dommy wrote:

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

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 aregiven
what is the sucess of germination. Ie, am i guarnateed to get 5healthy
plants?

Is there no way to harvest cucumber seed?

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

They are cultivated F1 hybrids, and will have been treated.. The markup
by the big seed co's is also a LOT..

Try going into Woolworths, or Wilkinsons and you will find cheaper or
go for the older 'non hybrid' cucumbers.. For suppliers try starting
here and email for some catalogues..

The reason that they are so expensive is that F1's are time consuming to
produce compared to normal seed. The advantage of these 'modern seeds'
is that the cucumber plants are 'all female' (or more likly to be) in
some older varieties it is necessary to keep the plants stress free
(tricky) and to pick off male flowers otherwise you will get many seed
in your fruit and this will make them bitter..

Thus the preference is for 'all female' F1 hybrid cultivars.

http://directory.google.com/Top/Regi...ngdom/Business
_and_Economy/Shopping/Home_and_Garden/Gardens/Plants/Seeds/

I can recommend Chilterns, Tamar, The ORganic Gardening Catalogue,
Thomas Etty Esq and Vidaverde & Future Foods
to name but a few...

If you are in the UK you have PLENTY of time to decide which you want to
grow before next year.. The alternative of course is to wait till next
year and buy a few ready grown young plants.


Why not post in uk.rec.gardening as well (if you're in the UK you may
find the answers geographically more relevant)
//
Jim