pruning and training Marketmore cucumbers

[otorongo]

I have 2 cukes outdoors in the ground, one is a bit small, the other is larger and has 1 side shoot comparable in size to the main stem.

I've googled for how to prune them (using terms like "prune marketmore cucumber" and "prune ridge cucumbers") and found lots of contradictory opinions so I'm a bit confused.

Can someone please clarify this - do I remove side shoots (aka suckers) or leave them on? Do I remove the male flowers?

I would ideally leave the side shoots on and train the plants along a perfectly south-facing trellis for maximum sun exposure - does that sound like a good idea?

[Matt94]

i just stick to all female cuc's now (well apart from this year lol) - but whatever type of cuc i grow i never take out the side shoot's and they always do well and crop heavily for me.

And yes nip out the male flowers, otherwise they will make the cuc's bitter!

[rustylady]

Never grown them myself, but found this site for you Cucumber "Marketmore" Seeds The growing advice is quite detailed and I hope it helps.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Don't nip out any male flowers on Marketmore if you do you will get no fruit.

Ridge cumbers need to be pollinated to produce a crop.

Colin

[Florence Fennel]

I've always failed miserably with cucumber, but I wish you success. I am trying gherkins this year, but the first lot failed, the second lot are still on the windowsill before I give them to the snugs.

[Incy]

I never do anything in the way of pruning marketmore grown outside.
So long as they get past the tender stage where they are vulnerable to birds and weather they just get on with it in my experience.
As far as training goes, I have given them some chicken wire to grow up this year to make it easier to harvest and keep the cucumbers from the ground.

[flowertot]

I've always failed miserably with cucumber, but I wish you success. I am trying gherkins this year, but the first lot failed, the second lot are still on the windowsill before I give them to the snugs.

Any chance you fancy feeding my slugs too? can't keep up with the beasts this year!

[otorongo]

Cheers, I guess I'll trellis them and not do much if anything in the way of pruning.