Hello all, I am hoping to grow some cucumbers outdoors on the plot this year.
Does anyone have any reccomendations for an ourdoor variety that will be a long green slicing type, like the ones you get in the supermarket? I have tried the shorter, fatter types that you have to peel, and don't like them anywhere near as much.
Am tempted by bush champion from the Kings catalogue, but am open to suggestion.
I'm in the south (Oxford) and my plot is fairly open and seens to get a load of sun. Looking to grow without any kind of heat or protection, but could invest in a cloche or two if that would help.
Thanks in advance :)
Burpless tasty green, none better in my opinion :P and very easy to grow, I was giving them away by the bucket load last summer from only 4 plants
Telegraph is an old one but it will grow out doors and give you long dark green cucumbers.But it needs male flowers pinching off so that it doesn't pollinate and become bitter..Jim
I am trying Marketmore this year no idea how good it is so no help realy but they are only 6-8 inches long.Any one else tried these?
76 the hot summer I grew telegraph in a make shift poly hut all of 18 ich high two plants which burst the seams and traveled down the path. Watered by bath water night and morning I had loads of fruites friends and family were very help full taking them off my hands best year ever.
I'm trying 'Minature White' outdoors, but this is my very first experience at an allotment so I don't knwo what will happen. Plus it's a small 2", so not what you are after.
There are are 'Wautoma' and 'Tamra' which look like outdoor slicing cucumbers, at www.vidaverde.co.uk (http://www.vidaverde.co.uk) maybe you contact the people there to check if they'd fit the bill?
I've always gone for Tasty Green Burpless myself.
There is a really good article in the April edition of Kitchen Garden magazine about outdoor cucumbers, with recommendations for varieties etc. It should be in the shops about now.
the only comflicting advice i have heard about burpless tasty (or is it tasteless burpy ;)) is whetehr or not they have male flowers, and whether or not you have to remove them.
anyone can tell me from experience?
thanks
svea
AlanRomans says not to, if that's any help :)
www.alanromans.com
I must admit that I never have, and have always been happy with the taste.
Burpless Tasty Green works well for me and doesn't produce bitter fruit with all flowers left on - the individual cus are not as big as Telegraph but you get more and they're fresher as it takes less time to eat them (if you see what I mean)
Phil
PS Alan Romans is an expert on potatoes - not cus
outdoors just has to be Burpless Tasty.
Stephan
Yep, gets my vote too, altho' too cold here to grow outside !Â
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/magpiedi/oct.jpg)
Cheers all, looks like Burpless tasty green may be the way to go :)
Next question - support. Will a stake do, or does it need to be something more complex?
Cheers again
Agree with the Burpless. Just let it roam - if you have the room.
Ha! For the first time I ordered stuff from England, Thompson and Morgan.
After reading this thread about the Burpless tasty (what a crazy name) I took the plunge and ordered them, also some other things, like fly resistant carrots and courgettes that don't scratch your arms while harvesting (don't laugh). I will also get free seeds, one of them is a round, yellow cucumber, forgot the name, but it said that it's best cooked. How weird, cooked cucumbers! I don't really want them hehehe.
Magpie, you said that it's too cold where you are to grow them outside. Would they work in Holland then? I don't really have a sheltered place at the allotment and no room in the greenhouse. I guess I'll soon (well in a few months) find out if they'll grow outside here.
I've never done cucumbers. They need support I guess, like a tomato plant?
Hi Ina
Until one of the experts here replies, all I can say is I just use the performance of toms as my yardstick. Never had any success with the outdoor varieties, so wouldn't even attempt cucumbers.
Of course, ALL depends on the weather in your own region. I'm up in the Yorkshire Alps !! ;) ;D
Hope that helps a little !
Your remark about beggers can't be choosers is spot-on Marky.
To think you had too much to drink when you wrote it, you must be brilliant when sober hehehe.
Want some round yellow cooking cucumbers??
Magpie, I never had any success with tomatoes outside either. Saying this, I did get some off the balcony at home. Aha.......... I'm going to put a cucumber plant in a grow bag on the balcony and try a couple at the lottie!
Cus never fail here, at 650' in the Cotswolds. And we have frosts into June!!
Not saying, of course, that they are 'frost-hardy'!
'Just' cooked cus - oh, yes Ina. Delectable with fish etc. Hollandaise, or cheesy or lemony white sauce optional!! They are so prolific, you just have to have other ways of using them.
You are a true gastronomic wizzard Tim.
OK Tim, I'll join with Ina and give them a go outside this year, then compare results !  :)
Grew mine up a wigwam of canes, just need a bit of tying with string
That's an idea.
