How Many Zucchini Plants per 5 gallon bucket (or grow bag)
There are many varieties of zucchini plants to choose from, ranging in size and shape, color and taste. There are some that produce earlier and faster, varieties that are spinier and spineless, and some that will yield more and bigger delicious zucchinis than others.
Most 5 gallon buckets and grow bags are 12″ wide, which is also a common width for many planters and containers. What zucchini variety are you growing? The variety will determine how many plants to grow per 5 gallon bucket, grow bag or container that’s approximately 12″ wide and at least 10″ deep.
MOST ZUCCHINI VARIETIES ARE HEALTHIEST AND MOST PRODUCTIVE WHEN PLANTING ONE PER 5 GALLON BUCKET OR GROW BAG.
Our 3 Favorite Varieties of Zucchini
and How many fit in a 5 gallon Bucket or Grow bag
Most varieties of zucchini plants grow quickly, and with their large leaves, may expand to 20″ wide and more. They can be spiney whch makes harvesting and pruning multiple plants in a small space even more challenging. But there are varieties of zucchini that are not spiny (won’t scratch your hands and arms up when harvesting!).
#1: Black Beauty Zucchini
Our favorite zucchini to grow because it’s so easy and delicious! It’s very common and a favorite with most new and smaller-space food gardeners. What makes Black Beauty Zucchini a favorite?
- delicious dark green zucchinis with a medium flavor (we love them roasted!)
- takes about 2 months to start producing (50-60 days)
- typically grows 20″-36″ tall and up to 24″ wide
- ONLY ONE Black Beauty Zucchini per 5 gallon bucket or grow bag is recommended*
*We have successfully grown two Black Beauty plants in one 5 gallon grow bag. We added monthly homemade compost amendments to the soil and watered every day. They were grown in spring/summer in full sun. We assume the grow bag (allowing more airflow to roots, better water retention and drainage depending on weather) had advantages over a plastic bucket. But growing more than the suggested one per 5 gallon meant extra attention to ensure they were getting the nutrients they needed and we inspected daily for any signs of pests, disease etc.
#2: Bush Baby Zucchini
Considered a dwarf variety, the bush baby produces smaller cuter zucchinis and takes up slightly less space than other varieties. A favorite smaller sized zucchini plant that is also high-yield!
- produces lots of super cute (and delicious) 4-6″ long zucchinis
- takes about 50 days to start producing
- typically grows to 18-24″ tall and
- ONE Bush Baby Zucchini per 5 gallon bucket but possibly 2 in a 5 gallon grow bag with healthy amounts of compost/nutrients and plenty of water
#2: Round Cue Ball Zucchini
Yes, amazingly cute little round zucchinis that also taste delicious!
- produces lots of little 2-3″ round zucchinis
- takes about 45 days to start producing
- grows tall, up to 4 feet if not harvested and pruned back regularly
- NO 5 gallon bucket will work for this zucchini variety, not enough space!
Many varieties of zucchini will grow in most plant hardiness zones from 2-11, but it’s important to check first before buying seeds. Smaller varieties can be grown successfully in containers, larger varieties are better in raised beds or in-ground with plenty of space in between. Zucchini are fast growing, high-yield plants that are easy to care for and full of nutrients! They love full sun, and plenty of water.
Tip: use a good healthy homemade compost to start your seeds off right. Or use a store-bought farm-animal manure based compost like Black Cow which has the nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus that your zucchini need. Zucchini are heavy eaters, similar to tomatoes and peppers so using the same fertilizer will also benefit your zucchini plants.
Note: because we garden only in small spaces, we do lots of experiments! We’ve found no difference in using our homemade compost (we use kitchen scraps, grass cuttings, dead leaves and some bottom sludge from our small koi pond) and using store-bought compost… for growing zucchini. A few times we started to see a little yellowing on bottom leaves so we added a little organic tomato plant fertilizer which worked.
Note: because I garden only in small spaces, I do lots of experiments! I’ve found no difference in using my homemade compost (kitchen scraps, grass cuttings, dead leaves and some bottom sludge from my small koi pond) and using store-bought compost… for growing zucchini. A couple of times I started to see a little yellowing on bottom leaves so I added a little organic tomato plant fertilizer which worked perfectly.
A few times I didn’t have enough homemade compost to start new zucchini plants so I bought Black Kow, which is always at my local garden centers and is inexpensive and when mixed with soil, every plant seems to LOVE it.
Experiment, experiment, experiment! No two gardens are alike, find what works best for your plants, in your climate, in that location in your home, during each season. So many factors… just grow food, and adjust when you need to!
ANALYSIS PARALYSIS is the enemy of food gardening… JUST PLANT FOOD NOW!