From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Lake Elmo, Minnesota

What is the rationale behind pinching female (and Male) flowers once your other fruit is set? Does the plant use that much energy to create male and female flowers that it is taking away from a growing fruit? Just wondering.

7/15/2003 1:18:17 PM

Cranston, Rhode Island

There may be a number of reasons to pinch off flowers. One reason for sure is to keep the striped cucumber beatles from
nesting and mating inside those flowers. If you're sure you
have enough fruit set at this time I see no need to keep the flowers. Have you ever tasted how delicious battered fried flower are??

Will

7/15/2003 1:49:15 PM

Utah

a while back there was some discussion about why we should keep all are flowers after we have fruit set. let all the flowers open then after while cull the females. the theory was that it shifts your plant from grow mode to mother mode.

7/15/2003 3:58:56 PM

Seattle, Washington

Last year I grew jack o lanterns for Halloween. The male flowers raw were very tasty. When I took a bite from a giant pumpkin male flower, it was really bitter! yuk!

7/15/2003 5:03:00 PM