Greenhouse Cucumbers

I am growing cucumbers in the greenhuse for the first time and have just harvested the first one - there appear to be lots of young cucmbers on the plant but hey seem to have stopped developing - do I need to pinch some of them out to force growth onto the others?

 

Two things here.

First, common advice is to remove the first few flowers on cucumber plants as if they set the plant tends to "stall" (because it thinks it has reproduced I suppose ...). Bit late for that, but don't be surprised if it "stalls" for 10 days or so

Second, Cucumber plants are self regulating. When they have about 3 fruits on the plant then all subsequent flowers that set will, shortly afterwards, turn yellow and drop off. This is because the plant cannot support any more fruit ... pick the fruit and more will then set successfully.

 

very interesting. Mine are not flowering yet (late start) so I'll remember to remove the first few flowers.

 

So i have been and removed all the lower flowers on my cues , :gnthb:
i was a little concerned anyway as i wanted to move them into the new greenhouse before they "fruit" , so i can get all the supports into place, and once they start climbing it will be nigh on impossible to move them ,

Does the same apply to courgettes as i have a couple growing but some of the flowers don`t seem to have any courgettes behind them just like a flower stem

 

fruiting already. I'm impressed.

 

Courgettes, Melons in my experience, and probably Outdoor (Ridge) Cucumbers too, produce male flowers initially and only produce Female Flowers when they are ready, so I doubt you will have a problem with them.

(Male flowers have a skinny stalk, female flowers have a baby-fruit as their flower stalk, just behind the flower.)

My Cucumbers, sown in February, have fruit on them by mid to end of May - which they are still in the pot and before planting out in the cold greenhouse (they are kept in a warmer conservatory until the cold greenhouse is warm enough), so they come much earlier than, say, Tomatoes sown at the same time.

 

I've got 2 cucumber plants on the go, never grown them before. Both are 'female', both about 18inches high and both have about 5 cucumbers on them, ranging from 3inches long low down t about 2inches long near the top, i've been pinching the new growth out as i would tomatoes etc.

They're both in a cheap-n-chearful Wilko plastic greenhouse and seem to just love it.
I guess the 5 fruit on each is enough for the plant to cope with ?

How do I best support the fruits though as they get bigger and heavier ?

And how do I best know when the cucumbers are ready to pick ?

All advise much appreciated


John

 

I don't take any side shoots off my Cucumbers (but they don't produce many that actually grow). My book says to pinch the laterals out them 2 leaves after a flower, and any that don't flower at 2 feet.