When it comes to cucumbers, there is disagreement among gardening professionals on the subject of being stingy. Either way - it neither harms the cucumber plants nor does it guarantee a lush cucumber harvest. And knowing how to pinch cucumbers is useful for anyone who wants to grow cucumbers.

When it comes to tomatoes, gardeners agree: In order to achieve decent harvest yields, you have to use up your crops regularly. On the other hand, when it comes to cutting out cucumber plants, there is only one good answer: anyone who wants to know for sure should try it out for themselves. Just take two of the same type of cucumber. The one exhausted and the other not. Then you are - without question - smarter in the next gardening year.

Why max out?

Side shoots are sterile side shoots that grow from the leaf axils between the summer shoot and the petiole. There are a few good reasons for cutting out unnecessary side shoots, buds and flowers in cucumbers:

  • controlled growth
  • stronger and more robust cucumber plants
  • increased flowering and fruiting

Proper pinching directs the energy of the cucumber plants to flowers and fruits instead of side shoots. By the way: In contrast to tomatoes, cucumbers do not need to be cut out regularly. Exhausted is exhausted! This work only needs to be done once because cucumbers don't grow new side shoots.

Picking cucumbers once is enough

Cucumber plants that grow upwards on trellises can be pinched at the bottom and at the top. To do this, simply pinch off the lowest buds and cross shoots up to 60 centimeters above the ground with your thumb and forefinger. This encourages bud formation above and prevents the lowest cucumbers from lying in the ground. This keeps soil pests and moisture away from the fruit. If you want to use up greenhouse cucumbers, you have to remove the tops in good time before the plants hit the roof.

Cutting out plants without climbing aids

In the case of outdoor cucumbers without climbing aids, after a while you can hardly distinguish between the main and side shoots. Here, individual side shoots are regularly removed when watering or harvesting cucumbers. Don't let individual cucumber plants get too big. Because that can weaken the plant, whether with or without stinging. And that means unwanted breaks in picking cucumbers.

The best green-fingered trick to get rid of side shoots: After 2 gherkins and leaves, pinch off the side shoot. Caution! Only the side shoots - please NOT the main shoot. If you discover more shoots on the side shoots, remove them after the first cucumber and the first leaf.

tips and tricks

Eating out cucumbers is doubly worthwhile. On the one hand you get more healthy fruit and on the other hand you create more space, air and light for the plants because the lush growth is specifically limited.

Category:

Vegetable garden