Cucumbers

[davina112]

Hi guys
I need advice about cucumber growing. I have never done well with them. This year I am trying really hard, but still I seem to failing.
I have a plant which has 4 tiny (3mm) cucumbers on and lots of flowers, this morning the cucumbers are shriveled up and quite obviously dying.
I water from the bottom, taking care not to get water on the foliage.
They are growing in a row with no other plants, as I was previously told they don't grow well next to tomatoes.
What am I doing wrong ?

[lancashire lass]

Are these being grown outdoors or in the greenhouse / polytunnel? I grow only outdoor ones and rarely have problems once they get past that tender seedling stage - not too fussy providing they are fairly sheltered, get warm sunshine and fed/watered, and I just leave them to it.

And when you say shrivelled up, are you referring to the fruits or the plants? For fruits it may be lack of pollination - what variety are you growing as some do not need pollinating, but some may need to be for the fruit to develop.

If it is the plants themselves, then a few reasons - maybe they are not getting enough warmth, light and nutrients. In greenhouses, it can get very humid and be a problem so need good ventilation. On the other hand, too much ventilation especially a chill wind can be just as devastating. Consider the weather and temperatures recently - if there have been swings (from high to low) or a lot of cloud cover, it is not optimum growing conditions and indoor cucumbers are renowned for sulking. Also, just check for pests or disease (like fusarium as in moulds or mosaic virus)

One other thing though it may not be the case here - sometimes if a fruit is growing, other fruits are prevented from developing (I once grew a variety called Telegraph - one beautiful long cucumber and the others kept dying off)

Maybe you could and it might be a little more helpful to see what the problem might be?

[kitla]

I would suggest that watering from the bottom may not be enough, I think sometimes
they need a good wetting, but having said that leaving them sitting in water for too
long is a bad thing too. I've failed miserably with cucumbers for years until last year when I got loads, this year I've grown mini ones (half normal size)and I've already
had half a dozen.
What have I done differently? mine are in a greenhouse but I leave the door open,
I now put the cucumber pot on the shelving so plenty of light, but I protect them from harsh sun with some garden floss in the window. I now let them grow along a horizontal support wire. Perhaps the difference for me has been that they get more sun light, as I used to put them on the floor in a shady spot - of course it could just be the type I've grown!

[billnorfolk]

I gave up with cucumbers in the greenhouse ,tomatoes and cucumbers really don't like the same climate .I grow market more outside seem to do well , later than greenhouse ones but less troubles

[kdoc]

I Must be lucky,I was unaware that cucumbers and toms don't mix well. I have both next to each other in my poly tunnel, door open.I have 2 mini cucumber plants and 4 large cucumber plants,so far i have had 14 of the 2 small and 6 of the large and plenty more coming.The toms also have lots of fruit.For the fist time I have managed to grow a melon (ermm label had fallen off and thought it was a cucumber).

[AL37]

Hi Davina, Not much help for this year but I never had any success with cucumbers in the greenhouse until I tried socretese.
Here is the thread I posted about them.
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=12266&p=136734&hilit=cucumber#p136734

[Gwenoakes]

I heard that toms and cucumbers dont grow well together but some years ago we made a polytunnel and I grew both side by side on the floor and they did brilliantly year after year. I used to feed them with the tomato feed.

I had two vent points, a bit like two doors at opposite ends of tunnel, but just the tops open, sort of 50/50.