Nothing says summer like the first bite of a crispy cucumber. And when you grow cucumbers in your own garden, that first bite is followed by a plentiful supply of fresh cukes all season long. Cucumbers are easy to grow, but if you’re short on garden space, growing them in pots is the perfect solution — and one that’s just as easy.

Cucumbers come in two forms: bush and vining. Vining cucumbers produce branches that are several feet long, so they either sprawl over the ground or are supported by a trellis. Bush cucumbers still produce vines, but these are much shorter. These plants only grow a couple feet at most, so they’re ideal for containers: They take up less space and don’t require a trellis. A simple tomato cage will work just fine when support is needed. If you don’t mind the work that comes with growing cucumbers on a trellis and prefer a larger plant, vining cucumbers also grow in pots just fine. Look at varieties like the ‘Quick Snack,’ ‘Bush Slicer,’ ‘H-19 Little Leaf,’ or ‘National Pickling’.

Container cucumbers do require slightly different care than those grown in the ground. However, the good news is that it’s easier to control the growing conditions for a potted plant. To ensure that your plant remains healthy and produces plenty of yummy cukes this summer, it’s important to select the right type of pot, soil, and fertilizer, and to place your pots in the right location.

Cucumbers need plenty of space for their broad root systems to grow, so choose a pot that’s generously sized — around 1 to 2 feet wide and at least 10 inches deep. Potted plants also require more frequent watering than those grown in-ground, since the soil dries out faster, and cucumbers prefer consistently moist (but not soggy) soil. Choosing a bigger pot means you won’t have to water quite as often. Self-watering planters also work well for this purpose. Don’t forget to choose a pot with drainage holes (or create them yourself), so all that water has some place to go.

Soil is next on the list. Use a potting mix designed for containers, not regular gardening soil, which won’t drain as well in a pot. Cucumbers are heavy feeders, meaning they use a lot of nutrients, so a nutrient-rich mix is ideal. When it’s time to plant your seeds, you can also amend the soil yourself with compost or fertilizer.

You can either grow cucumbers from seed or buy starter plants. Growing from seed is the preferable way to go; it’s easy and eliminates the risk of stressing the plant when you transplant it. Since cucumbers prefer warm weather, wait to sow until three to four weeks after the last frost; you can also start the plants indoors to get a jumpstart on the season and a quicker harvest. Choose a spot for your pots with at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day.

When planting, insert each seed about ½ an inch into the soil. The ideal number of seeds per pot varies based on the variety. In some cases, you can plant a few seeds in each pot, then thin them out once they’re a few inches tall. To extend your harvest, try succession planting: After sowing the first seeds, sow another set a month later. In a warm, sunny area, the seeds should germinate within a few days. If you’ve started the seeds indoors, move the containers to their permanent homes once the seedlings are around 10 inches tall. And if using a tomato cage or trellis, now is the time to install it.

Check the soil moisture each morning, and when the top inch is dry, thoroughly drench the plant until water flows out of the pot’s drainage holes. Make sure you don’t get water on the leaves. To provide your cukes with a steady supply of nutrients, fertilize once per week or two with a balanced liquid fertilizer. This is especially important once the plants begin to flower and then fruit. A fertilizer high in potassium works well at this stage.

The process of growing cucumbers from seed to fruit takes around 50 to 70 days, depending on the variety. There’s no need to repot your cucumbers as they grow. Just enjoy your harvest, and make sure to pick the cukes regularly to ensure that they continue to produce. Harvest cucumbers while they’re young and tender instead of waiting until they’re very ripe. Always cut the cukes with scissors instead of pulling.