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How to Grow Cucumbers in Grow Bags

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I always use grow bags for my greenhouse cucumbers. In particular, I like to use the Tomatorite giant deep-fill bags. You can find them on Amazon here, although I will say you will find them much cheaper in a garden centre or, like me, Homebase.

So why would you use a grow bag for cucumbers, well they are perfect if you have a hard floor greenhouse, like me, where there is no soil.

They also provide all the nutrients your cucumbers could need in one growing season.

Large Grow Bag
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12/02/2023 12:10 am GMT

How many cucumbers per grow bag

This may be controversial with some growers as most suggest two plants per bag but I have always grown three plants per bag.

This way, you are maximising your yield per bag and therefore getting more cucumbers for the same price. I can’t say I have ever had any problems with growing three plants per bag and I have no plans to change!

For me this seems to be the best method as I only have one greenhouse and it isn’t the largest in the world.

If you have a larger greenhouse, then you may find that two plants per bag, but more bags lead to a better harvest for you.

Gardening is all about experimentation and finding what works for you!

My cucumber setup
My cucumber setup

Support Structure

Now, if you are growing cucumbers in bags, then they will obviously need some sort of support structure. I go into more detail on this in my how-to-train cucumbers article, but the premise is simple.

One cane for each plant to grow up with a support bar running along the top to tie it all together.

I will tie this into the roof structure to add even more support. You can see this in the photo below.

The canes are all tied in together
The canes are all tied in together

Why Growbags?

Well, with a grow bag you get compost full of nutrients that your cucumbers need to grow.

These bags are designed for growing tomatoes, and indeed I do have some at the other side of my greenhouse doing just that, but they work just as well for cucumbers.

I find with just these grow bags, I don’t need to add any extra fertiliser. I already end up with gluts of cucumbers, where I give them away to anyone and everyone, so why would I need more?

Grow bags are also really useful for water retention in the greenhouse. Because the water has nowhere to drain, it stays in the bottom of the bag.

While this may sound like a problem at first it is actually ideal for thirsty plants like cucumbers.

In a hot greenhouse, the soil can dry out really fast, so this extra water retention just gives you a little more leeway between watering. Just make sure you don’t drown the plants in standing water and you will be just fine.

Even still, once your cucumbers get large they will quickly dry out a grow bag. This is where growbag collars can be useful, they provide a resivoir in your grow bags, meaning you don’t need to water them as often! Check them out below.

Less Watering Needed!
Pack of 6 Tomato and Vegetable Growbag Pots
£19.99
  • Specially designed pot for growing in growbags
  • Set of 6, measuring 26 centimetres across, so three fit neatly on a growbag
  • The inner and outer watering troughs make feeding and watering easy
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12/02/2023 03:47 am GMT

Deep Fill

Always go for a deep-fill bag where available. The deep fill adds extra room for root growth and also water.

So your cucumbers will grow bigger and you won’t have to water them as often, a definite win-win.

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anita

Tuesday 18th of July 2023

do you eventually nip the top out when they get too tall

Daniel

Tuesday 18th of July 2023

You can do if you are running out of room. You can then let the side-shoots grow out a little. Or you can lower the entire stem and let it run along the floor a little before going up

kirsty Harrison

Friday 26th of May 2023

This is great thank you. I’m Growing in grow bags, but not in a greenhouse. How often would you water please??

daniel@bb8design.co.uk

Sunday 28th of May 2023

Whenever the soil is dry, it could be everyday if it is not raining. Use your finger to test wether the soil is damp under the surface as the top layer will dry out quickly but it could still be wet underneath.

Barry victor Brown

Wednesday 17th of May 2023

Great Idea.