Most modern gardeners have turned to grow cucumbers in pots. Cucumbers are a summer favorite and a must-grow plant in every home. After all, cucumbers are the easiest vegetables to grow for beginner gardeners.

These mild and flavorful fruits are available in different varieties, sizes, and colors. From large lemon cucumbers to tiny baby cucumbers, there are different options to grow.

Cucumbers seem the most unlikely to grow in containers. But you’ll be surprised how easy it is to grow cucumbers in containers. Looking to grow cucumbers in containers and not sure what the best types to grow are?

You’ve come to the right place. In this post, I’ll discuss the best type of cucumbers to grow in containers.

Keep reading.

Best cucumber to grow in containers

Cucumbers exist in two types: vines and bush. There are also two major varieties of pickling and slicing. Slicing cucumbers are large in size and ideal for eating fresh or making salads. Pickling cucumbers on the other hand are small and ideal for making pickles.

So, what are the best cucumbers to grow in containers?

Choose bush cucumbers

Bush cucumbers are the best to grow in containers. They feature short and sturdy vines. Bush cucumbers are compact and grow to about three feet tall. The short stature makes it easier to manage them in pots.

This is important, especially if you have a short vertical space or limited floor space. You can leave the cucumbers on their own and they will cascade on the pot side. You can also train them to grow vertically with a trellis or a tomato cage.

When buying cucumber seeds, look for varieties with the name bush. But there are other popular varieties with names like Spacemaster.

Generally, cucumbers that grow in pots are dwarf and compact. Let’s see some of the popular bush cucumber varieties.

• Bush slicer: The bush slicer is one of the best varieties to grow in pots. It’s a dwarf and hardy variety that grows well in hot and cool weather. The cucumber produces short vines with long and straight fruits.
• Salad bush: The salad bush is another under-sized cucumber variety to easily grow in pots. It features a small size that allows growth in tight spaces. This is a suitable cucumber to grow in small containers.
• Pick a Bushel: The bushel is another compact design plant that grows up to 2 feet tall. It’s a suitable choice of cucumber for medium-sized pots. The plant matures pretty fast and is a great choice for short-term climates. 
• Spacemaster: Just as the name suggests, this is a unique type of cucumber that was specifically bred to grow in tight spaces. The cucumber grows short vines and produces medium-sized fruits. The fruits mature very fast allowing you to enjoy your harvest quite early.

These four types of bush cucumbers are the best picks for growing in containers. They feature a pretty short size, small to medium-sized fruits, and a faster maturity period.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t grow vining varieties in containers. You can still grow vining varieties, but it takes a little more effort. Let’s dive deep and see some vining varieties that you can grow in containers.

Vining cucumbers to grow in containers

Vining cucumbers tend to produce more and bigger-sized fruits. So it’s worth the extra effort to grow them in containers. But remember these cucumbers grow tall. 

There are two choices when you grow vining cucumbers in pots. First, you can use a trellis to tame them and provide support. Secondly, you can let them cascade down the pots and grow over the ground.

Important: Most vining cucumbers can grow up to 8 feet long.

When growing in containers, make sure you have enough horizontal and vertical space around the containers.

Let’s see some favorite vining cucumbers to grow in containers.

• Diva: Diva is our first choice for vining cucumber to grow in containers. It’s a special variety that does not require pollination to produce fruits. This makes the cucumber variety a great choice for balconies without a lot of insects or bees.
• Suyo Long: This is a popular variety with some of the sweetest fruits. The cucumber grows pretty long and produces big fruits up to 15 inches long. It’s a great choice for pots and worth the extra effort.
• Lemon: Lemon cucumbers grow long vines up to 8 feet long. It’s another excellent cucumber choice to grow in pots. Lemon cucumber fruits are round, fun, and yellow. They are the perfect snacking cucumbers. Despite the extended growth, lemon cucumbers tolerate container growth very well.

Overall, growing cucumbers in pots are never difficult when you know the right variety to grow and the steps to take. Make sure you choose a preferred variety from the list above to get started.

You can then choose a sunny location, pick the right pot, fill the right soil, and compost the mixture before directly sowing your seeds. For the step-by-step of growing cucumber in pots, I recommend you to follow this detailed guide from BGN.