Cucumbers - Lots of Flowers... not many females or fruiting.

[cukes2009]

[img]https://www.pqGallery.com/sites/259412/reg/SNC00008.jpg[/img]

I've got some cucumbers growing for about 8 weeks now. They are growing good... running up a trellis.

Now I know you've got more male flowers then females in general, but I must have 50-75 flowers on these 3 plants and maybe 3-5 females. And those don't even seem to want to pollinate even after using manual pollination.

Any ideas on what might be going wrong? Deficiency issue? Just poor pollination?

Any input would be appreciated.

-Thanks

[rainbowgardener]

Check out this thread, someone else had a similar question:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9821

this was the basic answer:

Male cucumber flowers arrive before the female flowers and the male flowers do not produce the cucumbers. It may be a case of waiting for the femail flowers to arrive. The cucumbers need humid weather and lots of water to swell the fruits. It is obvious which flowers are the females as when they are flowering there is a very tiny cucumber behind it. Male flowers can be removed from the plant as they make the cucumbers produce seeds which make them bitter to the taste.

Here's another thread with more info on this question:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1544

[Earl K]

Cukes- I think if you give it time they will come.I'm also in central Fl. and I am starting to get small cukes on all my plants.Where in Fl. r-u.

[pensacola jim]

They are just fine I know it's hard but just be patient I am in north fla and all my cucs are starting to come in everywhere

[The Helpful Gardener]

Sorry PJ; my cukes are three inches tall and not doing much. No sympathy here, buddy...

HG

[cukes2009]

Cukes- I think if you give it time they will come.I'm also in central Fl. and I am starting to get small cukes on all my plants.Where in Fl. r-u.

I am in central FL as well. Been getting rain for the last 2 weeks straight... as you know. I am seeing a lot more females now, however they still are not growing... just shriveling up... even if I pollinate them by hand. I don't see many bees... but I do see some. What I do have are what appear to be very small ants... they are on the male flowers. Will there carry pollen to the females? Or should I be concerned about them?

I am willing to be patient and give it some more time, just wondering what it could be because the plants look great otherwise...