Topic: Cukes

[Jeannine]

I ate my first one yesterday!!

XX Jeannine

[Kleftiwallah]

I planted two indoors and two outdoors yesterday ! ! !    ;D

Cheers,    Tony.

[goodlife]

Ohh..lucky you..I only just sowed mine few days ago.. ::)
I bet it tasted loooooovely.

[MiniTC]

Mine keep getting neck rot  :(

Any tips...??

[goodlife]

Good way to avoid neck rot is to plant it in little hill of soil/compots...make little heap like mole hill. The soil on top of that hill will aways stay much drier than rest of the soil and it will keep the excess moisture away from the stem that will otherwise rot it... ;)
...or...you have to learn to be less liberate with watering can. Try to water so that you make a circle around the rootball area avoiding watering the compost/soil right next to the stem.

[Squashman]

I am trying some grafted cues, anyone had experience with them. I have been using my "El Torro" for the last couple of weeks, always reliabe and quite resistant to the normal prblems.

[MiniTC]

Good way to avoid neck rot is to plant it in little hill of soil/compots...make little heap like mole hill. The soil on top of that hill will aways stay much drier than rest of the soil and it will keep the excess moisture away from the stem that will otherwise rot it... ;)
...or...you have to learn to be less liberate with watering can. Try to water so that you make a circle around the rootball area avoiding watering the compost/soil right next to the stem.

Thanks..!  I think I need to use a little more care and attention with my young ones - fingers crossed

[Jayb]

I am trying some grafted cues, anyone had experience with them. I have been using my "El Torro" for the last couple of weeks, always reliabe and quite resistant to the normal prblems.

I've not grown grafted cues, but I'll be interested to hear how you rate them later in the season  :)

I'm with Goodlife, seeds sown last week, some way to go yet  ;D

[woodypecks]

 Jennine -Cant wait to be crunching mine . I have made a little wig wam of canes for mine to climb up this year .
Goodlife  _  thats a very good planting / watering tip .  :)

[green lily]

I've just planted 2 from my own seed, crystal lemon x wautoma which are the 2 cues I had growing side by side last year. Be interesting to see what I get... ;)They're tucked under the butternuts so that should give them plenty of shade.. says she as the rain hisses down ::)

[cornykev]

Mine are in pots and doing OK the biggest cue being about the size of a cocktail sausage, when I plant in the ground I bury a 2 litre water bottle between the plants and fill the bottle to water both plants. :D

[torquil]

when planting in pots, try putting small plant pot with bottom cut out next to cue .avoids neck rot and stops to much water from causing problem :D :D :D

[luckydog]

I'm growing my cucs in black buckets with a small pot in the top of the bucket to water into as described.  The pots are sitting in trays to collect any excess water that drains off.  Is this OK, as the bottom of the pot seems to be permanently sitting in water?  Or should I take the trays away completely so that the water can drain away?

[jesssands]

I have never grown a cue. Do you have to grow them in a green house or is it possible to grow them outside?

[BarriedaleNick]

Well it's possible but not if the weather is like this all Summer!
I normally grow a couple in and a couple out but it does depend on variety - I have a spanish one that does well outside..

[jesssands]

maybe you could let me know the variety. I might have a go next year. I have no greenhouse you see.

We visited family in Wales some years ago and their next door neighbour, Roger (sadly died this year) but he used to grow them in a ghouse and he gave us one. I have never tasted a cue like it, it was wonderful.  :)

[squeezyjohn]

I've only ever had success in greenhouses, but they've always done well for me if I've watered them enough.

This year though - it's just too cold, even in the greenhouse - they haven't really got going at all.

 :'(

[pigeonseed]

I've only just planted mine out inthe last week or so as well. No sign of flowers yet.

I always grow outdoors and it's usually fine. Though one year was very dry and they were very bitter.

I've never replicated the first year I tried them, though, when I had five little plants that produced huge quantities all summer.
(By the way - you need to look for outdoor/ridge types. Some cucumbers are specially-bred for outdoor growing. )

[Jeannine]

My early one was Carmen, I always plant a couple really early, keep warm in the house then put them in the greenhouse as very large plants.

XX Jeannine