Thread: Gherkins
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Old 05-08-2003, 04:17 AM
Laura Stanley
 
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Default Gherkins

I've never grown gherkins, but I do grow other other types of cucumbers in
pots.

I currently have three 3-gallon pots, each with 3 young cucumber plants
(about 18" tall) in them.

This is actually my second round of cukes this year. The first ones got big,
produced like crazy, then got diseased and died. I can never seem to keep
cucumbers alive all season, so I just plan on planting more at midsummer.
I'll plant one more crop (of parthenocarpic cukes) in September and see how
long I can keep them going in my greenhouse this fall/winter.

Cucumbers don't seem to have a very extensive root system. The reason they
need lots of room is so their vines can climb and spread. I *think* that if
you keep them fed and watered (which may be require twice-daily waterings in
such a small pot), they will get big enough to produce. But I don't think
they will get as big or produce as much as they would in the ground or in a
larger container.

Good luck,
Laura
NW FL, USDA Zone 8b



"Mike Le Pelley" wrote in message
...
I'm a newcomer to this food-growing lark, so please forgive any inane
questions. I'm trying to grow gherkin plants in a very limited amount of
space - I've got 3 plants per 25-cm diameter pot, and they seem to be

doing
OK, despite warnings on the seed packet that they need 10 square feet per
plant. Does anyone else have any experience with growing gherkins in pots,
and if so do they have any useful advice? Also, they've been growing for
about a month and a half now, and I was wondering if I should be pruning.

I
found a website saying I should just cut off the very tip of the growing
plant - is this sensible advice? Or should I just leave them to grow?

Any help would be gratefully received - I've become obsessively attached

to
my little gherkins and want to see them grow big and strong.

Best wishes,

Mike