A couple of questions

[jacob]

As part of my bid to grow things I'm not convinced I like this year's new veg are cucumbers and PSB. Questions...

1. How do you control your cucumber crop? I picked five good sized cucumbers a few weeks ago, but then, like courgettes when you let the fruit get too big, the plants sulked for a bit, with the coming fruits shriveling. Unlike courgettes, the cucumbers really didn't look ready until I picked them (very thin). With a new lot finally getting going, any tips on more continuous cropping?

2. Of the PSB I planted out, probably rather too late, last autumn about half gave a tiny crop. The remainder are huge (and in the way), but showing no sign of actually purple sprouting. I've noticed a few people are harvesting PSB now. When might I expect to get something from them?

Ta!

[Nik]

Cucumbers need tonnes of water, don't know if that's your problem though.

PSB is harvested in the spring, I've not heard of it being picked this late - perhaps the people you have seen are actually picking calabrese, or possibly purple cauliflowers.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Jacob, Whilst cumbers can succumb to, to much water when young as they start producing fruit you need to up the watering. Also are you feeding them a good dose of tomorite would help.

As to PSB there are now so many varieties it is hard to say with out knowing exactly what you are growing. As a for instance I grow one called Summer Purple and I am already harvesting from this years sowing.

Colin

[jacob]

For the cucs, they're under the same water feed regime as the tomatoes, so that's probably not the problem (although the shrivelling did occur when we were away for three days), if problem it is. Other than the big pause in fruiting they plants are looking pretty good.

I *thought* it was spring PSB, and the tiddly crop was in the spring. So I was wondering if the monsters will produce out of season, or just hang about (in the way) until next spring?

[VirginVegGrower]

Agree on same feeding regime as tomatoes for cucumbers. Mine all get done together. Be careful with watering, often and steady rather than lots infrequently - too wet and you risk stem rot. I pick all the time with others following in size behind. They like cool damp conditions although I grow them in my semi shaded bit if the greenhouse - trouble is it's very hot right now; 45 degrees in there today - lots of damping down.

[Ananke]

My cucs are the same, they were the same last year too. Until I pick the one thats growing, the others just shrivel up, as soon as I pick it another springs to life.

I don't think watering is my problem but I could be wrong of course.

[VirginVegGrower]

Do you feed them?

[Two_Sheds]

Of the PSB I planted out, ...last autumn about half gave a tiny crop. The remainder are huge

I would've expected them to have bolted by now. Don't you have any yellow flowers on them? *puzzled*

PSB is 'usually' planted out late summer for a Dec-Mar crop

[Alison]

Are you cucumbers planted in pots or the border, inside or out? My indoor ones (in the polytunnel border) seem to cope with irratic watering / feeding quite happily and my bigger problem is stopping them producing quite so many. The shape will depend on the variety so you may have a thin type. You can get fat ones, thin, long, short, round etc so expiment and find ones you like. I'm growing Passandra which works well for me.

I sow PSB in about April and have recently put it out on the plot for next spring harvesting. As mentioned above you can get other varieties which will produce at different times but the old fashioned sort is a spring harvest. You did plant yours rather late although I'm surprised it hasn't flowered, the flowers just being the outcome of spears which haven't been picked. I'd be inclined to leave one plant (assuming it's not flowered) and buy some new ones for next spring - probably rather late for seeds now.

[jacob]

Cheers all.

Cucumbers are in the greenhouse in serious size pots. Bog standard variety, marketmore I think, and the ones I picked looked like, well, cucumbers. There's a load more coming now, so I guess I'll find out in a week or so if this time they'll crop continuously or start and stop.

I clearly planted out the PSB too late last year (particularly up here, where the garden quite often freezes solid from November to February). Half the plants gave a rubbish crop, then flowered. They were dug up and composted some time ago. The other half have done nothing, except get bigger. *This year* I've learnt from my mistake (and read the packet properly) and the PSB is already in the ground. Maybe I'll get a double crop!

[dexterdoglancashire]

As part of my bid to grow things I'm not convinced I like this year's new veg are cucumbers and PSB. Questions...

1. How do you control your cucumber crop? I picked five good sized cucumbers a few weeks ago, but then, like courgettes when you let the fruit get too big, the plants sulked for a bit, with the coming fruits shriveling. Unlike courgettes, the cucumbers really didn't look ready until I picked them (very thin). With a new lot finally getting going, any tips on more continuous cropping?

I'm just jealous! I'd like one cucumber from my six plants - they've only just got flowers on them. Oh well.....

[Storming Norman]

With cucumbers in the green house the variety can be important. An outdoor crop inside may not work so well and vica versa, they can be pretty sensitive to heat, light, and lack of air moisture.

If you find you like cucumbers try Carmen in the greenhouse next year - this is my first year with them and they are fantastic, but any cucumber can sulk. Next door to the fantastic one is another variety [la Diva I think] that is still sulking. In my experience I find I need to plant twice as many plants as needed, some do well to start with and then go off the boil and then the sulkers start cropping properly.

Watch out for mildew - its easy to get with cucumbers and really stops production fast - then you can find the sulkers are worth having after all.