Growing Cucumber – One of the added perks of growing cucumbers in containers in your home garden is the fantastic enhancement in their quality and taste. You can just pick them up fresh from your plant and add to your salad or sandwich for a filling brunch any time of the day. Want to learn how to grow cucumbers in your home? Read on, and you will be amazed by the results you get with a minimal effort in a short span of time.
Growing cucumbers in a container
If you want to grow cucumbers in a container, you must understand that cucumber needs enough space to grow vertically. This can make it a bit problematic to grow them in pots. However, you can choose the right type of cucumber plant to get around this problem. Bigger containers are better as they are spacious and can have more soil. They will also help retain water in the soil longer since cucumber prefers moist and warm soil. Of course, having proper drainage holes is essential as too much water can only cause harm than good.
Preparing the soil
The better the quality of the soil the better results you will get. Organic potting soil or potting mix is the best soil for this purpose. Make sure that it is not mixed with any chemicals or other toxic agents.
Planting cucumbers
Warmer seasons are best for optimum cucumber growth. Make sure that the soil temperature is at least 21 degree Celsius while planting the seeds in your container. Place the stakes in the container for supporting the delicate stem of a growing cucumber plant. Put the potting soil or mix in the container leaving about the one-inch distance from the container rim. So about 5-6 seeds in the center of the pot by making a small ½ inch deep hole in the soil and cover it with potting mix. Water the plant and spread a thin layer of mulch on the soil. This will prevent the soil from drying too fast.
Taking care of the growing cucumber plant
Following are some tips:
- Plenty of sunshine is great for cucumber. About 6-8 hours of exposure to the sun is a must for good growth.
- Keeping the soil moist is important. Make sure the deeper soil also gets moist enough for the deepest roots to be able to absorb it along with nutrients.
- Adding fertilizers every week in small amount is recommended as these plants are known to be heavy feeders.
- Cucumbers can get easily affected by worms and mites. Use an organic pesticide such as neem oil to get rid of them.
- Although good air ventilation is good for a cucumber plant, heavy winds can damage it as they have weaker stems. It is important to protect them by placing the container near walls or fences.
Harvesting cucumbers
Cucumber plants grow to their full height in just a few days time. Harvesting them when they are fresh and ripe is important or they will turn bitter in taste. Don’t pull them off the plant as this may damage it. Cut them at the base using sharp garden scissors.
