Cucumber advice please

[poppysocks]

Hi, after a failed attempt to grow my own cucs last year, I decided to buy plants this year. I have three F1 females, 2 mini, 1 marketmore and 2 crystal apple. The marketmore is outside and I know I don't need to remove the male flowers. The rest are in the greenhouse, I know there is no flower removal needed with the F1 females (unless the odd male flower appears) and believe I can just leave the crystal apple to themselves but do I need to remove any flowers with the mini cucs (it didn't say on the label what type they are - if indeed there is more than one type!?). The other question I have is, is it ok to grow three types in the same place? I didn't think of that when I bought them. I am grateful for any and all advice offered. Many thanks

[Potstubsdustbins]

My mini cumbers are all female but with out knowing your variety its difficult to advise.

The only thing I would say is when they flower check carefully behind the flower if there is a mini cumber there leave it, if not have it away.

Colin

[poppysocks]

Hi Colin

thanks I never thought of that, obvious really when I think of it!

Thanks

Diana

[Potstubsdustbins]

Diana,
I see you are also concerned about cross germination, in my experience this only becomes a problem with cumbers if you intend to save the seed.

Colin

[poppysocks]

Oh that's a weight off, I appreciate your advice. As a Mum working full-time I have so little spare time and spend every minute I can in the garden as I have taken to growing veg like a duck to water. I work really hard in the garden and love every minute of it but being new to it I am still making mistakes and had no luck with cucs last year and would so like to do better this year, even just a little! I've done a lot of reading on google but where cucs are concerned I tend to come away more confused than when I started, there is so much conflicting advice so I really appreciate your help
Many thanks Diana

[Potstubsdustbins]

Diana,

Don't think you are unusual in the cumber dept. As a very knowledgeable grape posted om another thread they have a suicidal tendancy. So far this year I have lost 3 which is about average for me.

Colin

[sewer rat]

I used to grow a lot of cucumbers - up to 30 plants - in my tunnel - and for what it's worth, here are my thoughts on growing them.
Start of in 3" pots filled with MP compost (watered and left to drain. Sow the seed on it's edge to help prevent it rotting. Germination should take 3 - 5 days in an unheated greenhouse.
Do not be in a hurry to plant out - wait until the plant has 4 true leaves.
I trained my cukes up 8ft canes and then along the crop bars of my polytunnel. Insert the cane before planting the guke which is planted close to the base of the cane - the 3" pot is then "planted alongside the plant and this is used to water and feed - this helps keep the base of the stem from getting wet and thus aids in the prevention of stem rot.
I always found that after planting out, the cukes took a bit of a sulk for as much as two weeks before putting on any growth but when they were ready to grow they fairly flew up the canes -tying in was required every second day. I also removed all side shoots - too messy and uncontrollable in the alloted space they had. This is done in exactly the same way as tomatoes - at each node there wil be a baby cuke and a leaf - snap the leaf off, taking care not to damage the baby cuke.
Once they start to fruit, water generously and feed with a high potash feed (any tomato feed will do).
Once you start to pick the fruits, keep picking -do not let any turn yellow on the plant - this is the fruit running to seed and this tells the plant it's job is done and to stop producing more fruits.
I didn't used to bother removing and of the first fruits to form near the ground but now I remove all fruits to a height of about 2ft. This helps the plant get well established before fruiting.
Remember that cukes like it humid so if you have them in a greenhouse or tunnel beside toms, they will benefit from a daily or if not daily,as often as you can) misting. Do not mist your toms!!
Hope this is of some help.

[poppysocks]

Thanks Sewer Rat for taking the trouble to offer so much detailed advice, it's a great help and I really appreciate it, many many thanks

Diana

[Germinater]

Really good advise thenk you ratty..I only have one plant growing so I'm leaving it to grow away..

[sewer rat]

If you have a look at my profile and select the album entitled "my business growing veg", you will see how I grew my cukes as there is a photo of them on there.