Cucumbers

[Stephen williams]

Hi is this a female plant or a male plant I keep getting the fruits and the flowers keep falling off is that usual thanks Stephen

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Yes, usual, like courgettes you get male and female flowers on the same plant, usually the male ones first.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Stephen williams]

How do I tell the difference please

 

[Chuck]

How do I tell the difference please

There are three TYPES of cucumbers. Gynoecious, Parthenocarpic and Monocious. The Gynoecious type has only female flowers, the flowers with the little tiny cucumbers. The Parthenocarpic type cucumbers can have both sexes of flowers, require no pollination and are the type used mainly in greenhouses where there are no pollinators. The Monocious type cucumber has both male and female flowers and it requires pollinators. Having said all this, how you tell a female flower from a male flower, is that the female flower has a little tiny cucumber growing from the base of the flower and on male flowers there isn't anything, it is just attached to the stem. Not all female flowers will make a cucumber for many reasons, no matter which type it is. So, if you have baby cucumbers and they shrivel up, turn brown and fall off don't worry, it happens a lot and most times through no fault of the gardener.

 

[Stephen williams]

Thank you so much for that so if my flowers fall of its not a problem then thanks

 

[Chuck]

Thank you so much for that so if my flowers fall of its not a problem then thanks

It might be a problem and it might not be a problem. Which type of cucumber plant do you have? Which sex of flower is falling off? Are the baby cucumbers falling off too?

 

[Stephen williams]

I don't know what type they are they grow big and smooth they don't turn brown or drop of its just some flowers drop of not all of them

 

[Chuck]

I don't know what type they are they grow big and smooth they don't turn brown or drop of its just some flowers drop of not all of them

So, if the flowers drop off and the fruit stays on the plant, just what are you worrying about? One does not eat the flowers. And ALL of the flowers will drop off, eventually. And just so you know, your picture shows a female flower.

 

[Stephen williams]

I been told that if the flowers drop of the cucumbers are sour and unpleasant to taste

 

[Chuck]

I been told that if the flowers drop of the cucumbers are sour and unpleasant to taste

That is ridiculous. What causes cucumbers to taste bitter is stress. The most common being high temperatures and lack of water. And both of these will cause bloom drop, but bloom drop does not cause bitterness.

 

[Stephen williams]

Cheer chuck

 

[NigelJ]

Next year go with all female variety, then you don't need to worry about removing male flowers or pollination.
When I was growing up I was told to remove male flowers on cucumbers as fertilised females would be bitter, still do it out of habit no idea whether I need to or not.
Melons, courgettes, marrows, squashes and pumpkins require fertilisation.
Fully ripe cucumbers are yellow, full of large seeds and taste odd.
Female flowers have a mini fruit behind the flower, inferior ovary.

 

[Stephen williams]

Thank you for the heads up nigel