Even abundant flowering of cucumbers does not guarantee a rich harvest, because... a large number of flowers often turn out to be empty flowers and fall off after withering without forming an ovary. Let's understand the main reasons for barren flowers on cucumbers.
A barren flower is a name given to male flowers that do not form ovaries; ovaries appear only on female flowers.
A similar problem - barren flower - is generally absent in parthenocarpic hybrids of cucumbers. They absolutely do not need pollination, because... In such plants, all the flowers are female, which means they will definitely bear fruit.
- Parthenocarpic and self-pollinating cucumber varieties for an unprecedented harvest - myths and truth
Many gardeners still confuse these concepts and are “led” by the beautiful promises of sellers.
And only bee-pollinated - traditional - varieties of cucumbers can produce barren flowers, which is the main reason for a poor harvest.
Never pick off male flowers. By following our tips, you can speed up the appearance of female flowers on plants. If by the time they form, there are no barren flowers left on the cucumbers at all, this means that female flowers with an ovary simply cannot be pollinated. After pollination, male flowers always dry out and fall off on their own.
It is very easy to distinguish female flowers from male ones. Male flowers grow on stalks, and female flowers always have thickenings in the form of small cucumbers.
Is it possible to somehow influence the number of male and female flowers on cucumber vines? Yes, you can, because often a large amount of barren flowers appears on the plant due to the mistakes of the gardeners themselves. Let's look at the main reasons.
Reason 1. Poor quality cucumber seeds
By buying ready-made seeds from a good manufacturer, you can be more or less sure that they are of high quality, healthy, and ready for sowing. It’s another matter when you decide to collect the seeds of the cucumbers you like yourself.
An inexperienced gardener may not suspect that not all cucumbers are suitable for propagation. As a result, the collected seeds may not grow at all what you expected.
Perhaps a large number of barren flowers on cucumbers (especially coupled with the irregular shape of the fruit) indicates that the “donor” of the seeds was itself a hybrid or cross-pollinated with a hybrid. Considering that, even if it is possible, it is quite difficult to control pollination at home, self-harvesting seeds is fraught with constant surprises.
Solution : Buy seeds from a trusted agricultural company or grow only varietal cucumbers nearby and collect seeds from them.
Barren flower on young cucumbers
Young cucumbers are very sensitive to improper care. The result is a barren flower. Briefly overdried soil and temperature changes immediately affect the formation of ovaries.
Eliminating these causes and timely feeding will help the plant get rid of barren flowers. To prevent the earth from drying out and there are no sudden temperature changes, the soil is mulched with dry grass, straw, sawdust, and compost.
Under such shelter, a microflora favorable for cucumbers is formed.
It should be noted that it is strictly forbidden to loosen the soil in order to avoid damage to the root system.
Reason 2. Sowing seeds that are too “young”
The correct planting material for cucumber is seeds with a 4-year “aging” (in extreme cases, they can be 2-3 years old). The fact is that the seeds collected last year are not yet ready for sowing. Plants grown from them will produce a lot of barren flowers.
Solution : Warm up the seeds before sowing. To begin with, they are disinfected by soaking in a 1% (pink) solution of potassium permanganate for 20-30 minutes. Afterwards it is dried well and kept next to a central heating radiator for a month (the air temperature in this place should be between 25-28°C).
A faster, although more risky, way is to heat the seeds in the oven at 50-60°C for two hours. Before sowing, you can also soak the seeds in a solution of an immunomodulator (Novosil, Zircon, etc.), which will increase plant productivity.
Hybrid seeds should not be heated.
Causes of barren flowers on cucumbers, how to deal with them
A large number of male flowers appear for various reasons. It is necessary to try to quickly find out them and, without wasting time, correct the situation.
Poor quality seeds
It is difficult to expect a high vegetable yield if low-quality seed material is used for planting. You can insure yourself against buying mismatched seeds by simply purchasing seeds from reliable and well-known manufacturers.
If you plant your own seeds, then pay attention to their age. Seed material that has been stored for 3-4 years after harvest is suitable for sowing. It is allowed to use two-year-old seeds, but even here there is a high risk of getting a lot of barren flowers on the ridges.
