To pollinate or not to pollinate ... that is the question

[DeeBee]

Hi

I bought a Telegraph Improved Cucumber plant and it's doing really well. It's about 3' high and has about 6 flowers (male I think) and has just given birth to it's first female (only know as it has a baby cucumber beneath the flower). I'm currently growing it on my window ledge but it's obviously going to get too large and I'd like to put it outside in June/July. I mention where I'm growing the plant as I understand that this can make a difference to my pollination question.

And to the real query ... I can't understand whether I should be pollinating the females, removing the males, etc. Some articles appear to say that I should remove the male flowers immediately so that the females aren't pollinated as this results in bitter fruit. Other articles go into great detail about how to pollinate ... so which is it? I've trawled the internet but get contradictory information.

This is my first attempt at growing a cucumber (well actually I tried last year but my golden retriever ended up running around the garden with it) so I'd like to 'get it right'. Is tomato feed OK also?

Many thanks for your help.

[ChoccyCarole]

oooooh DeeBee ...I look forward to all the replies to your questions

years ago in Sydney ~one year I MADE a 14 x by 4 foot ~garden area
~on part of my- ALL -CONCRETE- Sunny back Yard

and ..I grew my first ever seedling vegetable my one and only cucumber plant ~
and it did amazingly well .....with enough delicious long cucumbers to feed a neighbourhood
Until I read your post here...
I thought ALL it needed was sunshine adequate watering and some trellis for it to latch onto and spread ~and by golly IT DID

It was a total joy to see how they grow and develop

Since then I eventually moved back to the UK and had 10 years in my previous place with a newfound ~big glorious outdoor hobby~
growing masses of lovely varied and gorgeously colourful plants / shrubs each year
~in well over 200 outdoor containers and umpteen baskets ~with lots of scented and beautiful border climbers and shrubs
but I never grew plants there, that could be eaten

This year I am rekindling a interest in my huge garden~after 6 years of it becoming An 8 foot high very Thick~ BRAMBLE Forest
I have got cucumbers growing ~and many more vegetables

good luck and happy growing xx

[ChoccyCarole]

It will be good to know~what the latest lovely cucumber plants require this summer

[Lesley Jay]

Hi DeeBee, with Telegraph Improved you need to remove all the male flowers before they open to prevent pollination and bitter tasting cucumbers. This variety is best grown in a greenhouse so be sure to put it in a nice sun trap outside!

All cucumber varieties are different some must have the male flowers removed and with others you leave all the flowers on the plant. If you are not sure, please do ask!!

[DavidT]

I agree with Lesley, remove the male flowers, if they have opened also remove the female flower/embryo. Telegraph Improved is a greenhouse variety, so, if planting outside, give it as much protection as possible. If you have to grow a cucumber outside you are better off going for a ridge cucumber, these varieties DO need pollinating.

[DeeBee]

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to respond and I'm going to de-flower all the males immiedately (I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere). I think I've only got one little 'cumber currently so hopefully not too much damage done.

Cheers!

[DavidT]

Check the plant daily for male flowers.