outdoor cucumbers

[crops in pots]

I have sown Crystal Apple and Marketmore outdoor cucumbers, I understand that these are climbing plants but can't seem to find any information about the height and width they will grow to, it doesn't say on the seed packets.( I only have a small garden and this is my first year growing veg, everything is in pots.) I need some idea of size to know where to put them. Also whilst searching internet for size I found conflicting and confusing info on pinching out, do I have to do this or can I just leave them to grow
Help confused newbie please

[Bren In Pots]

I'm growing Marketmore for the first time as well and up to yet I've been following this info :-

Beans and Herbs

I like the idea of growing them up a frame/canes hopefully it will mean i get more cucs than the slugs.

[LolaLou]

Hello, I grew MarketMore in a planter last year and trained them up about 50cm of chicken wire that was stuck in the back of the planter and then trained the ends up and round bamboo cane hoops (about another 50cm higher) which was plenty and gots lots of cucumbers (about 20cm long if I remember rightly). Anyway, hope this helps a bit.

[Shadylane]

I think they grow as tall as you want don't they? Don't you pinch out the top when they reach the desired height ie top of your cane (?). As for pinching out flowers - I aassume that's what you mean - you don't need to bother with Marketmore as they are open pollenated.

Some varieties are female only and some you have to pinch out the male flowers to stop the fruits being bitter. Confusing, yes which is why I'm sticking with open pollenated.

Dunno about Crystal Apple but it usually tells you on the packet if you need to pinch out any flowers.

[crops in pots]

Thanks for replies, its pinching out the growing tips that I'm confused about - some sites say to pinch out after seven leaves others don't say anything about this, leaving me confused As a newbie I worry about removing the growing tip incase I end up with a plant about 20cm tall and hardly any fruit

[Alison]

In only ever pinch mine up when they get too big and I want to contain them a bit otherwise I just let them get on with things.

[tamsin]

I haven't pinched mine out and they are growing sideshoots anyway (marketmore).

[Shadylane]

Thanks for replies, its pinching out the growing tips that I'm confused about - some sites say to pinch out after seven leaves others don't say anything about this, leaving me confused As a newbie I worry about removing the growing tip incase I end up with a plant about 20cm tall and hardly any fruit

Right, got y'. It's a principle similar to tomatoes where you pinch out the growing tip after it's set a certain number of (5 or 6?) trusses (branches with flowers on them). Otherwise the plant just keeps growing and putting all it's energy into producing more fruit until the end of the season and there's not enough time for them all to ripen before the frosts come.

If you stop the plant at a certain height then it doesn't over do it'self, has a decent number of fruits and enough time/energy to ripen them or grow them to maturity. If you're confused about number of leaves and all that just let it grow to the top of the cane or greenhouse before you pinch out the tip. Hope that makes sense.

[crops in pots]

Thanks - Happy now