“Old” seeds produce a large number of female flowers, which will ensure a high yield.
What to do:
- buy seed material (this applies not only to cucumbers) in specialized stores;
- do not treat hybrids before sowing, since they have gone through all the necessary procedures in advance;
- Seeds collected independently should be disinfected and warmed before sowing. For disinfection, use a pink solution of potassium permanganate, and warm it up for 20-30 days on a radiator or near a stove. Temperature:+24ºC…+28ºC;
- soaking seeds immediately before sowing in the ground or seedlings in special growth stimulants (Epin, Zircon).
Lack of lighting
Cucumber is a light-loving crop; when there is a lack of lighting, it reacts with the formation of many barren flowers. The problem occurs in greenhouse cucumbers, as well as in open ground plants, if they are obscured by other, more powerful and tall plantings.
What to do:
- select well-lit areas for cucumbers, protected from winds and drafts;
- follow the rules and recommendations of breeders for planting plants (quantity per square meter, distances between holes);
- limit watering for a while to “scare” the cucumbers and put them in a state of slight stress;
- pinch the main stem of the plant (after 9-11 leaves for early ripening ones, after the 8th leaf for mid-ripening and late varieties and hybrid forms).
Irregularities in watering cucumbers
A lot of barren flowers appear on plants if the soil is not properly moistened. Beginning gardeners, remembering that cucumber loves moisture, often accidentally flood the plantings (especially in the heat). But this culture, with all its “thirst,” does not like this.
What to do:
- Cucumbers in beds and in greenhouses are watered only with settled warm water. Water temperature: +22C…+24ºC;
- irrigate plants in special grooves, grooves or at the root, trying to get as little as possible onto the leaves;
- on cloudy and cool days, watering is reduced; during the rainy season, there is enough moisture for cucumbers in open ridges from precipitation;
- as soon as the cucumbers begin to bloom, reduce and even stop watering (stress for cucumbers, as a result of which the plants produce mainly female flowers);
- use drip irrigation systems;
- loosen the ground between the bushes.
Heat
Plants love warmth and sun, but in moderation. Extreme heat, high air temperature in a shelter under a film or polycarbonate is another reason for the appearance of barren flowers. Already at temperatures above +28ºC, the pollen in male flowers becomes sterile and incapable of fertilization.
What to do:
- open greenhouses on hot days, but avoid drafts (cucumbers, unlike tomatoes, cannot tolerate drafts);
- increase the volume of water when watering, but control soil and air humidity;
- mulch the soil with humus, compost, hay;
- Water the plants early in the morning and in the evening to prevent the cucumbers from getting burned.
Cold stormy weather
It happens that gardeners complain about a bad year for cucumbers. Most often this is due to a lack of sun, heat, and cold summers. There are a lot of barren flowers in such seasons, green plants set slowly, and the yield is low.
What to do:
- sow cucumbers not only in beds, but also in shelters, consider additional heating in greenhouses in case of cold weather. This will allow you to get a harvest regardless of the weather;
- select for planting zoned varieties and hybrids that stably form greenery even in unfavorable conditions;
- limit watering when the temperature drops; at +15ºC, stop watering for a while.
Thickened plantings
Plant placement patterns must be observed in beds and greenhouses. In cramped conditions, cucumbers feel depressed, get sick more often, and form barren flowers.
What to do:
- in shelters they use the trellis method of gartering;
- When planting, they take into account the specifics, the degree of climbing of the variety or hybrid, and the recommendations of breeders;
- bushes are planted in compliance with density parameters: no more than 3-4 plants per “square”.
Incorrect feeding
Often the appearance of barren flowers is due to the fact that cucumbers are “fed” with fertilizers. The predominance of nitrogen compounds in fertilizers leads to an increase in vegetative mass (stems, canes, leaves), a small number of flowers, and the absence of ovaries.
In comfortable conditions, cucumbers “fatten”, not caring at all about their offspring (fruits), and grow upward and wider.
What to do:
- follow the fertilizing schedule, eliminating the chaotic application of fertilizers;
- add nitrogen (diluted mullein, poultry droppings) only at the initial stage of growth, before flowering;
- After flowering begins, remove nitrogen from fertilizing by adding potassium and phosphorus fertilizers.
