If my baby cucumber is knobbly....

[Kittypickle]

.... does this mean it is an outdoor cucumber ?

I've got myself in a pickle again. Planted 4 Cucumber Perfection seeds, only one germinated. So when at the local market I bought two more seedlings. The packet was on display, I read the name of the variety but by the time I got home I'd forgotten.

I now have all three plants in my little plastic greenhouse. One of the unknown plants has a lovely knobbly baby cucumber growing, I'm very proud of it and I'll be gutted if it is bitter due to me leaving the male flowers on.

Clutching at straws I think but I was wondering if there is any reliable way of telling whether I do need to take the male flowers off ? I know there probably isn't and apologies for being a complete idiot !

[FionaH]

No idea but glad you asked cos my cukes have been really bitter thus far...............

[gadgetman]

Mine are nobbly, and I've left the male flowers on too

[PaulG]

Ours start out very spiky (no idea which variety as we were given them as seedlings) and are kept outside in pots. I leave the plants to do whatever they want except i do remove the fruits that have started rotting, they are getting 1 litre of water each day. We very recently took 1 supermarket size cuc from each plant, no bitterness at all.

I have since discovered that the person who gave us the seedlings keeps theirs in a greenhouse so i am really at a loss as to if they are inside or outside variety but seeing as they a producing and growing well i think they will stay where they are

[ginger ninger]

I always take the male flowers off , i've had very bitter cucumbers in the past ... all female cucumbers some times have male flowers on if there put under any stress..i.e not enough water, poor growing conditions...with regard to the nobbly cuc's, it sounds like "marketmore"..there an outside cucumber...and slightly prickely when there young, they have both male & female flowers

[gojiberry]

As a general rule short knobbly cucumbers tend to be outdoors. As soon as a fruit is nearly ready, take it off and try it, if its bitter start removing the male flowers. I have the same problem in lost labels, I have 3 plants that are the same and they are producing some really gorgeous short fruits that are extremely sweet but the skins are a little tough compared to supermarket ones. I don't mind the toughness but have to peel them for OH. The other plant is producing supermarket size fruits but I have a feeling the fruits are bitter due to the other 3 needing male and female.

Ian

[Kittypickle]

Thank you all, I've had loads of male flowers on them, I hope it is an outdoor one. I've decided to experiment a bit as one on there currently doesn't look ready for picking yet, it's very thin.

The male flowers were left on for that one, another female is on its way and I'm taking the male flowers off for that and will see what happens.

Has taught me a lesson, always take a pen and paper when buying plants at the market or get more seeds and grow your own so you know what they are !

[Alison]

You don't have to always remove male flowers, only certain varieties. Many ridge types need the male flowers otherwise the cucs won't form as no fertilization whereas other types produce without fertilization and need them removed. The advice about seems good, try one, if it's bitter start removing male flowers but I wouldn't do it until then.

By the way, if the cucs are next to each other then removing the male flowers off one won't make any difference as they can still be fertilized by the one next door!

[Kittypickle]

OK that was a complete waste of time taking the male flowers off as I forgot about the other ones !

I'm probably about to take a knife to my baby one, it's a bit small yet but I guess I'll know one way or the other if it is bitter without waiting around.

[Kittypickle]

Right, have eaten little cucumber, shared it with DS (age 6) who reckons it tastes "just like a real one". Thank you again for all your help.

[HeyWayne]

I've seen knobbly cucumbers marketed as Anne Summers before now, I'm sure of it.

[FionaH]

Can anyone tell me what a male cuke flower looks like?

[Kittypickle]

The female flowers have a mini cucumber behind them, the males just have a thin stem.

[FionaH]

Thankyou! xxx