I love trying to get a super early crop of some of the veggies we grow and love. This year I thought I'd try and go for early cucumbers. The children are in love with the mini cucs you can buy from the supermarket. I'll get them as treats sometimes and they love them for their afternoon snack or to put in their lunchboxes.
.jpg)
So I built a planter for... our bedroom! My wife is very understanding! If you read this blog much you've probably already worked that out to be fair!
So although I've promised to buy less F1 seed I thought I'd buy a range of the mini cucs they have on the market. I picked out 4 types and then selected Hopeline F1 for the windowsill. I sowed them the start of Feburary, transplanted them in March and they've been growing happily ever since. It's a good south facing window, above a radiator.
On May the 1st we had our first harvest. We could have had one a whole week sooner, but I wanted there to be enough for all of the children to try one. We harvested 4 and they were perfect cucumbers.
Writing this now we've harvested another 3 today. I have been feeding the plant with some organic seaweed feed, and the only trouble I've had has been compost gnats - but sorted those with some yellow stickers.
A fun experiment, another two cucumbers are almost ready for harvest but our eldest has reserved them for her cooking lesson on Tuesday as they're making a cous cous salad!
How early do you get your cucumbers? I think I could knock a month off this time next year...
What a fabulous video Kev, and what brilliant children, they had me smiling with their re-takes of the "thanks for watching....guys!" just lovely. The cucumbers look great, and no, your wife is not understanding, she's just perfectly 'normal' as far as I can see - I'd have been quite happy with the planter on the bedroom windowsill too, in fact I'll probably do it myself next year, thanks for the idea. Are those cucumbers much the same as gherkins? they look very similar to the ones I grew last year for bottling.
ReplyDeleteI am growing the F1 tiny cucumbers, but outside, the plants are in the greenhouse, ready to go, just waiting until I feel it's safe to plant them.
ReplyDeleteHere, everyone typically tries for the earliest tomato for bragging rights. With our new garden and busy schedules, I got a really late start this year so am not in the running.
ReplyDeleteI love that your kids eat cucumbers. Mine won't for some reason. I always tell them that it leaves more for me.
Years ago we lived in a council warden's flat and I grew potatoes in a big plant pot in the upstairs window.
ReplyDelete