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  • #1

    Outdoor cucumbers, how many varieties?

    Hi all,
    I read somewhere recently (can't for the life of me remember where!) that you should only plant one variety of outdoor cucumber in an area, otherwise risk cross-pollination and bitter fruits. Is this true? I've got two different varieties currently sprouting up on my windowsill. I was going to stick them right next to each other on the allotment :/
    Thanks!
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  • #2
    Doesn't sound right to me, but I don't grow outdoor Cucumbers.

    The indoor cucumbers I grow need the male flowers removing otherwise the fruits taste bitter. I get around this by growing F1 varieties that only produce female flowers.

    Its confusing though ... there are outdoor (so called "ridge") varieties that can be grown under cover. They need pollination to produce fruits ...

    And there are indoor varieties that can be grown outside, and they do need the male flowers removing.

    If you are sure it is a Ridge Cucumber type I think?? that it is safe to assume it needs pollination. I don't think the "parent" matters; all the Cucurbits are very promiscuous and cross-pollinate readily, so I doubt you could prevent cross pollination.
    K's Garden blog the story of the creation of our garden

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    • #3
      I grew outdoor cukes last year (Vega) and found that I needed to hand pollinate them. They had a maddening tendency to form all male flowers then all female flowers, and although I had 2 plants they seemed to conspire to do the same thing at the same time. In desperation on one occasion I used a courgette flower, despite reading on the internet that they would not cross pollinate with cucumbers. I did get a cucumber and it was not bitter, so I don't think you need worry too much as long as they are intended to be pollinated anyway. The seed packets should tell you.
      A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. - Leonard Nimoy

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      • #4
        I grow MarketMore and Wautoma next to each other in the Greenhouse, much tastier than the Greenhouse specials.

        Never have a problem with bitter fruits and get a total glut for three months every year

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        • #5
          Thank you. I have Zeina F1 and burpless tastygreen!

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Nurseygreen View Post
            Thank you. I have Zeina F1 and burpless tastygreen!
            I grow Burpless as well,i just leave them to it with no problems,not come across the other one..
            sigpicAnother nutter ,wife,mother, nan and nanan,love my growing places,seed collection and sharing,also one of these

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            • #7
              I have Marketmore on the go...I have flowers on one of the plants on the windowsill. The plant is still quite small too, should is pinch out the flowers?
              sigpic

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Jay22 View Post
                I have Marketmore on the go...I have flowers on one of the plants on the windowsill. The plant is still quite small too, should is pinch out the flowers?
                when they do that,it is said the plant is destresed,not enough room for root growth plus no nutrients left in the compost,if it were mine,i would pot it into a larger pot and remove the flowers,last year i grew all my cue's,melons ext into bottomless pots,{flower buckets for free}with a length of pipe for watering,also watering around the pot at soil level,this worked really well,and will be repeated,this way there is no need to water from the top,as it causes the plants to wet rot,by the way,if any do that,cut the top 12 in off,and reroot in water,then pot up,i did this with 1 last year,and it grew fine.
                Last edited by lottie dolly; 30-04-2015, 04:46 PM.
                sigpicAnother nutter ,wife,mother, nan and nanan,love my growing places,seed collection and sharing,also one of these

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                • #9
                  Thanks Lottie, will repot and remove the flowers. I thought it was in a decent sized pot but looked at the underside and there are a few roots. Still looking nice and healthy though so fingers crossed.
                  sigpic

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                  • #10
                    Well repotted and removed flowers...guess what? Yip flowering again.
                    sigpic

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