Building a food secured Africa

Pruning simply means to cut off or thin out, in this case it means to cut off some growth points at the base of the vine to encourage faster and better yield. Pruning is best encouraged before fruiting but it can also be done after the first harvest to boost growth. The process of pruning is not complex at all once you follow the process religiously. This process can be carried out during the first 2-4 weeks of planting. However, if it starts flowering before you prune, it’s okay to cut off the flowers to encourage growth of shoots and better yield because some cucumbers get ahead of themselves and start flowering even before maturity stage. This process also helps to encourage root development. The reason why we encourage farmers to prune their cucumber plant is because not only does it boost growth and enable accurate transfer of nutrients from the roots to the branches, it also makes the farm look neat and the fruits easily accessible.
STEPS ON HOW TO PRUNE.
- Locate the main vine first. Nobody is above mistakes, sometimes the main vine can be cut off with a mindset of “this is a shoot”. So, it is encouraged that the main vine is located first and tagged to avoid such mistakes.

- Get to the base of the plants and map out the growing points to avoid cutting off the flowers or the tendrils.

- Count the first 4 shoots or growth points and using a scissors or any other pruning tool, carefully cut them off. Cut close to the main vine, but not too close, this is done to avoid quick regrowth of the shoot and also diseases infestation.



Here are some of the DON’Ts involved in Pruning.
- Do not prune extensively (far from the vine). When a cut is made on a stem or a shoot, it is exposed and as a result can get infected. While, pruning does not cut too far or too near. And make sure the scissors have been sterilized before use.
2. Do not prune the cucumber at an early stage to avoid stunting of growth and poor development of fruit. The vine must have at least 10-15 leaves before pruning can be done.
3. Do not prune after spraying pesticides. Pesticides are sprayed to avoid attacks from pests. Therefore, pruning should be done before spraying to avoid wastage of the pesticide and also to prevent pests from attacking the new shoots that may develop.
4. Do not prune when its rainy or when the humidity is high, this may encourage the spread of diseases. Rain splash propagates disease spread on a farm. When the plant has just been freshly pruned, they are exposed and vulnerable. If it rains during this period, the plant is at a risk because water splash or wind can transfer disease and harm the vine.
NOTE: USE A SCISSORS OR PRUNE SEARS TO PRUNE. AVOID USING YOUR FINGERS TO PINCH IT ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SHOOTS HAVE GROWN LONG, THIS MAY RESULT IN INJURING THE WHOLE VINE. ENSURE THAT THE TOOLS HAVE BEEN PROPERLY STERILIZED TO AVOID DISEASES.
You can always trust the first farmer for best results!
Good luck as you try this out!
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