Crystal Lemon Cucs - Flowers but no fruit

[Beetroot Bob]

Can anybody help.

First time growing cucs of any kind. My "normal" cucs are going mad but my crystal lemon have loads of flowers but only marble size fruit.

Any ideas why my fuit isn't forming / swelling ??

[peanut]

My Crystal Lemons have been rubbish too this year....finally gave up and composted them! All the others are doing great.

[ardroil]

my crystal lemons have been really good and its my first time growing them, i have 1 plant in the greenhouse and 2 outside and there all plodding along at the same rate, weve had loads of them so far and theve grown to the size of oranges,
havint done much looking after them really,
must be beginers luck...

[piskieinboots]

...must be beginers luck...

must be - cos it's my first year of trying them also and they are very productive, I'm giving (some of!!) them away!

[Beetroot Bob]

Glad your crystal lemon cucs are doing well even if mine are not

Still anybody god any ideas what could be the problem with mine. They're looking good just not giving me any fruit.

[piskieinboots]

If you have the startings of fruit, they will grow to good 'uns soon.

Are you feeding and watering them well? When did you plant them? Mine have been in for a fair amount of time.

I think you could be suffering from that 'one suffers/all suffers' old gardening disease - almost as dangerous as Blight - impatience

[julesapple]

I'll follow this thread with interest. I grew the Crystal Lemons a few years back and they were tasteless. Don't know if was something I did/didn't do?

My mother, who lived in Cyprus at the time, also grew some from the same seed packet. She said she gots lots of fruit, but they weren't very tasty either. They looked very pretty though.

Keep us posted Bob

Jules

[screwbylil]

ive got these in the greenhouse as well i think yours will be ok, mine started off with masses of flowers and very small fruits, now i cannot keep up with the amount of cues and have resorted to taking them in to work with a "help yourself" notice attatched!
Do water every day but try not to get the stem wet they dont like it and feed once a week and you should get a decent crop

[piskieinboots]

Jules - I find they are better picked smallish, say the size of a cricket ball, don't let them get to rugby ball size (is it that time already - yaaaaay) erm, where was I - oh yes, small, pick 'em small.

Also if 'you' are new to them (and this may be obvious but I'll say it anyway) rub off the little black spikey bits.

To me, they have a fresher less harsh taste than some of the green ones

[Beetroot Bob]

They are watered by a Big Dripper bag as are my other 2 "normal" cucs that have been filling our fridge for weeks.

I'm feeding 1 x full strength on weekends and 1 x diluted feed wednesdays.

Alot of the flowers / mini fruit (small pea size) are falling off.

do you cut out side shoots on your or let them grow ? Maybe they need keeping in check so they put more energy in to make fruit ???

[Alison]

Not grown them for a few years but they are very much a leave alone to let them get on with it type of crop. I've never pruned them or removed any flowers and have foudn them very prolific, particularly under cover. As said above, eat them small, while the skins are pale. If they go a darker colour, they will be more tough and are nicer stir fried by then. Making me think, may grow them again next year.

[piskieinboots]

I have a few spare seeds Alison if you wish to sow next year - more than happy to send on to you

[Alison]

Thanks Piskie - is there anything you're wanting and I'll have a dig in my seed tins for a swap.

[piskieinboots]

PM me your address and I'll get them out to you so that you have them ready

[Alison]

Thanks - will do but don't be shy about shouting up if you want anything.