On Sat, 30 Aug 2003 15:41:54 GMT, dommy
wrote:

Hello all, I would like to grow some cucumbers next year outdoors in the
garden.

Have been looking around for seeds and they are quite expensive.
Usually only 5 come in a packet for £3.

Does anyone know why they are so expensive and if only 5 seeds are
given what is the sucess of germination. Ie, am i guarnateed to get 5
healthy plants?

Is there no way to harvest cucumber seed?

Eg Cucumber 'Femspot' F1 cost £3.45 for 5 seeds.


It looks as if you're in the UK from your address and use of
the pound sign.

The British cucumbers that I've seen are pretty much
seedless - they contain few to no seeds. This would, I
assume, account for their seeds being so expensive.

The cucumbers commonly grown in the USA are full of seeds
and they're not as nice as the English ones, really, but the
seeds are cheap.

You could probably buy American cucumber seeds from an
American seed company. They like hot weather, but they'd
grow all right in most parts of the UK (which has been hot
this summer in any case).

I bet you wouldn't like American cukes, though. My (English
ex-pat) husband likes them now, but it took quite a while
for him to become accustomed to them and he'd still prefer
the English-style cucumbers.

Otherwise, the expensive seeds would certainly be worth
starting indoors to try for maximum germination.

Pat