Advice About Growing Cucumbers

[johnk]

I have 2 plants growing well with lots of flowers and two 30mm cucumbers. Can anyone with experience give me some sort of management plan, this is the first time I've grown them. They are outdoors.

[Togo]

It is a bit late now for any flowers to develop into cucumbers if you are in the UK. I you are in sunnier climes or the Southern hemisphere then it is wise to pinch out the tops and side shoots when you have enough flowers. Make sure that you have good support for the crop as , they are quite heavy. Water well and regularly and a good food now and again does not go amiss. You can even cut a cucumber in half, so as not to waste, and the fruit left on the plant will seal and stay edible.

[Togo]

P.S. I fed mine with Tomorite tomato feed and they thrived. If you are growing a variety that has a spikey skin( almost cactus like) put on your gardening gloves and rub the spines off. Best not to do this if anyone is watching as it seems to cause much hilarity.

[johnk]

Togo, I'm in the UK, should I pinch out all flowers and cut the excess growth back?

[Togo]

I think I would now. Mine are gone and mostly eaten. Feed what you have and take advantage of the next few days of warm and sunny weather, then crop. Same goes for Courgettes. I have taken all my Broad Beans, Runner Beans, Onions are up and drying, most of the Tomatoes have been ripened and picked before the birds and squirrels have em. Get the bird feeder up time and plan for next time. The never ending cycle.

[johnk]

Togo, I also have 2 tomato plants outdoors which have a good crop but there's no sign of them turning red, is there anything I can do with them? I'm in the North West.

[barry1010]

johnk, pick your tomatoes and put them on a south facing window ledge to ripen (indoors, in case it's not clear).
Or put them in a brown paper bag with a banana.
If there is no sign of them ripening you might be better making a green tomato chutney.

[Togo]

Missed the tomato query earlier johnk, was out back watering what is left of my tomatoes and 3 Sweetcorn plants. Barry is about right. I would water and feed them and hope that our current heat and sunshine starts them of. I suspect that you either started them late, or that they are not in a position that gets sunshine(when available) all the daylight hours. That is assuming that they are outside. You could of course have grown a variety that is not best for outdoors in the N.West. After many trial and error summers I have settled on 3 varieties that do well outside and ripen in N. Wales.

[johnk]

Thanks, I'll do that. I was given them so no ides what variety and they're not in the best position but the only space I had.