Can You Grow Cucumbers in Florida in the Winter?

Minimum Conditions

• If the soil temperature is not above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or night temperatures fall below 60, cucumber seeds won't germinate, and the plants won't grow. Established vines also may die back if temperatures fall below 60 degrees. These basic limitations make growing cucumbers in the winter tricky, even in Florida.

North and Central Florida

• If you're a transplanted Floridian, you may habitually think of January and February as "winter." In that case, you're in luck, because you can start cucumbers as early as January in central Florida, and February if you live in the northern part of the state. But you won't be able to grow cucumber vines there during the state's true winter, in November and December. You also won't be able to grow cucumbers in the heat of summer, so spring and fall are the optimal cuke-growing seasons in north and central parts of the state.

South Florida

• Gardeners in south Florida can grow cucumbers in every season but summer. The University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences defines southern Florida as any region below Arcadia, extending south to Key West. For a winter garden, plant your cucumbers in November or December.

Best Varieties

• To encourage a plentiful cuke harvest, choose varieties specifically recommended for Florida gardens. Among those best suited for fresh eating are "Dasher," "Ashley," "Marketer" and "Cherokee." For pickling, good options for Florida gardeners -- despite their Northern names -- include "Wisconsin SMR-18" and "Ohio MR-17."

Extending the Season

• If you live in north or central Florida, a winter cuke harvest isn't likely. A few season extenders, however, can increase the number of days you have to grow and harvest cucumbers. Get your spring harvest off to an early start by sowing cucumber seeds indoors. By the time the soil has warmed to a cucumber-friendly 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, your transplants will be at least 4 weeks old. Setting transplants in black plastic to warm the ground more quickly or growing them under row covers are other ways to bridge the tricky time between winter and spring.

  Keep your fall-planted vines producing longer by growing non-trellised or bush-type cucumbers, which you can drape with plastic or row-cover fabric to trap heat. An extra thick mulch of straw also will help protect the plants. To get one last good harvest as the cold season approaches, pinch new blooms to turn the plant's energy to maturing the fruit that's already on the vines.