Pruning Cucumber Vines

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cactusman8 San Marcos, TX(Zone 8b) Apr 20, 2008

I seem to recall a thread where it was recommended that cucumber vines be snipped off at a particular stage of growth to encourage branching and presumably increase production. If anyone can tell me what this recommendation was, I'd really like to hear from them as I now have 5-week old cucumbers from my first planting and would like to try this method out. Paul

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Horseshoe Efland, NC(Zone 7a) Apr 21, 2008

If you pinch off the main vine after you see 6 sets of leaves it'll cause side-shoots to grow. The more side shoots you have the more cukes.

Once fruit begins to form you can pinch out the growth one set of leaves beyond the cuke, which will again create more shoots.

Basically, the more side shoots you encourage the more cucumbers.

Hope you have a bumper harvest, cactusman!

Shoe

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cactusman8 San Marcos, TX(Zone 8b) Apr 22, 2008

Thank you very largely, Shoe! I can't believe I've been gardening all these years and never knew this. Oh well. It's like a very wise man once said, "If you don't learn something every day, then you must not be paying attention." My wife would also like to thank you since cucumbers are probably her favorite vegetable. Gotta run, now. I have a chance to pick up some free spoiled hay for mulch from a local farmer and friend, and when you garden in Texas, you never turn down free hay, unless it's Johnson grass! Paul

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Horseshoe Efland, NC(Zone 7a) Apr 22, 2008

Congrats on the spoiled hay..right there w/ya with that. (I'm getting some on a regular basis right now from a woman who has a goat; I get the bedding hay, complete with a dose of goat poo mixed in!)

Happy Gardening!

Shoe

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cactusman8 San Marcos, TX(Zone 8b) Apr 22, 2008

Well, I got my hay, got my shower, got my supper, and got myself a cold one. Life is good. Thanks again and Happy Gardening to you, Shoe. Paul

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cottonpicker Audubon, PA(Zone 6b) Apr 22, 2008

"shower , supper, a cold one"..... Cactusman8 knows how to live!!

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brigidlily Lumberton, TX(Zone 8b) Apr 22, 2008

That's the truth!

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