How to Prune Cucumis sativus?

First, determine how many melons you would like to produce from your Cucumis sativus. Smaller varieties can support more fruits, but if you are trying to produce larger melons you may want to stick with around 4 or 5 total. In general, each vine should produce just two melons when the plant is mature. Check each vine individually to see where fruits are developing. On any vine with one or two melons, prune the vine by cutting off the growing tip.

Once you have determined where to prune, use your sterilized cutting tool to cut cleanly through the vine at least 1 inch or 2.5 cm past the last melon that will remain on the vine. This allows you to be sure that you don’t accidentally cut through the growing nodes. Remove any vines that you have pruned off, instead of leaving them on the ground nearby. The area around your Cucumis sativus should be free of debris.