Potting up cucumbers?

[Caro]

Thanks to everyone for all the replies. I think I have a feel for how best to treat them now.

Thanks again

[plymouthred]

Too early?

First year with cucumbers and appreciate I may have been a little early starting them off but need some advice.

I planted six, one per pot into 3" pots and four out of the six are looking healthy (ish) but a bit leggy. They are currently nearly 6" tall and have got their first set of true leaves well established. They are upstairs in a bathroom that is being refurbished and nice, warm and airy.

My intention is to put them into grow pots that go into growbags in my greenhouse when it warms up.

Should I pot them on now, say into 6" pots and stake them then just transfer them to the grow pot which is 8"? Noted on not planting too deep due to possible stem rot?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Yes pot them on but pot them deep. They are like toms and will throw out further roots which will make them a stronger plant. Be careful about watering in the first stages, always from the bottom and sparingly.

Colin

[plymouthred]

Yes pot them on but pot them deep. They are like toms and will throw out further roots which will make them a stronger plant. Be careful about watering in the first stages, always from the bottom and sparingly.

Colin

Cheers Colin but do you mean pot them deep up to say nearly the seed leaves?

[zazen999]

Yes, I put everything up to the seed leaves - and water sparingly to avoid stem rot

[Potstubsdustbins]

Yep as Zazen says right up to the seed leaves. Stem rot is a form of blight which over watering will encourage but providing you water sparingly they will be OK.

Cumbers are a vine just like toms and they will deffo throw out more roots, you will often see this on mature plants where the stem goes into the compost. See picci's below where a cutting has been kept in water to allow it to throw more roots, before potting on.

I find the best way to start my cumbers is to plant the seed in a deep pot and then gradually fill that pot with compost as the plant grows. That way when I plant in the final pot I have a very large root ball.

Colin

[Potstubsdustbins]

An after thought if you do have one start to show signs of dying after all they are suicidal, cut of the leader about 6" long pop that in a milk bottle full of water and leave for a week or so topping up the water as necessary and you will usually find you get a new plant. The one in the post above had that treatment as the rest of the plant had withered.

Colin

[singleseeder]

An after thought if you do have one start to show signs of dying after all they are suicidal, cut of the leader about 6" long pop that in a milk bottle full of water and leave for a week or so topping up the water as necessary and you will usually find you get a new plant. The one in the post above had that treatment as the rest of the plant had withered.

Colin

I've taken your advice on this Colin. Two out of four comitted hari kiri, so I chopped them off and put them in water. I think one is still okay. All but the youngest leaf is very sad, but the roots are coming.

[plymouthred]

Yes, I put everything up to the seed leaves - and water sparingly to avoid stem rot

All six now repotted and although initially they looked rather forlorn they are showing signs of 'hopefully' accepting their new pots.........will keep you posted

[Potstubsdustbins]

If you are forced to do the milk bottle trick trim some of the lower leaves off so as not to over stress the rootless plant when you first start. Remember the plant in the post above had been in the water for 10/12 days and probably only had the two largest leaves on when it first went in there.

If you look carefully you will see the first of the new roots came from the joint on the stem where I had trimed some leaves off.

Colin

[plymouthred]

Magnificent five and a bit

As promised an update with my 'Magnificent Six'

Five are growing well ranging between 8"-11" tall (See photo of the tallest one below) but the sixth is struggling along but hanging in there at about 5" tall. They are all still in the kitchen at home.

Range of temps so far in the greenhouse overnight down here in Plymouth are from 8 degrees to 12 degrees which I assume is too cold to pot in the final station?

Any advice appreciated.

[plymouthred]

As promised an update with my 'Magnificent Six'

Five are growing well ranging between 8"-11" tall (See photo of the tallest one below) but the sixth is struggling along but hanging in there at about 5" tall. They are all still in the kitchen at home.

Range of temps so far in the greenhouse overnight down here in Plymouth are from 8 degrees to 12 degrees which I assume is too cold to pot in the final station?

Any advice appreciated.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28961[/ATTACH]

My cucs are still in the kitchen, 6 leaves formed and approximately 15" high (err about 45cm?) with little cucs forming

Is it too early to pot them out yet as this week the weather is looking good?

I am looking at either putting them into John Innes No 2 in 8" grow pots onto a grow bag (2 per bag) or maybe into bigger pots with a pot saucer (plant pot tray) underneath and watering from there or sinking a plastic bottle into the soil next to them?

Thoughts and advice please from the experts as my first year