Too Soon to Plant Out Cukes?

I've got some Sweeter Yet cuke seedlings that I am anxious to get planted out. I have four, so if I plant one to try it out....what do you think?

Here's a cool link I found:

http://www.hort.wisc.edu/mastergardener/Features/weather/earlygardening/early.htm

Still too early in Washington (still have frost)...how's it in Oregon?


From the Burpee Web Site:
ref: http://www.burpee.com/jump.jsp?itemID=780&itemType=CONTENT_ARTICLE

"
Like other cucurbits, cucumbers don't like to have their roots disturbed and can be tricky to transplant. However, if you want an early start on the season, it's worth the risk to start a few plants indoors in peat or Jiffy pots about two or three weeks before setting out. Because cucumbers are easily injured by frost, planting should be delayed until the soil temperature reaches 60 degrees and all danger of frost is past. This is often at least two weeks after the last frost date.

The preferred method of planting is direct seeding in the garden after the soil has warmed as the seeds will not germinate in a soil chillier than 60 degrees. Just push two or three seeds an inch into the soil, spacing the plantings 18 to 36 inches apart. (Bush varieties will tolerate a closer spacing.) If the soil is moist and warm, the seedlings will pop out of the ground in a matter of days.
"

You mean plant right out in the garden? I wouldn't, we had frost this morning! I usually don't get cukes, squash etc out until May or even a little later. Also in case you don't know, Sweeter Yet is a gynoecious cuke, meaning all female and no pollen. Seed vendors include some pollinating seed in packets so several plants are necessary to get pollination. The first year I grew it they did great and the cukes were the best. Last year I didn't get any cukes on them, I guess I didn't get a pollinator:-(( I haven't even started my cuke seeds yet but maybe others have luck at this time.

OMG, it would be so bad if I didn't get any cukes. How do I know which ones are females and which are pollinators? Do they look exactly the same?

SS yes I think the seeds look exactly alike, So until they bloom there isn't much way to tell them apart. I only plant the burpless Orient Express cukes, over the many years I have gardened they are my all time favorite. I amend the soil where I am going to plant the seeds and make a little higher than the surrounding ground, I ususally plant 6 or 7 seeds, point down in a small circle that will be covered by a paper hotkap or one of my plastic ones and not until the soil is warm and here that will be after Mothers Day, . I have tried growing them in peat pots, or other kinds of transplanting pots, but have the best luck planting out in the garden under hotkaps. I also grow them up a hogwire support, makes nice clean cukes and easy to see them.

I will be in the Salem area sometime the first week of June. My daughter is coming out from Virginia to spend a week or so and we are going to Joesph, OR, then on to Willamette valley for a few days.

Donna

tiffanya, my youngest son and his family live near Sumner, they lived for a time in Puyallup. Nice area. But I prefer the dryer side of the mountains, have lived here all my long life.

DonnaS

Yep, just like everyone says, too early! We were down to 30 degrees this morning too.
I ended up planting cukes last year in pots and also direct seeded them. And you know what, the ones I direct seeded ended up being at the same stage as the potted ones later in the season. Plus as they say above, they don't like to be transplanted.
So this year, I am going to just direct seed them.
I would wait until at least May 1st and even then, I use my plastic milk jug with the bottom cut off to keep them warm at nite and on bad days.
Carol

Okay, here's what I did...

I am doing the straw bale method this year. I wrapped the bales in black plastic, cutting holes in them, and planted some cukes. So far they look okay, but now I am concerned whether I have any pollinators. Oy vey, it's getting complicated.

I'll keep you all posted as to my results.

Cool, Donna! I work in Puyallup. Sumner's a great lil' town. I miss the drier winters on the East side...lived in Pullman while going to school. The perpetual gray winter on this side here is a real downer. :-}

Why not start a few more seeds? (I assume you started these from seeds?) We have plenty of season here for cukes. My favorite burpless is Tasty Green, and this choice after about 3 or 4 years of testing different varieties. I grow it up my cyclone fence and let the cukes dangle. I tried a couple of other varieties of the "gynoecius" types but decided with my limited space I need a sure thing!