Do I need to pollinate cucumber & courgette plants ??

[Lissy]

I'm growing several cucumber and courgette plants in my sunny atti

room. I have noticed though that:

a) little cucumbers are growing followed by flowers - do I need to d some pollinating for them to develop further ? Are the flowers male o female ???

b) I have a few courgette flowers, but nothing resembling a courgette Do I need to break into these flowers and do some pollination for the to fruit ???? Is the sex - ie male or female predetermined ???? If s why do I need to pollinate ????

This is my 1st year of growing these so would like some success !!!!!! Any help greatly appreciated Liss

-- Lissy

[Displayed name]

Which sort of cukes - gynoecious, if they are hybrid (for sallad) like that polination is counterproductive, these little cukes with flower on top are female flowers, leave those, but flowers without cukes beneath them remove from a plant-these are male fl.

[Steve]

If you see a small cucumber behind the flower, those are female flowers. If there are no male flowers, I would hope that you have one of the varieties that neither produce nor need male flowers for the cucumbers to form.

You need to pollinate because you want the plant to grow something for you to eat! If you see no miniature courgette behind the flower (the same as when you see the small cucumber behind those flowers) , then you are only getting male flowers so far. (Male flowers often come first on these plants.) Female flowers come later if the plant is getting enough light and is doing well other wise. Pollinate the female flowers!

Steve

[Andy Petro]