Cucumbers

[Scottishnewbie]

What's the earliest anyone has SUCCESFULLY sown cucumbers?

[binley100]

This spring hopefully. Never tried them before and am trying some gherkins as well.

[realfood]

Assuming that you are going to plant them eventually to fruit in a cool greenhouse, then you need to try and target the transplanting to their final position for early May.
Sow the seeds for all types in march or April in a good compost in individual pots, by just pushing the seed edgeways into the surface. Keep the compost warm, 20 to 25 C, until germination takes place in 7 to 10 days.

Once germinated, make sure that the seedlings are in a good light and reduce the temperature to room temperature. When all danger of frost in your greenhouse has passed, transfer them, still in their pots to the staging to continue growing and hardening off. In May, transfer the plants to their final positions in growbags in the greenhouse. Provide a stake, or cord or pea netting, for them to twine up. Let them grow to the top of the available height in your greenhouse before pinching out the growing tip.
In Glasgow, I start my seed in April

[Scottishnewbie]

thanks. i was kind of hoping that i could start in Feb as long as i kept them in a frost free place - was thinking of the conservatory....

[selfraising]

My daughter sowed hers in January but it was kept inside for the rest of the season.

[Scottishnewbie]

My daughter sowed hers in January but it was kept inside for the rest of the season.

yee-ha! I'll get on the job tomorrow then!

[Alison]

I always find that they don't do very well when I've tried to sow early (and by early I mean early March, not this early!) and don't bother before about mid April now. They're fast growing and get big and I usually end up giving them away come the summer as there's only so many cucumber butties you can eat.

[selfraising]

I always find that they don't do very well when I've tried to sow early (and by early I mean early March, not this early!) and don't bother before about mid April now. They're fast growing and get big and I usually end up giving them away come the summer as there's only so many cucumber butties you can eat.

To be honest Alison, I didn't think it would have much chance either. It was a mini cucumber variety so don't know if that made any difference but it definitely produced lots of fruit because it ended up on my window sill having travelled back from Canterbury!

[sewer rat]

Unless you have a heated greenhouse or intend to keep them in a conservatory all season, I see little point in trying to sow them before mid to late March. I have grown them quite successfully with this sowing date and if you choose a mini or midi variety such as Passandra, you won't have to wait too long before you can start taking a crop.

[solway cropper]

sowed mine 22nd March last year and started harvesting early July. They were in an unheated greenhouse.

[Scottishnewbie]

hmmmnnnn, might just try a couple and see what happens...then plant main ones in march......