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When to plant cucumbers in zone 3b

In zone 3b, where the last spring frost typically comes around May 17, start cucumbers indoors May 11 to 25 and plant out June 8 to 22.

The zone 3b schedule for cucumbers

Start seeds indoors
May 11 to 25
Plant out
June 8 to 22
Sow outdoors
June 8 to 22
Soil warm enough (60°F), about
June 8

From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 200 ZIP codes in zone 3b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for cucumbers.

Frost risk in zone 3b

Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 3b, the typical last frost ranges from about May 12 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 29 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from September 13 to October 1. For a typical place in the zone:

  • May 4Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
  • May 17Typical: frost after this date in half of years
  • May 30Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10

Cucumbers are killed by frost, so if you want to be safe, plant out after the safe date rather than the typical one, or be ready to cover plants on a cold night.

Your dates for cucumbers

Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant cucumbers where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.

Enter your ZIP code

How to grow cucumbersAll zonesCucumbers in zone 3aCucumbers in zone 4aAbout zone 3b

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