Cucumber baby F1

[veggiechicken]

If its All female it doesn't need a pollinator.

[quanglewangle]

If its All female it doesn't need a pollinator.

So its Parthenocarpic. Why don't they just say so.
Thanks VC

[veggiechicken]

As I understand it, Parthenocathy is something different again.
Don't know if this helps -
https://seminis-us.com/resources/agr...its-cucumbers/

[veggiechicken]

Here's an old thread about Parthenocarpy.........https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...rpy_87567.html
I'm not much wiser now but I don't bother with "ordinary" cukes in the GH - in fact, I only grow Beth Alpha and the jury is out on whether that's an F1 or not (depends on who is selling it).

[Mamzie]

F1 cues are usually bred to produce female flowers only - if they are pollinated by a Male flower they are often inedible. Really bitter.

I grew White Wonder in 2018, have never tasted a cucumber as bitter as that was - could that have been down to pollination please Scarlet?

I haven't grown it since, but still have spare seeds as hate throwing them away

[quanglewangle]

I think so-called all female are really parthenocarpic varieties

As I understand it, Parthenocathy is something different again.
Don't know if this helps -
https://seminis-us.com/resources/agr...its-cucumbers/

I have seen this link and indeed it forms the basis of my scant understanding of the topic. It says of gynoecious (all female) varieties:

The female flowers of gynoecious varieties still need to be fertilized with pollen from male flowers, so a certain percentage of monoecious plants need to be planted along with the gynoecious plants to serve as pollenizers.

and of parthenocarpic varieties:

In addition to gynoecious and monoecious varieties, there is also a third type of cucumber variety, parthenocarpic varieties. Unlike the gynoecious and monoecious varieties, which require pollination to produce fruit, parthenocarpic varieties produce fruit without the need for pollination.

So I think the seed companies sell parthenocarpic cucumbers as "all female" so as not to confuse us poor innocent gardeners.

[quanglewangle]

I grew White Wonder in 2018, have never tasted a cucumber as bitter as that was - could that have been down to pollination please Scarlet?

I haven't grown it since, but still have spare seeds as hate throwing them away

I think this is further evidence that so called all-female varieties are really parthenocarpic

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/selfpo...ers-43527.html has this to say:

Plants that produce long, seedless cucumbers originated in European greenhouses and are termed parthenocarpic, which means they yield cucumbers without pollination. These cucumber plants must be grown in greenhouses to exclude bees because pollination causes their cucumbers to become misshapen and bitter.

[veggiechicken]

Parthenocarphy seems to mean "seedless" whilst all-female cukes produce seeds but the seeds from an F1 plant will not grow the same as the parent.

[Mamzie]

Just confused myself even more reading the reviews about white wonder cuc - its reccommended for growing outside and mine was in GH, opposite a Cucamelon (was also bitter...) Could they have crossed?

I do have spare seed of each, but was really put off them both

https://www.burpee.com/vegetables/cu...rod002007.html

[veggiechicken]

I remember that thread too but can't find it!

[Mamzie]

ty both, Have just posted a thread asking for advice - thinking now the greenhouse door is opposite our fishpond and I never removed any flowers. The white wonder was terrible x

[veggiechicken]

I'm sure there was a thread before where I complained bitterly! They were also a white variety but produced male flowers and taking them off were a nightmare. I've only grown F1 since - usually a mini variety / mini munch and telegraph improved or something similar. Always in the Green house.

This one maybe? https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ers_91033.html

[Bren In Pots]

I'm not much wiser now but I don't bother with "ordinary" cukes in the GH - in fact, I only grow Beth Alpha and the jury is out on whether that's an F1 or not (depends on who is selling it).

I also grow Beth Alpha along with Burpless Tasty Green in my GH I leave them to do its own thing never removing male flowers.

[Mark Rand]

Separating open polinated cucumbers from others?

Am I right in thinking that it's a good idea to keep open pollinated cucumbers separated from 'all female' and similar varieties? Especially any which specifically state that male flowers should be removed, if produced, to avoid bitter fruit.

[quanglewangle]

Am I right in thinking that it's a good idea to keep open pollinated cucumbers separated from 'all female' and similar varieties? Especially any which specifically state that male flowers should be removed, if produced, to avoid bitter fruit.

Yes, that's right.