"anne" wrote in message
...

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Some of the tiny cucumbers have withered away - there doesn't seem to be
any
disease or anything. The rest of them are still tiny (3 inches max). Would
it be OK to hack a lot of the plant down or would this kill it?

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I've found the tiny cucumbers wither sometimes too. I think it might be
because there are too many. I usually thin them out, definitely no more than
one per leaf axil, and maybe take them out from every other one. This gives
the rest more chance to grow.
If it's getting so big then you could pinch out the growing tips anyway,
fruit or no fruit, but new shoots will grow from each leaf axil. I wouldn't
know about drastically cutting it back, I've never tried it (mine have never
done quite so well). I shouldn't think it would kill it, but can't be sure.
One of mine just withered and died within 2 days, never did find the reason.

Ann