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Cornucopia - Australia

Lebanese cucumbers and zucchini

19 years ago

I have germinated some Lebanese cucumbers and zucchini, and they are about ready to be planted out. I've never grown either before, and don't know if they require support of some kind. We have a small suburban garden, so space is limited, and it would be very inconvenient to have vines rambling all over the garden.

Has anyone grown either of these before? I'd appreciate any information regarding growing conditions and appropriate supports. Thank you.

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Comments (6)

Raymondo
19 years ago
Neither will/should be very big, though a lot depends on variety. You haven't specified the zucchini variety but it should be okay. Most are. As pepino said, the Lebanese cucumber isn't big either but you can put a bit of trellis next to it to encourage it to grow vertically, thus saving space.
pepino
19 years ago
Hi again inny
Not sure what dog wire it is - cyclone perhaps? The cucumbers will grow through it but I don't think they will get as tangled as the peas. The zucchini should not climb at all. They grow into a shrub and may have runners but they wont go far.
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innyanga
Original Author
19 years ago
Hi pepino

Thanks for your follow up.

I have to admit that I don't actually know what dog wire is! I've seen the term used in relation to making tomato frames, and from what I could gather from photos it is heavy gauge wire with approximately 12cm (5inch?) square holes. Am I using the term incorrectly?

Anyway, the wire we've used is as I've described above. I've planted the Lebanese cucumber seedlings adjacent to it today.

Still haven't figured out what to do with the Lebanese zucchini seedlings, which must go in tomorrow. The problem is that we only have a few vegetable beds, and only two raised beds of 1.3m X 3.3m. Do you think each bush will spread more than a metre?
pepino
19 years ago
Each bush will spread to a nice round bush of about 1 to 1.2m and about waist high. I've only seen them run on a couple of occassions and that may have been due to cross-bred seeds. Even when they had runners they didn't go too far. You could simply cut them if they do.
innyanga
Original Author
19 years ago
Hi pepino

I planted out the Lebanese zucchini based on your description of their expected full-size dimensions. There doesn't seem to have been any growth in these or the Lebanese cucumbers thus far, but I admit to being a little impatient.

I am interested in which cucumbers, zucchini and pumpkins you have grown, and wonder what recommendations you have, based on yield and taste. Perhaps you wouldn't mind directing me to some of your previous posts on this or another forum.

Thanks again for your help.
Little_Digger
19 years ago
Finally the female flowers have appeared on my cucumber vines. Last year I had very poor yield, so decided to use the old paintbrush trick (male to female flowers) this year. Well, I had a good poke around in the male flower, but blowed if I could see any pollen on the end of the paintbrush. Dabbed it on the female flower anyway, but ... should there be lots of powdery yellow pollen?

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