[3759allen]

first year trying to grow these and looking for any advice.

when is best to sow them? can they trail along the floor or is it best to trail over a structure or over a bed of straw or something?

thanks

[New shoot]

I've sown them with the normal cucumbers at the end of April and as they are slow to get going, they languished behind a bit, but I got a crop.

Following that, I tried early in March the following year and they were rampaging up the curtains at home before I managed to get them planted out 

Any time now should be fine to sow them.  They are self supporting climbers, so do need something to climb.  I grew mine on a support set over a builders bucket planter in the greenhouse.  What does seem to really make the difference with cropping is to keep the foliage under control.  Once they have covered the support, cut off any wandering tendrils.  If you don't, they go on a rampage and take over the greenhouse, but more importantly, they concentrate on growing leaves, not flowers.  Kept under control, they settle down to fruiting 

[3759allen]

thanks for the advice.

i looked over the details from premier seeds and they say they have a tap root that shouldn't be damaged, i'm thinking paper pots may be the way. did you have any issues with the tap root if yours got that big?


i'll see if i can make some sort of structure about knee hight then, as i don't want to block the sun from the tunnel. if they're that ravenous i feel i may have trouble reaching all the crop but i'm sure it will be ok.

[New shoot]

They have a big tap root by the end of the season.  You are supposed to be able to dig this up and store it over winter like a dahlia tuber to replant the following year.  A couple of us tried this, but mine just went mouldy.

I never had a problem moving a small plant into a bigger pot