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moonwolf_gw

Cucumbers In Container?

moonwolf_gw
13 years ago

Hi everyone,

I have an unused 15 inch pot and I was thinking of putting a compact variety of cucumber (Burpee-Picklebush) in it.

I know cukes can be grown in containers and this one, I read, only gets to two feet tall. Is the pot large enough?

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Comments (15)

  • digdirt2
    13 years ago

    Small but might work for awhile at least with that particular variety. It will require several times a day watering once it gets established.

    I have a Picklebush plant growing in a raised bed right now and it is already 3 feet in diameter. There was a discussion here a couple of weeks back on growing the bush variety cukes in containers that included many photos. Search will pull it up for you if you want to see how big the plants really get. ;)

    Dave

  • novice_2009
    13 years ago

    Can marketmore cukes be grown in gallon containers if given a sunny spot and lots of room to sprawl out?

  • noinwi
    13 years ago

    I grew three cuke vines(I think it was Burpless Bush)in a low box(12"W x 22"L x 4"D)last year. I made a 4' stick tripod to tie them up on, even though they were "bush"(I've found the vines can still get about 4' long on most bush cukes). It kept them tidy, saved space and made it easier to water and weed. Unfortunately I didn't take a photo. This year I have three Spacemasters in a small wooden tub that holds about the same amount of soil as the box.

  • Donna
    13 years ago

    For best results, you really need a larger container. I have grown Spacemaster in pots before. They made, but the yield is much higher in the ground. Be sure to fertilize regularly, as well as keep the soil consistently moist at all times.

  • digdirt2
    13 years ago

    Can marketmore cukes be grown in gallon containers i

    No sorry but Marketmore isn't a bush variety. It gets to be quite a large vining plant and would very quickly get root bound. It would need a 5 gallon container minimum and bigger would be much better.

    A 1 gallon container couldn't be used even with one of the bush varieties. It is just too small.

    Container gardeners need to get used to thinking MUCH bigger than just flower pots. ;)

    Dave

  • rnewste
    13 years ago

    Dave,

    Can you recommend some bush types that would do well growing in tomato cages? At the moment, I have 3 plants in an EarthTainer: Burpless, Slicemaster, and Diva. Wondering what to expect in training them for vertical growth.

    thanks,

    Raybo

  • kr222
    13 years ago

    I grow Salad Bush hybrids in the ground. Those are a bush variety that get around 3 feet long...they say it should be around 2 feet in its descriptions. This is my favorite cucumber to grow so far. Very productive and tasty, but I've always had to order seed. I find that it's worth it because the production is so high.
    Kim

    Here is a link that might be useful: Kim's Garden

  • digdirt2
    13 years ago

    Ray - you use good size containers - 18-30 gallon or so right? So while I'd find 2 plants of any of the ones you list in one of them no problem, 3 might be crowding. Check out the pics in the link below for some sizes of trellis needed.

    For smaller containers consider Prima, Bush Pickle, Fanfare, or Patio Pickler.

    Dave

    Here is a link that might be useful: cucumbers in containers pics

  • rnewste
    13 years ago

    Kim and Dave,

    Thanks for the responses. This is my first try at growing cukes in SWC containers (31 gallon) so a bit of trial and error. I wanted some of the burpless, as well as the Divas that many folks say is one of the best, then I stuck a Slicemaster in between. Probably am overcrowding 3 plants, but with the 2 tomato cages, I was hoping they would take advantage of the vertical space and grow upward. Hence, my question on "bush" varieties.

    Raybo

  • novice_2009
    13 years ago

    I had no idea. I get markemore cuke seeds because they are organic, and I've never grown any veggie in a container- just flowers. Don't pickle cukes, I love them raw.

  • star_stuff
    13 years ago

    Brad, you will probably be fine since they're Bush cucumbers. I am also growing a bush variety in a container. It's 'Spacemaster' ~ a full-sized slicer on a short 3 foot vine. (Please excuse the hail damage.)

    The container is 16.5" x 16.5", and 13.25" tall. There are two vines right now, and I just dropped another seed in back...may be overcrowded, but we'll see how it goes. I will be adding a tomato cage for vertical support, like Raybo.

    {{gwi:44464}}

  • candogal
    13 years ago

    Star Stuff, why did you add a third seed? I'm the queen of trying to squish things in as tight as possible, since I only have 200 sq ft. of possible sunny space for my garden. This year, I've treated myself to some BIG pots so I can expand a little. (My husband keeps teasing me about the $64 tomato book.)

    But I don't think I'd try to grow three cukes, even shorter-vined ones, in that size of a pot. Has this worked for you before? Did you have to water constantly?

  • leisa_in_md
    13 years ago

    I've put a couple vining cukes in a large containers as an experiment, hoping that they would just grow over the sides and vine all over the place... have I doomed them?

    Also, I know I have too many in there, They are a couple inches high. It is too late to move them?

    Thanks!!
    Leisa

  • star_stuff
    13 years ago

    Thanks candogal. Unfortunately, I don't have pots any larger, and cannot grow in the ground. :-( So I'll see what happens....with my luck the seed probably won't come up anyway, lol!

    I water every few days, and maybe once a day if it's in the 90s, dry, and sunny. More often than not, I have to stop myself from dragging out the hose so I don't over-water, lol! They will be grown vertically on a tomato cage. They're already loaded with baby cucumber buds.
    Caroline

  • lolear
    13 years ago

    I am also trying cukes in containers this year. I have cross country and straight eight each in 10 gallon buckets plus mexican sour gherkin in a 5 gallon. It seems to be an ornamental - hope that's big enough for it. All will have something to climb.