Gardening advice required please. My cucumber plants are doing well but I'm unsure about when to pinch the tips out and how many side shoots it's best to have.
I'm pretty sure that you'll all be making your own jokes up about pinching out the tips and side shoots  |
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Who needs a man when you have a cucumber eh?
Pinch them all out but one then the plant will concentrate it’s energy into growing just the one cucumber.
That will be harder and longer and thrust into the air for you to grip it hard.... |
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"Who needs a man when you have a cucumber eh?
Pinch them all out but one then the plant will concentrate it’s energy into growing just the one cucumber.
That will be harder and longer and thrust into the air for you to grip it hard...."
Yes, thank you Steve most useful. However I'm growing these to eat.  |
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"There’s something about the male and female flowers as well I’m sure. Think you need to pinch some of them out. "
It used to be that you had to remove the female flowers or the cucumbers became bitter. As in cucumbers so in life . I think the modern plants don't need that. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Assuming they're vining cucumbers pinch out the main stem when it reaches the desired height. Pinch out side shoots two leaves beyond a female flower - recognisable by having a swelling behind the petals. And don't forget copious amounts of water applied regularly. Hope this helps. |
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"Assuming they're vining cucumbers pinch out the main stem when it reaches the desired height. Pinch out side shoots two leaves beyond a female flower - recognisable by having a swelling behind the petals. And don't forget copious amounts of water applied regularly. Hope this helps."
It does, thank you. They're Marketmore, I can leave the female flowers on can't I? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Assuming they're vining cucumbers pinch out the main stem when it reaches the desired height. Pinch out side shoots two leaves beyond a female flower - recognisable by having a swelling behind the petals. And don't forget copious amounts of water applied regularly. Hope this helps.
It does, thank you. They're Marketmore, I can leave the female flowers on can't I?"
There's no need to remove them but reducing the number may result in better quality fruit.
While i'm here; besides insufficient watering the biggest reason for crop failure is poor pollination. If this has proved to be a problem in the past spray the plants with sugar water to get those pollinating insects interested. |
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"Assuming they're vining cucumbers pinch out the main stem when it reaches the desired height. Pinch out side shoots two leaves beyond a female flower - recognisable by having a swelling behind the petals. And don't forget copious amounts of water applied regularly. Hope this helps.
It does, thank you. They're Marketmore, I can leave the female flowers on can't I?
There's no need to remove them but reducing the number may result in better quality fruit.
While i'm here; besides insufficient watering the biggest reason for crop failure is poor pollination. If this has proved to be a problem in the past spray the plants with sugar water to get those pollinating insects interested."
I water daily, twice if it's particularly hot. No problem with pollination there are loads of cucumbers already.
Thanks for your advice I've only ever grown gherkin types before. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Assuming they're vining cucumbers pinch out the main stem when it reaches the desired height. Pinch out side shoots two leaves beyond a female flower - recognisable by having a swelling behind the petals. And don't forget copious amounts of water applied regularly. Hope this helps.
It does, thank you. They're Marketmore, I can leave the female flowers on can't I?
There's no need to remove them but reducing the number may result in better quality fruit.
While i'm here; besides insufficient watering the biggest reason for crop failure is poor pollination. If this has proved to be a problem in the past spray the plants with sugar water to get those pollinating insects interested.
I water daily, twice if it's particularly hot. No problem with pollination there are loads of cucumbers already.
Thanks for your advice I've only ever grown gherkin types before."
You're doing just fine. |
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By *ady LickWoman
over a year ago
Northampton Somewhere |
I've got a cucumber plant in my greenhouse. There's a few teeny ones on it.
How do you do this pinching out thing? I know you have to do it for tomatoes to. I've got a grafted tomatoe plant and it's as tall as me!! |
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"I've got a cucumber plant in my greenhouse. There's a few teeny ones on it.
How do you do this pinching out thing? I know you have to do it for tomatoes to. I've got a grafted tomatoe plant and it's as tall as me!!"
For most tomatoes - some are OK to grow as a rambling multi-shooted bush - you would have 1 solitary stem growing vertically. For these you would remove sprouting side shoots by pinching them out as soon as seen, squeezing the shoot between your thumb and finger and pulling it out. You'll find these sprouting shoots at the point of the stem where each leaf grows out from. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"There’s something about the male and female flowers as well I’m sure. Think you need to pinch some of them out.
It used to be that you had to remove the female flowers or the cucumbers became bitter. As in cucumbers so in life . I think the modern plants don't need that."
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By *ady LickWoman
over a year ago
Northampton Somewhere |
"I've got a cucumber plant in my greenhouse. There's a few teeny ones on it.
How do you do this pinching out thing? I know you have to do it for tomatoes to. I've got a grafted tomatoe plant and it's as tall as me!!
For most tomatoes - some are OK to grow as a rambling multi-shooted bush - you would have 1 solitary stem growing vertically. For these you would remove sprouting side shoots by pinching them out as soon as seen, squeezing the shoot between your thumb and finger and pulling it out. You'll find these sprouting shoots at the point of the stem where each leaf grows out from. "
Thanks ~ I've been doing that but but I don't know how to do the top bit. I'll have to YouTube it!!  |
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"I've got a cucumber plant in my greenhouse. There's a few teeny ones on it.
How do you do this pinching out thing? I know you have to do it for tomatoes to. I've got a grafted tomatoe plant and it's as tall as me!!
For most tomatoes - some are OK to grow as a rambling multi-shooted bush - you would have 1 solitary stem growing vertically. For these you would remove sprouting side shoots by pinching them out as soon as seen, squeezing the shoot between your thumb and finger and pulling it out. You'll find these sprouting shoots at the point of the stem where each leaf grows out from. "
It stops the plant from having multiple growing stems which reduces the available light and air between them as well as sending its sap into multiple paths, instead of focusing it into the tomato fruit that you want to grow, all from the main stem. You'll get fuller sized fruit that will more fully and easily ripen this way. |
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"I've got a cucumber plant in my greenhouse. There's a few teeny ones on it.
How do you do this pinching out thing? I know you have to do it for tomatoes to. I've got a grafted tomatoe plant and it's as tall as me!!
For most tomatoes - some are OK to grow as a rambling multi-shooted bush - you would have 1 solitary stem growing vertically. For these you would remove sprouting side shoots by pinching them out as soon as seen, squeezing the shoot between your thumb and finger and pulling it out. You'll find these sprouting shoots at the point of the stem where each leaf grows out from.
Thanks ~ I've been doing that but but I don't know how to do the top bit. I'll have to YouTube it!! "
The top growing point I'd break off once it's reached your desired height. A sideways snap should take it away but cutting/pruning it would work too. It would probably root, if you'd like another plant and there's enough season left for it to mature. |
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. If I ever grow turnips I know to contact the turnip whisperer 