I always remove the male flowers, i've never had any problems with bitter cuc's when i do this, a few years ago i left some on because i was told i had to..i ended up with nasty tasting cuc's.
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I didn't realise you had to remove the male flowers?
I thought it was only for greenhouse grown ones... I wonder if that's why my cucs aren't as juicy as can be?
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Marketmore are an outdoor variety where you do NOT remove the male flowers. I am growing them in the greenhouse and they are doing well. Pick them between 6 and 8 inches long. They should be crunchy rather than watery like the supermarket ones and the skins can be a bit tough so peeling them is an option.
It's my first year growing these too but it statesvery clearly on my packet that you leave ALL the flowers on!
There are other varieties which need the male flowers removing but not this one.
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Originally posted by muslimgrower View Post^ so if you do remove the male flowers, what happens to the fruit !?
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Ahhh... the annual cucumber flower confusion
There are three basic types of Cucumbers:
Old standards like Telegraph and Long White, ridge cucmbers (aka "outdoor") like Marketmore, and modern all-female F1 types like Cucino, Femina etc.
Old standards: generally rampant growth habits and low mildew tolerance make these a bad bet unless you have a Victorian sized greenhouse and Mellors knows what he's doing. Remove all male flowers as soon as they are seen, and TBF when I grew Telegraph I used to put a bagg over the females from before they flowered until the fruit had got going and the flower fallen off.
Modern F1 all female varieties shouldn't producee male flowers unless stressed so keep an eye out if you forget a days watering or the irrigation breaks down etc. If you find a male flower take it off ASAP Lots of variety from mini-cukes to standards.
Ridge cucumbers, and this includes all gherkins should have all flowers left on. Harvest fruit at about 8" for the cukes, expect a slightly tougher skin than other types and it will have spikes... I just knock the spikes off but other might want to do a more formal peeling. Do not grow these types anywhere near the other two, you will ruin their crop as they will crossfertilize.
chriscLast edited by chriscross1966; 16-08-2009, 06:54 AM.
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Originally posted by chriscross1966 View PostAhhh... the annual cucumber flower confusion
There are three basic types of Cucumbers:
Old standards like Telegraph and Long White, ridge cucmbers (aka "outdoor") like Marketmore, and modern all-female F1 types like Cucino, Femina etc.
Old standards: generally rampant growth habits and low mildew tolerance make these a bad bet unless you have a Victorian sized greenhouse and Mellors knows what he's doing. Remove all male flowers as soon as they are seen, and TBF when I grew Telegraph I used to put a bagg over the females from before they flowered until the fruit had got going and the flower fallen off.
Modern F1 all female varieties shouldn't producee male flowers unless stressed so keep an eye out if you forget a days watering or the irrigation breaks down etc. If you find a male flower take it off ASAP Lots of variety from mini-cukes to standards.
Ridge cucumbers, and this includes all gherkins should have all flowers left on. Harvest fruit at about 8" for the cukes, expect a slightly tougher skin than other types and it will have spikes... I just knock the spikes off but other might want to do a more formal peeling. Do not grow these types anywhere near the other two, you will ruin their crop as they will crossfertilize.
chriscLast edited by Minty; 02-05-2011, 07:15 PM." If it tastes like chicken THEN EAT CHICKEN " :- Kermit The Frog
http://mohicans-allotment.blogspot.com/
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Mixing ridge cucumber varieties - not great
One year I grew both Marketmore and Long Green Ridge in my greenhouse - both ridge cucumbers. A number of fruits were bitter
A bit of research suggested it might be a result of cross pollenation.
So I've been careful ever since to just grow one variety each year and they've all been sweet
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