Thu, 2009/01/22 - 10:34am
Hi All,
I'm brand new to this forum (thanks Peat for pointing the way!). I want to grow cucumbers! I know I need an EC meter. Any suggestions on which one to buy? My first (failed) attempt to grow cucumbers was with salad bush hybrid. Supposed to be full size cucs on 22" vines. BUT it requires pollination. I also have Cucino seeds. Bite size cucs on full size plants. No pollination needed. I'll be growing in a deluxe with hydro fertilizer this time. Which cuc would you pick to grow?
Thanks,
Beth
Thu, 2009/01/22 - 1:06pm
#2
Hi, Beth, welcome! 
Mm, my experience with growing cukes, and what I'd seen of people trying it, led me to believe they were just too big for an AG. 
Peat rose to the challenge of proving me wrong - yay!
The cucino is a full-sized plant, so would be a real pruning/training problem (see the bottom of that link - the guy's cucino was 9' long). The cukes sound wonderful...
I'd try the salad bush again (unless you want to buy more seeds), and do the pollination myself. They're easy to pollinate with a soft watercolor paintbrush - swish boy flower innards, swish girl flower innards. There was a bee shortage this summer (at least on my 3rd floor balcony ), so I hand-pollinated my outdoor cukes and tomatoes.
Thu, 2009/01/22 - 2:11pm
#3
Hi Beth! I don't have any experience growing cucumbers, but just wanted to say "Hi!" and good luck with them. You've come to the right place for assistance. 
Thu, 2009/01/22 - 2:55pm
#4
Hi All,
OK, I can't see me growing a cucino in an ag. That'll have to wait until spring. My fav cuc is tasty jade from Johnny's - but that grows huge. So I'm going to retry salad bush hybrid using water with correct pH and hydro fertilizer. The EC meter will have to wait a couple of weeks. Been browsing here - nice site!
Beth
Hi Beth,
As per the iVillage place... Recommend you buy the Bluelab Truncheon, a quality piece of equipment that will last you many years - more expensive than the others but worth it.
Gisette has more experience than myself with growing cukes, my personal opinion would be to get one of the smaller growing variety that are all female - it makes life so much easier in the AG.