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Safe Fertilisers – Crop Info
CUCUMBER
Cucumis sativus
Origin: Asia and Africa
Edible Portion: Fruit
SOWING AND PLANTING

Climatic Requirements: Frost tender crop that can only be grown outdoors after the last frost has
passed.
Preferred Soil Type: Well structured, high organic matter, free draining loams and silt loams.
Seed Required: 1.1-1.7kg/ha.
Optimum Soil Temperature Range for Germination: 15.5-35.0°C.
Emergence Time: 3-13 days, optimum 7 days.
Plant Spacing: In-row 30.0-60.0cm, between rows 150.0-180.0cm.
Plants per Hectare: 9,200-22,000.
Method of Propagation: Usually sown in situ either by hand or with precision seeding equipment.
2-3 seeds are sown at each site. For early production plants can be raised under glass and transplanted
into the field when frosts have passed.
Sowing Dates: Early crop – September to early October. Main crops – Late October to late
November. Glasshouse propagation – August.
Planting Out Dates: October to November.
Other Sowing and Planting Information: Do not sow or plant in land that has been treated with the
herbicides atrazine, metribuzin or diuron the previous season. A fine seed bed assists the germination
of the seed.
FERTILISER

Optimum Soil Test Levels: N = 100-150, P = 80-100, K = 30-40, Mg = 35-50, Ca = 12-18, Na = 1-
20.
Base Dressing (kg/ha): N = 40.0, P = 50.0, K = 75.0. The base fertiliser should be applied and well
worked into the soil prior to seeding or planting.
Side Dressing (kg/ha): N = 25.0. The nitrogen side dressing is applied after the plants begin to run
and when the first flowers have appeared. With early direct seeded outdoor crops some extra nitrogen
side dressing may be required immediately after germination to give an initial boost. It is essential
not to allow the nitrogen fertiliser to contact the leaves as severe burning will occur.
Optimum pH Range: 6.5-6.7. Satisfactory crops can be produced over a pH range of 5.5-6.8.
Lime Requirement: For pH correction only.
PESTS AND DISEASES

Important Pests and Their Control:
Aphids – chlorpyrifos, deltamethrin, permethrin/pirimiphos-methyl, phorate, primicarb
Cutworm – chlorpyrifos, esfenvalerate
Whitefly – buprofezin, permethrin/primiphos-methyl
Important Diseases and Their Control:
Angular leaf spot – cupric hydroxide
Anthracnose – captan, mancozeb
Downy mildew – captan, chlorothalonil, cupric hydroxide, mancozeb, metalaxyl
Powdery mildew – benomyl, chlorothalonil, chlorothalonil, chlorothalonil/thiophanate-methyl,
dinocap/myclobutanil, penconazole, pyrazophos, sulphur, triadimefon, tridemorph, triforine
Ph: (07) 3282 0801 Fax: (07) 3282 0501 Email: [email protected] Safe Fertilisers – Crop Info
CUCUMBER Program

Biology Kick start; Apply 10 lt /ha Activator

Ground preparation:
Apply 1 tonne/ha Lime or Liquid Lime @ 40lt/ha in 300lt/water
Apply 400kg/ha Alroc Extraphos & Potash
Apply 100Kg Safe Coated Urea
Side Dressing
Liquid Lime @ 20lt/ha in 300lt/water or through your water system
Apply 100 Kg/Ha DAP Supablend
Foliar Apply; Vital Mix monthly during growth stages @ 6lt/ha in 300lt water
5lt Vital K Blast monthly from fruit set
Sidedressing / Maintenance to picking
Apply 400 Kg/Ha NPK Supablend, This can be applied split in two applications
Use 60kg/ha Safe Coated Urea Spread on with spinner spreader, again two
applications
Use one application of Liquid Lime @ 12lt/ha to assist the balancing of conductivity
and low calcium
Liquid Feed, Growth Stage
Vital Mix @ 4lt/ha monthly

Liquid feed, Fruiting Stage
Vital K Blast @ 10lt/ha Monthly

Moniter potash, may need Sulphate of potash topup
Top up Fertiliser requirements:
Nitrogen:
Use 40kg/ha Safe Coated Black Urea side dress with 6lt / ha Vital Activator sprayed
on soil
Apply 100 kg/ ha NPK Supablend
Neville Janke
Horticulturist/ Agronomist

Disclaimer
The above program will be affected by soil variation, testing errors, seasonal factors
and management skills. Any recommendation should be acted upon as part of an
ongoing fertiliser program. No responsibility can be accepted for any of the above
matters or other matters that are beyond our control.
Ph: (07) 3282 0801 Fax: (07) 3282 0501 Email: [email protected]

Source: http://www.safefertilisers.com.au/programs/Cucumber%20Program%20Safe%20fertilisers.pdf