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Cucurbits

13 Apr 2018

By Penny Ossowski

 

female flower of zucchini

The most commonly grown cucurbits in the home garden are zucchini, pumpkins, cucumbers, squash, melons and gourds. At this time of year on radio, television and even at our BOGI meetings the following questions are often asked ‘how do I tell the difference between the male and female flowers?’ and ‘why are the baby fruit shrivelling and/or falling off?’

 

‘how do I tell the difference between the male and female flowers?’

·        the female flower has a small fruit behind the flower

·        male flowers have a spike (anther) in the centre of them while the female flower has a small fruit at the back of the flower and its centre (pistil) is like a small clenched fist.

male flower of zucchini

 

‘why are the baby fruit shrivelling and/or falling off?’

·        most likely the fruit has not been pollinated, sometimes it can be caused by a nutrient deficiency, pest attack or unsuitable weather

pollinating fruit/flowers (these flowers only open for a short time on one day)

·        usually done by bees but sometimes there is a shortage of bees, the weather is wet or even too hot

·        carry out by hand preferably in the early morning using a paintbrush or feather brush across the spike (anther) in the male flower and brush this across the centre (pistil) of the female flower or break the male flower from the plant, strip the petal from the flower and brush the centre (anther) across the centre (pistil) of the female flower.

 

You will know within 2 or 3 days if the pollination was successful as the fruit will become noticeably larger.

 

Don’t despair if your plants start with all male flowers or all female flowers, this is normal. This is why you always have a few plants grouped together to increase the possibility of having male and female flowers at the same time.

 

Buy from a large range of cucumber seed online at Eden Seeds. For lovers of cucumbers the warmer months are a good time to add them to your garden.


 

Click the seed variety name for more information.
Eden
Packet $3.90
5g $6.00
20g $23.00
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Cucumber - Lebanese Out of Stock
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
5g $9.50
Select Organic
Packet $4.40
Eden
Packet $3.90
Select Organic
Packet $4.40
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
10g $9.00
Eden
Packet $3.90
Cucumber - Suyo Long Out of Stock
Eden
Packet $3.90

 

Click the seed variety name for more information.
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Pumpkin - Baby Blue Out of Stock
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $4.20
5g $7.00
20g $25.20
Select Organic
Packet $4.40
20g $20.50
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
10g $19.00
Eden
Packet $3.90
20g $13.00
Eden
Packet $3.90
10g $7.70
20g $15.40
50g $35.00
Select Organic
Packet $4.40
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
20g $11.00
50g $25.00
100g $42.00
1kg $250.00
Select Organic
Packet $4.40
20g $40.00
Click the seed variety name for more information.
Eden
Packet $3.90
5g $6.50
20g $7.50
50g $14.70
100g $24.90
400g $90.50
Eden
Packet $3.90
5g $6.50
20g $14.00
50g $32.00
Eden
Packet $3.90
5g $6.50
20g $15.70
Eden
Packet $3.90
Select Organic
Packet $4.40
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $3.90
5g $6.50
20g $15.00
50g $35.00
Click the seed variety name for more information.
Eden
Packet $3.90
20g $9.50
100g $42.75
Eden
Packet $3.90
5g $6.50
20g $10.55
Eden
Packet $4.20
5g $6.50
20g $20.80
Eden
Packet $3.90
Eden
Packet $4.20
5g $6.50
20g $9.00
100g $30.00
Eden
Packet $4.20
Eden
Packet $3.90
5g $6.50
20g $10.55
100g $48.00
Eden
Packet $3.90
5g $6.50
20g $11.25
Select Organic
Packet $4.40
20g $17.50
50g $40.00
400g $140.00
Click the seed variety name for more information.
Click the seed variety name for more information.
Eden
Packet $3.90
10g $8.00
Select Organic
Packet $4.40
Eden
Packet $3.90
Click the seed variety name for more information.
Eden
Packet $3.90
Squash, Winter - Gem Out of Stock
Eden
Packet $4.20
Select Organic
Packet $4.40
Click the seed variety name for more information.
Eden
Packet $3.90
Gourd - Tiny Bottle Out of Stock
Eden
Packet $3.90

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