How Much Light Does Cucumber Need? PPFD & DLI
Fast-growing with high water and humidity requirements.
- Peak PPFD: 350–800 µmol/m²/s
- Peak DLI: 20–46 mol/m²/d
- Air temperature: 24–28 °C
- Relative humidity: 60–80 %
- VPD target: 0.6–1 kPa
- Do not leave the substrate dry for more than 2 days
Targets per growth stage
| Stage | From day | PPFD | DLI | Photoperiod | pH | EC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seedling | 0 | 175–260 µmol/m²/s | 10–15 mol/m²/d | 16 h | 5.5–6 | 1–1.2 |
| Vegetative | 14 | 300–500 µmol/m²/s | 17–29 mol/m²/d | 16 h | 5.5–6 | 1.8–2.2 |
| Flowering/fruiting | 35 | 350–800 µmol/m²/s | 20–46 mol/m²/d | 16 h | 5.5–6 | 2.2–2.8 |
Watering
Thirsty plant; requires frequent and regular watering.
Sources
- Wuetcher, L.T. & Owen, W.G. (2025). Managing DLI to Improve Vegetable Transplant Quality. e-GRO Alert 10(1), The Ohio State University — Supports: seedling light
- Stallknecht, E. (2025). Calculating and Using Daily Light Integral (DLI): An Introductory Guide. Virginia Cooperative Extension, SPES-720NP — Supports: light in production
Values not covered by a source above are common growing practice, not taken from a primary source.