Quote from: philcooper on March 04, 2005, 16:33:41
PS Alan Romans is an expert on potatoes - not cus
OK then, just read the same from a Thompson & Morgan seed packet - good enough? ::)
Thanks for all the advice on this thread...been out to buy myself some Suttons F1 Burpless Tasty Green to try outside......I always struggled with them in a greenhouse!! ;D
With them - or any cu??
Surely something like Petita, Carmen, Danimas, Passandra cannot fail inside? But, of course, those are not as long as you want?
I bought a pkt of Marketmore - this is my first year so... we shall see.
I am not keen on eating cuc's myself but my Giant African Snails love them and you never know I might like them too when they are home grown.
AL
Like the last photo I always grow them up a net. Get an old one from your local football club. Pick them small and pickle them whole, or as my sons like them eat them like apples out of the fridge, very refreshing. Or you could always be boring and eat them in a sandwich. ugh!
Yes - the grandchildren have one each in their lunch box.
Usually get eaten on the way to school. If not before!!
I've got Marketmore this year (freebie on some magazine). I've never had any luck as I have to grow with cues. I get plenty of leaf then the leaf gets mildew and any little cues that do form promptly shrivel and fall off! I read on here I think I was that you shouldn't water the leaves so I'll be sure to remember that tip
Where & how & when are you growing them??
Don't expect a clever cure, but we can but try?
In a big pot on the patio (or I move them onto a border behind some trellis if the wind gets up). the pot contains grobag compost> they are put near my courgettes which are also in pots.
I think the growbag compost could maybe do with mixing with something else as it dries out so quickly (I use the big plastic pots about 9 - 12") with one plant in each. the courgettes do very well even when they get mildew on the leaves but the cucumbers never do anything. I got one cucumber last year.
I would have thought there was plenty of air circulation around the plants
Any ideas Tim?
The compost is standard, so one problem might be the watering - as ever!
Cus like a lot, & I think dropping flowers might be a sign of that? Or severe chills. So when do they go outside?? We can't put ours into the cold 'house till the end of May.
It's very cold here as we are perched right at the top of a hill and get all the prevailing winds (brrrr) so we have to leave everything until late to put things outdoors. It could be the watering though. Maybe I don't give them enough. I will try and water them more but not the leaves. i think maybe I;ve been watering the leaves and it's run off without getting into the actual plants
Thank Tim for the advice. Also like you say it is very cold up here so if I put them well away from any draught that might help. We get lots of swirly winds.
Forgot your other point -
Other methods: Research at HDRA has shown that sodium bicarbonate can be helpful in controlling powdery mildew. Best results were obtained using between 2g and 10g per litre of water, mixed with 10g per litre of soft soap (which acts as a wetting agent). Higher concentrations of sodium bicarbonate (up to 20g per litre) were tried, with even better results, but this caused scorching to young leaves. Urine, diluted 1:2 or 1:4, has been found effective by H.D.R.A members. This has been reported in previous issues of H.D.R.A.
Resistant varieties: For Asters try hybrids of Aster novae-angliae and A. lateriflorus. Resistant varieties of rose include 'Queen Elisabeth' and 'National Trust'. Two apple varieties which have shown resistance to powdery mildew at Ryton are 'Redsleeves' and 'Worcester Pearmain'. Resistant varieties of peas, and other vegetables, can be found in The Organic Gardening Catalogue.
Moisture:Â Drying at the roots weakens plants and encourages powdery mildew. A soil that is rich in organic matter will retain more moisture; mulching well will help reduce water loss. Water, when necessary, before the soil dries out. Plants at the base of a wall may be sheltered from rainfall and may need watering even during wet weather.
Doing nothing: Mildew on outdoor courgettes, cucumbers and pumpkins often occurs near the end of the season, so on these plants it may not affect production. On perennial plants, however, infected foliage must be removed as soon as it is detected, to ensure that the disease does not get a hold.
Very thorough Tim. Thank you :)
Tim,
In the past (a few years ago), we always bought a maximum of 2 cu's to grow in our small greenhouse. They were always seedling plants from the local GC and always got off to a strong start. Nearly always lost 1 or sometimes both. Just seemed to keel over and die very quickly despite a fair bit of healthy growth. We no longer have the greenhouse ;( but am keen to try them outside if possible.
Wardy - those, of course, were HDRA quotes.
Mothy - you have tried Burpee Hybrid - or whatever it's called - for outside?? Can't fail.
Tim,
Thanks to the info posted on here I've just bought some Suttons F1 Burpless Tasty Green which we will give a go outside this year.
Do you know if it's best to grow them up some sort of support or let them trail? I could buy some straw to use as a mulch if that would help?
Your choice.
Upwards certainly saves room, makes them easier to see & minimises damage.
I'm too lazy.