Cucumbers - is it time yet??

Me too. I sowed mine a couple of weeks ago, but this year still in process of building conservatory, so may come a complete cropper trying to look after them before they can go into greenhouse!

They ought to be up by now. Have they got enough heat? otherwise I fear that the seed will rot.

 

not got any heat which is why I think weve jumped the gun a bit might try a couple more and keep them in the house for a week or so

 

I am still holding off with mine but I am pacing up and down and chewing my lip through wanting to get started. Mind you, this happens every year doesn't it? The sowing bug gets us as soon as spring starts.

 

Ditto a Q above, can you do cucumber in pots please?

 

Boiler room / airing cupboard ??

 

Where do you buy your seeds? I bought 2 packs of Telepathy F1 cucumber from Wilkinson's, 5 seeds to a pack at £1.60 each. I have bought Wilkinson's own brand of vegetable and flower seeds for years and never been disappointed.
Getting back to the original post, I believe that if you are a gardener you must also be a bit of an optimist and as such you should take the odd risk now and again. Those of you who say hang fire are of course perfectly correct, waiting is the right thing to do. Me, I like to take a chance now and again and plant the odd variety early, if it comes off it is a lovely feeling, and if it doesn't all that I have lost is a few seeds and that won't break the bank or end the world.

 

The cold shock post was something I keep ignoring. I live in a warm climate but we do have a winter and every year an early false spring entices me to plant too early. The plants survive the inevitable cold snap but never again are quite as good as one planted at the optimum time.

The other side is if one waits then the optimal time is past in a blink and one is usually late, which here means the heat of full summer stops the fruiting just as it gets going.

Today I plant the cucumber seeds in the ground and some in pots because the sugar snap peas are massive and just fruiting in the spot where the cukes go. The ones in thee ground will be under the pea plants and may manage OK if I keep an eye on them.

I only use free seeds, or ones bought at the Dollar Store at 4/$1. I hate to buy good seeds but often get good results from the cheap ones. I also buy my winter seeds from the farmers supply place which sells seed by the pound, 1/4 pound, ounce. Usually $2 for a ounce of winter greens and turnips, beets and such seeds - but not the fruiting vegetables, they are very much more because you have to get to many.

 

That's an improved version of Telegraph, and as such carries male flowers which have to be removed, otherwise the cucumbers will taste bitter.

The varieties referred to earlier are more expensive, but are bred not to have any male flowers, and thus avoids that problem.

 

Correct, but I don't see it as a problem. We are gardeners aren't we and as such it is just part of tending our plants.

 

Up to you, for sure Folk growing female-only varieties either don't know any difference, and got suckered by the hype! or don't have enough time to be sure to get the male flowers off. I'm in the second camp

 

I have never heard of removing male flowers. I am planting 'straight eight' and a couple other regular 4 seed packs for a dollar kinds, so not unusual, or hybrid. Should I remove male flowers? How do you know which they are? Also my cucumbers are always great and with lots of seeds. Time is not a problem as I spend a couple hours outside - preferring it to inside in the evening.

 

Hi Colne
A female flower has a small cucumber behind it, a male flower just has the stem, it's really obvious which is which and you just pinch the male flower out.

 

Do you pinch the flower out on squash too?

I hope to make pickles this year if I can get a good crop. We eat cucumbers almost every day during the season. I use a lot of dried dill with my cucumbers so grow that for them.