When to plant cucumbers in Bend and Redmond, OR

Plant cucumbers in the garden in Bend and Redmond Jun 9 – Jul 7, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors May 12–19.

Moderate Plant seeds or young plants

Why these dates

Bend and Redmond's typical last spring frost is June 9. Frost kills cucumbers, so planting starts once frost risk drops, around June 9. Keep row cover or a frost blanket handy for the first couple of weeks, since a late frost is still possible.

High desert and mountains. Central and high eastern Oregon. Frost is possible almost any month. Use row covers, wall-o-water or cloches for warm crops, and choose short-season varieties.

Difficulty: Moderate
Sun: Full sun
Spacing: 12 inches apart on a trellis
Planting depth: 1 inch deep
Frost: Killed by frost
First harvest: About 60 days after planting

Step by step

Start seeds indoors May 12–19 in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
Plant them in the garden Jun 9 – Jul 7, 12 inches apart on a trellis. If you plant seeds instead, sow them 1 inch deep.
Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
Harvest: Pick slicers at 6 to 8 inches, before they yellow. Check plants every day or two in midsummer.

Varieties that do well here

Marketmore 76
Lemon
Diva

Watch out for

Powdery mildew in late summer. Grow them up a trellis for airflow and water at the base.

Need warm soil and warm nights. Floating row cover helps in cool springs.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Bend and Redmond, OR?

Typically June 9. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by June 26. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Redmond Roberts Field.

Is it too late to plant cucumbers in Bend and Redmond?

The spring planting window runs through July 7. Later plantings may not have time to produce before the first fall frost, which usually arrives around September 14.

When should I start cucumbers from seed indoors in Bend and Redmond?

May 12 to May 19, which is 4 to 3 weeks before the June 9 planting date. Or buy young plants at a garden center instead.

Also plant in Bend and Redmond around the same time

Planting dates for cucumbers in nearby areas

Klamath Falls, OR Jun 9 – Jul 7
Burns, OR Jun 11 – Jul 9
Baker City, OR May 25 – Jun 22

Full planting calendar for Bend and Redmond · Cucumbers in every city