Conspiracy Theory - Volunteers!

countrynaturals 9/17/2019, 4:54 pm

Once last year and twice this year, I have nurtured volunteers from the compost heap that had to have come from store-bought produce -- probably cucumbers. All 3 turned up in different locations, grew large and healthy, but only produced male blossoms (lots of them). Any chance they were deliberately altered to make them sterile? Is there any other explanation? None of my vine crops have done well this year, but this is ridiculous. Conspiracy Theory - Volunteers! 950477

OhioGardener 9/17/2019, 4:56 pm

CN, they most likely were hybrids, and could not reproduce.

countrynaturals 9/17/2019, 5:38 pm

OhioGardener wrote:CN, they most likely were hybrids, and could not reproduce.

Ah, that would explain it, and commercial growers probably use hybrids for their disease resistance. Okay, tomorrow I'm cutting down those puppies and planting something else. Razz

markqz 9/17/2019, 5:57 pm

Is it possible you need to wait longer?

New Mexico State University: The male flowers begin forming before the female flowers form. So, it is possible to have cucumbers blooming, but not producing fruit. The time between the first development of male flowers and the female flowers depends on plant variety and environmental conditions. Your problem may just be that the female blossoms have not formed yet.

countrynaturals 9/17/2019, 7:57 pm

markqz wrote:Is it possible you need to wait longer?

New Mexico State University: The male flowers begin forming before the female flowers form. So, it is possible to have cucumbers blooming, but not producing fruit. The time between the first development of male flowers and the female flowers depends on plant variety and environmental conditions. Your problem may just be that the female blossoms have not formed yet.

One plant has had blossoms for over a month, and last year I gave it the whole season, but I won't be gardening again until Thursday, so these babies can have one more day. Mad

countrynaturals 9/18/2019, 1:33 pm

countrynaturals wrote:
markqz wrote:Is it possible you need to wait longer?

New Mexico State University: The male flowers begin forming before the female flowers form. So, it is possible to have cucumbers blooming, but not producing fruit. The time between the first development of male flowers and the female flowers depends on plant variety and environmental conditions. Your problem may just be that the female blossoms have not formed yet.
One plant has had blossoms for over a month, and last year I gave it the whole season, but I won't be gardening again until Thursday, so these babies can have one more day.

Thanks, Mark. You were right. Here's a baby cuke on one of the volunteers.

Conspiracy Theory - Volunteers! Volunt16

markqz 9/19/2019, 2:49 pm

It might be in first gen hybrids females come first. I noticed that almost all of the squash hybrid flowers are female.

This cucumber just showed up today, even though no male flowers have shown up

Conspiracy Theory - Volunteers! MRGH6O0

**sanderson** 9/22/2019, 3:52 am

Interesting.

No_Such_Reality 9/22/2019, 11:14 am

countrynaturals wrote:Once last year and twice this year, I have nurtured volunteers from the compost heap that had to have come from store-bought produce -- probably cucumbers. All 3 turned up in different locations, grew large and healthy, but only produced male blossoms (lots of them). Any chance they were deliberately altered to make them sterile? Is there any other explanation? None of my vine crops have done well this year, but this is ridiculous.

Naturally occurring cucubrits start off with all male flowers then eventually switch to a combination. They also respond to heat, water or low.light stress by producing male flowers and hold off on female.flowers until environmental conditions improve.

plantoid 9/22/2019, 4:34 pm

That make a lot of sense it's been a dismal spring and early summer here in the UK .

Everything was a good month late , had several direct sowings fail to germinate . Those that I got going either in the heat & light cabinet or the heated glass house bed soon succumbed to the colder than usual nights when planted out ( most nights would normally have been frost free )

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