Topic: Cucumber dilemma

[graham]

I've a bit of a dilemma.  I want to grow a number of varieties of cucumber in the greenhouse including Burpless Tasty Green ( I know it's an outdoor variety but here in the north we have to grow it in under cover ). Here's the question, the varieties I have chosen are all female whereas the Burpless has both male and female with the instructions saying keep the male flowers on the plant.  Won't the cross pollinate with the other varieties causing bitterness?  Thanks

[tim]

Don't know, but would think that there could be a problem. Why insist on Burpless? You'll have enough elsewise??

[Svea]

i was under the impression burpless is an F1 variety? do my mind, i didnt see a single male flower on mine last year - every flower was female and produced a cucumber.

maybe there are more than one variety with that name though?

[Sucellus]

Hello  Graham..

Not sure if this helps, but they both have male and female flowers, I believe. The outdoor ridge cucumbers need to be pollinated, the indoor cucumbers have male and female flowers, but you remove the male flowers to stop pollination, it's that that makes the indoor varieties taste bitter. How this helps your predicament, I am unsure. Could be interesting.  :)

[graham]

Thanks for all that. I'll give it a try and see what happens - maybe we'll have an english summer and plant them outside - dream on.

[graham]

I thought you might be interested in this information I received from Thompsonn & Morgan.

'Thank you for your recent enquiry and we are sincerely sorry for any delay in answering your query.
 
It is not advisable to grow all female cucumbers in the same vicinity as ordinary cucumbers, cross pollination could occur resulting in bitter cucumbers of the all female variety.'

Clear enough I think