Cross pollinating

HollerinRat · July 12, 2011

I know you can pollinate squash with zucchini but I was wondering about cucumbers. Could I also use zucchini pollen for them? None of my male cucumber flowers seem to have any pollen. I think it may have been eaten by bugs. I've sprayed my plants but there were bugs down in the flowers. They sorta looked like tiny thread-like tan worms. Any ideas?

DiggingDogFarm · July 12, 2011

No.
Zuccumbers are not an option.

~Dig

bcday · July 12, 2011

Zucchini can't pollinate cucumbers.

Elizabeth · July 17, 2011

I'm having trouble with insects eating my pollen this year too (very weird, I've never seen it before), but in my case it's jillions of little black flies.

Try going out first thing in the morning when the blooms have just opened, you will have a better chance of finding pollen in the male flowers.

David Marek · July 23, 2011

Thrips get into flowers before they open. They are hard to kill with sprays at that point. Sometimes predatory insects keep the thrip population down, but since you need pollen now, early morning scouting sounds worthwhile. Growing a few different varieties together seems to help increase pollination in general. Hopefully your plants will turn the corner in time for some cucumbers.

July 12, 2011	#1
HollerinRat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Utah Posts: 12	Cross pollinating I know you can pollinate squash with zucchini but I was wondering about cucumbers. Could I also use zucchini pollen for them? None of my male cucumber flowers seem to have any pollen. I think it may have been eaten by bugs. I've sprayed my plants but there were bugs down in the flowers. They sorta looked like tiny thread-like tan worms. Any ideas?

July 17, 2011	#4
Elizabeth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: San Diego Coastal - Zone 10b Posts: 204	I'm having trouble with insects eating my pollen this year too (very weird, I've never seen it before), but in my case it's jillions of little black flies. Try going out first thing in the morning when the blooms have just opened, you will have a better chance of finding pollen in the male flowers. __________________ Elizabeth If I'm going to water and care for a plant it had better give me food, flowers or shade.

July 12, 2011	#2
DiggingDogFarm Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New York State Posts: 286	No. Zuccumbers are not an option. ~Dig

July 12, 2011	#3
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	Zucchini can't pollinate cucumbers.

July 23, 2011	#5
David Marek Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: St Charles, IL zone 5a Posts: 142	Thrips get into flowers before they open. They are hard to kill with sprays at that point. Sometimes predatory insects keep the thrip population down, but since you need pollen now, early morning scouting sounds worthwhile. Growing a few different varieties together seems to help increase pollination in general. Hopefully your plants will turn the corner in time for some cucumbers.