ARMENIAN Cukes

Does anyone know why I can't get my Armenian Cukes to pollunate? Do I need to have two?

These things have a bout the same culture as cantaloupes. They are insect pollinated, and you are probably chasing off your insects. Seriously you may have to break out the "Q-tips" and try hand pollinating, Because it is very likely a pollination problem, If they they have been blooming both male and female for any period of time.

well I haven't looked up any skirts or anything to see if male or female but have tons of blooms but no cukes. I'll whip out the q-tip in the morning and try to spread the wealth so to speak. Thanks Dill...

Well, go look. They usually start with a flourish of male blossoms a week to 10 days before the females appear. You can only hand pollinate females.

I've had blooms for weeks and weeks..maybe the ag engineer DH can point them out (yea right) will it hurt if I do the wrong ones? Might be easier for me to just pollinate them all. *LOL* this has been such a live and learn deal. Next year I'm getting nice easy plants to grow.

It is not "rocket" science. Female blooms will be on the end of a miniature cucumber.

Male flowers just look pretty, no baby fruit. The idea is to pick up pollen from the male flower and transfer it to to the female flower.

I don't have any mini cukes...that's what has me worried *LOL* hold on I'll run outside and take a picture. Ok did my best on this but the sun was not in the best place for me to be taking pictures of the blooms.

I hate being short..these are growing on the top of my cage I've made for my maters so hard for me to reach

If you don't have baby cukes, about all you can do at this point is be patient. When you have female blossoms and they are not pollinated, they grow just a little bit, then turn yellow and dry up and fall off if not pollinated. When that happens several times, then it is time to hand pollinate.

I'll give nature a helping hand. Maybe I can wait till night, light a candle put on some music...

This message was edited Jun 30, 2005 10:08 PM

well I've tried and I'm not getting any dust to move from one flower to another...

If you have females, then just brush the "Q" tip around in the male flowers. Pollen should stick to the tip. Then very gently brush the female flower. But you have to have female flowers. You can actually pick the male flowers and brush them on the females.

I'm know which is the females now they tend to be a lighter color and the petals are thinner but I've tried to mornings and not getting anything on my q-tip *sob* my cukes are sterile! I'll have the DH try since he can reach the ones on the top, and thanks for telling me about being able to pick the males, will make things much easier.

araness,

I could be totally wrong but in your 3rd photo (with a few flowers), it looks like the one on the very left (the little thing that doesn't even have a flower bud on it yet) and one in the middle look like female to me.

This is my 1st year growing Armenian cukes and I have noticed that they have tons more male flowers than the Japanese cukes I grew last year - I didn't count but maybe 15-20 males to 1 female. And they grow so fast and tall.

Anyway, from what I've found from my Armenian cuke, the tiny little cukes have fuzzies (I don't know what else to call it - very thin hair all over on them). It's harder to identify the females for sure cuz they don't look anything like regular cuke babies.

Maybe you can look for the fuzzy thingy?

tmm

I haven't looked for fuzzies I'll go check..this poor plant is going to feel so violated. I've pokes, peeked and prodded.

I got home now and took a photo of the fuzzies...
Here is one female fuzzy...

A little bigger fuzzy.
Has a smallish bloom that hasn't matured yet.

Actually, Armenian Cukes aren't really cucumbers at all. They're a relative of the Honeydew Melon! I grow 30 to 40 of these plants every year, and every year it seems like forever before the female flowers appear. Patience has never been one of my virtues, but gardening is sure teaching me that!

I don't think I have fuzzies! HUMF!

Well Saint,
I know nothing about what you guys are talking about!

My what's her name laughed when she read your
"I don't think I have fuzzies! HUMF!"
-
Said she had one and One was all she could stand!

Got rain last night after to long being dry.
Hoping for more!

lol I think I like what's her name *G*

We finally got rain also, I've moved the maters to under the porch so I can control the water since we are looking at rain for the next few days.

Ya'll have a nice 4th of July and think of me when you eat your fresh corn and stuff.

Saint

I HAVE FUZZIE!!! Please note that wasn't a plural. *LOL* one cuke is all I have but I'm darn happy with it.

And another...

YAY! A furry friend :-)

I don't know what kind of digi camera you have, but most likely, if you use a portrait or close-up on your digi camera, the camera will focus on things up front intead of focusing furthur away like your photos came out. (It took me a while to find this out - I was trying to take photos of bugs for identification but the pictures were so blurry that I couldn't see the bugs. Then I found out I had different settings on my camera :-0

tmm

I have a Sony Mavica that I really need to read the book for..lol I know zilch about it. I've been looking at my Stokes catalog and I see early bush cucumbers that I might try next year..

Yeah, armenian cukes seem to take a while to start. I have already had a few English cucumbers but no armenian cuke to harvest yet. I don't know how these furry things can become smooth skin cukes... Only time will tell.

It took me a while to figure out my digi too (Mine is Nikon 2500, I think).

tmm

I'm just not a read the book kinda gal so by the time I figure it out it will be time to get a new one..

araness...my cukes looked the same way...now those flowers turn into cukes...at least they did on mine!!!! See my new thread on my cukes!

araness,

the tiny furry Armenian cuke photos I took are swelling up now! Yay! I had a few duds (although I hand pollinated them) but now I have three that are finally getting big. It will probably be another couple of weeks until they get big enough for harvest, but I am glad to finally see some progress.

tmm

I have one that is growing, I might have two but it's getting harder to see since the foliage is starting to get bushy and it's taller than I am. Need to get a chair and look *G*. How long do they take to mature do you think? How long should I let them get?

Armenian Cukes will get to over three feet long and 3 to 5 inches in diameter. They are best harvested no longer than 18 inches and slightly larger than a silver dollar in diameter. If you trellis them, they grow straighter. Those on the ground tend to curl a lot more.

Someone I know grow Armenian cukes every year and she harvests them when they are about 1 foot long, maybe slightly longer and they taste wonderful. I didn't know the Armenian can get that big, but I think I will harvest them about the size my friend picks since they tasted really good at that size.

These cuke vines grow very very fast, don't they. And tons of side shoots too. I'm going to have to do something to contain them.

tmm

I'll have to take a picture of mine..even in this crappy (oops can I say crappy on DG?) container they seem to be doing alright.

araness,

That looks nice. Do the cukes hang down through the net for picking?

tmm

Nope they just lay on top, that frame is the "cage" I have on my porch for my tomatoes. I have netting attached to it to keep birds etc out and shade cloth on top to help with the sun and heat. The cukes just kept growing until I threaded it out of the netting to rest on top.

Ah, thanks for you explanation. That sounds like a good setup.

How are your Armenian? I thought I had three swelling cukes but it looks like only one took. The one is getting big really fast, at the half speed of zucchini growing (which is pretty fast).

I must tell you though that I am not having a good year overall cuke wise. It's probably the combination of things - variety I picked, fertilizer I used, weather.

Yours is looking great. My leaves on my Armenian are much smaller. I wish it got hotter here.

tmm

well I only have one and a million blooms. I hope to get a few at least but next year I'll be growing something more suited for this weather. I've never tasted this variety have you?

I have tasted Armenian cukes. Someone I know grows them. They are very good, in my opinion. Very mild and crispy. No skin at all really that you can peel. (dont' need to anyway)

So far, I have harvested two english cukes and one diva (they are not setting many fuit) and I really like the flavor of diva - very sweet - BUT both of them have skins too thick for my liking. I think I will do Tasty Jade (japanese non-bitter cuke) next year.

The verdict is still out on the Armenian cukes. I do really like the flavor. I hope it starts producing.

tmm