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Question: I only got a few cucumbers and squash from each plant when I expected much more. They have good flowers and lots of pollinators,. but fruit doesn’t form. What can I do? – Lynne

Answer: Hi, Lynne, Arti the Artichoke here! That’s a great question. I’m, so glad you reached out! In some cases, a cucumber plant may not produce enough female flowers. This can be due to the type you’re growing, environmental factors, genetic factors, or imbalanced nutrition.

There are three types of cucumbers: monoecious, gynoecious or parthenocarpic. Monoecious plants produce both male and female flowers, gynoecious plants produce mostly female blossoms, and parthenocarpic produces fruit without pollination.

Sometimes, just planting monoecious and gynoecious varieties together can solve your pollination issue. However, you might also plant parthenocarpic varieties. These are normally used in greenhouses, but they can also be helpful for growers having trouble with fruiting. If you grow the parthenocarpic type and still don’t get fruit, you might consider getting your soil tested and ensuring you’re planting when temperatures are appropriate for that plant.

I hope that helps, Lynne!