# Should I be pinching off cucumber blossoms?



## MidwestMatthew

My cucumber plants this year have flowers like crazy. They almost look like ornamentals - clusters of 1 to 3 big, yellow blossoms about every three or four inches of vine. I'm a novice gardener, but that seems like a ton of blossoms to me and I'm concerned I won't get any decent crop if I leave them all on there.

Other advice I've seen online has been conflicting, so I'm hoping someone here can shed some light on this.

Thanks!


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## Moboiku

I never do. The first flowers to appear are the male flowers. Later, the female flowers will bloom. You can tell the difference because male flowers have no baby cucumber attached, while females have a tiny bud of a cucumber under the blossom. The female flower needs to be pollinated in order for that baby cucumber to grow, so if you pinch off all the male flowers, you'll have pollination difficulties later.


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## geo in mi

No. The male ones, as stated, will do their job of making pollen and then fall off. Then, as the cucumbers develop, you have to keep them picked before they get too big. If not picked regularly, the vine will stop producing early. If you get tons of small ones, then you have planted pickling cucumbers and you'll need to get the pickling crock ready............ 

Happy eating

geo


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## MidwestMatthew

One article I read said to pinch off the male flowers, as failure to do so would make the cucumbers unbearably bitter. Evidently that is not the case...glad I checked here first!


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## geo in mi

Bitterness usually comes from erratic watering and dryness, or with misshapen and incomplete growth(which comes from lack of pollination)--the bees and insects didn't do their job.....

geo


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## COSunflower

I never do!!! Let nature take it's course.  Sounds like you will have LOTS of cucumbers!!! Keep them well watered and they won't be bitter.


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## Declan

geo in mi said:


> Bitterness usually comes from erratic watering and dryness, or with misshapen and incomplete growth(which comes from lack of pollination)--the bees and insects didn't do their job.....
> 
> geo


May dad's family always said that if a cucumber is bitter, it is because you peeled it from the wrong direction.


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## stanb999

Proper cucumber pruning is essential for maximum yields.

You remove all blossoms for the first 4-6 leaves or about 24" of vine. 
remove all lateral growth from the vine till it reaches the top of your trellis system. Then leave two suckers to grow back down. 

Here is a nice video from Johnny's seed

[YOUTUBE]TGkFJh5bKGg[/YOUTUBE]


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## geo in mi

Declan said:


> May dad's family always said that if a cucumber is bitter, it is because you peeled it from the wrong direction.


What if you don't peel it, and just slice it? 

geo


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## geo in mi

"Proper cucumber pruning is essential for maximum yields." stanb999

This may be the conflicting information that MidwestMatthew was talking about. I could agree with you if he were growing his cucumbers under greenhouse conditions, if they were a vine type and not bush or pickling cucumbers, or perhaps a hybrid specifically meant for commercial production. I might also agree if he were growing in a SF situation and had pre-built a climbing structure for them---AND if he were experienced enough to know or learn about pruning them. 

But by his own self admission, this is not the case--at least for this season. I still advise him to let well enough alone....and study up and perhaps plan and build a climbing structure for next season. He probably would have a lot of fun doing so. This summer, let's let him enjoy the taste of some mouth watering home grown cucumbers....

geo


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## MidwestMatthew

I actually have the trellis in place and the vines are about two feet up it. I'm growing Marketmore 78 and a similar variety (can't remember the name offhand). I do recognize the suckers and could prune them if I knew it was the best thing to do, but I'm concerned that I may have waited too long.

If it's not too late to prune, I could do it this afternoon. But I'd rather leave them alone and get some produce than make a newbie mistake and kill the vines.

Maybe I'll just prune a couple and see what happens. I have 16 plants and only our family to feed, so there should be plenty unless I really goof something up, right? 

(Of course, I'm the guy who managed to kill zucchini of all things a couple weeks ago...)


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## stanb999

geo in mi said:


> "Proper cucumber pruning is essential for maximum yields." stanb999
> 
> This may be the conflicting information that MidwestMatthew was talking about. I could agree with you if he were growing his cucumbers under greenhouse conditions, if they were a vine type and not bush or pickling cucumbers, or perhaps a hybrid specifically meant for commercial production. I might also agree if he were growing in a SF situation and had pre-built a climbing structure for them---AND if he were experienced enough to know or learn about pruning them.
> 
> But by his own self admission, this is not the case--at least for this season. I still advise him to let well enough alone....and study up and perhaps plan and build a climbing structure for next season. He probably would have a lot of fun doing so. This summer, let's let him enjoy the taste of some mouth watering home grown cucumbers....
> 
> geo


My main contention is most home gardeners do what they feel works and they end up with a crop, like a basket full from these dozen plants and use that to justify their methods. They have no idea that a cucumber plant with proper care will produce several pounds each and their "dozen" plants could have produced a few bushels of cucumbers. If proper care is given most families need 5 or 6 slicing and pickling types maybe 8-12 pickle style if they can a lot. A 6 foot row can bury you.

I say give the true and correct advise and let folks do with it as they will. Most will get closer to proper care and get 2 times the production they would have had just letting the plants grow wild. Not to mention the fact that the fruits are very easily forgotten or lost in a mass of foliage.


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## stanb999

MidwestMatthew said:


> I actually have the trellis in place and the vines are about two feet up it. I'm growing Marketmore 78 and a similar variety (can't remember the name offhand). I do recognize the suckers and could prune them if I knew it was the best thing to do, but I'm concerned that I may have waited too long.
> 
> If it's not too late to prune, I could do it this afternoon. But I'd rather leave them alone and get some produce than make a newbie mistake and kill the vines.
> 
> Maybe I'll just prune a couple and see what happens. I have 16 plants and only our family to feed, so there should be plenty unless I really goof something up, right?
> 
> (Of course, I'm the guy who managed to kill zucchini of all things a couple weeks ago...)



Seeing as you don't mind the hybrids... Next year look into gynoecious/ parthenocarpic varieties. The yields possible from "newer" hybrids are incredible. These two produce massively in a greenhouse, but nearly equally well outside if conditions are good.

I'm growing these this year
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-8854-excelsior.aspx

Most of the nodes have 3 fruits instead of the usual 1 and it spends no effort on male flowers. 
and for slicing..

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-8483-corinto.aspx
These are producing 2 full size cucumbers a week each plant.

I have added photos of these varieties in my hoop house right now. You will note that they are both making more than one fruit per node and the pickle one has 4 isn't it crazy!!!



P.S. It's not to late to prune the suckers. They will sap energy from the plant that could be going to fruit production.


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## Declan

geo in mi said:


> What if you don't peel it, and just slice it?
> 
> geo


Then it will never be bitter :icecream:


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