Staggering cucumber crop

[Cutecumber]

Not staggering as in "wobbly", nor staggering as in "incredible", but...

Do any of you manage to get a long season of cucumber production and how do you do it?

My crop of indoor cukes is coming to an end - three plants have produced a good crop over a month or so. There have been times when we have been overrun (there were ten ready at once last weekend) - and so friends and family have received lots of gifts! Outdoors, my crystal lemons are slow and unproductive - there are two fruit and I doubt if they will do much more. They are not really going to extend the harvest for us.

Next year, I would like to try and stagger the sowing to get a longer crop - can this be done with indoor (female) cukes, or do they inevitably catch up? What would be a sensible interval for sowing? In a grow bag, will the first plant take all the nutrients leaving the second and third with none, and therefore a smaller crop?

Any ideas for a longer production system welcome.

[Lance]

Hello
I am suprised your cues are coming to an end.
I have 4 plants in my tunnel and I wished I had only planted 2 as I am over run with them. I read in a book that if you feed cues with tomato feed it can wear them out and stop production early. The book said cues prefer blood and bone powder feed and this will extend the season.
I have only grown female indoor types and for the second year I have found femspot to be the best by far.
Good luck next year with your crop.
Regards
Lance

[Cutecumber]

I think they are worn out, Lance - they have produced dozens and dozens of fruit so I can't complain! There are still a few fruits to come, and it may pick up.

I use balanced feed, but even with this I am not sure that one grow-bag can really sustain three vigorous F1 plants - the short season could be the result. Maybe two plants instead, next time, would help elongate the production.

[Lance]

we are both lucky to get a bumper crop with the lack of sun. The rain is driving me mad. Blight on the potatoes, powdery mildew on the courgettes and a failing watermelon crop.
with 3 plants in 1 growbag it sounds like you have done wonders.
Lance

[Cutecumber]

It's not been anywhere near as bad for me here in London than elsewhere - no sun, but no torrential rain. I've been lucky with potatoes so far but the mildew has been dreaful for me, too - it came early and has definitely reduced my outdoor cucurbit crops.

I have found indoor cucumbers to be very easy to grow. I did use some of those "grow-pots" this year, though - they add a bit of extra room for roots above the growbag itself and its much easier to water. The trickiest bit is supporting the plants as they are so crazy in their growth.

I am a little bit sick of cucumbers now, though, I must confess, so perhaps it's just as well that they are finishing.

(now that I've said that, they'll pick up and I'll get another glut!)

[OverWyreGrower]

I've got 4 F1 plants in my unheated greenhouse.

One has finished, 1 is on the way out but the other 2 are going strong.

The 2 that are still going were planted about a month after the 1st 2, but soon caught up in size etc

I'm wondering whether I can force another plant to grow and crop at this time of year?

Next year, I'll probably leave at least a month and a half between sowing, to see if that staggers them a bit more.

[Alison]

I'm growing three different sorts this year, my Petita (in a greenhouse) is just beginning to fruit and has loads coming, plenty to keep me and OH in salads. The Crystal Apple in the greenhouse is flowering but will be a few weeks yet and the Bush one (can't remember variety) in the garden has just produced the first couple of flowers so fingers crossed. I always find that I can keep a good crop going with this sort of arrangement to go up to the frosts but have never managed an early crop as any early seedlings I have always seen to rot at soil level if I sow them any earlier than April. Last year I was picking from mid July into October from the same plants and was feeding them with a mixture of tomato feed / seaweed / worm wee.

[Cutecumber]

That's interesting stuff, thanks...

Alison - are the petita and crystal apple in different greenhouses?

[kentvegplot]

Hi Cutecumber, question for you. Did you 'prune' any of the growth on your cucumbers or just leave them to get on with it? I have seen conflicting advice and it sounds as if, whatever you're doing, it works! So far I have left all the growth on, and the crop is looking good (none ready yet, but I think they are only days away)

[Cutecumber]

I haven't pruned, no. They do sprout several extra ends, so it gets a bit messy, but I do my best to tie them up to something in the greenhouse.

This variety is Ilas F1 - they are about half-size compared to a standard cucumber, but just about right for two (or one greedy one!).

[Grovsey]

I have 3 Prima Top F1 plants, all outside, which are only just beginning to produce fruits...have used tomato feed every 2 weeks, looks to be loads of fruits forming now. But it's been so chilly this "summer(!?)" I presume they are just late developing?

I was worried at one stage but they seem healthy now. Just need some sun! I tried to stagger by growig in pots but planting on into soil at different times.

[Alison]

That's interesting stuff, thanks...

Alison - are the petita and crystal apple in different greenhouses?

No they're in the same greenhouse, not a problem unless I was collecting the seeds for next year. Always start from fresh with them so OK. Just been out and this bit of sun the last couple of days has made them all double in size so will be on pickled cucumbers soon at this rate!!!!!

I know lots of people grow Crystal Apple outside but I find they have pretty thick skins then which I don't like so I always give them a bit of shelter.

[Cutecumber]

Alison

That's really useful to know - I've tried Crystal Apple for the first time and you're right about the skins. I shall put one indoors next year, I think.