Pollination

    Monoecious cucumbers are dependent upon honeybees for pollination. Eight to 10 bee visits per flower are required for adequate fruit formation in cucumbers. In many states this is obtained with 1-3 beehives (20-30,000 bees per hive) per production acre. Trials in California showed that placing 3 hives instead of 1 beehive/Acre resulted in an increase of 100 crates/Acre of marketable fruit, earlier harvest, and reduced harvest period resulting in 33% less harvests. Professional bee-keepers provide bee hives in some states but these services are not currently available in Hawaii
   

   Pesticide applications should be managed carefully since most organic pesticides are toxic to bees. To minimize bee kills a) Know the location of the bee hives around the field; b) Avoid spraying when bee activity is high; c) Read the pesticide label to determine its toxicity to bees; d) Avoid spraying near bee hives; and e) Avoid leaving puddles around the pesticide rig which might attract and poison thirsty bees. 

    Poorly developed or misshapen fruit may be the result of stress during the embryo-forming period of fruit growth. Any unevenness in seed formation will produce misshapen fruit. A "wasp shape", for example, may be the result of late pollination (1 or 2 days after full bloom or anthesis), causing only the ovules at the stigma end of the fruit to produce seed. Also, fertilization of the flowers may be interrupted due to internal physiological factors such as a nutrient deficiency. Evidence indicates that Boron applications at rates of 0.6 lbs/Acre may improve pollination efficiency in boron-deficient fields.