Having solved my courgette rot problem by moving them out of the greenhouse
as someone on this newsgroup kindly suggested, I wonder if anyone can help
me with a cucumber problem.
I have three "Telegraph Improved" plants all about 5' tall, but only
one has
a cucumber developing. I get plenty of little cucumbers with flowers. but
they
all seem to go yellow and shrivel when only 2" long. The plants are vigorous
but the bottom leaves are a little yellow. The plants are in pots, in
compost. I
diligently remove all the male flowers as they appear, as the packet
instructs.
What bothers me is that I read that the symptoms I have are those of
cucumbers
that have failed to be pollinated, yet this is a frame/greenhouse cucumber,
not
a ridge variety, so pollination is to be avoided, right?

yours, scratching his head,

Andy.

"andrewpreece" wrote in message ...
Having solved my courgette rot problem by moving them out of the greenhouse
as someone on this newsgroup kindly suggested, I wonder if anyone can help
me with a cucumber problem.
I have three "Telegraph Improved" plants all about 5' tall, but only
one has
a cucumber developing. I get plenty of little cucumbers with flowers. but
they
all seem to go yellow and shrivel when only 2" long. The plants are vigorous
but the bottom leaves are a little yellow. The plants are in pots, in
compost. I
diligently remove all the male flowers as they appear, as the packet
instructs.
What bothers me is that I read that the symptoms I have are those of
cucumbers
that have failed to be pollinated, yet this is a frame/greenhouse cucumber,
not
a ridge variety, so pollination is to be avoided, right?

Nightmare. Greenhouse cucumbers have to be kept permanently moist,
with lots of fresh air, *but* very warm. Don't let the temperature
drop much below 20C even at night, and keep the atmosphere damp but
not stagnant; mulch the surface roots with good soil at intervals. I
think you have to spray the ground and sides of the greenhouse a
couple of times a day, too.

Some years I grow outdoor varieties, but even then I get more than I
can use all in a rush; and it's back to the greengrocer the rest of
the time. On the whole, growing your own cucumbers is a lot of hassle.
There are more profitable ways of using a greenhouse if you ask me
(without, I think, going to the lengths of Reading University, where
on a stroll many years ago I found a greenhouse full of flourishing
sugar-cane!).

Mike.

Water them well, feed them often and keep the vents shut , they want a
buoyant atmosphere, humidity as near 100% as you can get it,, this is why
they don't mix well with tomatoes.
If you are growing both together then you could screen off the Cues with a
polythene curtain.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Thanks for the replies, I shall see if I can get the humidity up.
I grew hybrid F1 cucumbers ( I forget the name ) in exactly
the same conditions last year and was awash with cucumbers.
I only changed variety so I could get viable seed from one or
two of the crop ( the two cucumbers from my hybrid variety that
produced proper seed last year let me down as these would
not germinate ) - I'm tight-fisted you see!

Andy

"andrewpreece" wrote in message
...
Having solved my courgette rot problem by moving them out of the
greenhouse
as someone on this newsgroup kindly suggested, I wonder if anyone can help
me with a cucumber problem.
I have three "Telegraph Improved" plants all about 5' tall, but
only
one has
a cucumber developing. I get plenty of little cucumbers with flowers. but
they
all seem to go yellow and shrivel when only 2" long. The plants are
vigorous
but the bottom leaves are a little yellow. The plants are in pots, in
compost. I
diligently remove all the male flowers as they appear, as the packet
instructs.
What bothers me is that I read that the symptoms I have are those of
cucumbers
that have failed to be pollinated, yet this is a frame/greenhouse
cucumber,
not
a ridge variety, so pollination is to be avoided, right?

yours, scratching his head,

Andy.



Not really an answer for your problem this year, but last year I bought one
cucumber plant, Styx, from B&Q. I grew it in a pot outside in a sunny
position and had a good crop of cucumbers, but it was hard to keep it
watered enough. This year I found the same variety so bought 3 and planted
them in the border trained against the fence. It is a sheltered spot and
doesn't get full sun. One was eaten by the slugs, but the other two are
doing well. I've watered and fed the plants, but reckon they should be fine
while I'm on holiday. I've just picked my first cucumber, and there are lots
more coming. I live in Kent.

Ann