Cucumbers

[Rain]

what sort of yield should I expect from cucumbers are they anything like marrow/courgettes? trying to figure out how many to sow.thanks.

[Rain]

[flossie]

I grow 4 - outside - and always give tons away.  There are two of us at home who eat as many as we can but we can never keep up with them when they get going.

Hope this helps.

[cleo]

Variety?-I only grow `Burpless tasty green` outside and then not every year. In the greenhouse/polly tunnel-from 6 to 20 depending on the amount of care I get around to

[angle shades]

i grow the same Cleo only one plant but grown in unheated greenhouse,thats plenty for us :)/shades x

[Tora]

I haven't had much success with cucumber. :'(

They (Marketmore) were all really weak and each plant gave me only one cucumber.

I'm growing Crystal Apple and La Diva this year (three plants each) as well as Marketmore (five plants).
I hope they will give me plenty of cucumber. I love them. ;D

[tricia]

I usually grow three plants in the greenhouse (1 person household) which, in the past, I've bought from my local garden centre - a mini variety called Zeina and have always harvested more than I could eat.
This year I have grown my own plants from seeds. They are all short or mini varieties and are doing well in my greenhouse - Straight 8, Rocky, Spacemaster (a bush type to grow outdoors) and one I bought called Danimas F.1 mini. My friend and I will both grow three plants in our greenhouses and two Spacemaster outside. The remaining plants will be given to friends. The Rocky seeds came from Dobies - only 4 seeds in the packet and two were eaten by slugs when they were very small plants. :( >:(.
I'll be very interested to see if it is worth the results to sow seeds at the risk of losing plants to slugs or wait and buy strong plants from the garden centre - though this would entail driving a longer distance now as my local garden centre has been sold off to a developer, more's the pity!

Tricia

[tim]

Tricia - Danimas are great! Very reliable.

Oh - seed! Sow in 3" pots, & try Vaseline around the sides & rim? And/or a reuseable ring of copper. Or a ring of plastic from a coke etc bottle.And/or stand them on ashes or broken eggshells.

Rain - we only ever grow the 'minis' - no waste - & reckon 40-50 per plant.

The big thing is to sow for succession so that you don't get swamped.

And make lots of sweet pickle with any surplus!

[SMP1704]

Hi Everyone

This will be my first year growing cucumbers and squashes.  I have Marketmore cu's and Avalon squash.  I like the idea of growing them up a frame.  I do have a couple of questions:

What kind of frame? I have four plants, could I grow them up a wigwam or does each plant need more space?

In an 8x4 bed, how many could I fit in, if they are growing vertically?

My 4 cucumber seedlings are now in the mini greenhouse, but are about 4" tall with just seedling leaves......is that OK or should I start again??

Thanks

[carloso]

Cleo


did you give the ones outside any speacial protetion ? i have three plants this yr and was just going to keep them in the greenhouse but i might just make room for something else and move one ouside ! any tips other than the usual

carl

[cleo]

I`m with Tim about `minis` I grow `Petita `for us-I reckon about 20 fruit on average-must be doing something wrong?

[tim]

SMP = http://www.beansandherbs.co.uk/tipsoutdoorcucs.htm ??

[cleo]

Carloso-  I grow mostly in the greenhouse, I only mentioned Burpless Tasty as an example of a cucumber that can be grown out doors. I have grown it outdoors without protection but to be honest it`s only `so so` as  regards flavour.

[tricia]

Wow! Tim - that is one healthy looking cucumber plant ;D. I see no laterals, do you pinch them out or doesn't Danimas produce any? I've googled but can find no information. Is it an all female variety?

Tricia

[SMP1704]

Thanks Tim, the link was very informative.

Are the seedlings OK in their current state?

[kitty]

They (Marketmore) were all really weak and each plant gave me only one cucumber

grrr!thats mine!
*sigh*
well...should they deign to come to anything-does anyone know if they are all female or ill i have to pinch out the males?
anyone have success with these?
i only got one burpless  plant from the packet...tsk!
kitty

EDIT;just read the link-thanks tim!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I grow outdoor cucumbers most years; I get problems with the slugs, when they're planted out but if they survive the onslaught they romp away. The fruit are wonderful.

[kitty]

what sort do you grow robert?
:)kitty

[mat]

I haven't had much success with cucumber. :'(...
I'm growing Crystal Apple and La Diva this year (three plants each)

Never grown cuc's before, and I am also trying these two varieties this year.  Hopefully I will get something to grow  ;)

mat

[tim]

SMP - that's a bit tall - but if they get LOTS of light, & not too much heat, they'll probably sort themselves out. But more? I would sow another batch later, anyway, for continuity. Mine are a bit weak at the moment.

I don't know about potting on or planting deep - it might well cause stem rot??

All the indoor cus I grow are female. I'm just that way inclined!! Almost all are minis. We've grown Danimas, Simpsons Sweet Success, Gracius,Petita, Passandra, Carmen, White ones, Mistral, Brunex, & this year I'm trying Flamingo.

Tricia - I pinch out ALL fruit up to 2' & then all side shoots 2 leaves beyond the first fruit, pinch out at 7' & train the leaders along wires above the toms.

AS SOON AS THEY GET NEAR THE GLASS, CHECK DAILY FOR ANY SIGN OF SPECKLING OF LEAVES, OR WEB IN THE LEAF/STEM JOINT. TAKE OFF IMMEDIATELY & KEEP MISTING AGAINST RED SPIDER. You so easily miss them at that height.

[tricia]

Thanks for the pics and info. Tim - you must have a huge family to be able to use so many cucs :) My seedlings are slightly more advanced than yours - maybe because my very small greenhouse is 'glassed' with double polycarbonate which keeps it comparatively warm. Also being in the southwest, the temperatures are a bit higher than in other parts. I am already leaving the door open during the day.

My main problem with cucs and toms is that I can't attach anything to the roof or walls for supports. I think this year I shall have my friend build me a type of A-frame with a cross bar onto which I can tie bamboo poles to support the plants.

Tricia