[Bombers]

Mine are soooooooo SLOW!

In fact, I am fast coming to the conclusion i must be doing something wrong.
Germination (first week April) was sparce, but I soon established 3-4 good specimens.. then hardened them off (end of May) before final planting out in a warm sheltered raised bed, with netting for support (South facing on the south side of a 'mini Munti') They seemed happy enough, but then got set back a little bit with a week or so of cooler weather, but nothing severe. They have had plenty of water, and when the first fruiting flower appeared, they have been fed (tomorite) once a week. The variety is either Burpless tasty, or Masterpiece.
they are now about 3ft high, and with fresh vigorous growth......


But with only one cuke (aprox 4" long) to show, for 4 months growing period??


That can't be right can it?

What experiences have you had???

[richyrich7]

I've never tried to grow outdoor ones, but try feeding them with a general purp feed rather than tomorite a thread a few days ago recommended a higher nitrogen level than tomorite gives.

But all this wet cool weather will not help them.

[savbo]

ours are really slow too, though have had at least one small but tasty cuc off... had a v bitter one the other day...

[Bombers]

try feeding them with a general purp feed rather than tomorite a thread a few days ago recommended a higher nitrogen level than tomorite gives.

Have a Ltr of Doff 7-7-7, will wack some of that on rather than B/F/B which would be too slow I presume?

But all this wet cool weather will not help them.

Me thinks that too!

[richyrich7]

try feeding them with a general purp feed rather than tomorite a thread a few days ago recommended a higher nitrogen level than tomorite gives.

Have a Ltr of Doff 7-7-7, will wack some of that on rather than B/F/B which would be too slow I presume?

Yeah, probably BFB would be too slow

[Bombers]

Thanks for your advice Richy.

If anyone else has any experiences with outdoor cukes, I would be interested to know how you are getting on.

[Lee1978]

i had 5 Marketmore left over so i decided to put them in the black recycle boxes outside on a south facing wall and i can't keep up with them, they are thriving. i heard that cucumbers don't really like tomorite but i don't know how true this is.
Lee

[richyrich7]

Reading Lee's post above it may be worth you putting down black plastic around base of the plants it will help keep the soil warmer which in turn may help create a slightly warmer micro climate above, just a thought may not help at all but ....

[Sue33]

we picked our first one last night but haven't tasted it yet, there's about 4 or 5 more coming on pretty good, we did try to train them up but went away for 2 weeks and when we came back they were laying along the top of the netting we have for the brassicas so we've just left them there, they're doing ok - fingers crossed they'll taste ok 
I know it won't do the brassias any good but most of them have blown while we've been away 

[Bombers]

Reading Lee's post above it may be worth you putting down black plastic around base of the plants it will help keep the soil warmer which in turn may help create a slightly warmer micro climate above, just a thought may not help at all but ....

I was thinking that too! I do think 'warmth' is the key. Also, growing on South facing wall, where I have proved previously, my tomatoes seem to prefer the warmth that the brickwork retains overnight.  
Anyway, The suns out, so all will take off brilliantly now!

[Sue33]

Anyway, The suns out, so all will take off brilliantly now!

Yaaaayyy!  I hope the tomatoes will turn red as well, we've only had four so far 

[richyrich7]

Taking the warmth idea further perhaps it would be better to let outdoor cuckes trail over a black membrane /plastic , so they are lower to the ground and warmth    

Anyway, The suns out, so all will take off brilliantly now!

for all of 10 mins  

[Callie]

Had terrible problems with them...  had about a dozen germinate and grow 3-5 leaves and then they just started to wilt and die.  As a newbie spent ages trying to find why and discovered a bug eating them from the root.  

Destroyed them all except for 3 that seemed to be ok, 1 hubby had put in with his olive tree and 2 that were in a flower pot someone had thought were flowers and put on the patio !  

Hubby's hasn't grown much but 1 of the other 2 I put in a larger tub with marigolds (was a tip i found, radishes and marigolds deter the bug) and it is now triffiding but has only 4-5 tiny cukes, the other i surrounded with radish seeds and it survives but not much growth.

[noshed]

I'm up to my ears in cucumbers! Various different varieties. Some on top of the same trench as my beans and some in a bed which has been fed with compost. I think all the rain has got them going. I feed them with comfrey tea. I've got a lot of courgettes as well...

[Bombers]

I'm up to my ears in cucumbers! Various different varieties. Some on top of the same trench as my beans and some in a bed which has been fed with compost. I think all the rain has got them going. I feed them with comfrey tea. I've got a lot of courgettes as well...

The answer was staring me in the face Noshed!!! my cukes are in the bean trench at home.
That's what I need, a Comfrey teasmade at home Cheers for that.