Growing Cucumber

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11 Nov 19 Bhaidas Bhula (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Sometimes the cucumber plant only has male flowers. Is this normal? and sometimes the female flower forms a cucumber and shrinks and falls off.Why is this?
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11 Nov 19 Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Most curcubits (cucumbers, courgettes etc) produce male flowers first. If the weather is cool, no female flowers appear for a while. If the immature cucumber falls off it has not been fertilised. If there are not many bees around, you can use a soft artist's brush or cotton bud, to transfer some pollen from the male stamens to the female flower.
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