can anyone help?

[poohpouri]

Hi i'm growing Marketmore cucumber and was trying to find out if i need to remove male flowers?,I have had a look at plant today and seen 1 cucumber starting to grow.
also got melon growing - sugar baby(citrullis lanatris) does anyone know if i need to remove male flowers? as cucmber i have 1 melon growing so far thanks

[Lesley Jay]

Hi, I have always grown Marketmore cucumbers and you do not remove the male flowers!

[poohpouri]

Originally Posted by Lesley Jay

Hi, I have always grown Marketmore cucumbers and you do not remove the male flowers!

Thanks for the speedy reply
anyone know about melons?

[bantiekeeper]

Hi there,
I have not grown Marketmore cucumbers but always remove male flowers from my plants as I understood that the fruit is bitter if you leave them on to pollinate.
With regards to the melon you will need to hand pollinate these if you are growing in a greenhouse. Wait until 6 female flowers are open, each one on a seperate lateral. Remove mature male flower, fold back the petals and push gently into the heart of each female flower.
If you are growing them in a cold frame remove the lid and let the insects do the pollinationg for you. Replace lid at night. If the weather is wet and cold use the method described for the greenhouse.

[vegetable-gardener]

Lesley Jay: Why don't you remove the male flowers? I always thought the male made the cucumbers bitter.

[Lesley Jay]

Hi VG, Marketmore is an outdoor ridge variety of cucumber and it is important when growing outdoor varieties to leave both the male and female flowers on the plant for insect pollination.

The older varieties of greenhouse cucumbers need to have the male flowers removed because as you said the male flowers make the cucumbers bitter.

Newer varieties of greenhouse cucumbers produce all female flowers so there are no male flowers to remove although the odd male flower might appear and these do need removing.

[vegetable-gardener]

Thanks Lesley Jay.