Plant breeders have released varieties which theoretically produce all female flowers, with male flowers produced on separate plants. In commercial fields honeybees are usually the only insects pollinating the flowers. At least 8, and sometimes as many as 20 bee visits per flower are necessary to produce a full compliment of seeds inside the cucumber. Delayed introduction of rental honeybee colonies has be en shown to increase cucumber per plant yield by over twofold, and the fruit are more uniform in size. Because the delay shows that increased plant vigor improved yield, honeybees never should be brought into cucumber fields until pistillate and staminate flowers are both abundant throughout the field.
Some growers scour the field.
By delaying, they would have a more uniform crop. Irrigating Cucurbits by Overhead Systems Daytime irrigation of cucurbits can reduce yield by driving off honeybee pollinators and by disrupting pollen germination when water gets into the flower. Also, honeybees will not visit flowers covered or filled with water. Irrigate at night or early in the morning.