Topic: Slow cucumbers

[caroline7758]

I sowed my seeds on 11th April. It was so hot that shot up and got very leggy before I noticed, so I selected the least leggy four and planted them up, burying asmuch of the stem as I could. They are now only about 3" high and just getting their second set of true leaves. Do you think they will still have time to produce fruit? Also the leaves seem to be getting paler. Should I feed them?

[tim]

Jolly well hope so!

This is a runt from my first sowing & it'll be fine.

Feed? Not if the compost was fresh. Make sure that there's moisture though.

[caroline7758]

Thanks , tim- it's my first year for cucumbers so wanted to check.

[queen of the cobs]

It's my first year for cucumbers as well and I was a bit unsure of how quickly they'd come on. Mine looks just like the picture Tim put up, so I'm really pleased you asked this question!

[kt.]

First time here too. Mine are the same size. I am gonna transplant mine into blackbuckets with the bottoms cut out and into the allotment greenhouse today.

[Tee Gee]

Once they get their root system in order after transplanting they will romp away.

Then you will see what Tim meant when he asked me the other day if I 'pruned' mine.

Patience is the order of the day, after all Rome wasn't built in a day.

For the record I haven't planted mine out yet ............too small!

[deboydoyd]

Last year was my first year with cucumbers and they just sat there for ages,thought I was doing something wrong -- but once they start they seem to grow a few centimetres a day and ended up with 8 plants producing over a hundred cues.

[kitten]

First time here too, and i'm sure we're late sowing ours, but they've only got their first set of leaves and are about an inch or so high.  Sowed them in 3" pots so gonna wait til they get a bit bigger before putting them in anything larger.

nice to hear how much fruit they bear deboydoyd, i was wondering if 3 plants was gonna be sufficient....  :D

[Jeannine]

My friend asked me a question today about her cukes from last year that I couldn't answer. She said her cukes grew smashing they were fruiting very well,then almost overnight they started to turn yellow and die off very early in the season Why?? Anyone know please,she is nervous to grow them again XX Jeannine

[tim]

Who can say?

Were they watered well/ fed well/warm enough/no Red Spider?

Never known cus to fail.

And, Kitten - wait until they have filled their present pots?

[carolinej]

Last year was the first year I had grown cukes. They grew well until I picked the first one. The plant then started to die off. I cut back all the brown foliage and eventually, the bit that was still alive produced more cukes. When I picked one, it started to die again. I gave up at this point.

Bu die, I mean it went yellow, all the baby cukes shrivelled up and then it went brown.

Dont know why though

cj :)

[kitten]

And, Kitten - wait until they have filled their present pots?

I know I know, I am trying to learn from my previous mistakes tim, lol  :D  It's so difficult all this being patient lark tho  ;D

[Tora]

I've been reading one of Joy Larkcom's books, in which she writes:
 'With marrows withering of the fruit, starting at the blossom end, sometimes occurs, usually due to unsuitable growing conditions. Check that the plant has not been affected by rots on the lower stem or roots. If it has destroy the plant. Otherwise rest the plant by removing the fruit, water carefully, and if the leaves are a poor colour, apply a liquid feed. The plant should regain its vigour and start to fruit normally.'

I don't know if cucs are same but maybe worth trying it if the problem occurs again?

[Marymary]

i grow them every year, mainly in the greenhouse & a few outside.  As soon as the sun gets really hot leaves on the indoor ones start to go brown & cirspy - I just basically ignore it & remove as many as I can & keep watering, feeding & supporting.  I don't seem to get the sort of crops lots of people on here get but I always get more than enough for us from about 4 plants.