Like many of the plants in the garden, I started cucumbers from seed indoors (May 9) and transplanted the young plants (May 22). The main reason is to get a head start on the growing season and to avoid loss from freezing temps at night. It also helps me distinguish plants from weeds if they are a little bigger to start with (though I suppose with time I'll get better at that on my own).
Doesn't seem like it's always the best route, though. I transplanted six cucumbers and all but this brave survivor shriveled up after about a week.
So I sowed more cucumber seeds (same variety) directly in the ground on May 30. The direct-seeded ones now are several weeks younger, but significantly larger in size. There are also two plants here, spaced about 6" apart from each other, which makes it look even more prolific.
Why is the first one so stunted? One guess is that I did not harden them off as well as I should have. Another is that this one in particular might be partially root bound... it was started in a peat pellet that has netting around it. Should be able to grow through, but the clay soil may have made that more difficult.
Either way, I know I won't be bothering to start cucumbers indoors again!
No comments:
Post a Comment