CUCMBER AUBERGINE * RED PEPPER

There are several outdoor cucumbers. The one I have had most success with is an old Victorian variety called either Citrus lemon or Citrus apple (they are the same). It is rather weird in that it has spherical, yellow fruits but the taste is superb and no 'burps'. It still does better under glass though. I think most cucumbers are OK in cold greenhouses as long as you remember to let the insects in for pollination.

Aubergines I have never tried but red peppers have a long ripening season and I doubt if they can be really successful in the UK (even on the south coast) without protection apart from high summer. I use Californian beauty in my cold greenhouse. I am sure some nursery somewhere is selling an outdoor variety but I just don't believe them. Maybe, if global warming is true, in 20-30 years, but I won't see it.

John

Hello LadyG,
We had great success this summer (wot summer?) in unheated greenhouse with cucumbers. I think I've posted a photo. Tasted fab, just needed loads of water and was seriously manky (leafwise) towards the end of the season, so we chucked them then. Probably cleaning up the greenhouse to clear infestations of bug at end of growing seasons is critical...
Anyway, the young plants were given us by my nextdoor neighbour, she grew them from seed. I'll try and find out if she still knows variety name. Please send me a PM to remind me?

I think you will find just about any varieties will do well in an unheated greenhouse - I had bumper crops of peppers and cucs this year dispite the weather. Didn't go for any particlar varieties - just the ones the garden centre happened to have! I have grown peppers outdoors - they did really well in that hot summer of 2003, but not so well in subsequent years. Much better in the greenhouse.

Hey success! My neighbour just txted me with the following info: BURPLESS TASTY GREEN F1 HYBRID from Thompson (Thomson?) & Morgan.
So there you have it. Good to know it's a green cucumber.
I wish you joy of it.

The only thing you have to remember is that outdoor strains require outdoor conditions. They probably will grow better under glass, but leave plenty of holes (door, windows) on mild days if they are technically outdoor and you are growing them under glass. Otherwise you won't get pollination.

Just saw that Weeding. The F1 hybrid Burpless is the most popular variety for growing under glass. I would suggest buying the seed at B&Q or Wilko's if you want that one. T&M has a very bad reputation now on delivery.

oK, whoops, burp. Pardon me. Thx for advice!