Couple of different questions (strawbs, cucumber and others)
Joe Brown2
Posts: 65
Okay just some quick fire questions guys...
1) Strawberry plants wise I got a couple from a garden centre this weekend, now I understand I won't get fruit this year (or barely any), but just to clarify, one of them is flowering, should I chop these off? I haven't heard this mentioned on most guides but a couple mention chopping them off first year you have them.
2) Cucumber wise, I've started crystal lemon from seed (and cucamelon, not technically a cucumber I guess) but I just got a variety labelled as "tiny tot", however google isn't bringing up anything. Anyone heard of this variety? I assume it's a small plant, not sure if it needs staking? Also wondering if this variety has the need to remove male flowers, as I understand it cucamelons and crystal lemon cucumbers don't need this doing.
3) Partner wanted a Butternut squash plant just to see if we could get any for fun, the variety is Metro F1 but final height isn't mentioned, do you stake squash or are they more bushy and only grow a few ft?
4) I was told both strawberries, tomatoes and cucumber can be fed generic tomato feed and still get good results (I'm clearly a newb, first year), is this right, and would this apply to squash as well?
cheers for any advice 
Posts
Hi Joe,
1) if the strawberry plants were potted and reasonably large, you can let them fruit this year. If they were bare-root or small (ie just 4 or 5 leaves), I would remove the flowers.
2) I found 1 hit on google but all it says is 'Tiny tot' is a 'snack' type. All that means is each cucumber will only grow to about 5 or 6 inches long. The plant will grow just the same as a normal cucumber. I grow mine up a bit of trellis about 4ft tall.
3) Butternut squash plants will grow to about 5 or 6 metres long and scramble along the ground. You can grow them upwards and tie them in to a frame (trellis etc) but the fruit is very heavy and will need supporting separately (eg using a bit of netting or tights) or it will tear the plant down as it grows. How many you get from a plant is a bit of a lottery, but expect between 1 and 5.
4) Yes. Squash are very greedy though and the best way to grow them is to fill a large hole (eg 50cm diameter/deep) with compost/well-rotted manure and make a slight mound, then plant to squash at the top of the mound. Then be prepared for it to take over your garden!
For the strawberries it depends on how old the plant is. As it's a GC plant it's probably in it's second year, so you can get some fruit, you just won't get the best from it till it's third and fourth year, and yes strawberries like a high potash feed like tomato feed. Squash are usually grown low down so don't need staking, as for the cucumbers, no idea on that variety.
Cheers guys! Hmm might experiment with planting in the garden with the squash then as the plastic greenhouse I got certainly isn't big enough for that sort of scrambling!
Bob you say you use trellis for the cucumbers, can you use multiple stakes and secure them up them? I was trying to find a narrow enough but strong enough trellis but am having trouble, as I'm just having a go with a 6ft by 4 ft greenhouse, so am using 20l pots,
Age wise no idea obviously, size wise they're not that big, one is 5" tall, has two open flowers, 4 buds to open soon, reasonable amount of foliage. The other is 4" tall, no flowers, not as much foliage (different varieties)
You could grow the cuc up a sort of wigwam of timber or poles, or use strong netting etc. wrapped around a few timber stakes, something like this:
I would let the strawberries fruit as Dave says.
Squash is definitely an outdoor crop.
Hmm I do have some metal mesh and cable ties, could probably construct something for em. Will need to for the cucamelon though it sounds like they'll probably end up trailing over everything anyhow haha.
Otherwise maybe something like this to around the pot?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-9M-Outdoor-Garden-Green-Metal-Obelisk-Climbing-Plant-Support-Frame-Ivy-Trellis-/361195340043?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5418eb810b
Yep, that'd work - good idea!