In the Cucurbitaceae family, cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) are a fast-growing annual crop. Upon reaching maturity, cucumbers take around 45 days to produce elongated, green fruits that are 6 to 8 inches long and 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide. The optimal time to plant cucumbers in a temperate Mediterranean climate is from March to June. Fruits of high quality are produced by proper pollination and moisture, but issues like malformed fruits or cucumbers with narrow midsections point to less than optimal growth circumstances.
My Cucumbers Are Skinny in the Middle
Incorrect pollination
Weak pollination is frequently to blame for the deformed cucumbers with narrow centers. Flowers on cucumber plants can be male or female. For pollen to be transferred from the male flower to the female flower, which is necessary for fruit development, honeybees and other insects are required. Cucumber fruits grow warped and harvest yields are low if there are not enough pollinating insects present or if pollinators are not active. The use of chemical goods in the garden has a significant impact on the quantity of pollinating insects. Consider using organic methods of fertilization and pest management to maintain your plants’ nutritional needs and keep them free of pests without compromising the presence of pollinators.
Knowing that honeybee activity is lowest in cool, rainy weather—which is common in coastal climates with heavy rainfall—will help you grow cucumbers at the right time of year. Early spring through early summer are the optimum times to harvest cucumbers. Too-high temperatures can also prevent pollination from happening, however this is rarely a problem in a temperate Mediterranean climate.
What’s Cross Pollination And Self-Pollination
Cucumbers that are monoecious have flowers that are both male and female. You should have no trouble getting your plants to produce normal-shaped, high-quality fruits as long as pollinating insects are available and active.
Although some monoecious seeds are included in the seed packets to ensure the presence of male flowers, gynoecious cucumber plants are often hybrids that produce primarily female flowers. When cultivating these kinds of cucumbers, it’s crucial to avoid removing seeds of various hues or seedlings with unusual appearances when thinning out your plants because these will generate the male flowers required for pollination. Parthenocarpic cucumbers are self-pollinating kinds that should not be combined with other varieties that require cross-pollination since the outcome will be slender or irregular fruits.
How to Grow and Plant Cucumbers
Because they are delicate, cucumbers need a lengthy, hot growing season. To extend the growing season and keep the ground warm later in the fall, cover the ground with black plastic mulch in the early spring. Cucumbers are shallow rooted plants that require regular irrigation, especially after they start to develop fruit, according to the University of Illinois. Cucumbers should be picked before they turn yellow. Yellow cucumbers should not be let to rot on the vine as they will prevent the development of younger fruit.
