Mini Cucumbers Evicted from AG Now Transplanted Outside

[dianne]

After I removed the fairy tale eggplants from what I've designated as the "experiment" section of my Farm Plus garden, I decided to try some mini cucumber seeds from Panago. (The baby bok choy seeds I got from them have been terrific.) However, I didn't realize they were a climbing type of cucumber that was clearly going to outgrow the Farm Plus.

I swear, I could practically watch the tendrils reach up and curl around the light cord and garden frame in real time!



Since one of the last books I read from the library was this little YA thriller about an alien plant invasion on earth -- and since I can't return the book because the library is closed, so it's just staring at me from across the room -- the tendrils started creeping me out, lol!





I decided the cucumber plants needed to leave the house before they strangled me in my sleep. (An overactive imagination is an occupational hazard for a children's/YA author.)

I have never transplanted any of my AeroGarden plants before, and maybe they should have gone into pots first (?), but I impatiently stuck them outside to see what would happen. They didn't like their transition from water to soil, but I watered them lots and lots, and then we had 2 days of rain.

The more hardy plant seems happy. It's busily climbing the trellis, and I see lots of new growth.



The more stunted of the two isn't showing a lot of upward growth -- but it has a flower and buds, so that seems promising!



Research on these seeds -- which I should have done BEFORE buying, haha -- suggests they may grow as tall as the fence. I've started a few more of these seeds in pots. Looking forward to see what happens!

[Shawn]

I need to learn to read heights as sometimes I get carried away.  I, as well as others have grown the mini munch cukes and they were really good.  I remember looking and one minute there were tendrils hanging and I would go back in later in the day and they were wrapped around my trellis.

[Sher]

Diane, not to be a downer, but the second cucumber looks like it has a problem, possibly a fungal disease.

I lost my Little Leaf Arkansas cucumbers to something similar last year.

[akivalocal]

Wow, quite the adventure, dianne ! 

Sher do you think it could be bacterial? My handy-dandy A-Z list of plant diseases says that's bacterial leaf spot because of the bright yellow "haloes." The guide says to remove all the infected leaves, and water the soil around the plant, rather than its foliage. Or it could be cucumber mosaic virus. Dianne, do the plants have aphids? If so, they could be transmitting it.

(Edited because I didn't tag people correctly).

[Sher]

Yes, Akiva, it could well be bacterial.  I'm not too good at diagnosing plant diseases, but your description sounds right on.

I do not believe it could be cucumber mosaic virus. I have had that on cucumbers, and still the plant continued to produce even though it looked bad.

You are a very diligent gardening student. You will soon be an expert in your own right!

[dianne]

May 25, 2020 8:40:51 GMT -5 Sher said:

Diane, not to be a downer, but the second cucumber looks like it has a problem, possibly a fungal disease.

I lost my Little Leaf Arkansas cucumbers to something similar last year.

Oh, thanks for the warning. I did think that plant looked a little odd.
It had a rough beginning -- attacked by a cat when it first sprouted, and it never seemed to recover after that.
I'll trim the spotted leaves and see what happens.

[dianne]

May 25, 2020 17:04:14 GMT -5 akivalocal said:

Wow, quite the adventure, dianne ! 

Sher do you think it could be bacterial? My handy-dandy A-Z list of plant diseases says that's bacterial leaf spot because of the bright yellow "haloes." The guide says to remove all the infected leaves, and water the soil around the plant, rather than its foliage. Or it could be cucumber mosaic virus. Dianne, do the plants have aphids? If so, they could be transmitting it.

(Edited because I didn't tag people correctly).

I haven't seen any aphids. I will trim the affected leaves and see what happens!

[dianne]

An update on the mini cucumbers I moved from my Farm to my fence. Both are doing very well, including the one that had spotted leaves. (I cut those off.) Not sure what that one plant's going to do now that it's run out of fence!

I started 3 more cucumber plants in pots and moved them to the fence, too. They are not doing as well as the two plants started in the AeroGarden. Their leaves keep turning brown around the edges.



These plants have male and female flowers. When the first two female flowers failed to develop into cukes, I started hand-pollinating them. And now I have my first little cucumber coming along!

Adorable cucumber! I'm super envious of your outdoor space. Hope you get a ton of cucumbers!

[Shawn]

Here is hoping you get a heap load of cucumbers!  They look happy.

[Sher]

They look like they are thriving. So happy for you!

Lovely and 2 cute!

[akivalocal]

Yay, dianne! So glad to hear about your cucumbers doing well! For the ones in pots, have you tried treating them with some compost tea? That might perk them up!

[dianne]

Jun 20, 2020 15:15:03 GMT -5 akivalocal said:

Yay, dianne ! So glad to hear about your cucumbers doing well! For the ones in pots, have you tried treating them with some compost tea? That might perk them up!

I have never made compost tea.
However, I recently removed half a bucket of goopy string algae from my goldfish pond. I wonder if the decomposing algae would make good fertilizer?

[akivalocal]

Hmmm, I don't know. I've never heard of algae being used a fertilizer, though I'm sure it's possible! I have heard of dried seaweed being an excellent soil amendment, but that's as close as I've got!