On 12/1/2021 at 12:43 PM, Aleksan9ra said:
After that, I plant 3 cucumbers (two on one side, one opposite)…

Just chiming in here…

Cucumbers and tomatoes require absolutely DIFFERENT microclimates. Therefore, planting these crops in the same greenhouse usually compromises the growing conditions for both species. It is practically impossible to find a perfect consensus between the two.

However, for a super early cucumber harvest, you can squeeze in two or three cucumber plants WITHOUT dedicating a special zone to them (just put them in any corner of the greenhouse between the tomatoes, using a double drop-string trellis).

I thought the exact same thing until I actually put it into practice. In reality, it turned out to be the opposite. BUT, I am not talking about the whole greenhouse or all types of plants. I am specifically talking about determinate tomato hybrids.

I grow them right in the blazing sun by the open south-facing door. They get a nice draft, but the sun warms their roots perfectly. At the same time, those tomato plants act as a windbreak and protect the cucumbers from the draft. I keep the back door of the greenhouse closed during this time. I water both the cucumbers and tomatoes the exact same way – sometimes at the roots, sometimes foliar feeding. And both of them seem to love it. The more I do it, the more I realize that mixed companion planting isn’t a bad thing at all.

That is all true Lyudmilka, but take a closer look at your practical results. Are you getting the same cucumber yields in the greenhouse as you would get outside in a dedicated, manure-heated garden bed? How many heavily producing side-shoots do you get inside vs outside? What about the length of the growing season?

This is directly related to pollination. The pollen from the male flower stamen has to reach the female stigma… only then will a cucumber form.

Sure, there are self-pollinating varieties, but mostly just small-fruited gherkin types.

And that is just one side of the coin. The second is the microclimate. Yes, you can get a few cucumbers off a plant in a mixed greenhouse, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to normal growing conditions. If you want to do it right, you either have to physically partition the greenhouse (one side for cucumbers, one for tomatoes), or dedicate the whole structure to just one crop.

Just sharing the conclusions from my own practice and theory.

Good evening. Danilych, yes, we all understand that they need different conditions. But not everyone can afford a separate greenhouse for every single crop. Greenhouses are expensive, and for example, our entire property is only about 0.15 acres (600 sq meters) *, and that includes the house and all the sheds. So you just have to make it work.

I have one 13×20 ft (4×6 m) greenhouse entirely dedicated to tomatoes. But in my smaller 6.5×20 ft (2×6 m) greenhouse, I plant a mix of everything, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. And nobody “offends” anyone in there. I get more than enough yield. After all, we aren’t growing this stuff for commercial sale.

Andrei, you take everything way too seriously. I plant cucumbers with tomatoes. I am happy with the harvest. I don’t need anything more than that. I harvest three 1.3-gallon (5 L) buckets of cucumbers… what else am I supposed to do with them? I live alone.

Every grower has their own approach, Galina. Remembering my youth, we used to plant a ton of everything (just hoping something would survive, especially since our summers are so short up here).

I live alone now too, so how much do I really need? BUT, I have kids and grandkids, so I grow based on their “orders”. You have to plant and sow in moderation based on actual needs.

I plant as many tomatoes as I can, but I process them into all sorts of canned goods, and absolutely EVERYTHING gets eaten! We used to can in huge 3-quart (3 L) jars, but now I use 1-pint or 1-quart (0.5 – 1 L) jars. Even for myself, I’ll open a quart jar of tomatoes in their own juice and eat the whole thing by the next day. Sometimes I give my canned goods to friends, and they are always thrilled. I just really enjoy making different edible concoctions, especially from tomatoes.

As for taking it “seriously”… it just becomes automatic when you know the science. The principle is simple: you can plant fewer bushes, give them proper care, and harvest exactly the SAME amount as someone who planted way more bushes but gave them poor care. That’s just how it is!

Andrei, that’s not what I meant. Your approach is totally correct. I just meant my philosophy is “whatever grows is fine.” Being alone, I don’t need much, which is probably why I don’t stress over maximizing my yield 🤷‍♀️

I understand you perfectly. Your conclusion is right; one person doesn’t need a massive amount. I also started growing strictly based on what is actually needed.

I don’t need much nowadays either. Harvesting 1 to 2 lbs (0.5 – 1 kg) a day is more than enough for me. Last year I grew three cucumber bushes in the greenhouse and another 12 plants outside. The greenhouse produced so many cucumbers that I ended up giving everything from the outdoor bed to my sister.

I completely stopped buying bee-pollinated varieties or those with strictly female flowers. I only buy parthenocarpic varieties, and strictly gherkin types.

I honestly love ALL cucumber varieties. Sometimes I plant 2 or 3 bushes of “Zozulya” *… Oh man, they make the best half-sour pickles! 👍 Just brine them with horseradish, fresh dill, and a pinch of sugar! I can easily devour 2 or 3 of them in one sitting with some potatoes.

The aroma of dill in those quick pickles is just incredible. I keep a special container in the fridge… just imagine: it is a hot summer day, and you have cold, crunchy half-sour pickles, some boiled or mashed potatoes, a BBQ skewer or pork belly with gravy… what else do you need?! If you have company over, you can even chase it with a shot of liquor 😋 Cheap and cheerful. But most importantly, you are putting a clean, organic product into your body. Not the garbage they sell in the stores 🤦‍♂️