The last practical date to sow cucumbers is July 20. Cucumbers are normally planted in “hills.” Plant 4 to 5 seeds per hill at a depth of 1 inch. Later, remove all but 2 or 3 plants per hill when seedlings have 1 or 2 true leaves.
Cucumbers, Squash, and Zucchini Are Great Plants to Direct Sow in July. It might be too hot or too late to grow tomatoes, but you still have time to plant cucumbers, squash, and zucchini in the month of July. These plants finish in just 55 to 65 days.
Is it too late to plant cucumbers? Depending on your local climate, June or July is the latest possible date you can plant cucumbers in order for them to be able to yield any fruit. When planted in warmer weather, the plants will establish much more quickly than when planted in the spring.
If your summer is flying by and you haven't gotten to everything on your to do list, it is not too late to plant seeds. July is actually an optimal time as the ground is warm and the daytime and nightime temperatures are warm so your seeds will germinate faster and your plants will grow very well.
Cucumbers (Zones 3-9):
Starting vine or bush cucumbers in August will lead to a delicious fall harvest. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Cucumbers don't mind humidity or moderate heat, so no worries there. To fight the excessive heat, plant in an area that is shaded for the hottest part of the day. The eastern edge of the shade from a tree works very well. Second best would be 30% shade cloth.
Mid-July to the end of August is the ideal time to plant. When choosing your fall tomatoes, make sure you know if you're selecting a Determinate or Indeterminate type. Determinate plants tend to grow to a manageable height and produce most of their fruit at one time.
Vegetables that are late to mature in cooler climates do fine down south when sown in July. Lucky gardeners in this general region can plant nightshades, like peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant, and pick their ripe fruit from the vine into early winter.
Summer squash and zucchini thrive in the summer heat. They're quick to mature and are ready to harvest in between 48 and 68 days. Some of the varieties we recommend include Black Beauty Zucchini (48 days), Early Prolific Straightneck Summer Squash (48 days), Benning's Green Tint Summer Squash (52 days).
Water often enough to keep the soil slightly moist all the time. Cucumbers will be small and can taste bitter if they get stressed for water. Mulch the soil around the plants to keep in moisture.
You'll want to find the sunniest spot in your garden and space plants about 2 feet apart. Or you can plant them closer together and let them climb up a trellis or a fence.
Two or three plants will fit in a five-gallon bucket or grow one cucumber in a 10-inch-wide container. Mix soil with equal parts of compost, potting soil, perlite and peat moss.
It's not too late to plant beans, Goodspeed says. Beans planted in early July generally start producing in mid August and continue until frost. Planting late helps beans avoid the Mexican bean beetle, which generally only attacks early beans. a good organic-rich soil and being watered deeply and infrequently.
Below 63°F, cucumbers do not grow.
Even in the July heat there are still some great crops that can be planted that will keep your garden pumping out vegetables well into the fall. Listed below are flower, vegetable and herb varieties that are great to start planting in July based on the Hardiness Zone that you live in.
Daytime temperatures below 65°F can lead to fruit set failure—the pepper equivalent of stage fright. At night, anything under 50°F is an invitation to leaf curl and overall plant stress. It's like the plants are pulling their leaves up to their chins, trying to keep warm.
And July is time enough to plant some late potatoes, beans and summer squash. For potatoes, one big advantage of planting late in the season is that your crops will probably miss attacks by the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), which is usually most active in the spring.
Crops in the brassica family – cabbage, broccoli, collard greens – and also other greens such as chard, escarole and radicchio can be planted in the next few weeks for a great late fall harvest. July is the time to start these seedlings so they are ready to transplant out in 4-6 weeks.
When days hit 85°F to 90°F and nights hover above 75°F, tomato flowers often fail to pollinate, then drop — which in turn puts new fruit production on hold. The longer the heat lasts, the longer those tomato flowers will continue to hit the pause button. In short, hot weather can delay your tomato crop.
If transplanted no later than the third week of July, you should do well growing late season tomatoes. Fruiting will begin in mid-September.
Cucumbers are like the Goldilocks of the garden; they prefer it not too hot, not too cold, but just right. Daytime temperatures should hover between 60-95°F (15-35°C), with the sweet spot around 70-82°F (21-28°C) for those juicy, crunchy fruits.
6-8 hours of direct sunlight needed for cucumbers to flourish. 🌞 Full sun boosts yield; full shade hinders growth and fruiting.