[strangerachael]

My cucumbers (and I'm down to only 2 now) have literally not put on any growth for three or four weeks. I have only watered them once in that time because they weren't drinking any. They look perfectly healthy, and after one of them went a bit floppy for a while, are both quite firm again now. One is about 4" tall, the other about 6 or 7".
Also my peppers and chillis are still only about 6" as well, otherwise look fine.
All are in the greenhouse and were sown on 1st March. Everything else in there (toms, courgettes, sweetcorn etc) all rocketing away and growing rapidly.
Any ideas?

[DavidT]

They need moisture Rachael. don`t let them dry out.

[strangerachael]

They haven't dried out at all - that's part of the problem - one died from overwatering (the stem went rotten) so I stopped watering the other two for a while, but the compost never got any drier. As I said they look perfectly healthy - not dry at all, they even have tiny cucumbers forming on them, they are just really small.
The peppers and chillies I kept a bit drier, as I understood that they don't require very much water, although they grew quicker when I kept them moister, so that is what I am doing now, but they are still not growing very much.

[Rowan]

my cucumbers arn't growing but they have been outside since seedlings, i'm sure once it warms up they will spurt!

The other thing could be the size pot they are in? i start mine in little paper pots and once the roots reach the bottom they slow their growth, maybe repot them?

[Kristen]

I give my Cucumbers a lot of warmth and humidity. Mine were sown on 2nd March and are about 4' tall and have produced one Cucumber each - sorry yours aren't yet doing that too.

If the temperature will fall below 10C I bring them into the house for the night.

I think they were probably on the windowsill until about 1st April, thereafter I kept them in a flimsy plastic grow-house against the house wall in my (unheated) conservatory; that gave them some extra warmth, and humidity. (Too hot to do that now!)

I think once they "stall" through cold they take a while to get going again.

[strangerachael]

Perhaps it was the cold spell a while back. I have now sat the pots in water so they can drink as much as they like without rotting, and have a bit of humidity round them . I don't think it can be pot size as they are in 6" pots and there is no sign of the roots at the bottom.
I've got some more seedlings coming so will just wait and see...

[Trillium]

It really is a matter of warmth for cukes, real summer warmth versus 'not freezing' to get them growing. They'll sulk for a while then take off when you're not expecting it.

[Helen_uk]

Hi,

Im a novice at this so my answers might not be great BUT!!

My cucumbers were doing well, but then went a bit floppy, so I re-potted them deeper but with more soil supporting the stem, with just the leaves popping out of the top, I then have put them outside, in a homemade 'greenhouse' (a big plastic bottle from the cooler at work with the top cut off) and they seem to have perked up again.

The 'greenhouse' keeps the moisture in in the form of condensation but air still circulates as its not flush to the ground.

I've done this with my tomatoes aswell and they are now getting really big!!

[strangerachael]

Thanks everyone.
I have put them in dishes of water and they have drunk loads so fingers crossed. The warmer weather the last couple of days will hopefully help, and more to come I believe 

[strangerachael]

Well although they are still quite small (8 - 10") they have now produced fruit