Last year I attempted at growing cucumbers but both seedlings that grew suddenly wilted and died when they were about 5 inches tall and I have no idea why. This year I sowed about 6-8 seeds and only one survived. Lousy success rate if you consider its ratio to the number of seeds I tried to sprout. So, I then decided to soak 3 more seeds in water for a whole night and it worked better this time as all 3 sprouted about a week after sowing. However, a snail got to one of my seedlings but the other two were spared. I now have 3 pots of cuke plants growing. And all 3 plants have started to produce many male flowers despite the 2 plants that got a later headstart. Production of male flowers will go on for about 10 days as nature's way to habituate insects before the female flowers make their red carpet appearance.
Cuke plant needs consistent watering and never to allow the soil to dry out. I have been away off and on recently and thankfully, despite the hot weather, there have been some rain in between my away days.
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| This is my first surviving cucumber plant, taken in April, last month. I think this was about a month old. |
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| Its first delicate tendril latching for support |
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| About 2 weeks later the same plant has grown by leaps and bounds. They love nitrogen rich fertiliser like chicken manure. |
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| My hubby helped move the pot to a proper trellis to join the other 2 pots of smaller cuke plants. All 3 plants are now male flowering profusely. |
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Can't wait for my 1st cuke to show!
