Field Study's Man in E11 has not given up on the ghost of Field Study's Man in E17

Cucumber - 4th September

I will take this as a sign of the beginning of the transition from summer to autumn; a cucumber plant 'giving up the ghost' after a growing season of quite prolific production. The cucumber plants in the polytunnel have been marvellous for the spectacle of their abundant growth and the flavour of their fruit. There are yet still more cucumbers to harvest although I doubt there will be any new growth and that this weekend will see our final cucumber harvest of 2013. 

Some of the other plants in the polytunnel are still growing with remarkable vigour - the 'lauki' shown in the picture above is maintaining it's tendrilous domination as the cucumbers wilt away. Why though, despite the vigour of the lauki plant as a whole, do its fruits or gourds die off when they get to some 5-6cm in length? 

The mini gourds appear fine for a short while and then they turn yellow, soften to a mush and fall off, leaving the stem like a burnt matchstick. This has had the field student scratching his head and digging for an explanation.