I think I planted too many cucumber plants in a container

10 years ago

Hello fellow gardeners! I've been reading the forums on here for a few months and everyone seems so helpful I decided I should post this question here.

I started a vegetable garden on my very, very sunny patio just recently. I read that cucumbers, especially the type of seed I bought can be container grown and started this time of year. Well the packet said to sow 4-6 seeds together but I didnt think about that needing to be changed for a container. Anyhow I planted two of these and all of the seeds sprouted; they are about 3 inches high right now. I'm wondering if this is too many cucumber plants in a small area and what I should do at this point. I have plenty of room for them to grow on a trellis but I want to make sure they will produce something tasty. Any suggestions would be wonderful.

Thanks!

Featured Answer

Andieinwonderland
Original Author

10 years ago

Thanks Dave. The variety is bush champion cucumber and the square container is 15"x"15"x12" deep, however there is also a small pepper plant in the container as well because I read it was ok to grow them together. Is this too much for that container?

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Comments (10)

digdirt2
10 years ago
To answer your question we need to know the name of the cuke variety and the size (number of gallons or at least the width and depth of the container please?

Dave
dirtycoconuts
10 years ago
I have a similar issue.
I'm trying to grow Boston pickling cures in a container. It is 12x15x8

How many plants will be able to thrive?
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woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
10 years ago
They may be compatible, but cukes love water and peppers do too, BUT...

Peppers like to almost wilt between waterings. Since cukes love to be moist all the time, growing them together in such a small container might be tricky.

If you used a very porous container media like the 5-1-1 mix that's mentioned all over this forum, then the 2 different veggies just might be able to coexist.

As far as what your dilemma is right now, I'd leave the 2 best cuke plants and see what happens.

Good Luck.

Kevin
digdirt2
10 years ago
Good info from Kevin. They aren't compatible when it comes to water needs.

I'm trying to grow Boston pickling cures in a container. It is 12x15x8

Boston Pickling is a big plant not normally grown in containers. 1 plant in a container of that size will do ok, not great but ok, with extra care and lots of support. It is a climbing vine.

bush champion cucumber and the square container is 15"x"15"x12" d

I have done 2 plants of that variety in a similar sized container. They are wide but not all that tall still some support will help them and as Kevin mentioned, watch you soil moisture levels carefully.

Dave
Andieinwonderland
Original Author
10 years ago
Great! Thanks for the input from both of you. I will be careful when watering and watch out for over watering the jalapeÃ¯Â¿Â½os. I was mostly worried about the container being too small for the roots. As for removing the other cucumber plants, is now a good time to pick them out? How should I go about removing them? I have read that cucumbers don't like transplanting but maybe ill be able to save a couple to share with friends.
nc_crn
10 years ago
I think your biggest issue is going to be trying to grow these plants over winter...crowing aside.
woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
10 years ago
nc-crn wrote:

"I think your biggest issue is going to be trying to grow these plants over winter...crowing aside."

LOL... I wasn't going to get into that. I assumed Andie lives in the Florida Keys or the Southern hemisphere ;)

Andie:

I wouldn't bother trying to SAVE the ones you're thinning. Just clip at the surface.

Actually, cucurbits(melons, squashes, cukes) are fine as transplants. But, they'll soon outgrow the small 2-4 inch pots you start them in. So, the old "8-10 week period" for most veggie seedlings actually is more like 4 weeks. Then you definitely want to get into a larger container or in the ground.

Kevin
Andieinwonderland
Original Author
10 years ago
Yup! I typed in my zone earlier. I'm in 9, Southern California to be specific. We don't really get winter out here. Were talking 70-80 degree christmas. No snow and just a little rain. I also did some research before I planted to find out what would be good to start in fall. Not to mention I figure establishing the plant now will mean they might produce more when warmer temps come. I have also started strawberries, habaneros, and two lettuce varieties, as well as sowing tomatoes indoors. Honestly I've just gotten addicted to gardening and plants over the last year and despite my small patio want to give growing something edible a shot! Thanks for all the help Kevin.

Andie
woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
10 years ago
Andie:

Not sure where you are in SoCal, but I'm in San Diego. So, my few years gardening experience might help. And Yes --gardening is addictive.

Yo be honest with you, if your area gets below freezing(AT ALL), the peppers, tomatoes and cukes just aren't going to survive. Even if they do, they won't THRIVE. Those are WARM weather crops. And they need lots of sun -- something that even the mild winters here just can't supply.

Don't get me wrong. If you start those veggies between March and June, you can get nice harvest all the way up until November and December. But STARTING them this late won't yield much of anything.

I like to start my peppers and tomatoes in January indoors, under a shoplight with "daylight" flourescent bulbs. Cukes can be started in Feb. or March.

Or I just wait until the nurseries bring in transplants around late March.

There's actually more veggies that you can grow here in the fall and winter here - lettuces, spinach, root veggies, anything in the brassica family(broccoli,cauliflower,Kale,cabbage, etc.),snow peas, etc.

Do a search in google for: vegetable planting guide along with the name of your county. You'll get a general idea on WHAT to grow and WHEN to grow them.

You can still get some COOL weather crops in the ground, but you're probably best off finding transplants at Home Depot or (even better) your local nursery. All I saw at MY Home Depot was lettuce. I DID find some broccoli and cauliflower at my Walmart though.

Good Luck.

Kevin