My first cucumber

[meriad]

I had my first cucumber from the garden today and goodness was it delicious - yum yum yum. Some work colleagues tried a bit and all commented just how full of flavour it was compared to the shop bought ones. So this weekend I'm going to see if I can find another cucumber plant in one of the garden centres... I suspect it will be too late but you never know.

What I do know though is that given the size of the one I had today (small) and how nice it was I could easily eat one a day and the one plant I have now won't be able to keep up

[TheOstrich]

Well done, Ria - was that in a greenhouse, or a ground-frame? We used to grow cucumbers in our greenhouse when we lived in Somerset, two plants in each growbag, and we used to get quite a few 'cumbers off each plant, and of a reasonable size too. I remember the plants used to spread out sideways and become quite large, with lots of huge leaves.

If you have the right environment and have been successful growing cucumbers, next year you could think about trying aubergines, courgettes, peppers, and possibly melons?

[meriad]

It's in the greenhouse Ossie.... I've got chili's, peppers and tomatoes in there as well. Outside in a raised bed i had a yellow ball courgette plant which sadly has been decimated by slugs. I've tried them in the greenhouse before and the leaves get really mouldy so I'm reluctant to try it again. I had aubergines last year and they did quite OK; not sure why I didn't do them again this year

Not sure I'll have enough space in there for melons - they're ground growers right so would need quite a bit of floor space?

[Weka]

Yum. Are cucumbers easy to grow? What type did you do? If they are not too tricky, I might give them a go in spring.

[Kaz]

Oooh well done! Ours are still little babies

[meriad]

well it seems to be a short term success. I got another 2 cucumbers so in total 3 but that seems to be it. There were loads very very small ones on the plant but they've all shrivelled up and died so not sure what's gone wrong. I've been good with the watering but haven't added much fertiliser; maybe that was it.

Weka, to answer your question this particular one is called Femspot and they grow to about 15 or 20cm long. They just need somewhere to trail up along other than that they seem easy enough to grow. But as said - I've done something wrong but not sure what.

[TheOstrich]

That's a shame - sounds like over-watering and rot, possibly? Femspot is a good variety.

The first time I grew melons (in a growbag, in the greenhouse, off the ground on slatted decking), the first one we produced actually developed in-between two of the wooden slats, and by the time we noticed it amongst the leaves, it had expanded to a size where it had wedged itself solid between the planks !! We couldn't have got it out without dismantling the whole of the decking .....

[meriad]

that's what I was wondering Ossie, overwatering? Or - which I suspect more likely (what do you think) - sporadic watering, ie first too much and then too little water? Hopefully though now I am aware of the problem the plant will recover and I'll be able to rectify the problem and then get a few more off it

[TheOstrich]

All I can recall, Ria, is having the same problem myself some years ......

This BBC guide says "keep moist, but not soaking", so maybe one needs to be more careful how one waters them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/t ... ers1.shtml

[meriad]

you're a star - thanks.... I think that's been the problem; not enough water when it's been warmer weather