Most of the posts I've read are about parthenocarpic squash which don't need pollination and can be covered to protect them from SVB.

I've planted 4 different parthenocarpic squash this year and two of them haven't really done much. Sometimes squash can look good and just not produce.......bees or not.

I'm going to pull mine and start over in case the plants are just not any good.

It would be nice if the seed packs of these type squash made sure people understood what was needed to insure at least some squash.

And then there is this from another reputable source. Link at the bottom.

"Seedless or parthenocarpic cucumbers are another distinctive type. The plants are gynoecious with a fruit borne at each axil (Figure II.C.6.7). They are grown on a trellis in protected, screened culture to prevent bees from introducing foreign pollen, which would cause seeds to develop. Fruits are long, straight, smooth, thin-skinned, and medium to dark-green in color. A slightly restricted "neck" at the stem end of the fruit serves to readily identify this unique type."

I guess the question is still open. It just depends on which reputable source you want to believe.

Ted

http://www.cambridge.org/us/Books/kiple/cucumbers.htm

Hi Ted,
I'm beginning to think that gynoecious and parthenocarpic are two distinct things - one refering to whether a plant produces all/mostly female flowers, and the other to whether the fruit can develop without pollination.

All very interesting!

Tracey

You are correct two different things. The parthenocarpic (seedless) cultivars were designed for green house production, but some of them have spilled over into the open market. Gynoecious were designed for field production, the concept being better yields. These do need to to be pollinated, so a male flowering type must be available.

Hi, I'm writing from the coast of Oregon, growing cucumbers in a greenhouse. (at least that is the plan.) I made the mistake of not recording exactly what type of cucumber seed I have planted in my greenhouse, and I am experiencing something I've not seen addressed; hope you can help me. The vigorously growing plants produced *only* female flowers for nearly two weeks, leaving me confident I had a seedless type... until last week when I found they are producing male flowers as well. What to do with the male flowers? It seems the answer would depend on what type of seed I used.
I do not know if I should remove them, or use them to pollinate the female flowers. I have looked to see if any of the ovaries from the female flowers have fallen off; one or two have, but the others appear to be growing Ok... so far.
As you can read, I've really placed myself in a "pickle" here. (Sorry, couldn't resist that pun)
Any advice would be most welcome!
Thank you,
Lisa McB

I may have found the answer, it appears I have predominately female plants and that I should remove the male flowers. I sure hope that's the right answer.

http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~bcohen/cucumbers/greenhouse.html

"There are three types of the European seedless cucumber. They are subdivided by the flowering habit: (1) the all female, which produces only female or pistillate flowers; (2) the gynoecious, which is predominantly female with some male or staminate flowers appearing; (3) the monecious, which has both male and female flowers. All of these three types produceee fruit parthenocarpically, but the monoecious and predominantly female can produce seeds and, therefore, bees must be kept out of the greenhouses or the male flowers should be removed as soon as they become visible and prior to opening. The monecious types, which continuously produce male or staminate flowers, are not recommended. Predominantly female types can be used with confidence. The few male flowers that develop, however, should be removed. The all female type is recommended, since they produce no male flowers. "

Here is a link that might be useful: B's Cucumber pages

Hi There....!
Can anybody please tell me the most outstanding gynoecious cucumbers varieties?
I do seed business and need to know the actual breeder of the variety to get in touch with them for my needs.
Awaiting anxiously.

I'm not sure if that B's page is correct. Monoecious is the standard typical cuke. Are standard cukes really parthenocarpic? I don't believe so. Also, not all gynoecious are parthenocarpic and not all parthenocarpic are gynoecious...

Most cucumbers ( most cucurbits for that matter) require pollination to set fruits. Parthenocarpic varieties are the exception. They form seedless fruits without being pollinated .If they are pollinated the set seeds. Most modern varieties of hybrid commercial slicing cucumbers for field growing are gynoecious. Parthenocarpic varieties are intended for green house or tunnel conditions. Seminis, Syngenta, HM Clause etc are the major developers. Bristol, Dasher II, Diomede, Slice More, SV4719 CS are some of the gynoecious varieties that I have grown.