Sudden Cucumber Death Syndrome

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by Scrungee, Apr 23, 2012.

  1. Poolcue

    Poolcue Gardener

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    My one Picolino is still growing strongly and I have just taken the other two out of the heated propagator.Touch wood they will be OK
     
  2. Fat Controller

    Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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    I'm perplexed - the first fruit to form seems to have stalled, and although not looking unhappy, its not doing anything - whereas there is a newer fruit further up the same plant that is positively huge by comparison, and seems to be swelling nicely?

    Also, there is one fruit, very small, that looks a bit yellowed and isn't firm - should I whip it off?
     
  3. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Nip off the first fruit and any that look yellow :blue thumb:
     
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    • Fat Controller

      Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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    • Scrungee

      Scrungee Well known for it

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      All my early sown cucumbers gradually died overnight back in that cold April, ending my first attempt at early cucumbers in what was probably the worst year in a long time. However, my second sowing 3 weeks ago has produced 12 healthy plants (2 varieties of indoor F1s all female + outdoor Marketmores) that all look as good as this:

      cucumber 2nd sowing.jpg

      Above is Bangkok, bought when 75% off seeds at Tescos, but still costing a whole £1/pkt - hope they're worth it!
       
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      • Fat Controller

        Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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        Nice, healthy looking plant scrungee - hope they give you plenty of fruit :)
         
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        • Scrungee

          Scrungee Well known for it

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          And the lower stems are bristling with roots, begging to be buried a bit contrary to all advice against doing so.
           
        • Triffid

          Triffid Gardener

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          Ah haa - I'm not alone - tried early cukes indoors and they all died during a cold spell - trying again now it's hotter...
           
        • Kristen

          Kristen Under gardener

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          I ain't growing them from seed again. I haven't found that one variety is significantly better than another variety [which would be a reason to try] ... and this year I have bought 2 packets of seed, both batches grew well and then got Sudden Death - so that's about £1.25 per seed, TWICE ... and I have now bought plants in the garden centre for 90p each ... much easier. Might reserve them as JWK did (I think he paid 50p each [same Garden Centre Group] using the reserve-me-one route)
           
        • Lolimac

          Lolimac Guest

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          Well i've never seen cues struggle so much to stay alive but mine are hanging in there...they are even starting to produce fruit...i'll leave it later next year:dbgrtmb:
           
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          • Fat Controller

            Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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            I harvested my first one yesterday - 14½ inches and nice and firm, but the other three wee fruits on that plant had gone yellowed, so presumably the plant put all its energy into the one fruit. I am hoping now that they have all been whipped off that I will see a renewed wave of activity.
             
          • Kristen

            Kristen Under gardener

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            The first few Cucumbers tend to cause the plant to "stall" if left on. Dunno why (i.e. dunno why that doesn't happen later on, as well), but the plant takes a bit of time to recover after that before it gets cracking again.

            I take the first few fruits off to avoid that (and thereby forego the earliest harvest ones)
             
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            • Fat Controller

              Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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              Ah - I only whipped one or two off. I'm struggling to tell which ones aren't going to be viable (mostly due to complete inexperience I suppose), so have been leaving anything that is green and fruit like where it is.

              I am beginning to get the feeling that I might never get these cucumbers out into the polytunnel though - time is marching on, and I still haven't heard about my new fences which is holding everything up. My first year growing cucumbers looks like it might be done with them as houseplants! :biggrin:
               
            • Kristen

              Kristen Under gardener

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              Once they start cropping Cucumbers are self-regulating. They will support X-amount of fruit, and any new ones that form additional to that will wither and die - once you pick some then more will "set" - and so on.

              Its just the first few that seem to cause the plant to stall, if left on the plant. Dunno why though.
               
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              • Fat Controller

                Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                Kristen, you are a star - thank you (again)! :)
                 
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