Despite its popularity, the phrase ‘cool as a cucumber’ does not apply very well to actual cucumber plants. These warm-loving tender annuals would rather keep away from frost and freezing temperatures if they could, which begs the question, ‘what is the lowest cucumber night time temperature they can tolerate?’
How Cold is Too Cold for Cucumbers at Night?
Night brings colder winds and temperatures, which is something that cucumber plants may not like. The coldest nighttime temp cucumbers can tolerate is 55 degrees F, or 13 degrees C.
Anything lower will have an effect on these vegetable plants. First, cucumbers will likely drop buds before it blooms and turns into fruit. Then, if the cold continues it will cause damage to your cucumber plants.
It’s worth noting that cucumbers will not survive unexpected freezes and sometimes, even light frosts. You’ll see signs of extensive cold injury on the leaves and stems, as well as the fruits. Wilting, cracked fruit, and brown leaves indicate that they’ve been through a cold night.
Cucumber plants grow best in nighttime temperatures of 60 degrees F or higher. A 65 degrees F soil temperature is best for optimal growth, and if you’re looking for a range, then between 75 to 85 degrees F are the ideal numbers.
In these conditions, cucumbers will have no problem growing and will set fruit within 50 to 70 days.
Cucumbers aren’t likely to recover from a hard frost even when the temperatures have risen significantly. Cold damage will extend for weeks after that, and the fruits will have gone limp or turned to mush.
The best course of action is to dispose of the plant and start over with seed or seedlings.
How to Protect Cucumbers from Cold at Night
Here are the things you can do to protect your cucumbers during a cold night:
Check the Weather Daily
You probably won’t need to check the weather and daily temperatures when growing cucumbers in summer, but vigilance is a necessity during the spring and fall seasons.
There are several ways to see if your cucumbers need extra protection at night. One is to tune in to your local news and weather, and two, you can use an app or the internet.
Ready Some Covering Material
Ideally, you’ll want to use garden hoops and some kind of cover material, such as an old bedsheet, plastic, or garden fabric to protect your cucumber plants against the cold.
Young cucumbers might be able to fit into an old cardboard box or something similar. You can add a layer or two or cover material if temperatures drop below freezing to stave off winter injuries. Make sure to remove the covers in the morning to allow your plants to breathe and get sunlight.
Add Some Mulch
Mulching around cucumbers can help to an extent in regard to frost damage. You can use an inch of mulch using dried leaves, shredded newspapers, straw, or compost around the plant to keep it warm and as insulation against the cold. If you can, use shredded or chopped leaves so your cucumber plants get an extra dose of nitrogen.
Related Article: What is Eating My Cucumber Leaves?