Growing Cucumbers, Baby Cukes Failing.

[Cider]

Growing Cukes for the 1st time, there outside and growing well, loads of both male and female flowers and baby Cukes.

My problem is, after about a week of what looks like good cuke growth, they then start to die, brownish and shrivelled , so the fruit is aborting.

I thought it may be a pollination issue, so used little brush in attempt to pollinate, but I can't see any pollen what so ever.. I have tickled them all, but they still failing.

The variety is Vorgebigstauber , a small Cuke.

Anyone got angry idea., why this may be happening?

Thanks

[Buenchico]

I freely admit that I no next to nothing about gardening in general (and absolutely nothing at all about growing cucumbers) but that nice Mr Google finds a vast number of links all agreeing with your conjecture that it's a pollination problem.

Digging a bit deeper though, to work out where you've been going wrong, has proved a bit trickier but I wonderd if you realise that you must only use fresh pollen, as it's only viable for just one day.

Quote:
"Learning to recognize the difference between male and female flowers is the most important aspect of hand pollination of cucumbers. Both grow on the same plant. Male flowers differ in appearance from female flowers by having shorter stems and growing in clusters of three to five, while the female flower blooms singly; alone, one per stalk. Female flowers contain a small ovary in the center; male flowers lack this. The female flower will have a small fruit at the base of her stem. When hand pollinating cucumbers, use only fresh male flowers. Flowers open in the morning and pollen is only viable during that day.

Locate the yellow pollen inside of male flowers. Remove the pollen with a small, clean artist’s brush or break the flower off and carefully remove the petals. Roll the yellow pollen on the male anther onto the stigma in the center of the female flower. Pollen is sticky, so expect cucumber plant pollination to be a tedious and painstaking process. One male anther can pollinate several females. When completed, you have accomplished cucumber plant pollination. This process should be repeated for effective hand pollination of cucumber."

Source: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/cucumber/hand-pollinating-cucumbers.htm

Youtube also seems to have loads of videos demonstrating the technique.

[Cider]

Ohh, thanks for that

I had read that before, but did miss the bit about the flower pollen only lasting one day, I was under the impression I had to catch a Male flower opening in a morning to use pollen from it, but I didn't get round to doing the pollen thing till late afternoon.. Will try tomorrow morning.

Thanks Buenchico

[douglas9401]

No idea why it's happening but I do know that the boss had great success with her first season of growing in growbags in the greenhouse.

All she did was provide string for the plants to climb, watered liberally and fed every couple of days with Tomorite.

[rowanwitch]

Is it an outdoor variety? I have done really well with la diva and mini munch both mini varieties. They really need a very sheltered spot and an even water supply. Most cucumbers are greenhouse types

[rowanwitch]

Forgot. The varieties mentioned are for out doors and plants are still available in garden centres

[TonyV]

cider are you watering and feeding well? What I do is to sink a 6" pot beside the plant and water into that, so that more water and feed gets to the roots. Same with tomato plants. Both are 90% water and you need to water consistently.