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Outdoor cucumbers

Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
in Fruit & veg
I’m growing marketmore cucumbers outdoors. They’re planted out in their final positions and look like they’re doing ok. I’m planning to train them up a rose arch. 2 plants on each side.

I’ve read mixed things about whether to pinch out the main shoot or not. Some say to pinch out the main stem after 7 leaves to encourage fruiting side shoots. In previous years I’ve just left them to grow without pinching out and got a reasonable crop.

If I’m trying to get them to grow up, as there is very little ground space for them to spread, should I pinch out the main shoots, or leave them to climb up the arch?

Many thanks
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Posts

  • derbyduckderbyduck Posts: 137
    I also grow market more cucs outdoors ,but I never pinch out the main shoot I just let them get on with it and they seem to grow up and over most frames iv'e put for them grow on!
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    I too have never pinched out, as I have little room for them to go sideways @Womble54
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    Great; thanks. I’ll leave them to it. If they make it to the top of the arch I’ll pinch them out.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    I do it the opposite way! Pinch out the side shoots just like I do with tomatoes otherwise I find they take over everything, but if you have the space let them ramble.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    always grow markemore, dont pinch out. I do have mine in a greenhouse, part sun just because there isnt room in the veg plot, and you get earlier fruiting of course
  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150
    I am also trying out cucumbers on a rose arch this year @Womble54 . Nice to see someone else with an edible arch 😀 I planted out one each side on Sun. 

    I won't pinch them out, I want them to grow up, and hopefully over the top. 
    I am growing "La Diva". Packet blurb states it has excellent cold tolerance making it suitable to grow outdoors. Crossing my fingers for a good summer now. 🙏🌞🌞🌞
    Look forward to seeing how yours progress, keep us updated.
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    Thanks kitty. Good luck with yours. I’ve heard La Diva is an excellent cucumber.

    I’ve got 4 arches, so in each small raised bed I can grow one crop over arch, another up a trellis against the fence and a lower crop in front. Trying to maximise the small space I have and growing as vertically as possible.

    I might do a vertical growing post so we can share our small space ideas.
  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150
    Small space Womble? Snap! 😃. Mine are in wooden box planters.


    That's a 'tumbling tom' at the front and I have a couple of compact courgette plants (Astia) in the greenhouse to go at the back of each box when they grow a bit bigger.



    The arch sits as an entrance to my working space at the back of my tiny garden. GH is in the southwest facing corner. 

    Trellis on a fence is a great way of vertical gardening 👍. I have a wall of peas on one fence panel, just on some netting but they scramble up quite happily 😄.
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    Looking great. Will look even better with some nice cucumbers hanging down from the arch.
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348

    I’ve got a long thin strip of raised beds down the south facing fence of my garden, that I’ve divided into 5 sections, plus pots and planters crammed in wherever I can fit them.
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