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Cucumbers are nutritious and can be prepared and eaten in a variety of ways. Growing cucumbers indoors means you can have this crunchy treat available year-round. The vines of cucumber plants spread out over a large area of the ground when planted outdoors, but you can plant varieties of cucumbers indoors that are well suited to flourish in containers, and that have been bred to grow and produce fruit without pollination.
Steps
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Choose hybrid cucumber seeds that don’t require pollination. Be sure to buy a dwarf variety in order to conserve space. -
Select a very large pot. Cucumbers even dwarf varieties, need lots of room to grow. You can also grow cucumbers in hanging pots. [1] X Research sourceAdvertisement -
Place some small stones, clay shards or gravel in the bottom of the pot to aid drainage and to keep the roots of the plant from getting soggy. You can also place a small pot (with drainage holes) upside down in the middle of the large pot if you don't have rocks or gravel. [2] X Research source -
Fill your planting pot with a mixture of potting soil and compost—50% soil and 50% compost. You can use dirt from your garden, but then you will run the risk of bringing unwanted pests indoors. [3] X Research source -
Plant 4 to 5 seeds about 1/2” (12 mm) deep. Space the seeds 1/2" apart or more, if possible. Planting them too close together will hinder growth. -
Water the soil thoroughly so that it is saturated, but not soupy. Water several times until the water drains from the bottom of the pot. [4] X Trustworthy Source Royal Horticultural Society Leading gardening charity in the U.K. providing resources for identifying, growing and caring for flowers and other plants Go to source -
Position your cucumber planter in a sunny window. For optimal growth, the plant should receive at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. [5] X Research source -
Allow the seedlings to grow to a height of 2 to 3” (50 to 75 mm). Don't thin them before they reach this minimum height. [6] X Trustworthy Source Royal Horticultural Society Leading gardening charity in the U.K. providing resources for identifying, growing and caring for flowers and other plants Go to source -
Identify 2 plants that look the strongest and gently pull the other plants out of the soil. Be careful not to disturb the soil around the 2 plants you want to keep. -
Let the remaining 2 plants grow to a height of about 10” (254 mm). Rotate the planter every few days if it looks like the plants are not receiving the same amount of sunlight. -
Choose the strongest, healthiest of the two plants to keep and eliminate the other one by snipping it off at the base. This will leave you with 1 strong and healthy cucumber plant that will produce well and won’t be crowded. -
Insert a stick or small trellis near the plant so that you can train the vine to climb. Don't wait too long to do this; the plant will start climbing as much as 1" every day, depending on the amount of sunlight it is receiving. -
Water your plant frequently so that the soil stays moist. Make sure the water thoroughly drains out from the bottom of the planter, so you will know that the roots are getting wet. [7] X Research source
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Community Q&A
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QuestionCan I take the seeds out of a cucumber to plant?Community AnswerYes, they will readily sprout.
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QuestionHow can I stop my cucumbers from turning yellow and shriveling up?Community AnswerTry watering them with cold water, or try different soil with more minerals.
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QuestionAre cucumbers self-pollinating?Community AnswerYes, cucumbers are self-pollinating. They do not need to receive pollen from other plants.
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Tips
- If your potting soil doesn’t have a time-release fertilizer in it, you can purchase some at your garden supply store and add it to your soil and compost mixture to help your cucumber plant grow quickly.Thanks
- Consider making pickles if you have an abundant crop!Thanks
- Start picking your cucumbers when they are no larger than the palm of your hand. Your plant will keep producing cucumbers for several months.Thanks
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Warnings
- Your plant will produce flowers, which will form into cucumbers, so don’t pick or pinch off the flowers!Thanks
- Low temperatures and frost can kill cucumbers. If you plant in the winter, don’t let the cucumber vine get too close to the window; particularly if it’s drafty.Thanks
- If you use a hanging pot for your plant, make sure the pot and the hook it hangs from are sturdy; an abundant crop of cucumbers can get heavy.Thanks
- Isolate your cucumber planter; as the vine grows, its tendrils will reach out and attach to any furniture or objects nearby. Using a stick or trellis in the planter and encouraging the vine to wrap itself around an item of your choosing will alleviate this problem.Thanks
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Things You’ll Need
- Cucumber seeds
- Large potting container
- Soil
- Compost
- Time-release fertilizer
- Stick or trellis
- Hanging planter (optional)
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about farming, check out our in-depth interview with Don Tipping .
References
- ↑ https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/growing-cucumbers-in-pots/8854.html
- ↑ https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/growing-cucumbers-in-pots/8854.html
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZOYBePPeDM
- ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/cucumbers
- ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/a20707040/growing-cucumbers/
- ↑ https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/cucumbers
- ↑ https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/growing-cucumbers-in-pots/8854.html
- Richard Jackson & Carolyn Hutchinson, Easy Container Gardening, (London, England: HarperCollins Publishers, 1996)
- Julie Bawden-Davis, Indoor Gardening, (Lanham, Md: The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, inc., 2007)
About This Article
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Reader Success Stories
- "Currently at the stage of 2 pots each with one strong plant in. Have added bamboo stick support now & am going to ensure I rotate pots to maximize each side of the plant's exposure to daylight. Feel more confident after reading tips here. Thank you!" ..." more
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"Currently at the stage of 2 pots each with one strong plant in. Have added bamboo stick support now & am going to ensure I rotate pots to maximize each side of the plant's exposure to daylight. Feel more confident after reading tips here. Thank you!"
..."
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"It was helpful to know I could use seeds from a cucumber and that I could try a hanging basket. I love cucumbers. I am going to try and see what happens. Thank you. "
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"I am an avid planter. I saw an article on planting tomatoes from slices, so I did the same with the cucumbers."
"This article really helped me to grow my first cucumber plants healthy and strong. Thank you, wikiHow."
"I use the seeds from cucumber. In cucumbers, the seeds are very thin. I also buy from the market."
