Cucumber flowers

chancethegardener · March 31, 2012

I currently have 4 cucumber plants. 2 are Solly Beiler and 2 are Green Finger. Despite the fact that the plants are very strong and healthy, they only have "tons" of male flowers. What causes this? Are they going to have a cycle where they have female flowers?

FILMNET · March 31, 2012

yes they come later

chancethegardener · March 31, 2012

Thanks FILMNET. So is this the "heirloom behavior"? I mean is it also for some varieties (e.g. for hybrids) possible that male and female flowers bloom together?

FILMNET · April 1, 2012

Not really. If you leave the plant alone it will be ok, I learned with Cucumbers, Squash other plants like these, you need both flowers. And there is nothing you can do but to wait for them. Here up north. People grow the huge Pumpkins and help the flowers, and wait for the females flowers, as soon as open they go crazy helping them.

JerryL · April 1, 2012

Here is what I experienced last summer.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=18777

Tracydr · April 1, 2012

There are some varieties that are made to have mostly female flowers and some hybrids that have only female flowers and need a few "male" plants in order to pollinate.
Diva, I think, is a plant that has all female and somehow doesn't need a male plant. Not sure how that works, somebody else will need to explain. It's made for greenhouse and row cover growing, where bugs and disease are a problem.
Seedless cukes and melons are this way, too.

chancethegardener · April 1, 2012

This morning I noticed that there are two tiny fruits on Green Finger but the ratio of female flowers to male flowers is still too little. I guess I will wait and see. Jerry, that melon plant looks so beautiful with a very nice deep green color. I have been struggling with my watermelon and melon plants. Just another challenge for me, I guess...

peppero · April 1, 2012

last year i grew lemon cucumbers and the plants delivered many vines and HUGE numbers of flowers, about 99.9% male. i think i got about 6 cucumbers. i have also had squash do the same thing for about 4 years. maybe this year will be different. jon

March 31, 2012	#1
chancethegardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: WV Posts: 604	Cucumber flowers I currently have 4 cucumber plants. 2 are Solly Beiler and 2 are Green Finger. Despite the fact that the plants are very strong and healthy, they only have "tons" of male flowers. What causes this? Are they going to have a cycle where they have female flowers?

April 1, 2012	#4
FILMNET Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: North Charleston,South Carolina, USA Posts: 1,803	Not really. If you leave the plant alone it will be ok, I learned with Cucumbers, Squash other plants like these, you need both flowers. And there is nothing you can do but to wait for them. Here up north. People grow the huge Pumpkins and help the flowers, and wait for the females flowers, as soon as open they go crazy helping them. Last edited by FILMNET; April 1, 2012 at 02:22 PM.

April 1, 2012	#5
JerryL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: S.W. Ohio z6a Posts: 736	Here is what I experienced last summer. http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=18777 __________________ Jerry

April 1, 2012	#6
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	There are some varieties that are made to have mostly female flowers and some hybrids that have only female flowers and need a few "male" plants in order to pollinate. Diva, I think, is a plant that has all female and somehow doesn't need a male plant. Not sure how that works, somebody else will need to explain. It's made for greenhouse and row cover growing, where bugs and disease are a problem. Seedless cukes and melons are this way, too.

April 1, 2012	#8
peppero Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: selmer, tn Posts: 2,944	last year i grew lemon cucumbers and the plants delivered many vines and HUGE numbers of flowers, about 99.9% male. i think i got about 6 cucumbers. i have also had squash do the same thing for about 4 years. maybe this year will be different. jon