More cucumbers

[chrisanddan]

For th esecond year I am attempting to grow cucmbers outside and up a support to safe space. The packet says I can. Am I making life really hard for myself. It seems a very slow process with false starts and drooping stems, suddenly changing their mind and growing again. My 'gherkins' Adam, are having a whale of time, but the free ones from KG are struggling. Should I just grow in a polytunnle and have done with it? I have wrapped the ground with black polythene and they are planted on mounds with plenty of compost. I also started them and harden them off at home. They have so much attention it's ridiculous.

[Greenman]

Hi Chrisanddan

I used to grow Japanese cucumbers up supports outdoors and they were always successful. I think I used to plant them out sometime about now. I think the weather this June has been a bit too cold for outdoor cucumbers. Why not just grow them up supports in your tunnel? What variety are they?

[chrisanddan]

Thanks for the response. They are marketmore. It just seems all the instructions you get about cucmbers on the packets don't actually seem to apply. Not a lot of space on the allotment fro cucumbers trailing along the ground which is why I went ofr the climbing.

[alan refail]

Marketmore should be OK outside, but they don't grow very high.

[WigBag]

This is my second year with Marketmore, I have a section of fencing along the centre of my bed and tie the plants on to it. It is 4" guage and about 4' high.
This year has been quite windy, not excessive speeds but rather constantly blowing and I think that he wind plus the cooler temps have inhibited their progress. Last year they raced to the top of the fencing, I pinched out the tops and had a couple of horizontal rows presenting their wares free from dirt.
If I could provide some shelter I am sure they would do even better, but even so having them tied to the fencing gives me plenty of good clean fruits.

[Weed]

This is my first year with Marketmore and I have to say I am a little disappointed. I have picked a couple this week with more on the way but I am finding that although they are tasty the skins are quite thick

I think I will go back to Burpless Green next year

[chrisanddan]

I'm staggerd you've been picking cucumbers. Ours are an inch if that and the whole plant very short stubby. We're picking the Adam and pickling them no problem, but marketmore - nothing.

[Weed]

I have two plants of Marketmore in the greenhouse and so far they have produced at least a dozen cukes with loads more to come

[PLUMPUDDING]

Now the weather is warming up a bit your plants should really get going. I've had one good sized cucumber off a Marketmore plant outside, but they haven't grown much at all since I put them outside. The same with all the squashes and pumpkins they've just been sulking in the cold, but this week they've all started flowering and putting on a few more leaves, so I'm still hoping for a reasonable crop.

The ones in the greenhouse are rampant I picked ten off two plants yesterday and am now giving them away. They do taste good though, much more flavour than shop ones.