Trim cuke vine to force branching?

[Love2Troll]

Trying to grow a cuke plant indoors in a small Aerogarden. If I cut the stem where indicated will it branch out like a tomato plant would?



Thanks

[willyb]

Hi,

I am not an expert on cukes, but here is my experiance. I grow cukes on a 40" high fence. When the leader reaches the top I cut it off as it has no where to go except to invade my wife's sweet peas. I do not prune for added crop as it is a long fence so just grow more plants. I have good yields, not sure if the topping is a factor.

My observation is that when I top the plant the highest growth point becomes the new "leader" and has the max growth. With this in mind, I am not sure that you will accomplish your goal by topping. I don't think you will hurt the plant.

I see you have a growth point between the terminal point your intended cut line in the photo.

Brad

[Love2Troll]

Brad,

Thanks much for your reply!

Now I'm glad that I didn't cut it yet. I'll have to bend it over or something before it gets too close to the lights because they will burn the leaves. Sure is a sturdy little plant & I believe it set the first cuke because the blossom was wide open yesterday.

Thanks again...

John

[Petronius_II]

Letting it set fruit while the plant is young and potbound will also slow down foliage growth a bit, which seems to be what you want. If you haven't yet deliberately hand-pollinized that female blossom in the photo, and if the blossom's still there, I'd definitely take one of the male flowers and apply it to the stigma just to improve your odds of setting early fruit.

[Love2Troll]

Originally Posted by Petronius_II

Letting it set fruit while the plant is young and potbound will also slow down foliage growth a bit, which seems to be what you want. If you haven't yet deliberately hand-pollinized that female blossom in the photo, and if the blossom's still there, I'd definitely take one of the male flowers and apply it to the stigma just to improve your odds of setting early fruit.

Sorry, I should have included that the cuke is a parthenocarpic variety. And I re-potted it from a 3" pot to a 5" pot only a couple of days ago. Keeping them rootbound really works!


Thanks much!

[willyb]

John,

It is a great looking plant, good job! Lights, I can't see what type of lights your using from the photo.

I don't grow indoors, but start all my plants indoors. I see your tomato in the photo is "Leggy" which is fine if that is what you want. I use florecence lights and grow them close ,24/7. The plants touch the lights. If you can hold the back of your hand to the light and not pull it away, it is not too hot. The plant will pull back or turn if it is too hot. The plants will keep streching to reach the light and you can control thier hight with light.

I grow female cukes also, Cool breeze and diva.

Cheers, Brad

[Love2Troll]

Hi Brad,

The Aerogarden was a bday gift to me from my son and his wife last year. I have had many lighting setups over the years & must admit that these hot little fluorescent bulbs really do a great job with seedlings. Approx 4" x 4" and put out 1560 lumens. My unit has 2 bulbs. Way too hot to touch. Leaves start turning pale white and then curl & darken if within approx 2" of bulb.

What the bulbs look like....



Don't know just how spindly the Grapette F1 tomato is. First time growing it. It just might be characteristic of that variety? I usually position a fan on a timer to briefly blow on seedlings a few times ea day, but didn't this time. That might be part of the problem.

Cool Breeze I've grown for years and just love the prickly little things! I grow Diva too.

I'm a garden salad freak and is hard to find acceptable cukes and tomatoes this time of year because I will only buy if grown in USA or Canada. Small tomatoes I can grow and BWB can whole for winter use, but not cukes.

Regards, John