How to Grow Cucumbers Indoors

Co-authored by Don Tipping

Last Updated: February 14, 2024 Approved

Cucumbers are nutritious and can be prepared and eaten in a variety of ways. Growing cucumbers indoors means you can have this crunchy treat available year-round. The vines of cucumber plants spread out over a large area of the ground when planted outdoors, but you can plant varieties of cucumbers indoors that are well suited to flourish in containers, and that have been bred to grow and produce fruit without pollination.

Steps

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Be sure to buy a dwarf variety in order to conserve space.
Cucumbers even dwarf varieties, need lots of room to grow. You can also grow cucumbers in hanging pots.^{[1]
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Place some small stones, clay shards or gravel in the bottom of the pot to aid drainage and to keep the roots of the plant from getting soggy. You can also place a small pot (with drainage holes) upside down in the middle of the large pot if you don't have rocks or gravel.^{[2]
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You can use dirt from your garden, but then you will run the risk of bringing unwanted pests indoors.^{[3]
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Space the seeds 1/2" apart or more, if possible. Planting them too close together will hinder growth.
Water several times until the water drains from the bottom of the pot.^{[4]
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For optimal growth, the plant should receive at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.^{[5]
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Don't thin them before they reach this minimum height.^{[6]
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Be careful not to disturb the soil around the 2 plants you want to keep.
Rotate the planter every few days if it looks like the plants are not receiving the same amount of sunlight.
This will leave you with 1 strong and healthy cucumber plant that will produce well and won’t be crowded.
Don't wait too long to do this; the plant will start climbing as much as 1" every day, depending on the amount of sunlight it is receiving.
Make sure the water thoroughly drains out from the bottom of the planter, so you will know that the roots are getting wet.^{[7]
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Can I take the seeds out of a cucumber to plant?

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Yes, they will readily sprout.

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How can I stop my cucumbers from turning yellow and shriveling up?

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Try watering them with cold water, or try different soil with more minerals.

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Are cucumbers self-pollinating?

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Yes, cucumbers are self-pollinating. They do not need to receive pollen from other plants.

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Tips

If your potting soil doesn’t have a time-release fertilizer in it, you can purchase some at your garden supply store and add it to your soil and compost mixture to help your cucumber plant grow quickly.

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Consider making pickles if you have an abundant crop!

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Start picking your cucumbers when they are no larger than the palm of your hand. Your plant will keep producing cucumbers for several months.

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Warnings

Your plant will produce flowers, which will form into cucumbers, so don’t pick or pinch off the flowers!

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Low temperatures and frost can kill cucumbers. If you plant in the winter, don’t let the cucumber vine get too close to the window; particularly if it’s drafty.

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If you use a hanging pot for your plant, make sure the pot and the hook it hangs from are sturdy; an abundant crop of cucumbers can get heavy.

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Isolate your cucumber planter; as the vine grows, its tendrils will reach out and attach to any furniture or objects nearby. Using a stick or trellis in the planter and encouraging the vine to wrap itself around an item of your choosing will alleviate this problem.

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