Pot-up your cucumbers - Claire's allotment part 51

[tigratigratigra]

Hi Claire, do you leave the cucumbers in the 6inch pots or do you re-pot them into bigger pots later on. I've just started to grow my own Veg so i'm still learning kind regards from Tracey.C :D

[clairesallotment]

@tigratigratigra I would leave them in the 6 inch pots. But only 1 plant per pot. The plants need to either be staked or left to trail along a shelf. Don't let them trail along the ground otherwise they'll get eaten or stood on. Once the flowers appear then feed them every 7 - 10 days with tomato feed.

[webkey1234]

there cucumber seeds by the way lol

[webkey1234]

i have a grandad with a heated greenhouse so i fort i mite plant some seeds in my heated probergator but the seedlings got very leggy so i put them in a diffrent pot and there growing well but there starting to go leggy again what do i do. i have bin turning them often.

[clairesallotment]

When you next plant them in a bigger pot plant the seedling half in the soil. I know this seems a long way down, but it will encourage the plant to grow more sturdy. It may be something as simple as the position the greenhouse is in. What direction does the garden face? If it faces north them the sun is still low in the sky and there won't be enough light getting to them.

[webkey1234]

@clairesallotment my greenhouse is facing west

[clairesallotment]

It may be something a simple as something blocking the sun, a tree, a building, or a fence. Unless I can see it, it's quite difficult to give an exact solution. Don't worry about it though. When you re-pot them to a bigger pot, plant them half way down in the soil. Once the sun gets higher in the sky and stronger they should sort themselves out.

[bovrilking]

What height should the top be pinched out, mine are about 4ft high now should i let them continue to grow higher.

Also, i am confused by the side shoots where it says pinch out 2 leaves beyond the flower, i have the flowers growing from the main stem and just one leaf on the lateral side shoots, leaves from top to bottom but its just one big leaf...sorry confused as i said...thanks

[clairesallotment]

I don't usually pinch out my cucumbers. If yours say to do it then follow the instructions. I would say pinch out the tip when you have enough fruit for your own needs. The plant will then focus all it's energy on the fruit. Again side shoots have never been an issue with the ones I've grown before. If the side shoots take over the plant then cut them back, but if they produce fruit I'd leave. Sorry not to be much help. Hope it makes some form of sense, I'm just as confused as you are.

[rodmdl]

Hi Claire,

I'm sure you cucumber is going to do beautifully!

I have a question... My cucumber plants have loads of flowers but just a few cucumbers really comes with. What can i do? should I feed the plant a little bit more? and what do you use to feed your plants? I grow organic vegetables, so I shouldnt use any chemical.

Best Regards

[clairesallotment]

Sometimes not all the flowers produce fruit. Just be patient, depending on the feed, I use tomato feed and do every 7 - 10 days.

Hope this is helpful

Claire

[greentxmama]

This may be silly question, but how do the cucumber flowers get pollinated if they are in the greenhouse? Do you eventually take them outdoors or do you pollinate them yourself?

[clairesallotment]

Not a silly question at all. If you leave the greenhouse door open during the day on warm days, then the bees etc come in and pollinate for you. It's only the female flowers that bear the fruit. You can get only female plants, I always let the bees do their work in the greenhouse, and so far it has worked fine.