marketmore

[kittykat8]

My couple cucs are about a foot high and have a couple of cucs on them about 1/2 inch long not yet flowered what do I do, do I just pick off any flowers that do not have any fruit attached, also is it not to early for he cucs to do this.


marion

[Paulottie]

If your cucs are 'Marketmore' Marion then they are ridge cucumbers (for growing outside usually) and you should not pick off the male flowers

I normally don't bother with support for these. I don't suppose that it is a problem that they are fruiting early-except if they are under stress

[Flummery]

Mine are only at the couple of true leaves stage. I don't intend to support them outside, just make sure they have something clean under the fruits. - Fleece maybe. You don't mention what size pot they are in. I wouldn't dare risk mine outside now but in Cambourne you could try it, as long as you have fleece or some cloche protection ready. It sounds as though they could do with the room to stretch their roots!

[newgardengirl]

Right, I was totally confused before but this might be making more sense now. I'm growing marketmore cucumbers, only sowed them a couple of weeks ago but was planning to ultimately have them growing in containers outdoors. There's been a couple of threads on these boards talking about support nets/canes for cucumbers, which I couldn't understand because my marketmore seed packet says nothing about putting up supports. Can I conclude that marketmore is a variety that doesn't need supports then? I've never done this before - do they grow along the ground or is it okay to have them growing in large pots in the garden?

Just wanted to make sure I've got it right!

[Matt.]

Hi Kittykat. I grew these last year and you don't need to do anything like removing flowers. They were absolutly fantastic and cropped loads. So good I'm growing twice as many this year! As for location mine grew inside the greenhouse and I supported them vertically with string and wire.

[Flummery]

They are what used to be called 'ridge cucumbers' which as the name suggests, you traditionally grow on a ridge (preferably of decent home-made compost or well rotted poo of some sort). I am hoping that a decent sized container with plenty of feed in it will do as I put 6 seeds in expecting to get 2 or 3 plants. Yep, I've got 6 - and not enough room for them all in the ground.

[Paulottie]

Hi, NGG, I think you could support or not and they will be fine in a pot. The fruits and plants are smaller than a traditional glasshouse variety like Telegraph imp and on those you remove male flowers to stop the fruits gowing bitter and need to keep the whole lot supported. You can also get 'all-female' versions-V.expensive seed but less hastle

Marketmore,Retsina etc. are often grown under cloches and in coldframes early in season which is why it is not always convienient to have supports. I usually peel them anyway, so I don't much bother about a little dirt.

Then there are the japanese varieties- I am trying F1 Natsuhikari this year and these are somewhere between the two.

One tip is to sow successionally as they are v.succeptable to spidermite and even more so in a dry year. For melons and indoor cukes i get predator mites at the first sign of attack.

[SueA]

I grew 'Marketmore' cucumbers outdoors last year in pots & just tied the main stems to a cane to provide a little support but I suppose you could leave them to trail as well as they didn't get very big. Some people say you should take off the first fruits which start to form as they often don't develop properly & slow down the production of the main fruits but I didn't as I was afraid they might not develop any more at all! I wouldn't remove any flowers at all though & just give them a weekly feed with seaweed or tomato feed. Mine did start to develop powdery mildew later in the season but this wasn't a big problem, I just picked off the worst affected leaves & tried to water more regularly.

[kittykat8]

mine are in the polytunnel, they look healthy, but I am just concerned

thanks
marion

[Paulottie]

Don't worry-be happy- sounds like you'll be eating cukes before me as mine have only just germinated!

[borage]

sowed mine over 2 weeks ago and still no sign of them germinating same with the crystal apple I think I must have had them too wet

[kittykat8]

I am getting worried my cuc must be about 5 inches long tomatoes on some of my plants, flowers on my peppers, only in my tunnel on the allotment will it all in end in tears with everything so early. Some of my peppers are growing well but some hate being in the ground going to put back in pots

marion