This evening when I went out to my garden to water, I really started to look at my cucumbers. I have some growing in a planter on a trellis and some growing in a plot on the ground. The ones I am growing in the planter are English cucumbers and the ones growing in my plot of garden are pickling cucumbers. The pickling ones are doing ok and not deformed, but here are what my English variety look like.
Now this is not my first time growing cucumbers. I have grown both before, but the one difference in my English Cucumbers is that I grew them in a planter. I used the same soil/compost mix I have used in years before. So why is this happening to my English Cucumbers?
There are a few reason's why this abnormality can occur.
Let's look at poor pollination. Do you notice any of your non self pollinating plants doing well? Are there other flowers close to your cucumbers? Is there a lack of insects, such as butterflies, wasps or bee's? In my case, I have a pot of yellow Marigolds right beside my planter with my cucumbers, and all my other plants are doing OK so I do not think it is that in my case. There had to be some pollination because it did produce the fruit but perhaps the process got interrupted, possibly.
The Temperature could also be another determining factor. If it is too hot then that in itself with halt the pollination process, and keep the pollinators away. Insufficient water may also be a key factor. Cucumbers need a lot of water. In my case, it has rained steady since Spring, at least 3-4 days per week, so I do not think this is my problem.
Lastly, Fertilizer. All garden's need some kind of fertilizer. Too much fertilizer may be a strong reason for your deformed cucumbers. When the fruit is formed and mature, they require less feeding, so we need to back off of the fertilizer. In my case I only use fertilizer until they form flowers and then I stop. It might be a possibility, but not as strong as the other reasons.
So in my conclusion I would have to target the lack of pollinators and shall be placing my planter in a new location closer to other flowers. It is now an experiment, and will share my results.
Happy Trails
I had no idea that there were so many factors involved in growing the proper crops. Thanks for opening up my mind to yet another thing I am ignorant on. Happy Trails back at ya!
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This was my first year growing cucumbers and the crop was poor then I found out that I should be watering them twice a day once at night and once in the morning. However the seeds I was given was for pickling cucumbers so their rather bitter, next year I need to get my hands on some english ones.
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I grow both, but yes the english without the larger seeds are so good. Don't give up and do so grow more next year.
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Most important is their taste! and I'm sure this ones are delicious!
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I will let you know, but I'm sure they are too. They have never failed me
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Deal mate!
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All my cucumber plants died due to lack of watering and fertilizing by our house-sitter while we were on vacation. I was NOT happy. Never doing that again!
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That is not good. It's almost like we need to make a business like a dog sitter or house sitter, we need specialized garden sitters. LOL , people who know what they are doing..Thank you
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You're so right! 😄
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Interesting. I shall have this shared on the APN to get their thoughts as well. Maybe it is the pollinators. Let us know your results
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Thank you. I really do think it is the pollinators. I have it low to the ground, against a fence. It would also be interesting to note that I have Celery growing along side of it, perhaps they don't do companion planting well.
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AhhhH!! These are clown cucumbers! They are really funny looking! I'm having an issue with my cucumber plant too -it's starting to fruit but then the little 1 inch cucumber turns yellow and shrivels up before it grows any bigger. :(((
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My did not go yellow or shrivel. Funny why it is doing this.
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So strange. Maybe they've got a good sense of humor.
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Sure, why not, seems like everyone else around the homestead does, including my two cat's who love the potato patch as a litter box. Thanks
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just in case you couldn't sleep at night worrying about my cucumbers (or lack thereof), my tiny shriveled yellow cukes are likely ones that were not actually pollinated. It makes sense too because I had the plant surrounded in hardware cloth to protect against hungry critters. I took it down today and we'll see if some of the newer flowers become cucumbers. People also said you could help it along by using a paintbrush to help pollinate the female flowers. This doesn't help with your crazy shapes, but in the future, remember this if your cucumbers have my same issue!
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Hand pollinating. yes I did a post about that a few months back, this is how I grow things in the winter in my house. I also did a post about recognizing the female and male flowers. Good luck let me know how it works out.
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Will do keep you posted! I feel like a fairy out there dusting pollen all over the flowers. Tinkerbell.
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lol
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Getting you some input on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/AmericanPreppersNetwork/posts/10155735729811042
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Thank you so much. I will attempt, to join your group on FB but I really am never on there anymore. You should bring your following to steemithomesteaders.slack.com it's a chat and such with channels for our fellow steemit, preppers, gardeners, homesteaders alike to get together and talk. I did reach out about my cucumbers, most agree it's probably pollinators. Thanks again
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I never knew that about the fertilizer. Thank you! You've just helped in my future gardening skills. :)
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Your welcome. You should join this chat group that has been created for our group of homesteaders, gardeners, and preppers on STEEMIT. steemithomesteaders.slack.com
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I shall keep that bookmarked. Do I have to join that site as well or is it connected to steemit?
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You do have to join that site as well, but let me tell ya, well worth the connections made. It is also good to grow your followers base for good content that you post.
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My content is travel related right now. Not so much about my gardening. Thank you, I'll look into joining that group asap.
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Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by gardengirlcanada from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, and someguy123. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows and creating a social network. Please find us in the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
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I'll be interested to see the results.
I've had that happen before with container cucumbers but I was never able to nail down what caused it.
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This is so interesting! I've never see this before. Well, my cucumbers don't do well with me at all :(
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Really, they are typically one of the easiest veg to grow. But I think were you are located the temperature would have to play a large roll in poor crop for you. Thanks
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I think so too. They drop buds or grow little yellow cukes then drop. :(
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