Leggy Cukes

[BlueHeather]

Hi guys - anyone help a novice gardener?
I have bought a heated propagator last year and grew a few seeds in there which had good results. being my very first attempt.
This season I have planted 5 Socrates cucumbers in it (so far) ... I did the seeds as it said on the packet and left the soil compost slightly moist stood on moist capillary matting......... now I did all this just 8 days ago today, have been away out of the country for 5 days getting home last night hoping that my new seedlings will have germinated as they had only been in 3 days before I went, opened the lid this morning to be met by five mini triffids

So, my dilema is. can I now save these 5 seedlings. they all have lovely lush green seedling leaves and a stem leaning over to one side of around 3.5 / 4 inches long........... have taken the lid off the prop and left the heat on from underneath - being new to this I have no idea now how to proceed. I have an unheated greenhouse but I know I can put them out there yet, also have an unheated porch. Should I cut my losses and buy a new packet of seeds and start again. at least this time I will be here to keep an eye on them??? Any help would be gratefully received . please be gentle with me though

[rustylady]

Take them out of the propagator and put them on the lightest windowsill you have.

[chefgage]

If they are in small pots try repotting them so the soil/compost is a bit under the leaves. As far as i know cucumbers need a deep pot. I usually repot all my seedlings when the get a bit tall, repotting them in a bigger pot so the soil will supports the stem

[marchogaeth]

While I agree with RL, I think you are probably much too early. (It's worth adding your location to your profile - it helps with advice.) Keep going with them but I'd invest in another packet. Now you know how fast they germinate and grow, work backwards from the date you expect to put them out in the green house.

[BlueHeather]

thanks guys
Sorry guys i'm in Manchester.... Ok I can repot them into slightly deeper pots (they are in 3'' now) and a bit more up the stem with the compost but won't the stems rot away.......... I will add a photo then you get an idea of what I am on about here... just got to work out how LOL

[marchogaeth]

thanks guys
Sorry guys i'm in Manchester....

Click on My Profile and add your location then it will appear at the top RH side of all your posts.

Cucumbers don't like to be in humid air but not wet compost. Bury the stems and then water from the bottom. If you need tall but not wide pots, make your own from chopped down drinks/milk bottles with holes melted in the bottom.

[rustylady]

Cucumbers will form new roots from the stems when they are buried in compost.

Just make sure you don't overwater them - water from the bottom by standing the pots in a saucer of water like Marchogaeth said, and keep them as close to the window as you can.

[WendyC]

Assuming your greenhouse is unheated, it is still quite a few weeks before they can go out into it as it is still cold at night. Be prepared for quite big plants in the meantime!

[Potstubsdustbins]

I usually plant my cumber seed mid April. The biggest problem you will have is that they will be very big plants before you dare put them out to an unheated GH.

Potty

[Bill HH]

Yes I think you have jumped the gun a little, the main thing to remember is when will it be safe to plant them in an unheated green house. So I expect they will be quite big plants by then. However I think it is worth proceeding.

[Tripmeup]

However I think it is worth proceeding.

Or "Carry on.." as they used to say in Are You Being served....

[Bigmallly]

Pot them on into either Rootrainers or Loo Rolls. I've currently got 4 Mini-Munch growing in Rootrainers under growlights :

[Kristen]

I can repot them into slightly deeper pots (they are in 3'' now) and a bit more up the stem with the compost but won't the stems rot away

In general pretty much anything is happy to be buried up to its seed leaves, but Cucumber suffers easily from Stem Rot so its probably more of a chance with them than pretty much anything else. Still, you've got the seedlings already, so probably worth a go. As the saying goes "Cucumbers wake up each morning thinking of another way to die" so they may decide to give up the ghost anyway ...

They need a minimum of 10C, so need to be in a heated greenhouse or similar, and to have good light. The seeds are so expensive (Greenhouse, all-female F1 varieties) that I usually buy plants in the garden centre, rather than raise from seed, and that gets me a nice 6-week old plant at the time when I am ready to plant out, for about the same price as the seeds I would buy (Last year Sutton's F1 Bella was £4.99 for 4 seeds )

[rabbit]

Oh I wish I had read this thread 2 weeks ago!

[Kristen]

Oh I wish I had read this thread 2 weeks ago!

I've only just sowed mine (got the seed in last year's sales ) ... and I have supplemental lighting and warm-ish conservatory to bring them on in. Anything much less than that and I think it is a bit early - the plants will be massive by the time they can safely go into unheated greenhouse. Mine are normally about 3' tall, or more, by then - which would be a challenge for anyone, for example, growing them on a windowsill!