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Location

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Buffalo, New York

I remember last fall hearing from a couple growers (Andy Wolf and Don Young) that they start removing male flowers from the start to prevent wasted energy until pollination time when they are needed.

How soon before pollinating do you start leaving them to grow?

6/3/2011 11:04:14 AM

San Luis Obispo

Prun'em off

6/3/2011 11:48:14 AM

Tinykinville

dont prune them till after pollention jeremy, you have cooler weather like me and theres a good chance oldest ones will show up just in time for pollentation.

6/3/2011 11:00:34 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Jeremy, I got great advice from a well known grower here you suggested to grow male flowers on the first 3 secondaries on each side, and the main vine.

That way you have the flowers you need and don't waste the energy to grow them on the other vines.

I've done that now for the last 2 years and it has worked great!!

6/3/2011 11:30:25 PM

Las Cruces NM

Prune em, just make sure you have some when it comes time to polinate! BTW, thoes pesty criters that destroys patches are atracted by the tender orange flowers so there is a second reason to prune.

6/3/2011 11:45:32 PM

Weedville,pa

good advice guys, good question jeremy. I've been leaving all males so far to make sure I have plenty come pollination time but, as the plants expand, i think I had better start thinning them out.

6/4/2011 8:14:51 AM

Pataskala,OH

The smell of the flowers attract cucumber beetles. The cucumber beetles will also eat the flowers. Just leave enough flowers to pollinate.

6/4/2011 1:25:04 PM

Williamsburg,KY

You can make a garlic spray and spray the flowers, it really confuses the cuke beetles. Just use garlic powder and water.

6/5/2011 9:25:23 PM