[kezlou]

Hello everyone,

Hope your all okay.
Picked the children's  first and only cucumber so far yesterday, the kids immediately hacked it in half. The first  half was delicious but the second half were bitter and horrible. No idea what the plant was called as i was just some seeds off a friend, the cucumber was an outdoor variety with spiky bits on the outside.

Does anyone have any ideas as to why it was so bitter?.

Thanks for looking

Kez

[mrs bouquet]

I think they might be ridge cucumbers which I have grown in the greenhouse fo he 1st time.  The label on the plant said to remove all the male flowers as they appear to stop the fruit going bitter so thats what I've been doing.  They haven't been bitter at all, although I do cut off the skin before eating.  Good luck.  Mrs Bouquet

[Rowan]

this might sound stupid, but how do you tell the difference between a male and female flower?

[DD.]

A female flower will have a small swelling behind it - an embryonic cucumber. The male flower just has a thin stem.

[kezlou]

Thanks for the advice regarding the cucumbers Mrs Bouquet. I'll try that with the male flowers.
As i doing "emergency surgery" on a tomato plant i noticed another cucumber its about 6 inches long. Should i take it off the plant now or leave it a bit longer? I know daft question its just i'm trying not be too eager  :oops: but can't help it  
Thanks DD about the male flowers off to have look at them now.

[Rowan]

like this one? i was meaning to ask about this



sorry for the hijak Kezlou

[kezlou]

No worries Roman, i was going to ask that question anyway!
That one by the way is a female plant i think, the bit at the back looks like a baby cucumber. I have a few of them on my plant now. Hope that helps.

[purplebean]

No worries Roman, i was going to ask that question anyway!
That one by the way is a female plant i think, the bit at the back looks like a baby cucumber. I have a few of them on my plant now. Hope that helps.

It's not a female plant, but it is a female flower. Each plant produces both male and female flowers  

[mrs bouquet]

I take them off at about 7 - 8 ins and when they have got nicely swollen, but if you think you've got a few all coming at once, then take  off a 6 ins one.  If you take off 2 or more they will keep well in the fridge wrapped in kitchen towel roll or paper bags.  Glad I could help.  Mrs Bouquet

[DD.]

No worries Roman, i was going to ask that question anyway!
That one by the way is a female plant i think, the bit at the back looks like a baby cucumber. I have a few of them on my plant now. Hope that helps.

It's not a female plant, but it is a female flower. Each plant produces both male and female flowers  

Not necessarily so. You can get F1 hybrids that are all female.

[mrs bouquet]

yes, the F1 "Fernspot" is a good example of a female only plant.  Mrs Bouquet

[DD.]

yes, the F1 "Fernspot" is a good example of a female only plant.  Mrs Bouquet

I think you mean "Femspot" - but close!

[mrs bouquet]

Oh its the old eyes playing up.  Mrs Bouquet

[purplebean]

Not necessarily so. You can get F1 hybrids that are all female.

You are just being pedantic we were discussing plants with both male and female flowers  

actually I have never grown an all female cucumber so they were not something I was thinking about  

[Sharon]

You don't need to take the male flowers off outdoor cucumbers, as long as they are grown outside.