Why pinching cucumbers?

Pinching cucumbers is an important agrotechnical technique that is designed to contribute not just to the formation of the correct shape of the bush, but to increase the yield of this agricultural crop.

Yield increase
The main reason forcing gardeners to practice pinching cucumbers is the specific feature of this plant: on the main stem they plant predominantly barren flowers (male flowers). And to get a harvest of cucumbers, female flowers must be formed, and they appear mainly on the side shoots. In most varieties, the development of side shoots can be achieved solely by pinching the main stem. In addition, increasing the vines of one bush significantly increases the amount of harvest from one plant.

Bush formation
In addition, pinching cucumbers helps shape the plant in accordance with its growing conditions. So for small areas (for example, a greenhouse), thinning the foliage plays an important role, which avoids excessive shading and improves air circulation. But you shouldn’t get carried away with such thinning, since the plant needs leaves for normal nutrition. It is also undesirable to remove the whiskers; moreover, their presence or absence does not in any way affect the final amount of the harvest.

Maintaining hygiene
However, breaking any tissue, for example pinching cucumbers, can create a threat to the health of the plant (infection can get into the wounds).Therefore, in order to avoid infection of cucumbers when removing leaves that shade the rows or when pinching stems, it is advisable to disinfect the wounds by sprinkling the broken areas with crushed charcoal. Also, take the time to wash your hands before starting the trimming, pinching or gartering procedure.