Spacemaster 80
Cucumis sativus 'Spacemaster 80'
The ultimate cucumber for small spaces and container gardens, with compact bush-type vines that don't sprawl but still produce full-sized, delicious fruits. Winner of the All-America Selections award for its innovation in space-efficient gardening. Perfect for patios, balconies, and urban gardeners who want fresh cucumbers without the space requirements.
Harvest
55-65d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
2–11
USDA hardiness
Height
8-18 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Spacemaster 80 in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 cucumber →Zone Map
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Spacemaster 80 · Zones 2–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May – May | June – July | June – August | September – October |
| Zone 4 | April – May | June – June | June – July | August – October |
| Zone 5 | April – April | May – June | May – July | August – September |
| Zone 6 | April – April | May – June | May – July | August – September |
| Zone 7 | March – April | May – May | May – June | July – September |
| Zone 8 | March – March | April – May | April – June | July – August |
| Zone 9 | February – February | March – April | March – May | June – July |
| Zone 10 | January – February | March – March | March – April | May – July |
| Zone 1 | June – June | July – August | July – September | October – August |
| Zone 2 | May – June | July – July | July – August | September – September |
| Zone 11 | January – January | February – February | February – March | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January – January | February – February | February – March | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January – January | February – February | February – March | April – June |
Succession Planting
Spacemaster 80 produces steadily over several weeks rather than in one flush, so it doesn't demand succession the way a cut-and-come-again salad green does. A second sowing 3 weeks after the first is still worth doing as insurance — early plantings can get knocked back by a late cold snap or a hard cucumber beetle hit, and having a backup round saves the season. In zone 7, direct sow from mid-May through late June; anything put in the ground after July 1 risks running out of warm nights before the 55-65 day window closes. Stop when daytime highs are consistently above 90°F — fruit set drops sharply in that heat and you'll get a lot of vine for very little cucumber.
Complete Growing Guide
Plant Spacemaster 80 in full sun with rich, well-draining soil amended with compost, as its compact growth demands concentrated nutrients to support full-sized fruit production within a tight plant frame. Unlike sprawling varieties, this cultivar's determinate branching means it won't require aggressive pruning or trellising, but the dense foliage can trap moisture—space containers 18 inches apart and water at soil level to prevent powdery mildew, its primary weakness in humid conditions. Maintain consistent moisture; the shallow root systems in containers are prone to stress-induced bitterness and premature flowering if allowed to dry between waterings. The 55–65 day maturity window is reliable, but watch for bolting if temperatures exceed 85°F consistently—provide afternoon shade cloth in hot climates. For maximum productivity in small spaces, pinch the growing tip when plants reach 12 inches to encourage lateral branching rather than vertical stretch, creating a bushier plant with more flowering sites.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: High Organic Matter. Soil pH: Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.. Spread: 3 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Harvest Spacemaster 80 cucumbers when they reach 6-8 inches in length with a uniformly dark green color and firm, slightly waxy skin that yields gently to pressure. Unlike sprawling varieties, these compact plants produce fruits that mature quickly and consistently across the bush, rewarding frequent harvesting throughout the season. Pick every two to three days to encourage continuous flowering and fruiting rather than allowing a single large flush, as the plant will naturally redirect energy toward new blooms when mature fruits remain on the vine. For best flavor and texture, harvest in early morning when fruits are still cool and crisp from overnight temperatures.
The "vegetable" is botanically a fruit– it is a pepo, a berry with a hard rind. Long and cylindrical, starting out prickly when young and smoothing out to a bumpy surface as it matures. Length and girth can vary based on cultivar and culinary purpose but grow at least 3 in long. Some varieties are bred to be seedless.
Color: Green. Type: Berry. Length: > 3 inches. Width: 1-3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
Harvest time: Summer
Edibility: Fruits are commonly eaten raw or pickled. Fresh cucumbers last in the fridge for about a week.
Storage & Preservation
Store freshly harvested Spacemaster 80 cucumbers in the refrigerator crisper drawer for 7-10 days maximum. Wrap individual cucumbers loosely in paper towels to absorb excess moisture, then place in perforated plastic bags to maintain humidity while preventing condensation buildup that leads to decay.
For longer preservation, slice cucumbers and quick-pickle in a simple brine of equal parts water and vinegar with salt and sugar. This method preserves their crisp texture for 2-3 months refrigerated. Spacemaster 80's firm flesh also works well for traditional canning pickles using tested recipes and proper canning procedures.
While freezing isn't recommended for fresh eating due to texture changes, you can freeze diced cucumbers for later use in smoothies, gazpacho, or cooked dishes. Dehydrating thin slices creates shelf-stable chips, though the variety's high water content requires longer drying times. Fermented pickles showcase the variety's traditional cucumber flavor while providing probiotics and extended storage life.
History & Origin
The origins of 'Spacemaster 80' are not extensively documented in available horticultural records, though the variety represents the broader breeding efforts of the late twentieth century to develop compact, bush-type cucumbers suitable for container gardening. The "80" designation likely references the 1980s, when seed companies intensified selection for determinate cucumber cultivars as interest in container gardening surged. The variety's All-America Selections award validates its formal evaluation, though the specific breeding program and breeder remain unclear. 'Spacemaster 80' likely descends from earlier bush cucumber lines, possibly developed by a commercial seed house, reflecting post-1970s innovations in space-efficient vegetable breeding rather than a documented historical heritage variety.
