"Staking" for Cucumbers

[newgardengirl]

I've never grow cucumbers before so I have a question: how many plants do I need to grow? Will just the one be enough? The variety is called Marketmore.

[Cutecumber]

Depends on how many you are feeding and how much you love cucumbers!

There are three of us and we had too many cucumbers from two plants last year. I gave a few away.

The crop will vary according to the conditions, but at top whack you may find three or four fruit need to be picked in a week from one plant. I am tempted to stagger the sowing time - I might sow one now and another in a month.

Mine was an outdoor variety, too, but not Marketmore.

[Alison]

I tend to grow one convential type (vary the variety) and an apple cucumber and usually end up giving a few away as that's too much for the two of us and I eat salads most days for lunch during summer.

[Filbert]

I wouldn't grow more than a couple of plants. I grew two last year and was giving them away as well as looking for recipes to cook them in. Wee problem this year is that all six seeds planted have germinated. Given one away but still looking for homes for some of the others. I am such a soft touch that once it is growing I can't throw it away so I may be pleading for ideas of what to do with them later in the season.

[JennieAtkinson]

Me too Filbert, I've got six germinated too, two different varieties. I'm trying mini cucumber Zeina this year too for the first time. I like the idea of taking a whole one to work in my lunch box!

[mint]

i have been told to remove the mini cucumbers from the main stem to encourage the plant to grow cucumbers from the side shoots is this true
mint

[JennieAtkinson]

Not sure about than one Mint, but I was told recently to take the first three flowers off the main stem to encourage growth further up the stem. They are apparently sweeeter. Anyone heard of this one?

[vicki lorraine]

Wow now im in a panic. Ive sown 10 seeds and all have germinated. This is my first year growning cues and didnt know how well they crop.
Perhaps i will give some plants away to friends.

[wellie]

Hi Jennie,
Yes, I can confirm that I read that too! Perhaps we have the same books/read the same magazines?! But yes, and it kind of 'makes sense' if you think about the logic, so I do 'do that'.

Vicki sweetheart. 'Knee Deep' comes to mind! Make friends, give some away!

I made the mistake of growing 'Telegraph Improved' last year. Not to be recommended. Advise All Female Variety, and 'show it who's boss' from the start!
Lots of luck everyone!

[madbrad]

I was going to ask this question as well regarding best way to grow a cucumber plant & glad i done a search first rather than write another new thread thanks for the advice will take it on board 1 question though going on what I;ve read will it be worth while trying to make a form of wigwan with canes to try growing it up?

Madbrad

[Cutecumber]

I'm not sure if a wigwam is the best structure for cucumbers. They need some help from horizontal supports - the fruit is much heavier than beans, for example, which grab on more strongly than cucumbers. I tie mine to horizontal canes tied between two vertical ones as they grow, otherwise they just flop.

I think a wide ladder structure might be more appropriate. It can be leant backwards into a fence, perhaps, or left upright in a bed or pot.

Oh, this advice is relevant to large outdoor cucumbers, by the way, such as Burpless Tasty Green. My indoor cucumbers are small (3-4 inches mature), and climb relatively well up a few strings between a growbag and the top of the green house. Not just one string to each plant, though - give them two or three.