Yes. JoeBees is completely free to use, with no account required. Plan a raised bed, ask the AI gardening tutor questions, and print a take-outside sheet at no cost.

How big should my raised garden bed be?

A 4×8 foot raised bed is the most popular starter size. It gives you 32 square feet — enough for a varied salad, herb, and tomato mix — while staying narrow enough to reach the center from either side without stepping into the bed and compacting the soil.

What is square-foot gardening?

Square-foot gardening, popularized by Mel Bartholomew, divides a raised bed into 12-inch squares and assigns each square a set number of plants based on their mature size. JoeBees uses this method to maximize yield per square foot while preventing crowding and root competition.

Does JoeBees support companion planting?

Yes. JoeBees flags antagonistic pairings placed too close together and groups proven companions automatically. The AI layout tool also accounts for spacing, sun exposure, and your USDA hardiness zone.

🥒

Cucumber

vegetable

At a glance

USDA Zones: 4–11
Sun: Full sun (6+ hrs)
Water: High — consistently moist soil
Soil: loam, sandy
pH: neutral
Spacing: 18 in. between plants
SFG footprint: 2×2 ft cell footprint
Days to maturity: ~60 days

Planting & harvest windows

Northern Hemisphere timing. Adjust ±4–6 weeks based on your last/first frost dates.

Activity	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Plant
Harvest

Plant Harvest

Good companions

🫘
Bush Bean
Beans add nitrogen that cucumbers love; their growth habits don't crowd.
🫛
Pea
🔴
Radish
Radishes deter cucumber beetles, and they mature in 3–4 weeks — long before the cucumber vines spread to fill the space.
🌻
Sunflower
Sunflowers offer light shade and act as trellises; their pollen draws pollinators to cucumber flowers.
🥬
Lettuce
🌾
Dill

Keep apart from

🥔
Potato
Potatoes can encourage blight, and both are heavy feeders competing for water.
🌿
Sage
Strongly aromatic sage suppresses cucumber vine growth — keep them well apart.

Recommended varieties

Marketmore 76
65 daysboth
Reliable slicer, disease-resistant, productive.
Straight Eight
60 daysboth
All-America selection slicer — a beginner favorite.
Boston Pickling
55 daysseed
Crunchy small fruits for homemade pickles.
English / Burpless
60 daysboth
Long, thin, seedless, mild. Ideal for slicing.
Lemon
65 daysseed
Round, yellow, mild and crunchy. Harvest when pale yellow.
Persian
55 daysboth
Small, dark, thin-skinned mini cucumber. No bitterness.
Spacemaster
60 daysseed
Compact bush habit — perfect for small raised beds.

Add Cucumber to your raised bed — the planner handles spacing and companion warnings automatically.

Open the planner →

← All plants Full companion chart →