WSU Extension Q&A: Cucumbers flowering but not growing
Q. My cucumbers have lots of flowers, but no cucumbers are growing. What’s wrong?
A. Male flowers are the first to form on the cucumber, and will be followed by female flowers that develop into fruit. The male flowers will simply fall off the plant when they are done shedding pollen. This could indicate poor pollination on your plants.
Q. Why are some lawns in Kennewick brown and others green? Did those people cheat on their watering?
A. We know a number of lawn owners in Kennewick who have practiced deep, infrequent watering of their lawn before watering was restricted. This promoted deeper root growth and enabled the grass to access water deeper in the soil. Along with deep, infrequent watering, it is recommended to make sure your system is applying water evenly, and that all sprinkler heads are functioning properly.
Q. What is the optimum planting dates for grass hays and alfalfa, and when is it too late to plant?
A. For alfalfa, the earlier you plant in August, the higher the yield will be. Research conducted by Washington State University has shown that that for every week delay from Aug. 1, you lose about .5 tons of hay the first year. In general, wait until spring if you go past Sept. 15, as your chance to get a good stand goes down.
For grass hays, mid to late August is ideal, and don’t plant past Sept. 25. You may get the weather you need to be successful past these date,s but your chances of success drops significantly.
Q. With school starting, would now be a good time to get my child started in a 4-H club?
A. Yes, you can start 4-H at any time during the year. However, there are rules on how long you have to be in a 4-H project before you can exhibit at a show, a fair, or in competition. At this point, it is past the deadline for exhibitings, but it is still a great time to get involved with a club and experience 4-H. The 4-H calendar year starts Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30. Call the WSU Franklin County Extension Office at 509-545-3511 for more information about 4-H.
Questions should be called in to the WSU Extension offices in Kennewick at 735-3551 or Pasco at 545-3511.
This story was originally published September 6, 2015 at 12:59 AM with the headline "WSU Extension Q&A: Cucumbers flowering but not growing."