Cucumbers are nutritious vegetables and can be prepared and eaten in many ways. Growing them indoors means you can enjoy this delightful gift from nature all year round. The ramifications of cucumber plants spread over a large area of land when planted outdoors, but you can grow varieties that are well suited to flowering in containers and that have been selected to grow and produce fruit without pollination.
Steps
Step 1. Choose hybrid cucumber seeds that don't require pollination
Make sure you buy a dwarf variety to save space.
Step 2. Choose a large vase
Dwarf varieties also need a lot of space to grow. Alternatively, you can also grow cucumbers in hanging pots.
Step 3. Place a few small stones, clay shards or gravel in the bottom of the pot to facilitate drainage and prevent the roots of the plant from getting soaked
If you can't get some rocks or gravel, you can eventually place a small upside-down pot (with drainage holes) in the center of the larger one.
Step 4. Fill the pot with an equal parts mixture of soil and compost
You could also take soil from your garden, but then you risk bringing unwanted pests into the house.
Step 5. Plant 4-5 seeds approximately 12mm deep
Spacers of about 1.5 cm from each other, if possible. If you plant them too close together, you will prevent them from growing.
Step 6. Irrigate the soil abundantly so that it is saturated, but not soggy
Water several times until you see the water draining from the bottom of the pot.
Step 7. Place your cucumber plants in a sunny window
For optimal growth, the plant should receive at least 6 hours of sunshine per day.
Step 8. Let the seedlings grow to a height of 5–7.5 cm
Don't thin them out before they reach this minimum height.
Step 9. Identify the 2 plants that seem strongest to you and gently remove the others from the ground
Be careful not to loosen the soil around the two plants you want to keep too much.
Step 10. Let the 2 plants you kept grow to a height of about 25cm
Rotate the pot every 2 to 3 days if it seems to you that the plants are not getting the same amount of sunlight.
Step 11. Now choose the strongest and healthiest plant from the two and eliminate the other by removing it with the roots
This will keep a strong and healthy cucumber plant that will give good production and won't be smothered by others.
Step 12. Insert a stick or small trellis near the plant into the ground so it can help it grow taller
Don't wait too long though; the plant begins to grow up to 2.5cm each day, based on the amount of sunlight it is receiving.
Step 13. Water frequently so the soil stays moist
Make sure the water drains completely from the bottom of the pot, so you can be sure the roots are always wet.
Advice
- Start harvesting cucumbers when they are no larger than the palm of your hand. The plant will continue to produce it for several months.
- Consider pickling them if you have a big harvest!
- If the soil does not already contain a slow-release fertilizer, you can buy some at garden centers or nurseries and add it to the mixture of soil and compost, to help the plant grow quickly.
Warnings
- The plant produces the flowers, which will become cucumbers, so don't think about picking or removing them!
- Isolate the plant; as it grows, its branches can reach and attach themselves to any nearby furniture or object. If you put a stick or trellis in the pot and encourage the plant to wrap itself around it, you can solve this problem.
- Cold temperatures and frost can kill cucumbers. If you plant the plant in winter, don't leave it too close to the window; especially if the latter is drafty.
- If you use a hanging pot for your plant, make sure both the pot and the hook are sturdy; a large crop of cucumbers can get heavy.
