Number of cucs in a pot

[Paul M. Cook]

About how many cucumber plants can I grow in a 21 inch pot that is abour 18 inches tall? I ran across some interesting seeds, Hmong Red and Gold Lemon. I thought they'd be cool to try - something different.

[Billy]

Vegetative growth is proportional to root growth. The less room for the roots, the smaller the plant above ground.

[Paul M. Cook]

So one? Two?

Paul

[brooklyn1]

One. You'll get more cukes from one uncrowded plant than from 2-3 plants that are crowded... so it really depends whether you want to grow cucumbers or cucumber plants.

[Boron Elgar]

You can put 2-3 in one hill in a container that size.

The lemons are quite tasty. I have not tried the Hmong.

I grow all my cukes in containers or tubs. Although my tubs are larger than you mention, I generally have 2-3 hills in each and have prolific production. I mix varieties within tubs, but not within hills.

And I start them from seed right in the ground soil.

Cukes are quite easy to grow and rarely disappoint.

Some photos from last year:

[Paul M. Cook]

Good, I was hoping to strike a balance between quantity and quality. I was hoping for a lot of cucs this season. But I don't want to get a whole mess of tiny fruits I can't eat. So I'll just do 2 in each pot and hope for the best. So I'll start at least 4 seeds in each pot and pick the best 2, right?

Paul

[Frank]

You've asked a good question. I had about half dozen in two larger pots each last year and got plenty of cucs but wonder if I could have done better with less plants. Why not experiment and grow half dozen in one pot and three in other. You'll get cucs in both cases but it would be interesting to see outcome. If so, let us know.

I would try it myself but put a tomato in the other pot this year. Also pot is on patio surrounded by deer netting and I let cucs grow up netting which has extra reinforcement.

Frank

[Boron Elgar]

I'd plant five and keep 3, but that's me.

One thing I have learned in container gardening, is that you can put a lot certain veggies in there and be successfully as long as you are diligent about the initial soil mix, regular (and veggie-specific) fert, and water, water, water.

I grow bush beans in 6"-10" flower pots. I put 6-12 beans in each. They grow like crazy.

Some things do not like to be crowded, for sure, but you learn along the way. Leaf lettuce you can crowd. Head lettuce you cannot. Baby bok choy you can crowd, the regular bok choy you cannot.

I always have pots of multiple types of herbs growing and pots of mixed flowers, too...oodles of 'em in one pot.

Seeds are cheap. Have fun.

Boron