Greenhouse Cucumbers Slow to Grow

[csarnecki]

Hi Everyone,

I have built a greenhouse this year and planted some Carmen and Corona variety greenhouse cucumbers from Stokes Seeds. The plants look extremely healthy, they are very tall (8 feet tall) and have approx 100 small fruit and blossoms on them. With the greenhouse variety they do not need to be polinated and should produce large fruit in a few weeks. However, it's been weeks and the fruit has not grown. They are as round as a pencil (or small) and only a few inches long.

Im planted in mushroom manure and keep the greenhouse at about 30 degrees celcius. I have not trimmed the plants and not sure if I should. Nobody seems to know why they are not growing. Can you help?

Thanks!

[BumbleB]

Mine had a growth sput when I increased the watering to a very good soak daily. I picked a good fat 6 inch one last week and already have another 2 good sized ones nearly ready and lots more flowers.

[csarnecki]

I should mention that I planted in mid May and that the fruit have been small for at least two to three weeks now.

[newbarns]

Mine took what seemed to me to be a very long time to 'get going' but now they are off and running fine. I have two plants and we get a nice cucumber every three days.

[Crosbie]

I sowed Straight Eight cucumber seeds 30 May indoors - initial growth wasn't fantastic - but now productivity is off the scale. They're in a hexagon plastic greenhouse with their own little micro-climate - really humid. You could pinch out the growing tip - do they need to be 8 feet tall? I nipped mine at 5.5'.

Crosbie

[zazen999]

Nip a few of the larger fruits off, and eat them small...I did this with a cuke plant that I thought had run its course 3 days ago and the plant has already grown a new cuke; nipping some off seems to help them to put a spurt on. Also, give them a good feed and keep them nice and watered.

[csarnecki]

Hi Newbarns. How long do was "what seemed to be a very long time to get going". Just curious.

[csarnecki]

I don't have any larger fruit, all of them are that small. They are maybe the size of a long pill. Is it maybe becuase I let them grow so tall?

[kentvegplot]

Mine nearly gave up the ghost when someone turned the water off ! Now they have been watered better they are producing again, so I think it might be worth checking the watering - plants that tall need loads of water

[zazen999]

I don't have any larger fruit, all of them are that small. They are maybe the size of a long pill. Is it maybe becuase I let them grow so tall?

Possibly; but pick a few off anyway - and nip the growing tip off. Picking the fruit makes it think its days are numbered so if it has any life in it, it should respond by trying to get the remaining fruits to grow.

Are you feeding them? And what are you feeding them?

I've looked at the stoke seeds website and they seem to be an American company.....are you in the US?

[csarnecki]

I live in Canada. I will take some of the smaller ones off. They look like they may have grown a little in the last week but not very much. I haven't fed them because they are in mushroom manure which is very high in nutrients. This is why they are so tall. My father has the same soil and cucumbers and his are great that's why I think I'm doing something wrong. Can you explain how to nip the growing tip off?

Thanks!