Origin: Himalaya to Northern Thailand
Advantages
- +Compact bush growth ideal for patios and balcony containers
- +Full-sized fruits despite space-efficient plant structure
- +Fast maturity in 55-65 days for quick harvests
- +Award-winning All-America Selections recognition for innovation
- +Traditional crisp flavor perfect for fresh eating
Considerations
- -Susceptible to powdery mildew in humid climates
- -Vulnerable to cucumber beetles and common garden pests
- -Limited vine sprawl may reduce overall fruit yield compared to sprawling varieties
- -Requires consistent moisture in small containers to prevent stress
Companion Plants
Radishes are the most practical companion here — direct sow a handful around your cucumber hills and they pull cucumber beetles and flea beetles away before those insects find the main plants. Marigolds (Tagetes patula specifically) take a slower approach, with root exudates that suppress soil nematodes over a full growing season; if your bed has a nematode history, plant them densely the season before, not as a last-minute border. Nasturtiums work as a trap crop for aphid colonies, concentrating them in one place you can cut off and discard. Keep potatoes out of the same bed — they share several soilborne diseases with cucurbits, and crowding them together is an easy way to move a problem from one crop to another. Aromatic herbs like sage and fennel aren't toxic to cucumbers, but in a container — where Spacemaster often lives — they compete aggressively for the same shallow root zone and will slow establishment.
Plant Together
Radishes
Repel cucumber beetles and improve soil structure with their taproot
Marigolds
Deter aphids, whiteflies, and cucumber beetles with their strong scent
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crops for cucumber beetles and aphids
Beans
Fix nitrogen in soil and provide natural trellising support
Corn
Provides natural support structure and shade for cucumber vines
Sunflowers
Attract beneficial insects and provide vertical growing support
Dill
Attracts beneficial predatory insects that control cucumber pests
Lettuce
Benefits from cucumber's shade and efficient use of garden space
Keep Apart
Aromatic herbs
Strong scents from sage, rosemary can inhibit cucumber growth and flavor
Potatoes
Compete for nutrients and may increase disease susceptibility
Melons
Cross-pollination concerns and competition for space and nutrients
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #169225)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good resistance to cucumber mosaic virus and downy mildew
Common Pests
Cucumber beetle, aphids, spider mites
Diseases
Powdery mildew, bacterial wilt
Troubleshooting Spacemaster 80
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Lower leaves developing large tan spots between the veins with scorched-looking edges, new growth still green
Likely Causes
- Angular leaf spot (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) or bacterial leaf spot — often worsened by overhead irrigation keeping foliage wet
- Downy mildew pressure after prolonged humid periods
What to Do
- 1.Switch from overhead sprinklers to drip or soaker hose — wet leaves at night accelerate fungal spread fast
- 2.Strip the worst affected lower leaves and bin them, not compost
- 3.Apply a copper-based fungicide early in the progression, before spots merge across the leaf surface
Plants wilting progressively during the day, not recovering overnight, despite adequate soil moisture — starting mid-season around day 45-55
Likely Causes
- Bacterial wilt (Erwinia tracheiphila) — transmitted by striped or spotted cucumber beetles feeding on leaves
- Root-knot nematodes — look for lumpy, galled roots when you pull a plant
What to Do
- 1.Do the bacterial wilt stem test: cut a wilted stem, press the cut ends together, slowly pull apart — a sticky thread bridging the gap means Erwinia; pull and trash the plant, it won't recover
- 2.Use row cover until flowering (around day 30) to block cucumber beetle feeding; remove it once blossoms open so pollinators can get in
- 3.If you find galled roots, rotate out of cucurbits for at least 3 years per NC State Extension's IPM recommendations, and work in a solid stand of Tagetes patula marigolds as a cover crop the season before replanting
White powdery coating on upper leaf surfaces, starting on older leaves, spreading fast in late summer
Likely Causes
- Powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) — thrives in warm dry days with cool nights, doesn't need wet leaves to spread
- Poor airflow from crowded planting — Spacemaster's bushy 8-18 inch habit makes this easy to trigger at spacings under 12 inches
What to Do
- 1.Thin plants to at least 12-inch spacing and prop up vines to open the canopy
- 2.Spray with diluted neem oil (2 tsp per quart of water) every 7 days at first sign — the weekly cadence matters more than concentration
- 3.Past day 60 with fruit already sizing up, late-season powdery mildew is mostly cosmetic; put your energy into harvesting, not spraying
Leaves stippled silver or bronze, fine webbing on undersides, plants looking dusty and exhausted during hot dry stretches
Likely Causes
- Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) — populations explode when temperatures stay above 85°F and humidity drops
- Water stress making plants more susceptible — containers dry out faster than in-ground beds, and Spacemaster is frequently grown in both
What to Do
- 1.Blast the undersides of leaves forcefully with water every 2-3 days — mites can't reattach easily after a hard knock
- 2.Hold soil moisture at 1-1.5 inches per week; a dry, stressed plant draws mite pressure faster than a well-watered one
- 3.For heavy infestations, apply insecticidal soap directly to leaf undersides in the evening to avoid burn — repeat every 5-7 days for 3 applications
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.