Growing Zucchini in Containers – The Ultimate Guide to Small-Space Squash
Don't give up on your zucchini dreams just because you're short on space. Learn about compact varieties, container size, and more in this comprehensive guide.
Love zucchini but not sure you have enough space? It’s a legitimate concern. Zucchinis are famous spreaders, and can easily take up 9 square feet of garden space.
The solution? Growing zucchini in containers! Especially if you choose the right variety and throw in some vertical support, you can have a high-yielding zucchini plant on your small balcony or patio.
This article will cover how to grow zucchini plants in containers, from picking the right cultivar to making sure your planter is actually big enough. Let’s go!
Container Zucchini Varieties
There are two major varieties of zucchini plants: vining ones and bush ones. If you’re short on space, you want to go with a bush (also called compact) variety. Some popular choices are “Fordhook” and “Eightball.” (Both from Burpee Seeds).
If you’re growing one zucchini plant in an area bees aren’t likely to visit (on a high balcony or in the middle of a city), it’s a good idea to get a parthenocarpic plant. Parthenocarpic plants can produce fruit without pollination. Burpee's “Sure Thing” is a great one.
The Best Containers for Zucchini
Just because we’re growing compact doesn’t mean we’re growing small. When you’re picking a pot for a zucchini, bigger is always better. At a bare minimum, you should get your hands on a 5 gallon container like this one from Amazon. (Keep in mind that a 5 gallon planter is actually much smaller than a 5 gallon bucket, like the orange ones from Home Depot).
If it’s at all possible to get a bigger container, though, it’s worth it. The extra space will make for happier plants and more fruit. These 25 gallon fabric grow bags from Amazon are a great deal. You can buy hard plastic containers that are 25 gallons (here they are on Amazon), but they are way more expensive. With pots this size, fabric is the way to go.
Zucchini roots are prone to rot if the bottom of the pot stays soggy. Drill extra holes in the bottom of your pot if necessary.
Filling the Container
Zucchini grown in containers requires a lightweight, well-drained potting soil such as a commercial mix containing ingredients like peat, compost, and/or fine bark, along with either perlite or vermiculite. Avoid regular garden soil, which probably contains pests and weed seeds, and quickly becomes compacted enough to smother the roots.
Growing Vertically
Even though we’re not planting vining zucchini, it’s still a good idea to have some vertical supports. This is because zucchini leaves and fruits get big and heavy, and if they’re left to dangle over the edge of the container, they could snap off under their own weight. Try using a modular tomato cage like this one from Amazon. You can build it to fit the size and shape of your container and plant.
How to Grow Zucchini in a Pot
- Wait until about two weeks after the last frost in your area.
- Plant two or three seeds in the center, at a planting depth of about an inch (2.5 cm).
- Allow a couple of inches (5 cm) of space between each seed.
- Water the soil lightly and keep it slightly moist but not soggy until the seeds germinate in a week or two.
- If all of the seeds sprout, thin seedlings after about two weeks. Remove the weakest and leave a single, strong seedling.
Zucchini Container Care
Once the seeds sprout, water deeply whenever the top 2 inches (5 cm) of soil feels dry to the touch, then allow the top of the soil to dry before watering again. Zucchini is a sun-loving plant that needs an absolute minimum of six to eight hours of sunlight per day, and eight to ten hours is even better.
Feed the zucchini plants every four weeks, using a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer. Alternatively, mix a time-release fertilizer into the potting mix at planting time.
