[sclarke624]

Hiya
I planted AN OUTDOOR Suttons  cucumber 'marketmore' in middle march. (new to this game in my enthusiasm I planted early and many).  The pack they came in is not very informative, suttons salad pack.  Looked on line and in books, but they mainly tell you what to do with indoor cucs.


They have been raised in the south facing heated conservatory, which seems to act like a greenhouse.  They are in mostly 7 inch pots, one has a flower and that is in a 3" pot .

 
I have a choice of grow bag, conservatory in a pot, 18" sheltered high rise bed, mini plastic greenhouse or outside in a pot.

Question is after all that waffle:

What do I do now with regard to flower? :?:
What size pots? :?:
Whats all this pinching off side shoots business, are the side shoots the literally side shoots or are they the bits that grow in between the main stem and side shoo? :?:

My source of info who is a qualified horticul wotsit has very inconsideratly gone on her hols......  :evil:  

Pic of flower


pic of side shoot


pic of inbetweeny bits or is it a flower about to develop.


Thanks Panicking
Ps it is quite sheltered here if that is any help, Felpham just down road from sea.

[milkman]

It looks a very healthy plant - i haven't got my outdoor cucumbers started yet, will probably try this weekend.  

In the past I've transplanted them into the ground and grown them up a small wigwam of canes, tying them up with soft string.  So I think you would be okay putting it into a grow bag or 10L size pot and letting it trail or provide a mini trellis to grow it up.  At this time of year it would need frost and harsh wind protection but should otherwise be okay outside.

I would leave the side shoots and let it do what it wants to.

As for the flower I would leave it - it may produce a cucumber but if not then it will probably drop off of its own accord.  With outdoor cucumbers you don't need to concern yourself with the business about male flowers pollinating female flowers.

Good Luck.

[wellingtons]

... mine are only just popping their heads through the compost!

[sclarke624]

Yeah they are very healthy.  I don't seem to be able to any wrong here, think its the conservatory and sussex weather.  Everything grows even the d*mn tomato plants I didn't think would all take and now have 50 well actually 18 cos I gave loads away.  Haven't been down on south coast here long, can you tell.

[Aunt Sally]

They look very healthy, nice and stocky and green.  But have you watered them with freshly drawn tap water  :?:  (bottom leaf is white round the edge)  Try to leave a can of water standing for a few hours for the chlorine to evaporate off.  Most plants aren't bothered but I don't know if cues are  :?

[sclarke624]

All five of them have the leaves at the bottom like that.  I think I have unintentionly left water standing for a day in the conservatory after they grew beyond first leaves, cos I got fed up with keep fetching it.  So that at least is a good accidential unintention.

We have very hard water, I know can't drink the stuff gives me stomach ache, and you should taste it after it has been left on bedside cabinet over night, its revolting, used to be able to drink the water when we were in Croydon.

The outlaws laugh at me now cos I buy the five ltr bottles of water.