10 Easy Steps Of Growing Cucumbers In Containers
Cucumbers may be grown in containers despite their sprawling vines. Choose a small variety and train the vines up a trellis to get the best results. The crop grows tall, saving space and making harvesting a breeze.
Furthermore, growing cucumbers in pots allow you to offer them the extra heat they crave while also controlling moisture and fertility. Summer squash, winter squash, gourds, and melons are all members of the Cucurbitaceae family, which also contains cucumbers.
Cucumbers, like their relatives, are voracious eaters. Warmth, healthy soil, and continuous moisture are all requirements.
History & Origin
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a Cucurbitaceae family member. Watermelon, muskmelon, pumpkin, and squash are also prominent family members. The cucumber, a native of India, is another of our earliest vegetables. According to cave excavations, cucumber has been farmed as a food source for over 3000 years.
Cucumbers were presumably bitter at first because of compounds known as cucurbitacins. These natural defensive chemicals repel insects and other pests. Bitterness is still a concern with some cucumbers today, despite plant breeders making significant progress in eliminating bitter chemicals.
Cucumbers were grown and eaten in ancient Egypt, according to the Bible. The Egyptians manufactured weak liquor from cucumber by cutting a hole in the ripe fruit, liquefying the contents with a stick, closing the hole, and burying it for many days. The mixture that resulted was uncovered and drunk. “Don't try this at home,” the previous sentence should presumably be followed with.
Nutrition Facts
A half-cup of sliced cucumber (52g) contains 8 calories. Cucumbers are high in potassium, as well as vitamins K and C. The (USDA) has provided the following nutritional information.
- Calories: 8
- Fat: 0.1g
- Sodium: 1mg
- Carbohydrates: 1.9g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Sugars: 0.9g
- Protein: 0.3g
- Vitamin K: 8.5mcg
- Vitamin C: 1.5mg
- Potassium: 76.4mg
- Protein: 0.3 grams
- Fat: 0.1 grams
- Carbs: 1.9 grams
Cucumber is a low-calorie, mostly water-based food to help you meet your hydration objectives. Potassium and vitamins K and C are among the minerals found in this crop.
10 Top Varieties Of Cucumber For Containers
Is there no place to grow? Before starting to grow cucumbers in containers, you should learn all varieties of cucumbers for your pot gardening,
Cucumbers can still be picked fresh for a cold salad. Cucumber vines can become twisted and wild in containers, but cucumbers are well-suited to container cultivation in general. The cucumber, also known as Cucumis sativus, is a common Cucurbitaceae plant. Squash and bitter melon are two more famous members of this family.
1. Ashley
This heirloom cultivar yields dark green, six to eight-inch fruits with a slight taper on the stem end.
In 1956, the South Carolina Truck Experimental Station in Charleston produced ‘Ashley,' a vining cultivar for the southern fresh food market. It sounds like a mix of ‘Puerto Rico 40' and ‘Marketer.'
2. Burpless
Thin fruits up to 12 inches long are produced by this hybrid vining type, but they are best plucked when they are eight or ten inches long.
This variety has thin, dark green skin and mild meat with little bitterness, and is resistant to downy mildew and mosaic virus.
Staking or trellising is required for long vines. Harvesting regularly will encourage the vines to produce more fruit, which will be available in 50 days.
3. Bush Champion
On compact bushes, ‘Bush Champion' yields an abundance of eight to eleven-inch fruit. This hybrid bush cultivar yields straight, crisp, vibrant green cucumbers in just 60 days. This Burpee special is mosaic virus resistant and perfect for container or raised bed planting.
4. Dasher II
‘Dasher II' is a disease-resistant dark green hybrid cultivar. Vigorous vines produce slender, eight-inch white-spined fruit in 55-60 days. For simple harvesting, grow straight, uniform fruits with high scab resistance and moderate resistance to mosaic virus, leaf spot, and powdery mildew on a fence or trellis.
5. Diva
‘Diva' is a hybrid cultivar that produces semi-glossy, thin-skinned fruits that are six to eight inches long and won the All-America Selections award in 2002. The ‘Diva' cultivar has a sweet, mild flavor and is mostly seedless. In 58 days, high yields on robust vines are ready to harvest. Scab resistance and tolerance for downy and powdery mildew are both present in this cultivar.
6. Early Pride
The hybrid cultivar ‘Early Pride' produces dark green, straight fruits that are eight to nine inches long. Burpee's plants have gained resistance to powdery mildew and the mosaic virus. Vines vigorously climb a trellis or frame and provide a high crop. Burpless cucumbers have a mild flavour and can be harvested in 55 days.
7. Fanfare
‘Fanfare' is a hybrid cultivar that yields eight to nine-inch long, thin, consistent fruits with excellent texture and flavour. In just 63 days, semi-determinate vines with a height of two to two and a half feet produce large yields. This 1994 All-America Selections winner has deep green skin and sweet flesh, making it excellent for patio container growing.
8. Marketer
The open-pollinated variety ‘Marketer' has a sweet, mild flavour. It won the All-America Selections award in the edibles category in 1943, making it ideal for hot, humid Southern climates.
Dark green, smooth, thin fruits grow eight to nine inches long on vigorous vines and are ready to harvest after 55 days. Associated Seed Growers in Connecticut developed ‘Marketer,' a hybrid between ‘Straight Eight' and ‘Vaughan.' In 1942, it was initially introduced.
9. Marketmore 76
The heirloom cultivar ‘Marketmore 76' is a popular heirloom cultivar with outstanding disease resistance. Fruits are eight to nine inches long, dark green, slender, thick-skinned, and mature in 67 days.
Dr. Henry Munger produced the initial ‘Marketmore' variety at Cornell University in 1968, then in 1976, he released ‘Marketmore 76,' a strong, open-pollinated breed. With a small seed cavity and a crunchy bite, this variety is great for slicing and pickling. This is a consistent producer in warmer areas, resistant to powdery and downy mildew, leaf spot, mosaic virus, and scab.
10. Sweet Success
Sweet Success is a seedless cultivar that yields thin-skinned, 12- to 14-inch fruit with a moderate, sweet flavour.
‘Sweet Success,' an edible All-America Selections winner from 1983, thrives on strong vines and is ready to harvest in just 54 days.
Sweet Success should be planted on a trellis or anchored. This type has resistance to mosaic virus, scab, powdery mildew, and leaf spot.
The 10 Steps For Growing Cucumbers In Containers
Cucumber is a creeping vine that has roots in the ground and uses tendrils to climb up trellises. It grows horizontally if not supported, sprawling along the ground. Cucumber is a fruit, a sort of pepo berry with a strong rind and no internal divisions, according to science.
However, like tomatoes and squash, most people consider it a vegetable and consume it as such. Cucumbers have a pleasant, refreshing flavour and are made up of up to 90% water. The fruit is low in fats, calories, salt, and cholesterol and delivers a variety of nutrients.
Cucumbers, like many other fruits and vegetables, taste better when grown at home. Cucumbers in pots are easy to cultivate and can be highly rewarding if you select the right variety. However, there are a few factors to keep in mind. You should follow these major steps to grow cucumbers in containers.
Step 1: Choose Right Pot For Growing Cucumbers In Containers
Cucumbers require large pots with enough soil so that plants can develop huge root systems and produce plentiful crops. For each plant, select a container that can hold at least 5 gallons (or 20 quarts) of soil; a larger container is even preferable. Self-watering planters are especially beneficial for cucumbers since they protect them from drying out. Self-watering pots don't dry out as rapidly because of the built-in reservoir. You'll still need to keep an eye on the moisture level, but there will be a longer period between waterings.
Step 2: High-Quality Potting Soil
Rich, nutritious soil will feed your plants and retain more moisture than poor soil. Ordinary garden soil, which does not drain adequately when utilized in a container, should not be used.
Step 3: Choose A Variety That Is Small In Size
To choose the best seeds for small-space gardening, read the seed packs. The following is a list of several kinds.
Step 4: Choose A Sunny Spot
Cucumbers love the sun, so choose a spot that gets at least 8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Because most types are heat tolerant, they thrive on a bright, sunny, south-facing wall. However, think about how easy it will be to water and harvest in that spot.
Consider your trellis alternatives for each potential place as well. Vining cuts necessitate a tall trellis–up to 8 feet tall–or enough space to stretch out along the ground. Bushy cucumbers, on the other hand, will extend their leaves over only a few feet.
Step 5: Don’t Start Planting Too Soon
Cukes are a plant that thrives in hot climates. Wait until the weather warms up before planting outside? After the last spring frost, generally a week or two. You can sow seeds indoors a few weeks before planting them outside to get a head start. To avoid transplant shock, use biodegradable pots. In addition, pop-up covers can assist extend the season.
Step 6: Make Use Of A Trellis
Make use of vertical space by making use of cucumbers' vining nature. A tomato cage can also be used as a trellis.
Feed your plants regularly. At planting time, amend the soil with granular fertilizer, then follow up with liquid fertilizer throughout the growing season.
