Regular potting soil is a good choice for the soil but it needs to be amended . Mix into the potting soil some good quality compost — equal parts potting soil and compost . The reason I suggest potting soil rather than regular garden soil is that the garden soil tends to get very heavy in the container , and I like to move my containers around . Also , potting soil is much lighter for applications on balconies . After mixing the soil and compost together , add the mix to the container , leaving about a 5 cm space from the top of the container to allow for watering . Wet the soil down well prior to planting .
Choosing the variety of cucumber seeds can be a bit of a challenge . Having said that , it ’ s a nice problem to have because there are so many good choices . Plant breeders continue to develop varieties suited for growing in containers . If growing from seed , here are some good varieties to try :
● Fanfare — All America selections winner . Great quality , high yields , and compact plants well suited for container growth . 20 – 25 cm cukes . Early maturity at 63 days .
● Salad Bush — Very high yields in small spaces . 20 – 25 cm cucumbers on bush-type plants . Matures in 57 days .
If you are going to buy the plants at the greenhouse and transplant them , ask the staff which varieties would be good for a container .
When planting either seeds or bedding plants , pay close attention to the spacing requirements of the plants . Avoid jamming too many plants into a single container . Cucumbers like to have their space and for some varieties this may mean only having one plant in a container , depending on the size of the pot , of course .
Cucumbers are very heavy feeders and will need
to be fertilized regularly . The easiest way to do this is to use slow-release fertilizer pellets designed for use in containers . One application can be enough to last two to three months . If seeding , apply after the plants have emerged and have their second set of leaves . If transplanting , apply the fertilizer at the time of planting .
Place the container in full sun and water regularly , never allowing the soil to completely dry out . Cucumbers will not grow in shade , and they will not tolerate dry conditions .
Pollinating the cucumbers may be a concern if your location is not frequented by bees . Locations like high rise balconies may have few bee visitors . There are varieties such as Sweet Success and Diva that are self-pollinating , but if you don ’ t have a selfpollinating type , a small artist ’ s brush can help . The procedure is to use the brush to transfer the pollen from the male to female flowers . There are far more female flowers on a vine than there are male so you will have to look for the male flowers . To help tell the difference , male flowers have a single stamen and appear first . Swirl the brush around the male flower and then carefully “ paint ” it on the female flower . It might help to make a buzzing sound as you do this .
Gerald Filipski happily shares his gardening expertise with us in each issue of news & views . When pollinating his cucumbers — and buzzing — Jerry says he stops short of wearing the yellow and black striped suit .
news & views SPRING 2024 | 43