Tomato and cucumber questions

[Alison]

Ditto that but with the addition of Crystal Lemon

I sowed a couple of them yesterday. Not grown them for a few years so the seed is a bit old but am sure I'll find a corner in the polytunnel for it


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[Tomatoking]

Not sure what you mean about grow them on side shoots.
Some of mine did have small cucumbers on which never developed, apart from one.
All the rest just faded away.

Hi Esbo
Here is a simple diagram of growing cucumbers on shoots. The best way is to just leave a couple on the stem higher up for a few early ones to pick, then pick and others off the stem when they are small. This lets the plant develop quite large so it can cope with a bigger yield. You can also pick off the tiny cucumbers from the top of the shoots every so often to help the shoot grow longer.

If the small cucumbers start turning yellow at the tip cut them off straight away. This is a sign that the plants has enough to cope with for a while. I some times pick cucumbers small to give the plant a chance if it looks reall over loaded.

Cucumber posts

[Kristen]

Just to add to that - if you try one of the so-called lunch box types that produce mini-cucumbers, they can be very prolific and hold lots of cucumbers at the same time. I'm trying mini-munch this year which promises to be a big producer. Just an option to consider as it means you can have lots of fresh cucumbers at all times rather than large ones cut up and stored in the fridge.

For folk not growing one of the mini varieties ... I have cut off the bottom half of a Cue, leaving the top half still on the plant, so that it stays fresh for harvesting another day.

Doesn't help with the number of fruits the plant will bring-on, but I think it keeps it fresher than the fridge

[Scarlet]

For folk not growing one of the mini varieties ... I have cut off the bottom half of a Cue, leaving the top half still on the plant, so that it stays fresh for harvesting another day.

My Mum does that, works well for her as there are only two of them and they don't get through many cues. She insists the half attached to the plant carries on growing really well too!

[redser]

For folk not growing one of the mini varieties ... I have cut off the bottom half of a Cue, leaving the top half still on the plant, so that it stays fresh for harvesting another day.

Doesn't help with the number of fruits the plant will bring-on, but I think it keeps it fresher than the fridge

Nice tip, thanks

[Smithyboy100]

I sowed my cucumber seeds and they have germinated they are about two inches now 👍


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[Smithyboy100]

When you pinch out on a tomato plant can you repot it and will it become another plant


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[Richard Eldritch]

Hi Richard
In a trough in a mini greenhouse sounds fine as long as you keep it well ventilated in hot weather or you will be prone to disease with too my humidity. Growing in troughs is better then grow-bags as you should have more reserves of moisture in a larger container.

I always get blight here in Brittany if I try to grow outdoor tomatoes, so I have given up.

Late reply, but thanks man. I'm going to try this asprin spray thing as well.....

[Guykp57]

Has anybody used asprin on tomatoes and how did it work?


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[Potstubsdustbins]

When you pinch out on a tomato plant can you repot it and will it become another plant


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Yes most certainly, let the bit to be nipped out get to 3 to 4 inches long nip out and place in a milk bottle full of water. Keep the water level topped up daily and in 5 to 7 days you will see new roots start to form. Let these get to about 2 inches long and pot up, keep the compost very moist for the first few days whilst they settle in and Bobs your auntie.

[Smithyboy100]

Oh thats brilliant


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[gardendancer]

My tomatoes and cucumbers age going great - thanks for all the advice so far - the first tomato has been developing for 43 days now, so maybe it will ripen this week?

And my first cucumber is growing ( I pinched off the early ones on the main stem as per your advice TomatoKing) - does anyone have any ideas how long it takes from when the cucumber starts growing til its ready to be picked? It's a burbless tasty green - that might make a difference.

We can have a sweepstake - tomato or cucumber ready first?

[Smithyboy100]

My cucumbers are nowhere near ready yet 👎


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[Tomatoking]

I picked my first one last week. but I am in Brittany so it has been slightly warmer.

[taff]

I'm jealous

I can never keep the shoots and offshoots straight in my head, they get really tangled so it's hard to see what shoot belongs to what. I'll only do two cucumbers this year though, and try and stay on top of watering them.

With tomatoes as well, I have been growing them on angled bamboo canes [ have to find some use for them besides burning ] and the weight of fruit will slide the whole thing down the cane eventaully unless you put another cross brace halfway down, or another two at thrids before the roof. Just a FYI.