – Feb 21 |
| Fresno, CA | Dec 17 – Dec 24 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 |
| Irvine, CA | Dec 8 – Dec 15 | Jan 12 – Jan 26 |
| Long Beach, CA | Dec 12 – Dec 19 | Jan 16 – Jan 30 |
| Los Angeles, CA | Dec 5 – Dec 12 | Jan 9 – Jan 23 |
| Oakland, CA | Dec 10 – Dec 17 | Jan 14 – Jan 28 |
| Riverside, CA | Dec 12 – Dec 19 | Jan 16 – Jan 30 |
| Sacramento, CA | Dec 15 – Dec 22 | Jan 19 – Feb 2 |
| San Diego, CA | Dec 9 – Dec 16 | Jan 13 – Jan 27 |
| San Francisco, CA | Dec 2 – Dec 9 | Jan 6 – Jan 20 |
| San Jose, CA | Dec 5 – Dec 12 | Jan 9 – Jan 23 |
| Stockton, CA | Jan 8 – Jan 15 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 |
| Aurora, CO | Apr 9 – Apr 16 | May 14 – May 28 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | Apr 5 – Apr 12 | May 10 – May 24 |
| Denver, CO | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | May 11 – May 25 |
| Washington, DC | Mar 1 – Mar 8 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 |
| Jacksonville, FL | Jan 4 – Jan 11 | Feb 8 – Feb 22 |
| Orlando, FL | Dec 28 – Jan 4 | Feb 1 – Feb 15 |
| Tampa, FL | Dec 23 – Dec 30 | Jan 27 – Feb 10 |
| Atlanta, GA | Feb 24 – Mar 3 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 |
| Chicago, IL | Mar 13 – Mar 20 | Apr 17 – May 1 |
| Indianapolis city, IN | Mar 23 – Mar 30 | Apr 27 – May 11 |
| Wichita, KS | Mar 14 – Mar 21 | Apr 18 – May 2 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Apr 20 – May 4 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County metro government, KY | Mar 9 – Mar 16 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 |
| New Orleans, LA | Dec 25 – Jan 1 | Jan 29 – Feb 12 |
| Boston, MA | Mar 7 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 |
| Baltimore, MD | Feb 24 – Mar 3 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 |
| Detroit, MI | Mar 30 – Apr 6 | May 4 – May 18 |
| Minneapolis, MN | Mar 26 – Apr 2 | Apr 30 – May 14 |
| Kansas City, MO | Mar 7 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 |
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 2 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 |
| Raleigh, NC | Feb 28 – Mar 7 | Apr 4 – Apr 18 |
| Omaha, NE | Mar 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 23 – May 7 |
| Albuquerque, NM | Mar 26 – Apr 2 | Apr 30 – May 14 |
| Henderson, NV | Dec 23 – Dec 30 | Jan 27 – Feb 10 |
| Las Vegas, NV | Dec 27 – Jan 3 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 |
| New York, NY | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 |
| Cleveland, OH | Mar 11 – Mar 18 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 |
| Columbus, OH | Mar 23 – Mar 30 | Apr 27 – May 11 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | Mar 7 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 |
| Tulsa, OK | Mar 3 – Mar 10 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 |
| Portland, OR | Jan 28 – Feb 4 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Mar 2 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 |
| Memphis, TN | Feb 16 – Feb 23 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 |
| Nashville-Davidson, TN | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 |
| Arlington, TX | Feb 9 – Feb 16 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 |
| Austin, TX | Jan 23 – Jan 30 | Feb 27 – Mar 13 |
| Dallas, TX | Feb 2 – Feb 9 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 |
| El Paso, TX | Feb 2 – Feb 9 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Feb 5 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 |
| Houston, TX | Jan 5 – Jan 12 | Feb 9 – Feb 23 |
| San Antonio, TX | Jan 28 – Feb 4 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | Mar 1 – Mar 8 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 |
| Seattle, WA | Feb 8 – Feb 15 | Mar 15 – Mar 29 |
| Milwaukee, WI | Mar 29 – Apr 5 | May 3 – May 17 |
Calculated from each city's average (50%) frost dates. In a cold spring, lean toward the later end of each window.