Cucumbers?

[Mr&MrsB]

HI,

Do i need to pollenate the female flowers on cucumber plants?

I have a few little cucumbers growing, im worried they are going to die like my squashes.

Thanks

x

[Alison]

What type of cucumber do you have Mr&Mrs? There's a different way of dealing with different types, some only have female flowers.

[Mr&MrsB]

just had to look at the packets, i didnt know there were different sorts!

One is marketmore and the other are burpless tasty green

I have no idea which is which in the greenhouse now tho

x

[Alison]

I've not grown either type but was under the impression that Marketmore was an outside type ridge cucumber where the female flowers need to be fertilised. If you're growing it inside then you'll need to perform cucumber sex! Get busy with that paint brush! But if they're outside they should be OK - doesn't hurt to give them a help though!

I've just googled the burpless ones and note that they're the same so you don't want to remove any of the flowers as they need to be fertilised. (there are some varieties where the cucumbers become bitter if fertilised)

I'd suggest helping them out a bit but otherwise pretty much leaving them alone and enjoying your salads.

[Tam]

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ion_18834.html

This has a lot of cucumber advice.

[jamesp]

If it is an F1 hybrid (most seem to now) then just let the flowers do there thing, you can remove some to get the cucumbers bigger faster by re-directing the energy.

It is only cucumbers that produce male flowers that you have to remove, F1 hybrids only produce female flowers so no need to remove them.

[Mr&MrsB]

thanks for all your advice

x

[Alison]

If it is an F1 hybrid (most seem to now) then just let the flowers do there thing, you can remove some to get the cucumbers bigger faster by re-directing the energy.

It is only cucumbers that produce male flowers that you have to remove, F1 hybrids only produce female flowers so no need to remove them.

Both varieties mentioned produce both male and female flowers but as they are ridge type it is imperative that the male flowers are not removed as the female ones need fertilising.

[jodipodi]

Thanks for this post! Answered my questions

(Still sniggering at cucumber sex though!!) hehe!

[Mr&MrsB]

HI, sorry but i have another question.

Are cucumbers meant to trail like pumpkins, or should they be staked?

I have staked mine but now im wondering if i should of let them trail on the floor

c

[Capsid]

Cucumbers can trail or you can support them up a cane, depends how much room you have.

[Kristen]

More space-saving to train them upwards in a greenhouse, outside its probably better to let them trail as it keeps them out of the wind - although the fruit will be on the ground of course ... My cues have hit the GHouse ridge and gone about 2 feet along it already.

[muslimgrower]

watch out for white fly and aphid attacks on the bottom of your cukes...