cucumber sos

I sowed cucumber Marketmore indoor in March and 4 came out fine. I sowed several outdoor in April and they didn't make it. Of 4 plants, two rotted off at the root; one was blown off by the wind just before it flowered; one was eaten by the snail.

I have no back up left. Shall I give up growing them all together?

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Permalink Reply by Bobby on June 6, 2011 at 16:57

Oh what a shame. Something similar happened to me with courgettes last year. Don't give up though, if you sow some more now they should grow quickly what with it being nice and warm. Give them a bit of protecting from slugs and snails by putting a bottle over them or something. I think April was probably a bit too early for an outdoor sowing, but now should be fine. Or you could get a few plants from the garden centre instead.

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Permalink Reply by Flighty on June 6, 2011 at 18:04

I sympathise, but I agree that April was too early to plant them out!

I'll be sowing a few seeds direct on the plot later this week. I do this every year without success but keep trying. It's rather annoying as a plot neighbour does the same and always gives me some of his cucumbers!

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Permalink Reply by Jade Hwang on June 6, 2011 at 18:47

I shall try again now. It's quite late and it may come to nothing. Will it be a hot summer for cucumbers I wonder?

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Permalink Reply by Louise Sian Gibbard on June 6, 2011 at 21:02

My cucumbers are not looking great. I had 3 healthy plants- sown in pots on window sill, then put in coldframe to harden off, then planted out a couple of weeks ago. 1 was eaten by slugs (or snails), so replaced it with my spare one, and the second one the leaves appear to be breaking off.

I thought I'd be too late to sow some more, but will follow Bobby and Flighty's advice and try again. I hope they come to something- they are crystal apple and I was really looking forward to them!

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Permalink Reply by Darren Blick on June 6, 2011 at 22:03

Next time try bringing them on in a 2"-3" with a seed compost then pot up to a 5" pot and with a medium compost like M2. Get the plant nice and healthy and don'r rush to get them out. They will do fine in the pot until quite a nice size. The harden them off during the day and put back in cover at night for 3-4 days.

Then when they go out, you will have a good strong plant

Don't be in a rush to get any plant out. As long as the compost you have in the pot is sufficient to feed the plant, it will grow fine and be ok. It is just as well to grow in the pot as outside if the nutrients are sufficient.

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Permalink Reply by Una Bee on June 8, 2011 at 11:34

I was being too hasty planting out my Crystal Lemon cucumbers as well, but I've started again and the new ones have just germinated. I have every faith that they will catch up. :)

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Permalink Reply by Jan Willetts on June 8, 2011 at 12:46

I sowed cucumbers in roottrainers indoors a few weeks ago. Now they are small plants but with a good root system so have hardened them off and planted them out today. I like to plant out when its been raining as I feel the plants have a better chance if i forget to water them! I had a big success with lidl seeds last year, this year the variety is telegraph improved. Fingers crossed.