Causes of barren flowers on cucumbers
To get a good harvest of cucumbers, it is important not only to know the features of watering, feeding and garter plants, but also to understand the correct formation of flowering. The appearance of barren flowers on cucumbers is an unpleasant phenomenon for the gardener, but not problematic. The main thing is to know the reasons and take action in time.
Causes of barren flowers on cucumbers
Hollow Blossom Phenomenon
For various reasons, only male flowers can appear on the plant. Women are formed later. Such a phenomenon is a barren flower on cucumbers.
If male flowers appear first on the stem, they must not be picked off. After all, without them, fruiting will not be possible. In contrast to them, fertilization of female flowers can be carried out later, from the moment of their formation.
A distinctive feature of male flowers is the presence of an anther. The female flower, on the other hand, is distinguished by a queen cell, which is located inside a yellow bud. It has a miniature size, standing out only in a cylindrical shape.
The best yield results are achieved in seasons when male and female inflorescences appear at the same time. The predominance of one or the other reduces the number of ovaries.
Reasons for the barren flower
Having learned why on cucumbers the barren flowers formed on one or more plants in the garden, it will be easier to take appropriate measures to combat this phenomenon. Each of these reasons has its own characteristics, preventing which you can save the crop.
One of the reasons for the formation of barren flowers on cucumbers may be an incorrectly selected variety for certain climatic conditions. Despite the fact that most of the known varieties are monoecious, that is, they show male and female flowers, some varieties are intended for cultivation only in the south. In addition, for beginners there is always the option of buying self-pollinated cucumber seeds, which will save them from the danger of empty flowers on cucumbers.
Other reasons for this phenomenon:
- poor seed quality;
- content temperature and improper watering;
- mistakes in plant nutrition;
- pinching the main stem.
Poor seed quality
Barren flowers on cucumbers are most often formed due to human errors in the preparation of planting material. So, they grow more often if:
- one-year-old seeds are used for planting;
- the seeds are obtained from male cucumbers;
- before planting, the seeds were not soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate or growth stimulating drugs.
A lot of barren flowers on cucumbers are most often formed due to the carelessness of the gardener. The seeds obtained from female cucumbers have great fertile potential. It is not difficult to distinguish the sex of cucumbers. The male vegetable has 3 seed chambers. The female one has 4 chambers and has a four-sided shape.
Last year's seeds can be used for planting, but it will be possible to avoid the appearance of a problem only with additional drying of the planting material.In addition, before planting, it is important to soak the seeds in potassium permanganate or boric acid.
Unfavorable growing conditions
Create favorable conditions for growth
The reason for the formation of barren flowers may be improper plant growth. Cucumber is a culture that loves warmth and moisture. If conditions are not provided, the harvest will be poor.
The reasons for a large number of male blooms can be:
- Improper watering can lead to the formation of a lot of barren flowers on the cucumbers. If, with normal care, it is necessary to water the cucumbers once every 2-3 days, then during flowering, this procedure is reduced to 1 time per week.
- The location of the beds in dark places. If the leaves will not receive sunlight, the culture will not grow and develop. It is important to respect the distance between the beds. It is best to place the bushes at a distance of 0.5-0.6 m from each other. The distance between the beds is 0.6-1 m.
- Air temperature. Pollen is sterilized at a temperature of 27 ° C. Therefore, the most favorable growing conditions are observed at a temperature of 23-25 ° C.
- Water temperature for irrigation. It is best to water the bushes with warm, settled water, the temperature of which is 24-26 ° C. The limit is 16 ° C. Due to the cold water, the plant can not only throw out a large number of male flowers, but also risk dying.
Fertilization errors
To get a good harvest, it is important to know all the features related to crop fertilization.
When only male inflorescences appear, this may indicate a phenomenon such as fattening. For example, a crop receives a large amount of nitrogen fertilizers, but not enough potash and phosphorus fertilizers. It is important to balance the feeding.
The first fertilization is applied when the first leaves appear on the bushes. Complex formulations with a high nitrogen content or organic fertilizers are used. The second top dressing before flowering is complex fertilizers and wood ash. The third is a nitrophoska solution.
Another reason is the lack of carbon dioxide. It is important for the emergence of female inflorescences. To solve this problem, you can put containers with manure and mullein, diluted with water, in the greenhouse, carbon dioxide is released during fermentation.
Pinching the main stem
Male flowers are formed from below, female flowers from above and on lateral branches. The bush will produce more flowers if the stem is pinched correctly. Early varieties are pinched after 8-10 leaves have emerged, while later varieties are pinched after 6-8. An unpinched stem can grow and thicken, so it is necessary to determine the point of growth of the stem of the bush and cut off the top in this place with a sharp knife or garden shears.
Prophylaxis
Artificial pollination will eliminate the problem
If the cucumbers are blooming with barren flowers, it is important to quickly take appropriate measures to save the crop.
There are several ways to correct the situation:
- Covering bushes with foil in cold weather.
- Observe the watering regime and periodically carry out top dressing.
- Top dressing with organic fertilizers. You can use an infusion of cow dung with ash.
- Artificial pollination. This should be done by plucked male flowers, which must be carefully carried out along the growing female inflorescences. You can also do this with a paintbrush without picking off the blank flower.
You can also use specialized drugs. Products such as Ovary or Bud will not only help solve the problem with flowering, but also help increase the total number of ovaries.
Care rules
It is necessary to monitor the correct implementation of agrotechnical features that relate to:
- Glaze. It should be moderate (once every 3-4 days). During flowering, watering is stopped.
- Fertilizers. It is best to use organic food. It is best to use a 1:15 solution of chicken manure.
- Pinching. The growth point is removed after 8-10 leaves. This procedure stimulates the formation of ovaries.
- Organizations of climatic features comfortable for the culture. It is important to provide warmth (favorable temperature 25-30 ° C) and sunlight.
In addition, in part, work on obtaining high-quality ovaries begins even before sowing the seeds. You should choose only varieties that are popular in a certain climatic zone from well-known manufacturers.
Prevention: the seeds need to be warmed up before planting, keeping them for 1-2 hours in the oven at a temperature of 40-50 ° C or drying them for several days on a battery. They should also be soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate.
Conclusion
The active ejection of male flowers in cucumbers is a common problem, but, with the right approach, it can be solved. The reasons for the predominance of male flowers can be errors during planting, the quality of the seeds themselves, as well as improper organization of agrotechnical measures. Therefore, the solution to the problem lies in the normalization of further care.