Cucumbers on the balcony - plant & harvest yourself

The Right Place: Can I Plant Cucumbers on My Balcony?

In Europe, cucumbers are among the most popular types of vegetables - and are therefore often grown in your own garden. There is a simple reason why you can now find them more and more often on balconies: The process from seed to harvest is very easy.

However, before you start growing, you should first check whether cucumber plants feel comfortable on your balcony. A sunny location would be ideal, preferably facing south, because cucumbers need a lot of warmth and light. It is best to place them close to the wall of the house, where they are protected from rain and wind.

Cucumber plants not only need a lot of light, but also a large amount of space: a pot with a diameter of at least 30 cm is recommended. There should be a distance of about 40 cm to other plants and vegetables. If you only have a small space, you can simply use a trellis; with their help, the cucumbers do not grow along the ground, but vertically upwards.

Whether mini, snack, snake cucumbers, or another variety - most cucumber varieties are also suitable for the balcony if there is enough space and light. The Mexican mini cucumber (Melothria scabra) is particularly suitable for balcony boxes - it feels equally at home on sunny and partially shaded balconies and blooms continuously from July.

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How do I properly grow my cucumbers on the balcony?

Cucumbers are usually very easy to care for - even if you don't have a green thumb, you can definitely manage to expand your vegetable garden on the balcony with these green summer vegetables. We will show you how the small cucumber seeds grow into high-yielding cucumber plants.

If you have found the optimal spot on your balcony and the temperature no longer falls below 5 °C at night (preferably only after the ice melts), you can start growing straight away. Mid-April is the best time to start growing cucumbers from seed.

Fill a pot or flower box (at least 30 cm long) with vegetable soil. You can then press the cucumber seeds in about a centimeter deep and cover them with soil. It is best to keep the pot or window box indoors for the first week to give the additional warmth to encourage the sprouting of the seedlings.

If you decide to use a climbing aid for reasons of space, it should be at least one meter high per pot. It is best to opt for a climbing aid with a rough surface so that the cucumber plant stems, which are also rough, do not slip off easily as they grow.

Care tips for fresh and crunchy balcony cucumbers

Cucumbers are very easy to care for; however, it is important that you keep a few points in mind. They need a lot of space and they should be given it - whether on the ground or on the trellis.

Furthermore, the cucumbers, like any other vegetable, must be watered regularly and sufficiently. It's best to water them more frequently with a small amount of still water and keep them slightly moist overall. Most cucumber plants - for example our recommended Mexican mini cucumber - do not like wet or waterlogged conditions. As soon as the leaf mass increases, the water requirement also increases - especially in sunny locations.

Cucumbers are sensitive to frost and cold and should therefore never be exposed to temperatures below 5 °C.

Time to harvest: How to harvest and store your cucumbers correctly

The cucumber harvest can begin as early as the end of May. Within two weeks, the first flowers develop into green summer vegetables. If your plants are growing particularly well and are large, you can even count on up to two cucumbers a week.

Once the cucumbers are ripe, you can carefully cut them off the plant. It is important that you harvest them as soon as they are ripe - this way a new flower and fruit can form. If the cucumbers are not picked in time, they will turn yellow and should no longer be eaten. This is harmful, but you should still pinch off the overripe cucumber to make room for new flowers.

Cucumbers should be stored cool, but not too cold. Therefore, the refrigerator is not suitable for this. If you have a pantry or cellar it's best to store the vegetables there to keep them fresh for as long as possible.

For balcony professionals and beginners: our planted balcony boxes

With The Plant Box you can easily have a creatively planted balcony - and it's clean, effortless, and sustainable. Depending on the season and time of year, we put together the most beautiful combinations of plants, flowers, herbs, and even vegetables in our ready-made arrangements. You simply choose your favorite creation in our shop, have it conveniently sent to your home, and simply place it in your balcony box -  planting, repotting, etc. is spared with us, and you can enjoy a blooming balcony after just a short time.  

It doesn't matter whether you're a beginner or a professional; The Plant Box is for everyone who wants a beautiful balcony with fresh ideas. We will provide you with instructions, tips and ideas, tips for care, the right fertilizer and, if you wish, our Plant Box balcony box .

Ready-made balcony arrangements from The Plant Box: your advantages

• Large selection of different, creatively arranged balcony boxes made of plants, flowers, herbs, and vegetables
• Little effort for a freshly planted balcony; refills are delivered to your home “ready for use” and can be planted in just a few simple steps
• There is something for every balcony: we have ready-made arrangements for all lighting conditions and balconies facing any direction.
• Varied balcony boxes: Become a member of the Plant Lover Club and look forward to new plantings 5 ​​times a year.

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Are you still unsure what type of balcony (e.g. south-facing balcony) you have and which creations are right for you? Then our wizard on the start page will help you with a few questions.

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