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Cucumber Water Requirement Calculator

Work out the seasonal and per-irrigation water requirement of cucumber (FAO-56 ETc = ET₀ × Kc, peak Kc 1) for your field, climate, soil and irrigation method.

2354 m³
Seasonal water for 1 acre of cucumber
27.0 m³/day
Peak daily need
5 days
Irrigate every
Season length105 days
Net seasonal ET (crop)524 mm
Gross seasonal (after drip / micro losses)582 mm
Peak crop ET (ETc = ET₀ × Kc)6.0 mm/day (Kc 1)
Net depth per irrigation33 mm
Volume per irrigation135 m³

Keep moisture even and high through fruiting; cucumber stress causes bitterness and curved, pinched fruit. Drip with mulch is ideal and keeps foliage dry to limit mildew. Never let the crop wilt at fruit set.

Sources: FAO-56 Kc for cucumber (Kc mid 1.00); IIHR cucurbit irrigation; Method: ETc = ET₀ × Kc (FAO-56); efficiency: drip 90%, sprinkler 75%, pivot 80%, surface 60%

Indicative planning figures based on published research averages. Local soil tests, varieties and weather change actual requirements — confirm with your agronomist or extension officer.

Disclaimer: This tool is for general informational and estimation purposes only and is not professional financial, tax, accounting or legal advice. All figures are estimates — verify with a qualified professional before making decisions. Read the full disclaimer.

Farmers and irrigation planners use the free Cucumber Water Requirement Calculator to turn the FAO-56 crop coefficients for cucumber into a real seasonal water volume and an irrigation interval for their own field — no agronomy tables, works offline.

About Cucumber Water Requirement Calculator

Cucumber is 95% water and needs 350–500 mm of steady supply, turning bitter and misshapen under moisture stress. This calculator uses the FAO-56 method — crop evapotranspiration ETc = ET₀ × Kc — with cucumber's own crop coefficients (Kc 0.6 initial, 1 mid-season, 0.75 late) across a 105-day season. Pick your climate band (which sets reference ET₀), irrigation method (drip, sprinkler, pivot or surface — each with its own efficiency) and soil texture, and it returns the seasonal water need in cubic metres, the peak daily demand, the net depth per irrigation and how many days to wait between irrigations.

How to use Cucumber Water Requirement Calculator

  1. 1Enter your field area and choose the climate band matching your season.
  2. 2Select your irrigation method and soil texture.
  3. 3Read the seasonal water volume, peak daily demand and irrigation interval, then follow the scheduling note.

Why use Cucumber Water Requirement Calculator?

  • Uses cucumber's real FAO-56 Kc curve, not a flat factor
  • Accounts for drip / sprinkler / pivot / surface efficiency
  • Gives seasonal volume, peak daily need and an irrigation interval
  • Free, instant and fully in-browser — works offline in the field

Frequently asked questions

How much water does cucumber need?+

Cucumber is 95% water and needs 350–500 mm of steady supply, turning bitter and misshapen under moisture stress. The exact figure depends on climate and season length; this tool sums ET₀ × Kc across the crop's 105-day growth stages for your conditions.

Does water stress make cucumbers bitter?+

Yes — drought and heat stress raise the bitter compound cucurbitacin and cause misshapen, pinched fruit. Even, generous moisture (best via drip) through fruiting keeps cucumbers sweet and straight.

How much water does cucumber need?+

About 350–500 mm over its short season, with high demand during fruiting (the fruit is ~95% water). Frequent light irrigation suits its shallow roots and rapid growth.

What is ET₀ and Kc?+

ET₀ (reference evapotranspiration) is how fast a standard grass surface loses water in your climate. Kc (crop coefficient) scales it to a specific crop and growth stage. Crop water use ETc = ET₀ × Kc — the basis of FAO-56 irrigation scheduling.

Is this calculator free and private?+

Yes — free, no sign-up, and all calculation runs in your browser, so it works offline in the field and your data never leaves the device.

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