Cucumber questions

[pye]

Hello! This is the first time I've needed to post in nearly a year of lurking here - there's so much brilliant info in these forums  :)

Anyway... I impulse-bought a couple of cucs at the garden centre today, and I think I might have been given duff advice by the assistant.

Cucumber number one is 'Styx'. It was sold to me as an outdoor all-female variety, but when I googled it I found a couple of references to it being an indoor cuc. Anyone know it/got any advice?

Cuc number two has a helpful label that says it's 'Ridge'. Which I think is a type, not a variety. The bloke told me to pinch out the male flowers, but don't outdoor cucs need male and female flowers to pollinate?

Lastly, I'm thinking about sticking one in a pot and one in the ground to grow up a chain-link fence. If anyone can suggest which will do better where, I'd be really grateful.

Thanks everyone.

Kate

[pye]

[tim]

Pye in the sky no longer! Welcome.

Styx is an F1 Hybrid Greenhouse cu.

Ridge is what you say. Leave the flowers.

So now - are you going to try both outside?

[pye]

Thanks Tim.

I've only got a tiny lean-to greenhouse and it's already heaving with chillies and toms, so the Styx will have to lump it outside.

I should really take it back and complain but it's a beautiful little plant and I am already attached to it.  ::)

At least that solves my other dilemma; the Ridge will go against the fence out in the open, the Styx will go in a pot on the patio where it'll be much more sheltered. I'll fleece it at night and see if that helps. Fingers crossed, if I get any fruit I'll count it as a bonus.

[tim]

Fleece will help. And although they say minimum 60F for indoor cus, our 'house is still at 50F every night!

[pye]

Tim can I ask for your advice again?

The Styx seems to be doing well outdoors, has got six or seven little cucs 3"-5" long. Should I stop it at any point or just let it keep growing? (it's about 4' tall)

It's also got some tiny white moths on it. I looked them up and I think they're greenhouse whitefly, is there anything I can/should do to get rid of them?

The Ridge is growing well in the ground in a more open position, trained up canes. It's covered in flowers, but all male I think as no tiny cucs in sight. It has produced one side shoot, also with flowers, also no fruit. I'm feeding it weekly with tom food and watering daily in this heat. Can I do anything to encourage it to fruit? Do I need to pinch it out?

So many questions!  :-[

Thanks.

[tim]

Who, me? I'm not a big outdoor cu grower & have never followed any rules for them. Yet they survive. The best I can find is this -

"Outdoor ridge cucumbers can be planted out this month. They benefit from a site that has been enriched with lots of organic matter to help retain water. Pinch out the tip of the plant when it has made six pairs of leaves, to encourage sideshoot and cucumber formation. Feed regularly with a liquid tomato feed, following the instructions on the packet."

But I was always taught not to feed until the fruits set.

Whitefly? Again, not an expert. There are 2 types. But whichever, I would start with a powerful water jet, like I do on Broad Beans. If that doesn't work, Defenders' Eradicoat? Or Insecticidal Soap?

Male flowers? Tell me about it!! I have a bought-in cu which has not produced a female flower in 3 weeks!!

[pye]

Thanks Tim. Went out this morning and there was my first little fruit on the ridge. Hooray!

[amphibian]

I have got all in a flap, are you meant to leave the male flowers on ridge cucumbers then?

[Robert_Brenchley]

Yes, because if the female flowers don't get any hanky-panky they won't produce any cucumbers! Greenhouse ones are into virgin birth, so they're much too pure for anything of that sort.

[amphibian]

Yes, because if the female flowers don't get any hanky-panky they won't produce any cucumbers! Greenhouse ones are into virgin birth, so they're much too pure for anything of that sort.

I ave an outdoor variety next to my indoor variety, will it end up pollinating my indoor cucumber?

Here is my first cucmber; 16" long, indoor variety grown outdoors.

[Hyacinth]

Yes, because if the female flowers don't get any hanky-panky they won't produce any cucumbers! Greenhouse ones are into virgin birth, so they're much too pure for anything of that sort.

Well, in my part of the world, no pubs, no chippies, no takeaways, it's just sex, sex, sex in my garden,  then :o My 1st year at growing cucumbers; 1, Marketmore, in the g/house (cos I was told it ws an indoor variety) + 2 Burpless Tasty in growbags outside. Too many fruits of sin to know what to do with ??? - and the courgette glut has yet to start  ::)