Topic: Curlycus.

[tim]

Great in the beginning, but now lots of pointed ended ones - & curly.

Same regime,  so what??

[moonbells]

oh I love it!

Definitely one for the National Trust competition!

:)

moonbells

[tim]

You're not supposed to love it, mb - you're supposed to do something about it!

[MrsKP]

far be it from me to pretend to know anything about anything, but it looks a bit shrivelled to me.  More water needed ??? ???

[tim]

I'll certainly watch the watering, but I found this this am which I think is of interest?

But why should they suddenly have pollination problems after a month without??

"Cucumber fruits are composed of three interior segments or locules. For the cucumber to grow straight, all the seeds in each locule need to be properly pollinated. If one of the locules doesn't develop normally (because of improper pollination or physical damage to the fruit while it's still young) and........"

[Hyacinth]

Tim, I've no idea, but simply going on what you've written....presume that previous cucs from the same plant have been straight? Presume therefore that pollination probs are more unlikely? Therefore think along the lines of 'physical damage to the fruit while it's still young'??  Are you tenderly nurturing your cuc plant, Tim? ::) :P

[tim]

I go out at 5am every morning & hug them!!

It's the one variety, Flamingo, that's doing it. They were fine for the first 10+ fruit per plant. Passandra, the other one, is doing fine!
Not actually complaining. Four plants of each &, as of this am, 122 cus & counting!!

[MrsKP]

maybe you're hugging them too hard  :P

[Hyacinth]

you're hugging them, Tim? Cut down on the Sanatogen - you don't know your own strength ;)

122 cus already! and you're still not talking about a 'glut'? My Marketmore and Burpless Tasty are nicely spacing their production and how refreshing a newly picked cuc munched sitting under an umbrella in the garden really is.

Still wondering what's making that particular variety curl, given that they've the same regime as the other. Odd (but still v. edible)!

[tim]

Thought you were going to say "wish I were there" - but no matter!!

As you know. my continuity failed - once again - so we've started again.

And just to show the difference again.........

But the Flamingo are now pointy-ended things.

And Sod's Law? 'Next Door', with their 3, are home for 7 weeks. Just as there's a hiatus!!

[Hyacinth]

dreadfully off-topic, but I bought the self same gro-bags this year - doing a trial. Some in these (upended).  some in cheaper bags. Not seeing an appreciable difference in the fruits so far - but I haven't done the taste test yet :-[

[tim]

So far, I've NOT liked the peat-free compost. But can't yet compare with the grow-bags. It's a funny year.

And spoke too soon about Passandra being OK. They've started it. The pointy thing!!

[growmore]

It is a bind this peat free compost....Tim are  the cumber roots confined to the bag?  Jim

[tim]

Yes..........??

[growmore]

I grow through bottomless buckets into a rich humous bed.. I wondered Tim because of the  amount of water and liquid feed   my cu's are  taking at the moment, if a bag would suffice for me, once all  nutrients   the manufacturers  had added to the bag had  been depleted...and the cu's are romping away, could I keep em fed in a bag ,,, Especially with this peatless compost that if allowed to just dry out a little seems a right job to get it to soak water in again and stop it floating  ..Cheers Jim

[tim]

Feed - after the first fruit - that's what we have done for 45 years.

Floating? Yes - a pain! Just have to keep them moist!!

[saddad]

I only grow old white heritage varieties, like crystal apple and Boothby's blond which don't seem to suffer from this problem!
 ;D

[scotch-mist]

Tim,
      what do they taste like?

If they taste ok then I would just enjoy, and not worry what they looked like ;)

Unless you plan to sell to the EEC, or Sainsbury's. ;D ;D ;D

And if anybody has anything negative to say , let them starve :P ;D ;D ;D

or eat polluted , straight ones from the supermarket :P ;D