Should I remove cucumber flowers?
Written by
Paul Reynolds
Reviewed by
Prof. Samuel Fitzgerald, Ph.D.Male cucumber flowers have only one function: to pollinate. Female flowers will produce fruits after pollination. For most varieties, you need both males and females. Certain seedless types such as Diva cucumbers can set fruit even in the absence of male flowers, so the wide scale removal of males will save energy. In my greenhouse, I remove 30% of males each week to increase cucumber yield.
Male vs. Female Identification
- Male: Thin stem, appears first
- Female: Swollen base (future fruit)
- Ratio: 10-15 males per female early on
Pruning Guidelines
- Remove males only for parthenocarpic types
- Never cut females or hermaphroditic blooms
- Use sterilized scissors to prevent disease
Parthenocarpic Varieties
- Diva: Self-pollinating, 90% fruit set
- Socrates: Greenhouse-optimized
- Sweet Success: No pollination needed
In outdoor gardens, leave some male flowers intact to entice pollinators. My Diva plants produced 18 fruits per vine without male flowers versus the standard types, which produced 12 fruits. There's a balance to be found, as too much pruning can stress the plants and reduce flower production. I record the number of flowers each week in a garden journal, monitoring the ratio of female to male flowers.
Investigate flower drop issues by examining temperature and nutrients. Night temperatures below 55°F will cause flower drop. Apply phosphorus-rich fertilizer at the onset of flower development. I use 5-10-5 NPK in granule form every three weeks. If bees are low in the area, hand-pollinate flowers by using a small brush to transfer pollen from flower to flower at midday.
Read the full article: How to Grow Cucumbers: Expert Tips for Beginners
