marketmore cucs

[kittykat8]

on average how many cucs do you get to a plant, I have also read that if the plant is small to pick off the cucs before they get to big what does anyone else think. I picked one that was 5 or 6 inches long and about 1.5 to 2 inches wide pplant is only about a foot tall with about 8 cucs growing on it not all that size. Do I leave them on or pick until plant get to a bigger size.

thanks



marion

[Matt.]

Last year I had two plants and I got at least 8 cucumbers off each, possibly a lot more. They were all no longer than 20cm but were about 7 to 8 cm in diameter. I harvested them when we wanted them and there was probably no more than 2 to 3 on a plant at any time, in different stages of growth. The longer you leave them the tougher the skin gets and as its already tougher than the ones you buy in the supermarket you don't want to leave it long. Also unless you look carefully theres always one that grows hidden behind a big leaf which is a nice suprise! Some go yellow and others stay green but I think thats to do with direct sunlight. As for height my plants grew to about 1.2m in the greenhouse before I pinched the tips. I can't remember getting cucumbers before then so you have done well. Beware though as the plants grow so big. I cut back well over half the plant throughout the season as it was swamping my tomatoes. Never did any harm though. Good luck!

[Flummery]

I'm growing them for the first time this year - looking forward to it. Interesting to read how well people have done in past years.

[ysb33r]

I'm growing them for the first time this year - looking forward to it. Interesting to read how well people have done in past years.

Me too. I am interested to know how much support I need to provide them with.

[ysb33r]

Marketmore specifically, Lesley

[bramble]

I grewmarketmore for the past coupl4e of years.I know most people grow it outdoors but i always grow a couple in the greenhouse as well. I put a little bit of plastic wiring up along the greenhouse window for a support and find this works really well, also use a bit of bamboo trellis ( the type usually found in the pound shop) and this has worked well for me.

[kittykat8]

had a look at the plant last night a bit bigger than a foot high but not much, if about 8 cucs to a plant and I have eaten 2 not to big , and 2 more in next couple of weeks and there is about another 3 or 4 appearing will that be the lot, I thought that you had load and loads of cucs to a plant. Not that it matters I suppose I have gone very mad in my polytunnel people are laughing at me about 60 tomatoes plants many different types and about 13 cuc plants will share with my growing partner but have gone a bit mad. Some people down the allotment are laughing.

The only thing is I have tomatoes and cucs on my plants and they have not, does this mean they will run out early.

thanks
marion

[Dobby]

we have made a cucumber ramp it looks like /\
but not as steap Im shore Mrs D has a picky somewhere

[Alice]

I thought I would let some of my Marketmore sprawl across the gravel with the squash. Is this a good idea ?

[Flummery]

I was thinking of doing that with my squashes Alice. Gravel surrounds my veg garden so I can grow outwards! Good idea to do it with the cukes too.

[vicki lorraine]

Ive planted out 3 of my many marketmore plants and covered them with 2 litre waterbottle cloches. Ive only put in one cane per plant and intend to tie the plant on as it grows.
This should be okay shouldnt it?
Will plant out more every couple of weeks.

[Paulottie]

I've never bothered with supports for marketmores. Can be a bit yellow on one side but we always peel them anyway.

[Alice]

Flummery, last year I just let the squash sprawl across that gravel and they were great. No damage to the fruits at all. I'm going to let some of the marketmore do it and see how it goes. I'll stake some just in case. Belt and braces approach for me.

[zoe]

I just wanted to add that we were harvesting 15+ cues from our plants last year. And just wondering , i never have pinched the tips out of the cues, just let them grow and tie to a cane as they do. Does taking out the tip and growing laterals as suggested in many books increase fruit production and do they then have to be trained horizontally or can you tie them in to the vertical cane?