Question from Mrs R about cucumbers:

[Redstone]

When she was growing up, they always grew cucumbers vertically (on a trellis). She tried doing that in our garden this year, but it doesn't seem that any cukes are developing. Huge leaves, lots of flowers, but no babies.

Has anyone else grown cucumbers vertically? Did it work? Are we missing something in the way of technique, etc?

I'm wondering if the vertical technique worked for her years ago because she grew up on a tropical island, maybe?

Redstone

[asdjrocky]

1. When did you plant them?

And do you see white flowers yet, or just yellow ones? I have mine in a box, and I've built up sticks around it for them to climb and I didn't notice my first cuke til a couple of weeks ago. First I noticed a white flower, and then attached to it was a cucumber, big and delicious. The first few I found were low and on top of the ground, now I have some growing up the makeshift trellis I have. Mine were planted 4/14 as seeds, so it took me a couple of months I guess.

These are American Cukes, the big thick spiney ones. Also, this is my first real garden, so I'm speaking from very limited experience.

[Redstone]

2. Planted in early May (in New England). Yellow flowers only, as we expected,

but no cukes. I guess we'll just have to wait.

Redstpone

[asdjrocky]

3. To quote one of my favorites, Tom Petty-

The waiting is the hardest part. You'll have some good cukes before you know it.

[Redstone]

4. Thanks. Mrs R was just about ready to pull down the trellis and

let the cukes grow on the ground. We'll be patient.

Redstone

[ThomWV]

6. Dear sweet Jesus, no wonder they aren't doing anything

The trellis has nothing at all to do with the problem, although growing them on a support, and particularly one that is south-facing, is the best way to grow them. The plants get more sunlight than ground-bound plants and more importantly the fruits are held off the ground where they do not rot.

Here, I believe, is the problem: "Planted in early May (in New England) ..." I doubt that you'd be having this problem if that line had read "Planted in mid June". If you lived in South Carolina and said you had planted in early May then I'd be wondering why they are having problems but as it is I'm pretty sure you planted too early. Lots of not so great things happen when you do that. Cold seeds laying in damp ground rot, their roots do not develop well, and the plants suffer for it if they make it at all. The ones that do make it will generally catch up to ones planted at a more appropriate time, but it will take them a while.

[Redstone]

13. Not planted from seeds. We figure that if the garden centers have plants for sale at

a given time, it's not too early to plant them, and it seems to work out OK for us. And of course, there's my "the cool weather makes 'em tough" theory, which is probably utter baloney, but has worked pretty well for us.

Redstone

[hippywife]

5. Mine are trellised

and they are producing cukes. So trellising is not the problem. Just patience. :hi:

[Blue Gardener]

7. Make sure you didn't plant bush cucumbers

They don't climb as well. I planted bush cucumbers in a couple of pots this year since my sun space is limited around the house.

[LiberalEsto]

8. Do you have bees for pollination?

No bees, no cukes.

[Redstone]

11. Bees, we have. New England seems to have escaped the Bee Die-Off so far.

Redstone

[Gold Metal Flake]

9. We are doing cukes for the first time.

I used tomato cages around them. They seem to like sprawling as much as climbing, and the cukes have been growing no matter what the portion of the plant is doing. Our flowers are all yellow.

The question about bees is one I also had. Got bees?

[Gormy Cuss]

10. Some guides suggest that trellised cukes produce more fruit.

I trellis the ones with the most vigorous growth.

[Redstone]

12. Hey, thanks GC. They've actually set some cukes since I posted. So it looks like

it's going to work out OK.

Redstone

[NCarolinawoman]

14. Just came across your post.

I am glad you have cukes now! :) Mine are all trellis grown and I enjoy watching all the kinds of pollinators...carpenter bees, bumble bees, and a variety of funny little tiny bees which I will have to look up in my bug book.

Almost every year I seem to have plants that start out with mostly all female flowers or all male flowers...which, of course, is why you have to have more that one plant. I like growing different varieties all at once, and then I wait to see what kind of surprises I get with cross pollination. :P