This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Long before I had a garden I was growing cucumbers in containers. This is because cucumber plants are easy to grow, productive, and thrive in pots and planters. Plus, cucumbers grown in containers typically have fewer issues with pests and diseases so planting in pots can actually reduce potential problems.To be successful, however, it’s important to select the right type of container and growing mix. You’ll also need to pay attention to watering and fertilizing and harvest at the right time. In this article you’ll learn how to grow cucumbers in a container garden and discover the best varieties for pots.
Types of cucumbers to grow in containers
There are so many unique and delicious cucumbers you can grow. I feature many of them in my award-winning book, Veggie Garden Remix, but basically, cucumber varieties fall into two main categories: bush or vining. Bush cucumbers form short vines, just two to three feet long and don’t require a trellis. They are perfect for pots, cascading over the side of a container or hanging basket, or you can support them with a tomato cage.
Vining cucumbers produce more fruits per plant but they’re also larger plants, growing up to eight feet long depending on the variety. They can be grown in pots but choose large containers, at least 14 inches in diameter to ensure adequate root room. You’ll also need to provide a trellis or other support for the vigorous plants unless you want them wandering all over your deck or patio.
How to grow cucumbers in a container garden: The best containers
Picking the right container to grow cucumbers is the first step to a successful harvest. The container should hold at least five to seven gallons of potting mix and have good drainage. Bigger is better as a larger volume of soil holds more water but is also heavier and less prone to tipping over.
Common materials for containers include plastic, fabric, wood, and metal. You can buy pots or up-cycle items like five gallon buckets, half-barrels, or wine boxes. If your container of choice doesn’t have any drainage holes, be sure to add some to the bottom with a drill. It’s easy to do and ensures the cucumber plant roots won’t be sitting in soggy soil. I really growing cucumbers in fabric planters, which are free-draining and don’t need extra drainage holes. Bush-type cucumbers can also be grown in hanging baskets, but again, opt for a large-sized basket that is at least a 12 to 14 inches in diameter.
The best soil for growing cucumbers in pots
Start your cucumbers off right by planting the seeds or seedlings in the best growing medium. Don’t use garden soil in pots as it quickly becomes compacted. Instead give cucumber vines a lightweight, free-draining mixture that is rich in organic matter. I use a blend of a high quality potting mix, often called potting soil, and compost, mixing them equally in the container. I also add slow-release fertilizer to the soil mix before I plant. This ensures a steady supply of nutrients throughout the growing season.
When to plant cucumbers in containers
Cucumbers are heat-loving vegetables and shouldn’t be planted outdoors until the soil temperature is at least 60 F (15 C). This is usually one to two weeks after the last spring frost. Don’t try and rush cucumbers into containers too early as they’ll be prone to cold or frost damage.
How to grow cucumbers in a container garden – seeds or transplants?
When it comes to how to grow cucumbers in a container garden, you’ve got a couple of options. The first is to direct sow the seeds outdoors in the pots or containers. The second is giving the plants a short head start indoors and then transplanting the seedlings at the right time. Cucumbers have a reputation for being difficult to transplant, but I’ve had no issues as long as I give them just 3 to 4 weeks indoors. Any longer and they may become root bound.
Once your containers are filled and ready to plant, it’s time to plant. To direct sow cucumber seeds in a container, plant three seeds per pot, pushing them about a half inch deep. Water well and keep the soil consistently moist until the seeds germinate. Depending on the cucumber variety and the size of the container, you will likely need to remove all but one plant once the seeds have germinated and are growing well.
If you want to start your cucumber seeds indoors, it’s important to sow them at the right time. As noted above, this is 3 to 4 weeks before you intend to move them outside. Planting inside too early results in overgrown plants that may try to flower and fruit while still indoors. These will be difficult to transplant and never live up to their production potential. When you’re ready to plant your well-timed cucumber seedlings into their prepared outdoor containers, carefully slip them from their pots and tuck them into the potting mix without disturbing the rootball. The final task is to water the seedlings to ensure good soil-root contact.
Growing cucumbers in containers vertically
There are many benefits to growing cucumbers vertically, even in containers. Plants grown up have better air flow around the leaves, reducing many common disease issues. If grown on a deck or patio, growing them on a support takes up less space and keeps your outdoor living area more tidy. It also makes it easier to harvest the fruits. Plus the cucumbers of long-fruited types, like English or Asian varieties grow straighter when trellised.
Most types of cucumbers, even bush varieties benefit from support. I use tomato cages for bush cucumber varieties. For vining types, that can grow seven feet or more, I use trellises, netting, or strings.
- Trellises – There are different types of trellises that can be used to grow cucumbers vertically. They are frequently made from wire or wood, and can be purchased or DIY’d.
- Strings – In my polytunnel I grow cucumbers in fabric planters or plastic pots training them vertically up strings. It’s a very efficient and simple way to grow container cucumbers and results in healthy plants and a large harvest.
- Netting – Pea and bean netting is another popular material for supporting vining cucumbers. If growing in planters or containers on a deck, balcony, or patio, the netting can be hung from a railing, wall or other structure. Be sure to choose a netting material with holes that are at least four inches square. One inch square mesh netting is available but not recommended for cucumbers as the fruits can get wedged in the netting as they grow.
