Cucumber and gherkin advice

Hi,

I've got several types of cucumber and gherkin seedlings that are almost ready to be planted in their final position. But I've been reading that F1 types should not be grown in close proximity to non F1 types.

So I have:
Cucumber F1 Bella (Female Type)
'Miniature White' Cucumber
&
Mexican Sour Gherkin (Melothria scabra)
West Indian Gherkin (Cucumis anguria)
Exploding Cucumber (Cyclanthera explodens)

So am I right in thinking that growing the F1 cucumber with the other gherkin types will be ok as they are different species?
But if I grow the two true cucumbers (Bella and mini white) what will be the side effects?
And if any one has experience can the mini whites be grown in a sunny spot outside?

Thanks
Ric

 

I'm guessing your F1 cues are all female.

Could be wrong but I believe gerkin need pollination to produce fruit, being of the ridge type of cucumber.
So if grown together the gerkin will pollinate the F1s
Thats not good as you will get badly shaped bitter fruit.

Think I would grow the F1s in a greenhouse and the gerkins outside.

 

Not entirely sure about this Pete. For the last 5 years I've grown several ridge cucs and a couple of F1 climbers in our polytunnel without any problems with bitter or badly shaped cucs. Could be that gherkin specific types are different from the ridge (Marketmore) that I grow.

 

As you have tried it Dave, I bow to your superior knowledge

 

Ermmm ... isn't the idea that an F1 All Female cucumber has only Female flowers, and thus doesn't get pollinated ... and, if so, then if you introduce Male Pollinators you run the risk that it does get pollinated?

 

In the years before I started growing just F1's (climbers) in the greenhouse I sometimes got bitter cucs. I moved to F1 climbers and had no probs with bitter cucs.
When I put up the small polytunnel a few years ago I planted Marketmore ridge type between tomatos and an F1 on the other side of the tunnel path and have had no problems at all with bitter cucs.

 

I presume you mean F1 all female only have female flowers Kristen.
That was my thinking also, that maybe the ridge cues might pollinate the F1 s

But I think the burning question is, will a ridge cue pollinate an all female F1.
Going on Dave's experience the answer is NO.

Bit like saying, will a melon pollinate a marrow.:D

 

Would that produce a Mellow ?

 

No it would be a Marron.

Which is very nearly a moron.:D

 

Is that Morons Glacé ?

 

Yeah! Worra'prat!

Even if I'd bred one there would be no market for it :(

 

Dunno about Cucumbers, but Squash are very promiscuous and the same family I think?

Mind you, I've always grown my Melons right next to the F1 Cucumbers and never had a problem with that.

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

My aim this year is to grow un-bitter cucs as the last two years the ones I've grown have been really bitter and most ended up on the compost.
So I think I'll stick the Bella all female F1s in the green house along with the non cucumber species gherkins and put the mini-whites.....some where else.

Thanks