Cucumbers in pots

[annie8]

I have accidentally ended up with 5 cucumber seedlings. Usual story I sowed a couple and they all germinated. I then forgot I’d sown them and sowed them again. Anyway I don’t have space in the beds at the moment so was thinking I could just grow in pots. Currently in the gh but I don’t really have the space in there as full of tomatoes and chillis. Any advice on how best to grow them in pots outdoors? They looked a bit silty the last few days do they like a slightly cooler spot? I don’t really like them so don’t normally grow them but my son is fixated on gherkins.

[burnie]

If they are ridge cukes, they should be fine in a warm spot outside of the greenhouse, me and my Dad grew them in the Midlands every year.

[peanut]

I've grown Marketmore outside in the past and it did really well, this year I have Diva outside and so far it's doing fine. Some are in pots some in the ground, all with a good dose of farmyard manure and a few canes with strings for them to scramble up.

[Jungle Jane]

Mine have been alright in the sun up until this heatwave,I’ve had to move a cucumber bucket to the shade because it was wilting,it’s been about thirty degrees,the plants will harden up to it,they’re not used to it yet. I cut the bottom off a water bottle,put it in the edge of the pot buried half way,bottom side up so you can water into the big end & keep the cucumber stem dry,makes watering easier.

[annie8]

Thanks for the responses It is a type called partner. Meant to be small for turning into gherkins.

[nickdub]

My limited experience of growing cucs and tomatoes outside in the past is that whatever successes or failures I had, was more or less completely down to the weather. So if you know what the weather in your area will be like in July and August this year you can plan accordingly, if not then it's up to chance. Possibly climate change will push that chance a bit more in favour of warm weather crops outside in the UK.

Obviously there are other factors, and as I too am growing cucs in pots this year I've put them on top of rainwater gutters with a wick to draw moisture up into the compost. Now there are good roots showing in the gutters, so fingers crossed - if I was growing in pots outside I'd at least get some large trays or lids fill them with sand or gravel and put the pots on top of that, so I could water from below.

[ameno]

Obviously there are other factors, and as I too am growing cucs in pots this year I've put them on top of rainwater gutters with a wick to draw moisture up into the compost. Now there are good roots showing in the gutters, so fingers crossed - if I was growing in pots outside I'd at least get some large trays or lids fill them with sand or gravel and put the pots on top of that, so I could water from below.

I'd be very careful about those methods. If you use sand or gravel, be sure that the pot doesn't actually touch the water level.
Cucumbers are very prone to root-rot from waterlogging. I have lost potted cucumbers every year just from the pot being in a tray with a little bit of water in it (half a cm at most) for 8-12 hours.
I've taken to putting them up on pot feet in the trays now, so that there is plenty of room for the water to drain out and no risk of the pot sitting in it.

[Penellype]

I have good success outdoors and in the greenhouse growing small cucumbers (mini munch, Cucino, La Diva) in Duogrow planters or bottomless pots half buried in soil. I train the plants up the same sort of plastic mesh (about 2 inch square) that I use for peas. You have to tie the plants in at first but they usually romp away once they get going.

[annie8]

Might squeeze a few in the gh and put the others outside. My gh can get really hot and I might be away for a week in the next month or so and don’t want to risk them all. I have someone who comes to water my tomatoes but they are no gardener and good chance they will over/under water things.

[Snadger]

I am growing three Diva cukes outdoors and two in the greenhouse. I gave my neighbour at home a plant and she must have green fingers as she has three decent sized fruit on hers while only one of mine has a single small cuke.

[peanut]

Monty Don planted Partner Cues in pots in this week's Gardener's world. It was during the second half of the programme.

[annie8]

Monty Don planted Partner Cues in pots in this week's Gardener's world. It was during the second half of the programme.

yes I saw that. Seemed like he was expecting it to get massive judging by the supports he was putting in.

[ameno]

I am growing three Diva cukes outdoors and two in the greenhouse. I gave my neighbour at home a plant and she must have green fingers as she has three decent sized fruit on hers while only one of mine has a single small cuke.

I grow Diva, too. Two plants in pots in my conservatory. They've done really well so far this year, and have already taken over my conservatory. I have 5 cucumbers sitting in the fridge which I picked within 2 days of each other. I'm thinking cucumber soup will be in order...

[geepee]

I grow my 'Cukes' sort of half in and half out .....like in a 6' x 2,6'' x 6, high 'blow away'...either a grow bag on the floor or a container that holds at least 50/60 ltrs of mixed home made compost ,bit of new and pepped up with BFB In either case I grow seedlings in a 3/4'' pot with the bottom cut off, pot up into 6''botomless pots when roots show at the bottom of 3/4'' pot. once in 6'' pots watch for root growth from below and either keep indoors until danger of frost has passed or you have unheated greenhouse . ALWAYS water from the bottom , place bottomless pots in watering trays on Capillary mats.Once in the growbag or container through hole in bag 'Doh !!) about 1 or 2'' deep.cut another hole in growbag or place near to Cuc plant,a Good deep plastic pot ( I drill holes in mine all the way up on all sides) sink this pot full depth .Water in this. The reason for this .....Cucumbers will NOT tolerate stem saturation, but they love sucking moisture through the roots.....so think Stem at ground level = desert and roots = Swamp, works for me. Quite often you will have flowers and fruit on plants at 30cm high before you put them in their final growing position, as long as root disturbance has been avoided they should go forward quite happily, Remember that Cucs are approx 95%water !!!!! good growing . Gp