[missmoneypenny]

Last year I successfully grew cucumbers from the previous year's seed. It was an Eastern European variety, small and very crunchy, given to me by a colleague. So this year I did the same thing, saved some seed and tried germinating it. Only the results were pitiful. Out of 8 seeds only 5 germinated, 2 plantlets died, 3 straggly specimen grew, I planted them out and they shrivelled to nothing within a week. Is there a known problem with growing cucumbers from the saved seed of a saved seed cucumber (kind of grand daughter of cucumber?).

[mumofstig]

If the parent plant was an f1 variety then offspring are not reliable.

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

And cucumbers are like kamikaze pilots.....

[Auntiemogs]

As Mum says, if they were a hybrid variety (F1), they may not come true, so it may be best to ask your colleague what they were.  The fact that they failed could also be down to growing conditions as cues are very 'picky' in that they detest the cold (<10C) and will rot from the stem very quickly (hence Wizzy's comment).

[maxibo]

How did you save the seed?  Check out the real seed company website for step by step instructions on how to save cuke seeds.  Putting in a link is beyond my capabilities, maybe someone else will oblige 

[Auntiemogs]

How did you save the seed?  Check out the real seed company website for step by step instructions on how to save cuke seeds.  Putting in a link is beyond my capabilities, maybe someone else will oblige 

Your wish is my command...
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/cucumbers.html

[maxibo]

You are clever! 

[Auntiemogs]

You are clever! 

I would love to thinks so but that would make me delusional!    Had the same problem last year and Mum told me how to do it. 

[maxibo]

  Thats almost as bad as having to be shown how to operate the sky+ box by your 8 year old son.  Oh, the shame!!!

[Auntiemogs]

Thats almost as bad as having to be shown how to operate the sky+ box by your 8 year old son.  Oh, the shame!!!

I'm sure they're programmed in-vitro by aliens! 

[maxibo]

I think you may be right  :blink: