Cucumbers

taurus2005, Sep 17, 12:33am
When is it a good time to plant cucumber seeds for cucumbers in December please. What is a good variety to plant for a good crop. Don't have much luck with them but will give it another go this year. My grandkids love picking them from the garden. Thanks.
melonhead1, Sep 17, 12:58am
A seed or three every week from now.
lythande1, Sep 17, 1:34am
They like the heat. Buy a plant - it will give uou a head start, but wait till later. too cloudy and rubbish as yet.

You can now get a miniature variety, you get the usual 100's off a plant, but as they are no bigger than a cigar, you don't waste so much and they are nice to eat.

Grow them up a stick, tying as they grow, that way they are off the ground and not getting damp.
taurus2005, Sep 17, 7:54am
Thank you. Will try both suggestions.
brightlights60, Sep 17, 8:41am
The Lebanese ones are great, each one does a sandwich or salad, and once they start producing they are prolific and won't stop till the end of Summer. You can train them up a trellis or fence too.
uli, Sep 18, 3:54am
Depends where you live - up in the North I plant cucumbers and courgettes now (sown indoors in August). Same as tomatoes, beans etc.

So when Labour weekend comes along I start harvesting and then sowing the next lot, so I never need to spray - anything that gets the blight or powdery mildew just gets composted and I have new plants coming on all summer and autumn.
brightlights60, Sep 18, 6:42am
Not warm enough down in Christchurch by a wee while yet. Just put the seedlings in my greenhouse. Probably plant out after Labour or Show weekend which is usually after the last frost. I always pin frost cloth to the fence and roll it out at night for a month or so after that. Nothing like a late frost down here to wipe our your vege garden.
anne1955, Sep 25, 2:01pm
Never start unless in greenhouse before the last snow goes of Mt Roy. or in general lower south island terms around Labour weekend I try and heed the older wiser people. And with school holidays still too come weather won't improve truly until after them. Same every year.