Dakota Gardener: The birds and the bees and the cucumbers

Cucumber plants produce separate female flowers (left) and male flowers (right). NDSU photo
Cucumber plants produce separate female flowers (left) and male flowers (right). NDSU photo

By Emily How, NDSU Extension – Ward County, Horticulture agent Cucumbers are one of my favorite garden vegetables. I love picking them when they are 5-6 inches long and eating them plain or with a basic veggie dip (my favorite is published in the North Dakota State University Extension publication “Field to Fork: Cucumbers!”). But what do you do when your favorite garden vegetable starts dropping …