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Vegetable Gardening

cucumbers not producing

8 years ago

Spring crop of cucumbers did fair,with too much rain. Planted second crop a month later than first and they grew and spread like wildfire,leaves were dark green and had lots of yellow buds,but only got maybe 10 cucumbers. Does this sound like a pollination problem,as have not seen many bees? Will send soil sample and have it checked. In the past,but not the last 2 years,have mixed horse manure(at least 2 years old). Your thoughts on that also. thanks John

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Comments (3)

Ohiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
8 years ago
My thought is that horse manure is high in nitrogen and fruiting crops, like cucumbers, that get too much nitrogen can grow big and be darker green than average, but produce fewer fruits. My neighbor heavily amended his raised bed with well rotted horse manure and nothing else and got huge tomato plants with very few tomatoes.
Ohiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
8 years ago
Whoops. I reread your question and see that you haven't added horse manure for the last two years. In that case, it may be time to add some balanced fertilizer or compost. I believe cucumbers are pretty heavy feeders and your earlier crop may have depleted the soil.
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More than likely the developing small fruit are dropping prematurely for some reason. The most likely cause is heat or lack of moisture but there could be a fungal disease involved if you have adequate soil moisture. Look closely at the developing fruit to see if any part of the small fruits are brown in color or shriveled and see if they drop off when touched. Even without noticable bees you should still be having many flowers pollinated by sweat bees and other small insects. Production may take a little longer but if you are in the same drought as we are you need to water the plants or you won't get a decent crop.
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The male flower is good only for the day anyway and the female flower will only be open for the day, so I see no reason not to pluck the male flower. I also do it wit a paint brush but then i get all sorts of polling on the paint brush and it is awful if I am going to save seed. The squashes and the cukes get all mixed up with each over. They might get that way anyway. The Natural Gardener (Austin) plant lady recommended that way to me. My paint brush is usually down the hill in my wood shop and not where I need it. The flower is right there, so that is what I do.
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jidusek
Original Author
8 years ago
Second crop planted in other part of garden.\,but you are probably right. Yesterday did see about 6 bees getting a drink in dogs water bowl,first I have seen this year.

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