Planting Gherkin
Gherkin is a warm season vegetable in the Cucurbitaceae family. Getting the timing right is the difference between a strong stand and a disappointing one, so the windows below are given relative to your own last spring frost and first fall frost rather than a generic calendar date. Look up your local frost dates and count back or forward from there.
Sow Gherkin directly into the garden 1–2 weeks after your last frost, once the soil has warmed.
Spacing and Planting Depth
Give Gherkin room to mature. The figures below come from verified extension and seed-supplier data for typical varieties.
| Spacing in row | 12 inches |
|---|---|
| Row spacing | 48 inches |
| Plants per sq ft | 0.25 |
| Planting depth | 0.5 inches |
| Sun requirement | Full sun |
Plan a square-foot bed with Gherkin →
Calculate plants in a bed for Gherkin →
Days to Maturity
Gherkin reaches maturity in 60–70 days from sowing.
For a continuous harvest, sow a new batch every 21 days. Use the succession planting scheduler →
Gherkin is ready to harvest after about 65 days. Harvest before the first fall frost, which will end the plant's productive season.
Conditions and Care
As a warm-season vegetable, Gherkin needs warm soil and settled weather to thrive, and is set back or killed by frost. It is frost tender, so wait until all danger of frost has passed before planting out and harvest before the first fall frost.
Gherkin needs full sun — give it at least six hours of direct light a day for the best growth and flavor. Sow seed about 0.5 inches deep, then keep the soil evenly moist until seedlings establish.
Gherkin belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family; rotating where you grow members of this family each year helps limit the build-up of soil-borne pests and disease. Because it matures relatively quickly, Gherkin rewards succession sowing: small, repeated plantings keep a steady supply coming rather than one short glut.
See Gherkin in the full planting calendar for your ZIP →
Plan crop rotation for Cucurbitaceae →
Companion Plants
Pairing Gherkin with the right neighbors can improve growth and deter pests; a few combinations are best avoided.
Keep away from: Potato
Check Gherkin with other crops in your garden →
Related Crops
Other crops you might grow alongside or instead of Gherkin.
In the same family
Gherkin is in the Cucurbitaceae family. Other Cucurbitaceae crops in the Gardenable database:
Documented companions
These crops are listed as good growing partners for Gherkin:
Similar growing requirements
Crops with similar season and time to maturity — useful if you want a diverse garden on a similar schedule: