Tammy42
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Container growing burpless cucumbers- cucumbers curling?

I am growing cucumbers in containers, both bush salad and burplesscucumbers. The bush salad cucumbers are going as straight as a cucumber can, no problem, then onthe other hand the burpless plnts are super tall and viney, but the problem I am noticing is thes cucumbers are curling up when they grow? Is there anything I can do to prevent this or will have to let nature take it's course, it seems to be just two of them doing this the rest are growing alright. Is there something that could be causing this? Tammy

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pharmerphil
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poor pollination, half the seeds are developing, half are not...about the only thing beyond the help of bee and bug is gardener intervention with a Q-tip or small paint brush to transfer pollen from the male flower to the female.

Sometimes this can be due to temperature swings also

Tammy42
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It can't be a shortage of pollinatores , because I have plenty of bees around my house, and they all had flowers on them, plus my other ones did not turn out that way, Tammy

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stella1751
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I'll be watching this thread with interest. Two of my cucumbers are doing the same thing. I wondered whether I was over-watering them because they are on the same schedule as my squash.

Tammy42
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I just don't know what is going on because those are the only two that have curled inward, all the others are fine. Tammy

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stella1751
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I wonder about what I call "malevant" nematodes. Then again, I had some tomatoes go weird on me about ten years ago. They were misshapen and ugly. Someone told me something was eating their roots. Maybe grubs? I just don't know. It bugs me, but it's only two of them, so far :D

Tammy42
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Same with me Stella, it seems to be just two, but I did some research earlier today on ask.com, and it popped up on some websites about possiblities as to why it has happened. Hortchat.com and arcamax.com, both suggested this, if growing on ground, cukes will tend to curl. They also suggested poor uneven pollination. Another possibility of things in the way of the growing cucumber can cause it to curl. Growingedge.com-says it is called crooking. They say it can begin if a leaf or stem interferes with the growth of young fruit. Severe curvature- when flower becomes stuck on spines of a leaf stem. Also tempiture changes excessive high or low temps. Imbalances in mineral elements. They say mishapen ones should be removed because they will continue to grow that way. From what I'm reading I tend to think mine is proably from leaves being in the way, because these burpless have huge leaves and lots of leaves to them. So I wouldn't be surprised if this is my problem- I have been thinning some of the leaves out though. Plus also mine could be the temp. changes, definitely been this this year!!!! Hope this helps you, it has definitely helped me!!!! Tammy

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nes
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Great post Tam! I have to say though I grew my cucumbers mostly on the ground (there is a small fence keeping some of them about 1' up) and I haven't noticed any curling at all.

Tammy42
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Thanks, Nes!!! I guess I am learning the hard way!!! But isn't that what gardening is all about, it's a learning experience!!!! Tammy

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stella1751
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Tammy42 wrote:
They say mishapen ones should be removed because they will continue to grow that way.
Yay! More goodies for my experiment in mini-composting. I'm going out to pick them now.

Oh. I noticed yesterday that those little bee-like insects with the green heads are hanging around my cucumbers. Could be they just aren't getting the job done but are stripping enough pollen so my real bees and paper wasps aren't interested. It's a thought :x

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nes
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Oops, I lied! :oops: I went to go do a major trimming of the cucumbers today and a few of my really juvenile cukes (I don't know what else to call them...) are quite curled. However they all seem to straighten out as they mature.

Perhaps you have a cucumber that is supposed to be picked larger then you realized?

Tammy42
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Thanks Nes, I am glad your cukes straightened out for ya!!! I have been watching mine though and no luck, so far!!! But one of my straightened cukes, might need picked soon!!! Give it another week and if does not grow anymore will pick it!!! Will be my first cucumber picking of the season!!!! Tammy

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Diane
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Tammy are the curled ones small? Are they only the other plant? I once bought cuke plants that did nothing but curl. I didn't buy them at my usual place.
My plants are on the ground and climbing. I noticed a few curling on the highest vine. So far none of the finished cukes are curled.

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stella1751
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When I was fertilizing last night, I noticed that one of my curled cukes is straightening out. I don't think the other one will. It's like it has scar tissue on the inside. I think that one did try to grow around a leaf. I'm going to let it grow. It shouldn't hurt the plant to leave it on :)

Tammy42
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There are only two on that plant that are curled, the rest on that plant and on the other plants- they are not curles, these are bottom ones- but what is strange I have other bottom ones that are not curles. Tammy

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somegeek
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nes wrote:Oops, I lied! :oops: I went to go do a major trimming of the cucumbers today and a few of my really juvenile cukes (I don't know what else to call them...) are quite curled. However they all seem to straighten out as they mature.
Our sword cucumbers(similar to English) do the same. Start out a bit curled but straighten out as they mature toward harvest time. They can start out as nearly a complete ring a few inches across to end up a straight 15" long cucumber when harvested. These are also on a trellis so stretching out straight is pretty easy for them.

Tammy42
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Thanks I will keep my eye on them, to see if they will uncurl!!! Tammy

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Most my early burpless cukes curled up like that. There's nothing wrong with it really, they still taste just as good.

Tammy42
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Decado, even if they curl up like that, how big should I expect them to grow, will they grow over six inches? Tammy

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Some of mine grew to around 12 inches, it just depends on how big you want to pick them and what color they are.

Tammy42
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Ok thanks Decado, the website I was on said you should pick them , but if they are not gonna be hurt or hurt the plant I'll continue to let them grow!!! Who cares if they are curles!!! Tammy



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