Because of their fresh taste, cucumbers are a popular summer vegetable for many. You can grow them directly in the garden or in a container on the patio. However, they need the right nutrients for healthy growth and fruit production. You can find out how you should fertilize cucumbers in the pot in this article!
Which types of cucumbers are suitable for containers?
If you have limited space and want to grow cucumbers in a container, it is important to choose the right varieties. This includes lots of mini cucumbers and snack cucumbers that can be eaten straight from the plant! What could be better for summer! Here we have selected some types of cucumbers for you that are suitable for pots and containers:
- Picolino: A mini cucumber that is very productive and vigorous. It has a delicate and sweet taste and reaches a height of 1.50 m. You can harvest the cucumber when it is 12-14 cm tall. Another mini variety that is also suitable for the bucket is “Iznik”
- Bush Pickle: a compact growing variety that has a crisp, delicate taste. Ready to pick when the fruit is about 12cm long.
- Bush Crop: a bushy, ground-growing cucumber, shoots up to 1 m long, dark green, hard skin, crisp, tasty pulp
- Isnic F1: Mini cucumber with long oval fruits 10 to 12 cm long.
- Minister: Mini breakfast cucumber, ideal snack vegetable. It produces fruits about 10 cm long that are crunchy and juicy
- Libelle F1: a variety that grows up to 1.50 m high and thrives even in unfavorable climatic conditions.
- Mexican mini cucumber: “Cucamelon” is a popular mini-sized cucumber with fruits up to 2 – 3 cm in size.
- “Eiffel" and "Dominica” are snake cucumbers with a length of up to 35 centimeters. Medium-long fruits, up to 20 centimeters, form the varieties “Paska” and “Printo”.
What is the right soil for the vegetables
Best soil for cucumbers in containers: Cucumbers are heavy feeders and grow best when planted in light but organically rich soil. Avoid using garden soil that is very heavy. Combine a high-quality potting soil with compost in a 50:50 ratio. You can buy these at any garden center. Pay attention to whether fertilizer has already been added to the soil. If this is the case, do not add your own fertilizer when planting. How can you make your own fertilizer for cucumbers?find out here!
- A notice:Cucumbers need warm soil to thrive and grow best. Do not plant cucumbers until the soil temperature reaches at least 21 degrees.
Fertilize cucumbers in the bucket – how often and when
How often to fertilize your cucumbers, depends on the type of fertilizer you choose. Some slow-release fertilizers recommend monthly fertilization. With water-soluble fertilizers, weekly fertilization is recommended for cucumbers grown in containers because nutrients are washed out more quickly and therefore more fertilizer is needed. Follow the instructions on the packaging of your chosen fertilizer.
When you should fertilize cucumbers in the container: Because cucumbers are heavy feeders and need a lot of nutrients, you should add a slow-release organic fertilizer to the soil mix at the time of planting (if your soil doesn't already contain nutrients). This willa stable nutrient supplyensure throughout the entire growing season. Additionally, you can use a diluted liquid seaweed fertilizer or compost tea every three to four weeks.
- Notice: However, watch out for signs of overfertilization, such as yellowing of vegetable leaves.
How often you should water cucumbers
You should water cucumbers regularly, especially in summer, as they are vegetable plants that require moisture. The soil in the pot should never dry out completely, but waterlogging should also be avoided. Water regularly, twice a day on the hottest days. Always keep this rule in mind: the larger the pot, the less often it should be watered!
How to harvest cucumbers in containers? It is best to harvest cucumbers when the fruit is still slightly underdeveloped. However, never pick the fruits by tearing them off the plants as you can damage them. Instead, use scissors to cut the fruit from the vine.
