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Do I need to pot on cucumber?

tomhumftomhumf Posts: 65
in Fruit & veg
My cucumber is starting to grow little fruit, and the bottom leaves went yellow and died. the next leaves up are starting to get yellow patches too now. Is this the natural growing cycle or do I need to pot on? It's in a 5" pot currently.

I was planning to plant out in poly tunnel in a couple of weeks, maybe I should put it out there now under a fleece cover instead? Thanks 

Posts

  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Wow, that's very well established, mine are only just starting to germinate.  It is too big for the pot, so yes, you should pot it on.  Use compost rather than seed compost if you can, as it will need more nutrients now.  It's normal for the lower leaves to die off, as the plant grows.  Fresh compost in a larger pot should stop the yellowing of the upper leaves.  You don't need to start feeding it until the flowers appear.

    If you are going to put it in a polytunnel, I would only do so if you know there are no frosts coming up over the next week or two, so it gets acclimatised.  We won't be planting ours outside (they are currently in an unheated greenhouse), until about the middle of May, and we are in the South East.  It may be later if you are further north.
  • tomhumftomhumf Posts: 65
    edited April 2021
    Ok thanks, I put it in a bigger pot. I do think I started too early with this one, I have some more cucumber I sowed recently that were probably better timed for planting out.

    I was planning to put this one in the polytunnel mid May. Is there any website that predicts frost? I know it depends on temp, cloud cover and other stuff, I haven't found anything that can give a prediction for frost over the next few days.

    The average last frost date for my area is mid May according to one website and the end of April according to another. Seems like this year has been a frosty one: 

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/1425854/BBC-weather-forecast-record-frosty-carol-kirkwood-UK-temperature-rising-Britain-latest-vn
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