Look closely at the flowers. Cucumbers make male and female flowers, and only the female ones become cucumbers. Early in the season I often get mostly male flowers.
Why do my cucumber plants grow lots of leaves but very few cucumbers?
#backyard#gardening#home & garden#plants#real experience#vegetable garden
My cucumber vines look strong and leafy, but I'm not getting many actual cucumbers. Is this a pollination issue, fertilizer problem, or am I missing something simple?
AI Summary
Replies pointed to pollination, too much nitrogen, and the difference between male and female cucumber flowers. Users recommended checking for female flowers and encouraging pollinators before changing everything.
Answers & Discussion
Pollination was my issue. I started planting flowers nearby and stopped spraying anything around the garden, and the cucumber harvest improved.
Too much rich fertilizer can make vines grow like crazy with fewer cucumbers. I learned that the hard way with compost and nitrogen-heavy feed.
You can hand pollinate if you are not seeing bees. It sounds complicated, but it only takes a small brush and a few minutes in the morning.
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