How Much Sunlight Does Cucumbers Need

Cucumbers are hardy plants, tolerant of a variety of conditions, including less-than-ideal amounts of sun. That said, your cucumber plants will be healthier and produce more fruit if you give them as much direct sunlight as possible. A healthy cucumber plant should get at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. More than 6 hours is even better.

Cucumbers are hardy plants, tolerant of a variety of conditions, including less-than-ideal amounts of sun. That said, your cucumber plants will be healthier and produce more fruit if you give them as much direct sunlight as possible. A healthy cucumber plant should get at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. More than 6 hours is even better.

Sunlight vs Heat

When it comes to cucumber plants, sunlight is more important than heat. In fact, according to the Colorado State University Extension Guide for Cucumbers and Melons, sunlight is a better predictor of cucumber production than temperature. This is probably because soil temperature can vary greatly depending on where you live and how hot it gets during the summer months. Soil temperatures don’t always correlate with air temperatures or even solar radiation intensity—which means that knowing how much sunlight your garden receives could be more valuable than knowing what your soil temperature is!

The same study found that overall plant photosynthesis (the process by which plants convert sun energy into chemical energy) increased with increasing levels of light up until about 800 kilo-lux hours per year; after this point, yields were not significantly affected by additional light exposure. In other words: if you’ve got enough natural light coming into your garden area already then adding extra artificial lights won’t help much either!

If you live in a warm climate, preferably one with mild winters, the amount of sunlight your cucumber plant gets each day will probably determine how many cukes it produces. But if you live in a hot climate, temperature can become an issue. Cucumbers are much less productive when the temperature is consistently above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), regardless of how much sunlight they receive.

Cucumbers are actually quite fussy about temperature. They don’t like it to be too hot or too cold, and if you live in a warm climate (ideally one with mild winters), the amount of sunlight your cucumber plant gets each day will probably determine how many cukes it produces.

But if you live in a hot climate, temperature can become an issue. Cucumbers are much less productive when the temperature is consistently above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), regardless of how much sunlight they receive.

Soil Temperature vs Air Temperature

Soil temperature is cooler than air temperature and should be around 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This can be maintained by adding mulch, which holds in the heat of the soil and prevents it from cooling off too quickly at night. Another way to keep soil temperatures higher is by planting cucumbers in a shady spot or against a wall, so that they are shaded from direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day.

Your soil has its own temperature underground, where it’s cooler than air temperature above ground. In a hot climate, this is a good thing for cucumbers, because they prefer soil temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 21 degrees Celsius). You can keep the temperature of the soil around your cucumbers from rising too high by adding a layer of organic mulch under and between plants.

In a hot climate, this is a good thing for cucumbers, because they prefer soil temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 21 degrees Celsius). You can keep the temperature of the soil around your cucumbers from rising too high by adding a layer of organic mulch under and between plants.

The ideal soil temperature depends on what type of soil you have and how deeply it is buried. If you want to be precise with your planting depth, use a garden thermometer to check the temperature of the top layer before you start planting.

The color of your mulch will also affect its ability to hold heat or cool down as needed.

Morning or Evening Sunlight?

Morning sunlight is more intense than evening sunlight, but it’s also better for cucumbers. You can tell if your cucumber plant is getting morning or evening sunlight by looking at how much the leaves are bent or curled. If they’re curved towards the ground, then your plant is getting morning light and vice versa.

The amount of sun that plants get each day will determine how many cukes they produce:

• More sun = more cucumbers!

Once you know the answers to these questions, you can determine how much sunlight your cucumbers need. In general, the answer is that they need as much sunlight as possible. If you live in a warm climate and have a garden with full sun all day long, great! If not, try adding more mulch or shade cloth to protect your plants from too much heat.