Ruud Kleinpaste: Cucurbits

Cucurbits: melons, squash, pumpkins, courgettes, zucchini, gherkins and… cucumbers. 

A bit “touchy” —don’t like cold spells of weather— cool southerly winds are no good; frost tender. 

That’s why it’s best to sow them later in spring (from end of October onwards). 

I sow them in medium-sized pots with seed-raising mix (high in organic material); these cucurbits appreciate a good organic feed (compost, sheep’s poo, Seafood Soup – a great liquid fertiliser) on a regular basis. 

But what you have to be careful with is too much water when they have germinated: their new roots are very susceptible to rotting in wet potting mix! 

A well-draining mix helps to keep the young roots safe from the rots. 

Keep your seedling in a nice, warm spot; around 18 degrees or more during the daytime hours and no less than 7 or 8 degrees at night. 

Sunlight is important: at least 7 hours per day direct sunlight. 

My tunnel house easily gets those numbers (and allows earlier planting and better regulation of watering too!). 

I’m not too keen on courgettes (which have a habit of becoming marrows – even worse!); nor am I a pumpkin aficionado. Let’s face it: in Winter there are heaps of pumpkins on the market and they cost bugger-all! 

I usually concentrate on Cucumbers, watermelon, and gherkins. 

These fruits are usually largely made of moisture – which means that when the flowers develop into fruits, the plants need more water (compared to the seedling stage); It’s the watering (liquid fertiliser!!) that really helps them to expand the fruit to a good size. 

Watermelon grows nicely on warm soils – sprawling all over the place; if you want to help them with lovely warm soil, perhaps cover the soil with some black plastic. 

Gherkins and Cucumbers are best grown on a trellis or climbing rack. Again: fruit develop best with increased watering / liquid fertiliser. Cucumbers need to be harvested regularly to make the plant set new fruit. 

Summer snack: Pickled gherkins? (or watermelon??). 

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