Help!! Cucumber problem...

[diddlydoos]

hello all! I have a puzzling cucumber problem...

I am new to gardening and we are trying to be semi-self sufficient, so this is a bit of a disaster!

My cucumber plant has been producing wonderful cucumbers, about 5 so far with lots of flowers and lots of fruits ready to swell.

Once the fruit started I fed the plant once a week and kept it well watered.

It was fine on Tuesday, as I took the latest cucumber (twisted off - is that right?)

The Thursday morning.. disaster! All fruits shrivelled, yellow and even pot holed! (white dents?) Leaves yellowy too.

I snipped off anything dodgy looking, and gave it a really good watering.

We did have a very cold snap Wednesday night just before the rain came, and I am missing a pane of glass almost opposite the plant, but its a sheltered area where my marrows are growing between the greenhouse and a bank.

Whats going on? help! I have 2 more cucumber plants coming up but no where near ready yet and they are a different variety.

Fingers crossed!

[JennieAtkinson]

I can't help you with the cucumber problem Diddlydoos, but welcome to the Vine! There should be someone along soon who can help you.

[shirlthegirl43]

Sorry, also cannot help with the problem but wanted to say hi and welcome to the vine. I am sure the experts will be along shortly.

[Alice]

Cucumber Lemon

Welcome to the Vine Diddlydoos. I hope your cucumbers will be OK. I have found a difference in varieties. My outdoor cucumbers vary greatly. Marketmore are getting on great, but my cucunber lemon are dying by inches (I think). I'm putting it down to weather and hardiness. All in the same conditions so variety involved ?
I'm a long way north of you so maybe not your problem. Or do plants just adapt to the easy life they have.
Anybody else tried cucumber lemon outdoors and how did you get on ?

[Cutecumber]

I've never had these symptoms, but I've taken the opportunity of a heavy shower of rain to look in some books...

...and I can't find anything that fits! Typical!

So, my best guess is that the cold spell was the trigger - they are tender plants and being grown inside (and thus not hardened off) it would not be happy about a sudden temperature drop. Keep doing what you are doing - try a regular spray of seaweed solution to counteract any minor nutrient issues - and keep your fingers crossed. Remember not to go mad with the watering - you don't want any stem rot problems to add to your concerns.

If you are really worried, get a couple more seeds in now (or cheat and go to a garden centre) - if production finishes early on your existing plant, you may still be able to have some more cucumbers this season.

[Cutecumber]

Oh, and Alice - my Crystal Lemon (it goes by several names, I think) cucumbers are ok so far. One had its main stem snapped this week and I successfully mended it (I'm very proud!!).

They have been outside for about three weeks now in individual 5 inch pots and I put them in their final large container on Thursday. A few marks on leaves - I always seem to get that - but otherwise they appear fine. Not as vigorous in vegetative growth as some cucumbers (I am relieved, to be honest!) but I can see fruit forming already, so they seem to be on-track.

[noidea]

I have marked leaves on all my cucs too and have never managed to suss exactly what it is. They are thrivig otherwise so am leaving alone for the moment.

Cutecumber.... I managed to break a stem on one of mines last week when I was moving it. I stck a sticking plaster round it and it's still going strong with about 8 babies! I couldn't beleive it!

C

[momol]

Oh, and Alice - my Crystal Lemon (it goes by several names, I think) cucumbers are ok so far. One had its main stem snapped this week and I successfully mended it (I'm very proud!!).

They have been outside for about three weeks now in individual 5 inch pots and I put them in their final large container on Thursday. A few marks on leaves - I always seem to get that - but otherwise they appear fine. Not as vigorous in vegetative growth as some cucumbers (I am relieved, to be honest!) but I can see fruit forming already, so they seem to be on-track.

I have planted lemon cucumber too, they were out side since mid april, they are now 1.3 meter or so with several side branches. They grow pretty fast, I planted them at the south facing area, and they have garage wall protections from strong wind. They are producing loads of flowers ( both male and female ) but no sign of fruit yet. Perhaps I have to hand pollinate them ( do I have to hand pollinate them ? ) As I never grow cucumber before, I have no idea how or what are their growing habit nor what more do I have to do apart from watering and feeding .
I will try to take their picture later.

Momol

[Cutecumber]

Noidea - the old sticking plasters come in handy, and no mistake! lol!

Momol - I haven't grown this variety before, but I have grown several others. As with courgettes, the cucumber fruits form at the base of the female flowers. Can you see any tiny round fruit? You shouldn't need to intervene in the pollination process - it is not ridiculously early in the year and there should be insects around.

Just be patient, and keep your fingers' crossed!

[momol]

Hi cutecumber,

Thanks, I will try to be patient and let the nature do their work.
My lemon cucumber have loads of female flowers and male flowers ( and they are now reaching 1.6 meter ), but so far, the bees don't visit them( I think ). I actually make sure my courgettes always pollinated succesfully by hand pollinating them ( bees don't visit them but loads of ants does ) and lately due to fed up with so much courgettes ( I have some 2 to 3 courgettes every 2 days ) I am not going to intervene my courgettes anymore
After having rain the whole day and heil, I manage to take the picture of my lemon cuke'.

Again, thanks...

[momol]

Alice I hope this could also answer your question about lemon cuke, Mine are planted outside ( now 1.6 meter, with 4 side branchings and loads of male and female flowers ). They are growing pretty fast, their leaves are reaching 25 cm across and pretty compact, I actually thin out some of the leaves to get better air circulations ( mine are climbing wires against a garage wall ).

Momol

[diddlydoos]

What is a lemon cucumber? I want to try one out!!!

My cucumber plant seems to be recovering OK - I have asked alot of people and nobody seems to know what causes this, but they have heard of it!

I have a new baby at the top of the stem - phew!!

[momol]

What is a lemon cucumber? I want to try one out!!!

My cucumber plant seems to be recovering OK - I have asked alot of people and nobody seems to know what causes this, but they have heard of it!

I have a new baby at the top of the stem - phew!!

Hi Diddlydoos,

Lemon cucumber produce small round cucumbers ,slighly thorny outside which can be wiped off with tower ( they taste lightly sweet and said to never taste bitter ) size of a tennis ball,when it is fully ripe it change colour to yellow, very cute. It is consume before it is turning yellow ( before the seed became too hard. it is use for salad or pickling. I found some pictures of it feel free to view it :
http://www.seedsavers.org/prodinfo.asp?number=213(OG)

Momol

[diddlydoos]

oh wow they sound great! The link didn't work, unfortunately - where can I get some seed (or is it too late?).

I love planting different varieties. I have a great purple, ugly, tomato growing great guns - can't wait till it fruits!!

Thank you

[momol]

Here is the pictures attached,I found it at the seed saver's online shop. There are so many varieties being called as lemon cucumber, and the real one should look like those on the picture. I haven't have any fruit, will post you a picture if fruits form.

Momol