I wouldn't mind but I never even used to like cucumber all that much. It always reminded me of the thin curled up sandwiches that were always left untouched at childrens parties. Then a couple of years ago my neighbour gave me a plant and I discovered how truly fragrant and tasty a real, homegrown cucumber can be. Last year we planted just 2 seeds and from those we grew two strong and healthy, rapid fruit producing plants. It was so easy. So what's going on this year? Twice now we have sown cucumber seeds and from this we have only had a success rate of 1. To rub salt into the wound, even this success was short lived. Long and tall and lanky it grew. It didn't look a healthy specimen at all. Mr Notebook even went to the trouble of making it a small wire support (like those usually twisted around gerberas! I kid you not!) in a last ditched attempt to save our one successful seedling. This morning's visit to the greenhouse finds the seedling has given up all hope and lays keeled over in a small and sorrowful heap.
On the positive side, things are looking up for my sweet peas. I have been very brave this year and have been quite brutal in my pinching out technique. This seems to have worked and the plants are starting to look quite stocky and strong. I followed the advice from this Sarah Raven video in which she shows how to pinch out and explains how sweet peas need to be rugby players and not atheletes. I like to think I now have rugby players not atheletes growing in my greenhouse! Even if I'm not eating cucumbers or courgettes this summer I should have some lovely sweet peas to sit and look at!
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Mmmmm, what sort of compost are you using? Is it old? Is it proper seed compost? Are you over watering? Can't think what else it could be but don't give up. Have another go! Mine are being very temperamental, some good some sulky and reluctant to germinate even in a heated propagator. I must try harder!
ReplyDeleteIt hardly seems fair that I've nothing helpful to offer, but have found your information and link about sweetpeas very useful!
ReplyDeleteI've no suggestions to offer for your seedlings as I'm quite new to growing from seed myself, but I do wish you all the best with them!
Hi Trevor, thanks for your comment. I admit I have just used ordinary multi-purpose compost, although it is new. Do you think this might have made a difference?
ReplyDeleteHi Gippslandgardener, I am pleased the sweet pea info was useful, mine certainly seem to have benefited, I have always been very timid about pinching out in the past and ended up with very straggly weak plants.
ReplyDeleteDear Nina, I really do sympathise but as I never look further than Waitrose for a cucumber, I am afraid I can be of little help. That said, I am completely at one with you over the sweet peas - totally desirable so pump them up with steroids if needs be. You want more than rugby players, you need sumo wrestlers!
ReplyDeleteI always find that there is poor germination on cucumbers and courgettes. I usually have to plant 3 in a pot to even get one to germinate. Yellowing of the leaves usually is caused by lack of nitrogen or some other deficiency but that would be unusual so early on in a plants growth. Spider mites? Look underneath the leaf and see if you have mites there. They often cause sick leaves like this.Good luck.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it’s too early and too cold for cucumbers? I have also sowed mine, but I’m not expecting too much. I will sow them once again in May.
ReplyDeleteRegarding courgette, I had them last year growing and producing way too much, so I’m passing on them this year. Last year I direct sow them in the garden, in May also.
Just keep on trying.
Peas look great!
Dear Edith, many thanks for your comment, the idea of a greenhouse full of sumo wrestlers leaves a comical image in my head!
ReplyDeleteDear Vrtlarica and Lancashire Rose, many thanks for the valuable information and advice. Maybe I am far too early and keen! I will keep trying! I am going out to check for red spider mite right now, thanks again for the advice. If I find none maybe I will give my one plant a feed.
ReplyDeleteIt may be that it's still a little too cold for them in the greenhouse. Try germinating them indoors with a plastic bag popped over the pot to keep in the humidity, that should help.
ReplyDeleteHi Jo, thanks for the advice, although a heated propagator has been purchased and is now in place so I shall see if that helps...I will try to be patient but I won't be beaten!
ReplyDeleteOh give me a homegrown cucumber any day Nina - beats the shop bought ones hands down for taste. My cucumbers and courgettes are only just coming through now. I wonder if you are covering your plants at night Nina - it might be too cold for them if they are sleeping out in their birthday suits. Also wondered whether that's horticultural grit on the top of the pot ? If so that might be causing problems. I am sure that you will get there in the end :)
ReplyDeleteI don't grow cucumbers or courgettes (what's a courgette?), but I did sow over 200 carrot seeds and only eight came up. So I am not the one to give advice, but I do feel your frustration. Try again using the good advice of better veggie gardeners than me, and good luck!
ReplyDeleteLast year a couple of my courgettes started to go yellow just before I planted them out. I couldn't face giving up on them so I planted them out anyway. Although the leaves always stayed yellow it didn't seem to affect their ability to produce yummy courgettes (thank goodness, they are my favourite!) My cucumbers have all done the same as you...I have just planted some more in the hope they might turn out better!
ReplyDeleteHi Anna, many thanks for your advice. I have been covering them at night but I think it still may be too cold. I am trying the heated propagator at night now to see if it makes a difference.
ReplyDeleteHi Deb, you probably know courgettes as zucchinis? Thanks for the words of encouragement. As for the carrots I have found them hit or miss in the past, sometimes they all come up and other times nothing, they hate our clay soil though so the best results I've ever had are in 100% compost in containers.
Hi Philippa Jayne, thanks for visiting and thanks for the advice. I will carry on tending to my courgette and hope it sees its way to harvest then! I am glad I am not alone on the cucumber failure ratings...maybe, as others have said, it is still too early and too cold. I will let you know if the heated propagator brings any luck!
I know its hereditary, but dont be too impatient. Personally I would kick the pots, it sometimes works.
ReplyDeleteMe.
Do people still grow yellow cucumbers? When we were little, that was all we ever had and I had never seen a green one.
ReplyDeleteWhen I bought my sweetpea seedlings from a local nursery, the chap said NOT to pinch them out, but take the tendrils and sideshoots off and tie them. Whom to believe?