Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Aidy on March 03, 2007, 18:48

Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: Aidy on March 03, 2007, 18:48
Just flicking through the seeds and noticed that according to the packet I can sow my cucumber seeds now, says feb/march, so as this will be the first time I have done cucumbers I was wondering if the experts had theirs in yet.
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: DD. on March 03, 2007, 19:37
Too early for me Aidy, generally go Early April - LATE March at a push.
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: Penny22 on March 03, 2007, 19:48
Hi Aidy,  its my first time this year for growing cucumbers too.  If its helpful; my packet say Feb to May for indoor sowing.  April to May for cold frames.  I intend to start mine off indoors in the next few weeks.
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: muntjac on March 03, 2007, 19:59
wont start mine till end the month :wink:  ,i still hve no veggies  started off at all i havent sown anything  :lol:
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: WG. on March 03, 2007, 20:09
Quote from: "muntjac"
wont start mine till end the month :wink:  ,i still hve no veggies  started off at all i havent sown anything  :lol:

I wish I had your patience because I know you're dead right.  Had a beautiful day here today and my willpower collapsed, even tho my spring is at least 5 weeks later than yours. So I broadcast sowed some leeks under glass for a baby leek crop; and I just know they'll not do as well as the ones I plant next month.  Sigh.
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: muntjac on March 03, 2007, 20:18
patiance is a pain in the ass i know ,but then i got loads other fings to get on with i power hosed me greenhouses out today let em dry .left a nice  load of moss bits hanging on the windows ,,,, dont peel it off its actually blocking druaghts out  :wink:  lit me sulphur candles tonite to kill them bad beasties n bugs .will paint the glass when the air cleared  :wink:
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: Trillium on March 04, 2007, 00:49
It's interesting to read how impatient so many newbies are to start planting or seeding, and how the old hands are still biding their time because it's too early. Considering that Ontario is still going through it's last big snowstorm at the moment, within 3 weeks it will be mostly melted and I'll be planting out at pretty much the same time as all you lotty folks, mid April outside for peas, possibly earlier. When people tell me that the UK climate is so different from ours, I disagree; it's really just a matter of rain vs snow but we're all out planting together. To cure my cabin fever, I drove 4 hours round trip today to a big garden show to get the smell of peat and compost up my nose and paw up lily bulbs and seed packets, and listen to great speakers. Get to do it again at a larger show on Thursday - and then I'll really be champing at the bit like you lot  :lol:  :lol:
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: shaun on March 04, 2007, 07:52
wht type would you guys recomend for the greenhouse ?
also i might be getting my wires crossed here again,
can you grow them in the same greenhouse as your toms or is that something else ?
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: DD. on March 04, 2007, 08:05
Quote from: "shaun"
wht type would you guys recomend for the greenhouse ?
also i might be getting my wires crossed here again,
can you grow them in the same greenhouse as your toms or is that something else ?


I'm trying this type this year (scroll doen to Carmen F1):

http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/list/full-index/c/23

That's only 'cause spend a tenner with T & M, get the most expensive packet free. I ordered another packet of seed for just over £2  total came to only £3 something with postage.

You can grow them in the same greenhouse, I've done it in the past, but cucumbers prefer a damper climate than toms. I've had better results, since I got a second greenhouse, growing them seperately and keeping the humidity up.

.
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: shaun on March 04, 2007, 08:12
£8 for 5 seeds digger thats a bit steep init  :shock:

so when you say keep the humidity up is it just a case of watering them more ?
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: DD. on March 04, 2007, 08:26
Quote from: "shaun"
£8 for 5 seeds digger thats a bit steep init  :shock:

so when you say keep the humidity up is it just a case of watering them more ?


I wouldn't have paid that much, had I not got them free!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes keep them damp, I grow them in big pots, filled with compost from gro bags, and stand them in a washing up bowl. I water the bowl, not the pot,  I also water the ground in the greenhouse to keep that moist, that's the greatest aid to keeping the humidity up.
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: Bigbadfrankie on March 04, 2007, 08:27
Like Karl I have not yet put much in, another week at least realy before its worth doing much. Cucumbers like it warm and wont do much until it is. Later plantings have longer days and dont grow so tall and thin, looking for light. I all ways put Toms and cu's in the same house. They both like loads of water and rich ground. I had over 30 Cu's of my plant last year and had not built the greenhouse until the end of may!!. so dont be in too much panic. We had aubergenes and lettuce in as well. Earlt toms drop their flowers if the get cold so you loose the truss. You could end up looseing the first tow trusses by being early and too cold.
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: muntjac on March 04, 2007, 12:29
i have put toms n cucs in same house but mould is a pain with doing that the last of the cucs can go for ages and ur toms finished then you really need to get the old plants out . but i grow toms and chillies in one  cucs another .i have the third greenhouse up and wil use that for extra toms for gate selling if i get a surplus  with doping a lot of hanging basket toms im sure im gonna be ok with toms this year lol.. the cucumber i use is f1 burpless its the only one i find has taste for pickling
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: GrannieAnnie on March 04, 2007, 14:25
They also say to water the paths in the greenhouse too shaun about midday, when they are at their warmest, so the water turns into vapour and rises and floats around giving more humidity.  Must admit I did grow my cucumbers and tomatoes in the same polytunnel, but at different ends.  

My favourite cucumber is the Burpless Tastee Green, lovely long cucumbers!! very crunchy
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: Jim T on March 04, 2007, 19:29
Quote from: "muntjac"
patiance is a pain in the ass i know ,but then i got loads other fings to get on with i power hosed me greenhouses out today let em dry .left a nice  load of moss bits hanging on the windows ,,,, dont peel it off its actually blocking druaghts out  :wink:  lit me sulphur candles tonite to kill them bad beasties n bugs .will paint the glass when the air cleared  :wink:


Hi Muntjac, What's this about Sulphur candles?
Please tell me more. How do you make them safe and do you leave them lit 24 hours?

Jim
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: muntjac on March 04, 2007, 19:39
get them from garden centres .  clear the greenhouse of all plants and any other stuff " you store " there .before you  light the candle 6x4 ft /i use 2 in my 8x10s ,  shut all windows vents and any other broken bits .just stand a pane up agin them or stick with silicone sealant and allow to set ..  light it and get out ,shut the door behind ya n leave it for 2 days with no going in at all .. then open the door and windows and air the place .......... everything beastie wil be deaded .i use em for all bug n spore control . mine cost £4 each .you can get them online at cheaper prices if you search . hope  that helps
Title: sowing
Post by: slowcompost on March 04, 2007, 19:46
I've put 2 seeds each in 2 pots both of cu's and toms, I'll do the same again every 2 or 3 weeks for the next 6 weeks or so.  
I reckon you can't loose that way, mind i dont use super expensive seed. Tend to go for the standard varieties.
Title: Anyone sown their cucumbers yet
Post by: ziggywigs on March 04, 2007, 20:36
I'm still sitting on my hands as i know through experience i'll not gain anything by sowing just now!  End of March will be time enough for me....and they always seem to catch up.