Can You Grow Pumpkin and Cucumber Together?

In general, yes! You can plant them together. Pumpkins don’t like to cross-pollinate with other cucurbits, including zucchini and cucumber. However, they can be harmful if grown too close. The reason is simple – cucurbits and carrots compete for nutrients and pests. So, don’t try to plant them next to each other unless you are absolutely sure they will get along.

To avoid this, plant cucumbers in full sun and pumpkins in partial shade. They will need shade during the hot summer months. If they get too much sunlight, the fruit will turn bitter and may be misshapen. Keep them in separate pots and water them regularly. In addition, they should be kept in a temperature range that a pumpkin or cucumber will tolerate. In this way, both plants are safe to grow together.

It’s true that the two plants are related, but the main difference between them is the shape of the fruits. Pumpkins belong to the Cucurbita pepo family, while cucumbers belong to the cucurbita maxima species. They share the same insect enemies, so growing them together will reduce the risk of cross-pollination. In addition, cucumbers don’t tolerate shade from other crops.