Cucumbers 'Marketmore'

[Sigsy]

Hi there,

This is my first post (of many I'm sure)  :-X :-X  ;D

I have started growing Tomatoes and Cucumbers for the very first time this year, so I am an absolute beginner in every sense.  :)

I bought some 'Marketmore' cucumber seeds purely by chance when I got a B&Q Salad Seeds Selection which I thought might be a good place to start.

Currently I have 8 established and flowering plants which I have now planted out into grow bags in my polytunnel.  ;D

I just have a few questions,

Specifically for 'Marketmore'
Do i need to;

1.  Pinch out male flowers?
2.  Pollenate Female flowers? (by pressing the males to the females or with a feather/brush etc)
3.  Pinch out the growing point of the main stem and train the side shoots?
4.  What is meant exactly by the growing point of the main stem?  Is it the new foliage that is starting in the junction of the top two stems? or does it literally mean snipping off the top of the stem and any leaves?
5.  Should I remove any new female flowers with baby cucumbers for the first 1' of the plant to help it grow and fruit more?
???

I have read almost every article I could find after typing "Growing Cucumbers" into google, but they all seem to offer conflicting advice, or are vague and non-specific  :-\

I apologise if these questions are a bit remedial, but like I said, I'm a total beginner.  :-[

Here's a pic,


I read also from another post on this forum that the yellow markings are down to scorching from tomato feed.
That would have been another question, so thanks for that brogusblue  ;D

[Sigsy]

[tim]

Will this help  - http://fothergills.co.uk/en/cucumber-marketmore-715.aspx

I tried something different this year & am disappointed - it's spiny & the g'children won't like it so much. They are hooked on Passandra & Danimas.

Ah, well!!

[Sigsy]

Yeah great, thanks for that  ;D

Do i need to;

1.  Pinch out male flowers?  -  No
2.  Pollenate Female flowers? (by pressing the males to the females or with a feather/brush etc)
3.  Pinch out the growing point of the main stem and train the side shoots? - Yes
4.  What is meant exactly by the growing point of the main stem?  Is it the new foliage that is starting in the junction of the top two stems? or does it literally mean snipping off the top of the stem and any leaves?
5.  Should I remove any new female flowers with baby cucumbers for the first 1' of the plant to help it grow and fruit more?

If anyone can fill in the answers to the rest of the questions I think I'm set  ;D

[Brogusblue]

Hello

Just check each cucumber for any webs or mites as "Tim" said to check it in case of red spider mite, But if you can't find anything and it looks healthy then put it down to scorching worth just having a look just in case.

My marketmore are looking poorly as mine where hit by sudden frost and i think i have lost both of mine but the Cucumber Petita F1 is certainly the one that i will grow again.

Cheers
Brogusblue

[Tora]

Hello Sigsy. Welcome to A4A! :)

I grew Marketmore last year and was very pleased with it. I'm no expert and can only talk from my experience but what I think is:

2.  I didn't pollinate by hand at all and didn't have any problem. The plant set a lot of fruits (couldn't keep up eating them). So I would say no but you can try hand pollinating if fruits are failing to set.

4. Growing point means the top bit of the stem where new leaves are showing. For example if you are to pinch off the growing point after 5 leaves, you cut the top off just above the fifth leaf.

5. I'm not too sure about this but I didn't remove new female flowers at all and the plant still grew very vigorously.

Good luck!

[SMP1704]

HI Sigsy

I grew MM for the first time last year - almost as prolific as courgettes.  I didn't do any pinching out or hand pollinating, just kept well watered.

I'm growing Burpless Tasty Green this year as like Tim I did find the MM's a bit spiny, but they do come off with some vigourous washing.

For a beginner, its a fuss free plant - you could also grow it outside if the polytunnel becomes a bit full.

Good luck

[Sigsy]

Thanks for the replies guys,

Do i need to;

1.  Pinch out male flowers?  -  No
2.  Pollenate Female flowers? (by pressing the males to the females or with a feather/brush etc) - No, unless yeilds are low
3.  Pinch out the growing point of the main stem and train the side shoots? - Yes
4.  What is meant exactly by the growing point of the main stem?  Is it the new foliage that is starting in the junction of the top two stems? or does it literally mean snipping off the top of the stem and any leaves? - the new foliage that is starting in the junction of the top two stems
5.  Should I remove any new female flowers with baby cucumbers for the first 1' of the plant to help it grow and fruit more?

I had a look at my plants when I got home from work and I think I worked out what was meant by the growing point (with help from Tora's description) so I bit the bullet and pinched them out, the plants have about on average 8 leaves each so by going on what was suggested It was probably the right time to do so.

I didn't know you could plant them outside, for some reason I had figured Cucumbers were a greenhouse specific plant (in the UK anyway)

I still have some spares from when I planted out so I might give them a go, although it's mighty nippy up here in the North East compared to the rest   :'(

Thanks for the info, much appreciated  :)

[tim]

3. I would have thought that that applied to outdoor growing. Without experience of this variety, I would grow them as any other - ie grow to the roof, taking out laterals at 2 leaves beyond a fruit, then pinch out the tip & let 2 laterals grow down. We'll see - mine this year is a Marketmore type.

5. Many don't but, indoors, the book says DO!

[Sigsy]

Thanks Tim  :)

[tim]

On the other hand.............

Just checked mine and they are the first I've grown that ARE NOT producing laterals.

So - sit on my tongue!!

[saddad]

We had some in the sale, that didn't sell out so I may buy them cheap and have a go...
;D