Question About Cukes

[DandyLioness]

My greenhouse is being taken over by my cucumber plants. I can bearly stand in it now - never mind FINDING any cukes. The other day, I decided to snip back a whole whack of cuke leaves.... thus revealing what was really there.

Am I doing any damage by doing this? I can walk in there and see what's going on now... but did I screw anything up??? <_<

[MaryG]

Well - they do need the leaves to help develop the plants and cucs so I wouldn't cut any more out of there. What's done is done and it'll probably be alright, just be sure they get enough water. Not watering cucs enough can make them bitter.

This morning my mom picked 6 nice cucs off one plant of mine and tonight I found 3 more on another plant. My neighbour got those ones.

[DandyLioness]

Not enough watering will make them bitter? I never knew that. I WILL give them more water tonite! Thanks, Mary!

[MrSeedy]

I don't know what school those cukes go to to learn the art of avoiding "picking" , but even though I knew it was a good idea not to let any mature and go to seed, since that reduces yield early on, it alwasy seems I'd miss some , and not find them till they'd turned completely a ripe bright orange or yellow. Bet , most people don't know those cukes ripen into some very bright orange or yellow , but inedible veggies. It's almost like they leaned to hide under the leaves or developed some special kind of camouflage. I'd agee , however it's probably best not to remove to many leaves as that stresses the plants, and it's the stress that makes the cukes bitter, be it lack of water , cold or overly hot temperatures, lack of nutrients etc. etc.

[DandyLioness]

OH MAN! Now you have me stressing that my cukes are stressing! :(

[pete28]

hey i dont know if htis might help or your unruly cukes but how much space do you have to go up? due to advice from some kind folks on this board i have my cukes growing up on stakes as opposed to on the ground and they are doing fantastic and have much fewer seeds that last year. They are producing very fast i beleive due to less leave congestion. Hope this helps
PEte

[DandyLioness]

Hi Pete. My greenhouse is only 6 & 1/2 feet tall. They are grasping onto my tomatoes as support, so the toms are being weighted down. I'm DEFINATELY on a learning curve this year (being year #1 with my greenhouse) and will do things differently next year. Thanks for your input! I appreciate it! :rolleyes:

[pete28]

good luck i wish i had room for a greenhouse. my cuke vines are bent at the top and are on 6 foot stakes to give you some idea of size each vine is about 9 feet long, and as long as i pick them before they are too mature they are great
PEte ;)