How to grow cucumbers in a container garden
The best cucumber harvest comes from healthy plants. To encourage healthy growth, place your containers where they will receive plenty of sunlight (at least eight hours a day) and provide regular moisture.
- Watering container cucumbers – Cucumbers need a consistent supply of water to produce the highest quality fruits. If plants are water stressed and allowed to wilt in between waterings, the fruits can turn bitter. Container grown vegetables need to be watered more often than in-ground plants so keep a close eye on moisture levels and water when the soil is dry an inch down. In summer, this may be every day, depending on the weather and the size of the container.
- Fertilizing container cucumbers – Because cucumbers are heavy feeders, I add a slow release organic fertilizer to the potting mix at planting time. This provides a steady feed throughout the growing season. To supplement this, I also use a liquid kelp fertilizer or compost tea every 3 to 4 weeks.
- Monitor for pests and diseases – Cucumbers can fall prey to pests like cucumber beetles, aphids, squash bugs, and slugs, and diseases like powdery mildew and bacterial wilt. It helps to grow resistant varieties, but keeping an eye out for potential problems also allows you to take action before they get out of hand. A soapy water spray can be used for many types of insect pests. Read this article for detailed information on cucumber plant problems.
How to harvest cucumbers in containers
Cucumber fruits reach peak quality when the fruits are slightly immature. Once pollination has occurred it takes 5 to 10 days, depending on the variety, for the female flower to become a fruit. Fruit size varies from variety to variety with some ready to pick when just two inches in length and others when they’re a foot long. Read the seed packet for specific harvest information. Don’t allow over-ripe fruits to remain on the plant. This reduces the production of new flowers and fruits.
Never pick fruits by tugging or pulling them from the plants. You can damage the plant or the fruit. Instead, use a pair of garden snips or pruners to clip the fruits from the vine.
How to grow cucumbers in a container garden: Picking the best varieties
When learning how to grow cucumbers in a container garden it’s important to consider variety selection. Many heirlooms are prolific and offer a large harvest of crispy fruits, but newer hybrids often have better disease resistance.
Bush cucumber varieties:
Pick a Bushel – This All-America Selections award-winning cucumber is ideal for pots as the compact plants grow just two-feet long. Plant them with other vegetables and herbs in a large container or on their own in medium-sized pots. It’s very early to produce and the fruits are great for fresh eating or making into pickles. Harvest when the cucumbers are 3 to 5 inches long.
Salad Bush – For over thirty years, Salad Bush has been a standard cucumber variety for small gardens and containers. The plants grow two-feet long and yield full-sized slicing cucumbers. Harvest when they are 8 inches long.
Parisian Gherkin – A semi-vining cucumber, the plants of Parisian Gherkin grow two to three feet long and produce dozens of mini cucumbers that are delicious fresh or pickled. The fruits have small black spines and a crisp, lightly sweet flavor.
Spacemaster – This popular cucumber starts pumping out 6 to 8 inch long fruits less than two months from seeding. Spacemaster is a great variety for pots as well as hanging baskets as the plants grow only a couple of feet long.
Vining cucumber varieties:
Lemon – Lemon cucumber is a unique heirloom variety with roundish, pale green to light yellow fruits. The vines can grow 8 feet long and produce dozens of cucumbers per plant. Harvested when still pale green to light yellow. Once they turn bright yellow, they’re overmature and seedy.
Diva – An All-America Selections winner, Diva is reliable and productive and perfect for pots or garden beds. The vines grow 5 to 6 feet long so provide support. They’re also parthenocarpic which means they don’t need to be pollinated to produce a crop. This is especially useful if you’re growing the plants in pots in a greenhouse or polytunnel. For optimal flavor, harvest when the fruits are 5 to 7 inches long.
Picolino – Picolino is a cocktail-type cucumber with compact vines that grow 4 to 5 feet long and boast excellent disease resistance. The fruits are smooth and deep green and picked when four to five inches long. I grow Picolino in pots in my garden and polytunnel for a generous crop of delicious mini cucumbers.
For more information on how to grow cucumbers in a container garden, along with other vegetables, be sure to check out these articles:
- Learn the basics of container gardening in our comprehensive container garden tip list
- Cucumber plant problems and what to do about them
- Can you reuse potting soil? Yes, and here’s how to do it right
- Crops in pots: success with containers veggies
- Growing the cucumber’s fun cousin, cucamelons
- Wondering how many cucumbers are produced on each plant? Learn how to boost yield
Did you learn anything new about how to grow cucumbers in a container garden?
Duane L Hawkinson says
A beneficial, comprehensive, and well organized article–I
especially liked the recommendations for selecting cucumbers. Will you follow up with a piece about pickling?
RICHARD AYAMTYO says
Wow! Your article is so simple to understand. I am thinking of starting my cucumber pot garden. Thank you so much.
Richard O.A
Nigeria
Kathy L says
Very helpful! I will be returning to this site!
Laura Bollinger says
I have tried over and over to grow cucumbers. I am trying again after reading this! Thank you
Katherine says
I usually grow parthenocarpic varietals – such as Diva, Monika & Alpha Beit in 14 gallon growbag containers in zone 7b (Brooklyn, NY) with 2 plants in each pot connected by an A Frame trellis. They do very well here and I always plant seeds behind the first vines to make sure I always have a good harvest. Thank you for an informative article, much appreciated.