Best way to water cucumbers

[jonny the plant pot]

What's the best way to water them can I put them in a tray full of water or do you water from above.

[chefgage]

I would do as you say and water from the bottom to try to prevent stem rot. If this is not possible like if you have them in a grow bag I sink a plant pot i to the soil/compost next to the plant and water into this.

[Potstubsdustbins]

You really do not want to leave the stem standing in damp compost, cumbers have a tendency to commit suicide.

I don't have any trays big enough for my large pots to stand in so make a circular depression around the pot away from the stem and water into this.

[jonny the plant pot]

will they be ok like this

[Scarlet]

Yes, how big are those pots? Lovely looking plants

[bario1]

Oh that's what cucumber plants are supposed to look like....

[jonny the plant pot]

The pots are just short of 12" all way round and deep I've never grown any veg so I will apologise in advance for any daft question I ask.

[Lumpy]

Mine are all out side now and I cut the bottom off plastic 1 ltr bottles and sunk the bottle neck by the roots so I can just go round and fill up the bottle with the watering can. I do the same for my peppers and toms.

[Gren]

I always make a moat in the compost and a little dam around the stem. Just water well away from the stem and it'll be fine.

[Philthy]

I stand my pots in a deep saucer and fill that with water. It's just easier all round. The stems at the soil surface can remain dry while the roots are encouraged to go down. Easiest way to feed the plants too (standard soluble nitrogen formula). Another benefit is that if warm weather is anticipated, on the given morning, continuing to fill the saucer / tray up with water until the level remains constant i.e. the pot cannot absorb any more water at that time, should see the plant through to the evening without the risk of the compost drying out in the heat of the day. Cucumbers especially need A LOT of water in hot weather. The fruitlets will shrivel and die if watering is irregular, even if the stems and leaves look healthy. Tomatoes are a bit more forgiving in that regard in that the fruits will still form but are likely to remain undersized.

[kathyd]

I agree with Lumpy - I use a plastic bottle with its bottom cut off stuck in the soil next to all my indoor toms, peppers, cucumbers and squashes. It avoids wetting the stem and the leaves, and it keeps the surface of the soil dry which may help deter slugs and snails (I live in hope).

[jackarmy]

Think theres plenty of advice ther without my twopennysworth Johny but ive a question if i may ,

With my dodgy eyesight, is that a Pike or a Carp in your avatar? , if it is indeed a fish lol.

[Penellype]

Last year I grew cucumbers in pots on a slight mound in the middle, with a piece of plastic bottle round the bottom of each stem. I put a circle of copper tape round the plastic to keep slugs out. The idea was to water outside the plastic to avoid splashing the stem, which seemed to work. This year I am going one step further and using a self watering pot (quadgrow root veg) which has 18l pots. I'm going to attempt to grow 2 melons and 2 cucumbers in a 2ft square (4 pots).

[Bal]

I've got mine on trays and water from the bottom. Will they be too shaded if I put them under the staging. I will have the toms in front so the probably won't get any direct sunlight

[jonny the plant pot]

Think theres plenty of advice ther without my twopennysworth Johny but ive a question if i may ,

With my dodgy eyesight, is that a Pike or a Carp in your avatar? , if it is indeed a fish lol.

Its a carp