The cucumbers growing in this container are an heirloom variety called 'Lemon' (Cucumis sativus) and date back to the 1890's. The vines of these plants grow 3-6 feet long and the round, yellow fruit is 3-4" in diameter.

I'm growing these cucumbers in a one-foot-square self-watering container, which came with a 30" trellis. It can hold 9 quarts of soil and one quart of water.

There are only two plants here, but they're taking up more space than expected. I had planned to let them grow up one side of the trellis and then train them to grow back down another side. But they're just too big, so I'll find another solution.

I started these cucumbers a bit late in the season, so I hope they bear fruit before the first frost. If not, I'll cover them at night. Or, since they're in such a small container, I could even bring them in at night.

There's been only one insect pest on my cucumber plants. I didn't see them but by the "eating pattern," I'd guess they were leaf miners. Since they didn't do much damage, I haven't bothered to figure out how to keep them away. No sign of cucumber beetles so far.

Here are the basics on growing cucumbers:

General Info:
Cucumbers are fairly easy to grow. If unlike my round cucumbers, yours are the oblong type, growing them on a trellis will help the fruit to grow long and straight. Trellises also help keep the vines off the ground and therefore less susceptible to mildew.

Location: Full sun to partial shade.

When to Sow: Direct seed when the soil temperature is consistently above 70 degrees.

Planting Depth: 1/2" to 1", depending upon the variety.

Plant Spacing (After Thinning): 1 - 3 feet, depending upon the variety.

Soil Temperature for Germination: Usually 70 - 90 degrees. Some varieties can be planted with soil temperatures as cool as 65 degrees; some can germinate at temperatures as high as 95 degrees.

Days to Germination: 3 - 14 days, depending upon the variety.

Days to Maturity: Varies greatly. 65 - 95 days, according to variety.

Tips: Cucumbers need a lot of water and grow best in very fertile soil.

See also:
Self-Watering Containers
Growing Swiss Chard
Growing Carrots
Growing Beets