Step 7: Every Morning Check The Soil Moisture
What's the best technique to maintain container plants alive and well? Develop an excellent sense of watering. Check the soil wetness with your finger before watering. If the surface is dry, wet it thoroughly. If the soil is damp, wait until it feels dry on top and is slightly moist below the surface before watering again. Water in the morning, unless it's likely to rain because plants need the most water during the day when they're busy photosynthesizing and transpiring (releasing water from their foliage).
Step 8: Watering Cucumbers In Containers
To yield the best fruits, cucumbers require a steady supply of water. Fruits can become bitter if plants are water strained and allowed to wilt between waterings. Vegetables grown in containers require more frequent watering than plants grown in the ground, so keep an eye on moisture levels and water when the soil seems dry to the touch. Depending on the weather and the size of the container, this could be every day in the summer.
Step 9: Fertilizing Cucumbers In Containers
Because cucumbers are big feeders, I use a slow-release organic fertilizer in the potting mix when I plant them. This ensures a consistent supply of food throughout the growing season. I also use a diluted liquid kelp fertilizer or compost tea as a supplement.
Step 10: Plant Cucumbers Vertically In Containers
Cucumbers can be grown vertically, even in containers, for a variety of reasons. Plants that have matured have improved airflow around their leaves, which reduces the incidence of many diseases. Growing them on a support on a deck or patio takes up less space and keeps your outdoor living area neater. It also makes harvesting the fruits easier. Long-fruited cucumbers, such as the English or Asian varieties, also grow straighter. Cucumbers of all types, even bush varieties, benefit from support. I use tomato cages for bush cucumbers that grow quickly. I use trellises, netting, or ropes for vining kinds that can grow seven feet or more.
Diseases And Pests
Cucumbers are simple to grow and don't have many complications, right? However, there are a few things to keep an eye on:
- Powdery mildew appears as a fine white powder on the leaf surfaces. It usually occurs when the weather is humid and the plants are stressed; proper air circulation can help prevent it. If you find the condition, remove any leaves that are seriously afflicted and attempt one of these two DIY remedies:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 drop dish soap, and 1-quart water, mixed and sprayed on the plants. It causes the pH of leaf surfaces to rise, making spores less attracted to them.
- To make a foliar spray, combine 1 part cow's milk with 9 parts water. The enzymes in milk are supposed to keep the fungus at bay. Cucumbers of all types, even bush varieties, benefit from support. I use tomato cages for bush cucumbers that grow quickly. I use trellises, netting, or ropes for vining kinds that can grow seven feet or more.
The most prevalent cucurbit pests are cucumber beetles and squash bugs. Yellow and black cucumber beetles have voracious appetites and travel swiftly, but you can spray neem oil on them (or vacuum them) to kill the orange eggs they lay on the undersides of leaves. Squash bugs are huge, brown shield-shaped bugs with a slow movement rate, making them simple to pick off and put into soapy water. Because insects are typically disease vectors, controlling these pests also aids in disease prevention.
TIP: Until new seedlings begin to flower, cover them with garden fabric or covers.
Be patient if the first group of blooms that appears merely fades away and does not produce fruit. Male flowers are frequently the first blossoms of the season. Female blooms (with a small bulge at the base) will develop shortly after that.
Cucumber Beetles
Cucumber beetles, both yellow and black, are swift and destructive. They can eat both leaves and fruit. They are, thankfully, simple to manage.
To control them, spray them with neem oil and kill the orange eggs they lay on the undersides of leaves.
Squash bugs are huge, brown or grey insects that feed on cucumber juices from both the leaves and stems. However, they are lethargic and easy to pluck and discard in soapy water.
Covering your seedlings with garden textiles until they start to flower is another approach to keep bugs away. Some pests are disease vectors.
This emphasizes the importance of pest management.
Any plant you want to grow in your yard might be a difficult but rewarding task. With so many variables and unknowns, determining if you are on the correct road on any given summer day can be difficult.
Conclusion
If you want to start growing cucumbers in containers, make sure you sow them three to four weeks before you intend to transplant them to their pots. Planting too early inside leads to overgrown plants that may attempt to blossom and fruit while still inside. These will be tough to transplant and will never produce as much as they could.
When you're ready to plant your cucumber seedlings outside, carefully remove them from their pots and tuck them into the potting mix, taking care not to disrupt the rootball.
Despite their vast vines, cucumbers can be grown in containers. Choose a small variety and train the vines up a trellis to get the best results. The crop grows tall, saving space and making harvesting a breeze. Furthermore, growing cucumbers in pots allow you to offer them the extra heat they crave while also controlling moisture and fertility.
I trust you enjoyed this article on the 10 Easy Steps Of Growing Cucumbers In Containers. Please stay tuned for more blog posts to come shortly. Take care!
JeannetteZ
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