How to Grow Zucchini in a Pot

If you have a container garden you might be wondering: Can you grow zucchini in a pot? And the answer is yes!

Zucchini is actually one of the easier vegetables to grow in a container garden.

So if you are a zucchini noodle fanatic but don’t have a sprawling backyard for a garden then you are in luck, in this article we go over how to grow zucchini in a pot.

The best part about growing zucchini in a container garden is that they are a vegetable plant that will produce plenty of food.

What Size Container is Needed to Grow Zucchini in a Pot?

Zucchini plants can take up a lot of space. With a container garden, and especially if you try to go with a vertical garden approach, you can cut down on the space that a zucchini plant would take up.

You will want a container that is at least 24 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep.

The container will need drainage holes. So if you are picking out a pot that doesn’t have any holes in it, you will need to drill holes in it.

One of the best options for a container when growing zucchini in a pot is the SmartPot 30 gallon fabric container. Since it’s made out of breathable fabric it will allow the soil to dry out between watering and it will prevent the roots from circling by air root pruning due to the aeration from the container.

Can You Grow Zucchini in a 5 Gallon Bucket?

Many people have success growing zucchini in 5 gallon buckets.

Make sure to only add one plant per bucket. You will also want to add drainage holes to the bucket so water doesn’t stay in the bucket and cause issues with the roots of the plant.

How Much Sunlight for Zucchini Plants

Zucchini’s love sunlight.

So when picking a spot for your container make sure it’s somewhere that your zucchini plant can get plenty of sun.

Zucchini plants need at least 6 hours of sun a day, but the more, the merrier. Getting 10 hours of sunlight each day is even better.

Support Your Zucchini Plants

Zucchini plants grow in a long vine. So some type of support to prevent the zucchini plant from going all over the ground is important.

You can make a homemade trellis, or even use a tomato cage to support the vines.

Or if you want to go a more decorative route, there are plenty of pre-made trellises you can choose from for your container garden.

Best Soil to Grow Zucchini in a Container

When growing zucchini plants in containers you will need well-draining potting soil. You can use commercial mix potting soil that contains peat, compost, and perlite.

Make sure you do not use regular garden soil. If you did so you could be introducing disease and other pests that could damage your zucchini plants. Also, regular garden soil quickly compacts and smothers roots easily.

I like to use Espoma Organic Potting Soil. This soil already has earthworm castings in it so I don’t have to mix extra in when planting my container garden.

How to Plant Zucchini in a Pot

You can plant your zucchini in a container located outside 2 weeks after the last frost in your area.

You will want to plant two to three zucchini sees in the center of the pot, a few inches apart and about an inch deep.

After the seeds are planted, water the soil and make sure to keep it slightly moist until your seeds start growing zucchini plants in 7 to 14 days.

After a couple of weeks from when the seeds started growing, determine which one is the strongest looking of the plants and remove the others. Just leave one seedling in your zucchini container.

Watering Zucchini in a Container Garden

You will want to make sure between watering you allow the soil to dry.

And when you do water, make sure to water the plant generously.

One way to check to see if your plant needs water is to stick your finger far down into the soil in the container and if it is dry it is time to water your zucchini plant.

Hand Pollinating Your Zucchini Plants

One way to make sure you get plenty of zucchinis from your plants is to hand pollinate your zucchini plants.

You can use a self-pollinating tool like Be the Bee Pollinator to pollinate your plants and make sure that you get an abundant harvest.

Fertilizing Your Zucchini Plants

Since you are using a container garden, zucchini plants’ soil will be depleted of food for the plant much faster than in a traditional vegetable garden.

So fertilizing regularly is important to help your plants grow and produce well.

You can get plant food that you can mix with water and that way you can fertilize your zucchini plants when you water them.

I like to use Jack’s Classic All Purpose Plant Food as a fertilizer for my container garden. This plant food has a 20-20-20 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorous, and magnesium and also has essential micro-nutrients like calcium.

Growing Zucchini In Containers Overview

• At least 6 hours of sunlight per day, but the more sunlight the better.
• You want a pot that is at least 24 inches wide and 12 inches deep.
• Having support for your zucchini is a good thing since it is a vine plant. You can use a trellis or a tomato cage.
• Use a high quality potting soil like Espoma Organic Potting Soil.
• Make sure to allow your soil to dry out between waterings.
• Hand pollinate your zucchini plants to help produce more fruit, you can use Be the Bee Pollinator to help with this.
• Make sure to fertilize your zucchini plants on a regular schedule. Jack’s Classic All Purpose Plant Food will provide your plants with needed nutrients and micro-nutrients and it will allow you to fertilize when you water your plants.

Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Zucchini in a Container