kylie77
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Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:35 pm
Location: Kamloops, BC

Planting out cucumbers and zucchini, question. And others!

I have started a pile of cucumber plants along with other things. I've had to move them to bigger pots since they're growing so fast! :) I was having a very tough time deciding on how many to keep and how many to give away. I've still kept far more than I'm going to need. Due to lack of pots and not being able to give away as many as I probably should have, I have planted some with 2 per pot. My question is when it's time to plant them outside how is the best way to separate them? Or should I just wait and see which ones are doing the best and snip off the plants I don't want (hard since I want them all!)? I know cucumbers are sensitive to being messed about with, so don't want to end up killing them all by separating them.

Oh also, I've been putting all of my plants outside for short amounts of time to 'harden them off'. The cucumber plants seem very very senstive to this. They droop very quickly. They all seem to be fine a couple of hours after bringing them back inside though. Is this normal? Will they for sure be able to stand being outside for longer than this eventually? How long does it take for them to get used to it? There's still weeks left before it's warm enough to plant them out so I have time to harden them off.

I have also noticed that some of my tomatoes and pepper plants have a few spots on their leaves. Not all of them have this but some do. What is the likely cause of this? Is it from them getting water on their leaves? I know tomatoes don't like to have water on the leaves but haven't been overly careful with this. I don't get the leaves wet all the time, but do sometimes as I figured they'd have to be used to this too beore going outside since when it rains they'll get wet anyway. If it's not the water, what else could it be? They otherwise seem to be doing fine, just want to keep them that way.

Thanks for all the help! This site is great!

Oh... one more question. I have tomatoes, cucumber, yellow zuccini, peas, carrots, spinach, strawberries and some herbs planted. I would like to add to my selection of veg and was wondering what other veg can be planted from seeds quite easily?

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somegeek
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Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:51 am
Location: Vancouver, WA - zone 8a/b

My cucumber starters drooped when I put them outside today in the direct afternoon sunshine. They were not dry but they were not very damp either. I put them into a bowl with about 1" of water to drink from. They absorbed a bunch and stood up straight for the rest of the afternoon after that.

An easy way to water your starters, if you can, is to soak them in your sink for a few minutes in about 1/2" of water or so. They soak up what they can which worked well for me. I've been doing this every two to three days. My starters are under a light so they do get a bit warm and dry from the little fan I have blowing on them.

somegeek
Last edited by somegeek on Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

kylie77
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Posts: 270
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:35 pm
Location: Kamloops, BC

I have heard people saying to water from the bottom but tbh I haven't done it. If you think this will help I will give it a try. I've just been thinking what it's like in nature, and that all plants have to be able to handle rain etc.... But I'm new, and don't know muc at all so will listen to you all!

The Helpful Gardener
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Don't forget Kylie, these plants aren't Nature, they are human constructs and as such have grown a little reliant on us. Treat 'em like babies, cuz for the most part they are... :D

HG

kylie77
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Posts: 270
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:35 pm
Location: Kamloops, BC

I really do understand that! I know they haven't grown in natural conditions so it makes sense that they wouldn't be able to handle it. I was just wondering how long it will take for them to be able to. Also is it possible that they'll never adapt?

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rainbowgardener
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your seedling babies will adapt to growing outdoors, they just have to have some transition time, which is what the whole hardening off thing is. Grown indoors they aren't used to full sun, wind, rain etc. So they need to get gradually exposed to all that a little at a time. After a week or so of that they will be fine...

kylie77
Senior Member
Posts: 270
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:35 pm
Location: Kamloops, BC

I'll keep at it, and hopfully they'll toughen up! lol

Any ideas about what to do with the ones that have 2 to a pot?

elevenplants
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Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:23 pm
Location: alabama

kylie, cukes do not like cool weather, and you are right, they are sensitive! Just keep babying them along, giving them as much outside time as they can take, but I'd keep them out of the direct sun for longer than 30 minutes or so a day, until the temps are right. And when you go to plant out, just dump out the whole pot (carefully!), and kinda 'catch' the rootball in your hand...you should be able to separate them out without any trouble.

Good luck!

Rebecca



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