Shade and cucumbers

[marchogaeth]

I honestly don't think heat will be a problem. However the lack of light in winter and early spring could be a constraint. Adding heat without light doesn't help, it just promotes weak growth.

So I wouldn't worry about supplementary heating, I'd just accept the limitations of the site. For example you could grow cucumbers etc in the shadiest bits, that's what I do in my badly-sited greenhouse.

How much shade will cucumbers tolerate?

For example, my tomatoes are in half flowers buckets with the bottoms cut out sitting on the bed. Will the cucumbers grow under them? I realise humidity might be a problem.

[Scarlet]

My cues are always grown in the same GH as my toms. The toms are grown on the sunnier side and the cues on the other. Personally I think it's worth a go.

[marchogaeth]

My cues are always grown in the same GH as my toms. The toms are grown on the sunnier side and the cues on the other. Personally I think it's worth a go.

Underneath them then?

[Scarlet]

Yes, I dont see why not. Cues like to be on the shadier side. Though I would sink in some bottles to water into so that the stem doesn't get too wet. As the toms get bigger you can take off some lower leaver if you want to give them a bit more airflow. I grew a butternut in between my toms one year, it took over

[GreenPete]

I would have thought indoor cucumbers would be fine in the shade. Last year I was growing ridge cucumbers on my plot and didn't have enough space for them all so I poked some in the top of the plot which is in almost constant shade. The ones in the shade gave me a much better crop which was a total surprise.

[marchogaeth]

These are ridge cucumbers so that sounds even more positive, Pete. Scarlet, I am a mega sinker of bottles! we are so prone to blight here that nearly all my watering is done under the soil in the summer. I'm having a lot of trouble getting the drip rate right at the moment but I'll get there.
Cheers.

[marchogaeth]

Why am I worrying? 4.7C in tunnel over night. Back to the using the back hall with grow lights plan!

[Valleyman]

My cucumbers last year were placed in a south-east facing corner, with potatoes, and big calabrese plants to the south. So whilst they got some sun later in the season they were in almost constant shade until about July. They took over and far exceeded my expectations with regards to yield.

This year some of my onions are in that position and are looking particularly small and miserable. Poor things.

[Penellype]

I'd not grown cucumbers before last year, and planted mine in a fairly sunny (ie about 1/2 day sun) corner. I had to shade them with fleece on very sunny days as they wilted. This year they are going to be shaded by melons (I hope) - if the weather ever warms up enough to put them out.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I am just about to paint the glass nearest my cumbers to give them some shade.