How to Grow Cucumbers In a Container

Growing cucumbers in a container is easy, very rewarding, and is something just about anyone can do, even if your space is limited. Home grown cucumbers taste delicious and can help you cut back on your grocery bill. Grow cucumbers in a container!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bush type cucumber seeds
• Potting soil
• Container

1. You can grow your own cucumbers in a container, even if you know nothing about gardening! Growing cucumbers is a great way to get kids to eat vegetables, especially if they helped grow the cucumbers.
   
   You can buy a pack of cucumber seeds for less than $3. You'll also be needing potting soil which costs about $3 at Walmart and a container to plant in. You can get creative here and use what you already have. The cucumber plant doesn't care if the container is pretty or not.
   
   Plastic pots will not dry out as fast as a clay pot so they require less watering. The container should be at least 12" across so the cucumber plant has room to grow.

2. SELECTING A LOCATION
   You're cucumber plant will need at least 8 hours of sunlight to thrive.
   
   GETTING THE CONTAINER READY
   The container will need drainage holes. Some containers come with drainage holes and some don't. You need to make sure your container has drainage holes so your plant doesn't get root rot.
   
   I cover the drainage holes with some weed cloth and a handful of small rocks. This prevents the potting soil from being washed away when you water your plant.
   
   If you don't have weed cloth, then use a several layers of newspaper. If you do end up using newspaper keep in mind the newspaper will have to be replaced next year.
   
   Fill the container 3/4 of the way full with potting soil and place in sunny location.

3. PICKING CUCUMBERS TO GROW IN A CONTAINER
   Not all cucumber plants are suited for growing in a container. Cucumber plants typically like to sprawl out. For a container you'll need a compact type of a "bush" type.
   
   For salads and snacking cucumbers:
   
   * Spacemaster
   * Salad Bush Hybrid
   * Bush Champion
   * Hybrid Bush Crop
   
   
   If you plan on making pickles then I suggest:
   
   * Picklebush
   * Midget Bush Pickle
   
   You can start your pickle bushes indoors a few weeks before your last frost. If your last frost date has already passed then you can plant seeds directly in the container.
   
   Avoid the impulse to crowd plants, overcrowded plants typically do not produce very well.

Tips & Warnings

• Check cucumbers daily for water needs.
• Picking mature fruits will encourage your plant to continue producing. Don't leave cucumbers on the vine or your cucumber will stop producing.
• After a month or so your cucumber plant will need fertilizing.
• Fertilize your cucumber after it's been watered and according to fertilizer instruction.
• Don't over crowd cucumber plants. Overcrowded plants do not produce well.

Resources

• Grow Vegetables: Gardens - Yards - Balconies - Roof Terraces
• Bush Champion Cucumber Seeds

[rysky]

on 6/28/2009 I'm a first time cucumber grower and my plant has yet to produce any fruit. It will get the flowers but they fall off and no fruit grows. Does anyone have any advice?

[jamiekucharski]

on 6/10/2009 Wonderful and detailed instructions on how to grow cucumbers. Thanks for sharing this with us. :)

[lilmissproud]

on 6/9/2009 This is an awesome article! Love the information.. Never knew you could grow cucumbers in a container... *5!!

[cb4me]

on 6/5/2009 Thanks for sharing this info on how to grow cucumbers in a container.

[nybfutd]

on 6/1/2009 Great Information ---- I really enjoy container gardening. Thanks 5*****