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Old April 19, 2014   #1
tqn626
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Default Starting cucumbers

I always had problems starting cucumbers. Anyone got any tips?

I always see the nursery cucumbers in 4 inch pots with big leaves. Mines that are in 4 inch pots are tiny.
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Old April 19, 2014   #2
Durgan
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Originally Posted by tqn626 View Post
I always had problems starting cucumbers. Anyone got any tips?

I always see the nursery cucumbers in 4 inch pots with big leaves. Mines that are in 4 inch pots are tiny.
Four inch pot. Three seeds per pot. Start about 30 days before placing in outdoor garden. Plant is hills without disturbing the roots. The ground must be warm around 20C. At time of planting the plants should be almost running.

Conversely the seeds may be placed in the ground when warm, but starting in pots gives about a month of head start and early harvest.

I will be starting mine tomorrow.

This is 2013 Cucumber effort.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CTODV 18 July 2013 First Cucumber Picking.
The first cucumbers were picked today. They were made into juice. Growth was literally overnight from tiny fruit to adequate size.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YAIJR 16 July 2013 Cucumber plants thriving.
The weather turned hot and the rain finally stopped, so the cucumbers are thriving. I picked two slicers today.The bulk of the crop will be used to make juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PHVUY 30 May 2013 Cucumbers planted outdoors
Four pots of cucumbers grown about six weeks in the greenhouse were planted outdoors. Roots of cucumbers should not be disturbed when transplanting, since it inhibits growth severely.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YHEXF 26 May 2013 Preparing Cucumber Bed.
A cucumber bed was prepared for about eight plants now in the greenhouse. The area was rototilled, two wheelbarrows of compost added and rototilled into the underlying soil.Mulch was added as is my normal gardening practice. A trellis of two 4 by 8 concrete reinforcing wire three feet apart connected to five foot posts and tied with plastic ties was installed. The cucumber plants will be trained to the trellis. This system contains the plants and makes the fruit all green since none touch the ground.It is still too cool to place the plants outdoors. Cucumbers don’t grow if it is too cool.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZXGDP 16 April 2013 Cucumber.
Four pots of cucumber (National Pickling) were started in the greenhouse. Pictures depict the germination procedure.The plants will be placed in the outdoor garden about the end of May. This method gives the plant an early start, and cucumbers are harvested about a month earlier than seeding directly in the ground. Cucumber seeds germinate at a high temperature around 85F plus.When planting the roots are not disturbed, even if this means cutting the side of the pots.
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Old April 19, 2014   #3
KarenO
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That is very helpful Durgan, Thanks!
Karen
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Old April 19, 2014   #4
Labradors2
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I appreciate the info too. I usually buy plants, but this year I bought some seeds of those tiny cukes. I can't wait to try them!

Linda
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Old April 20, 2014   #5
tqn626
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Great advice, didn't think of the coffee filters.
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Old April 20, 2014   #6
dpurdy
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tqn626,
As far as starting vegetables from seed, I think cucumbers are the easiest to start and grow. I started these from seed a week ago. I wet a paper towel and place the seeds into the paper towel and place them in a ziplock baggie. I don't close the ziplock all the way closed. Within a day or two (if you're using fresh seeds), the seeds will split open and expose the small growing tip. At this point I just place the germinating seed in the growing medium with the growing tip downward. Within a day or so, you'll have cucumber plants breaking the surface of the soil. Here's a couple of pics of some cukes that I started a week ago.
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Old April 20, 2014   #7
Durgan
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Very nice. Yes cucumbers are easy to grow from seed. The only variable that I can determine is the heat. They like to be warm. Also I find don't rush putting them outside, since they don't like cold weather or ground.
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Old April 20, 2014   #8
KarenO
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I was thinking about trying some in a hanging basket in my greenhouse for something different. Anybody ever done that? did it work?
Karen
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Old April 21, 2014   #9
tqn626
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My problem is that they get your size and then stay that size. It may have been the seed starting medium, the weather, or other. May be too cold, i have mines outside since day time temps are around 70-85 degrees and nighttime is 50+.
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Old May 24, 2014   #10
rockyonekc
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tqn626 View Post
My problem is that they get your size and then stay that size. It may have been the seed starting medium, the weather, or other. May be too cold, i have mines outside since day time temps are around 70-85 degrees and nighttime is 50+.
Once seedlings get their first true leaves, they usually need some diluted fertilizer to keep growing. 50+ degrees should be fine though it's more about soil temp. Cucumbers also don't like their roots disturbed. I stopped starting them inside since the direct seeded plants usually caught up with or passed the growth of the transplants.
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