On a note! When planting cucumber seedlings on fertilized fertile beds, nitrogen fertilizing can be completely eliminated. Plants will have enough fertilizers in the soil.
There are other situations: plants lack nutrition and form only male flowers. To prevent cucumbers from starving, it is necessary to apply a complex fertilizer (for example, nitrophoska) and feed them with special preparations:
- Kemira Universal;
- Agricola;
- Ideal.
Reason 3. Improper watering of cucumbers
Let’s say you bought high-quality seeds, disinfected them just in case and germinated them before sowing, but the cucumber bed is still dominated by barren flowers. Perhaps you over-watered the cucumbers or watered them with too cold water.
Solution : Despite the fact that cucumber is a moisture-loving plant, excessive watering, especially in damp or cold weather, will not do it any good. Therefore, the frequency of watering is adjusted depending on weather conditions.
Water the cucumbers only with warm water (temperature about 25-28°C). This should be done either in the first half of the day or in the evening, after the heat of the day has subsided.
- How to water cucumbers correctly for a good harvest
Everything you need to know about watering cucumbers, depending on the time of year and growing conditions.
Useful properties of cucumbers
Everyone knows from school that this vegetable consists of 97% water. But the remaining 3% have a very interesting composition of vitamins and minerals. Of course, their quantity is too small to cover the daily needs of the human body. But as an addition to a full menu, it’s a real help.
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We will not describe the properties of all the vitamins and minerals contained in fresh cucumbers, we will simply describe the beneficial effects.
Potassium is recognized as the most valuable component in fresh cucumbers. Laboratory studies have shown that this trace element is vital for the proper functioning of the heart and vascular system.
A large amount of water in the vegetable allows you to achieve a competent diuretic effect when consumed. It should be recognized that fresh cucumbers do not wash calcium and other useful substances out of the body, as chemicals do.
The same water is similar in composition to distilled liquid. Therefore, fresh cucumber juice perfectly quenches thirst. At the same time, it removes harmful substances, toxins and waste from the body.
The magical juice of fresh cucumbers has another amazing property. Thanks to the natural organic acid in its composition, it is capable of:
- remove salts from the body and joints;
- dissolve sand and kidney stones;
- remove cholesterol plaques from blood vessels;
- flush out free radicals;
- improve blood properties.
As you can see, this ordinary fresh cucumber is not so simple. For example, with gout, it greatly alleviates the general condition and somewhat relieves pain.
Reason 5: Cold weather
Do not forget that this culture comes from the southern regions, and the cold does not benefit it. If the summer turns out to be abnormally cold, whether you like it or not, getting female flowers on cucumbers will not be easy.
Solution : Stop watering when the air temperature is below 15°C - this will stimulate the rapid formation of female flowers.
If you have the opportunity, build a temporary shelter for your cucumber bed. To do this, install arcs and protect the plantings with any covering material.
- Covering material for beds, greenhouses and greenhouses - which one is better to choose
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How to get rid of barren flowers
You can get rid of barren flowers that have already formed in different ways. It is easier to carry out timely prevention. But sometimes, due to errors in care, the growth of barren flowers is activated. Experienced gardeners know what to do with cucumbers in this case. They use drugs for the ovary and effective folk recipes.
Should I cut it off?
Removing barren flowers is not only pointless, but also harmful to plants. Empty flowers are important for pollination and growth. By plucking them, the gardener brings stress to the bushes. Fruiting and growth deteriorate. Therefore, it is recommended to put all efforts into preventing and correcting the causes of the appearance of male flowers.
We use drugs to stimulate the ovary
Means for stimulating the ovary will help correct the situation. There are many types of products on the market that will prove effective. "Borogum" is a complex drug. It contains boron, which is beneficial for female flowers. There is a biological stimulant - “Ovary”. It contains all the necessary substances for cucumbers. "Bud" will help you get good nutrition. It is recommended to spray the bushes with boric acid. It is important to follow the spraying regime and read the instructions for use.
Effective folk recipes
If you feed cucumbers with complex preparations in a timely manner, then additional funds will not be needed. It is recommended to treat with boric acid. And then follow the watering regime. If you water the bushes with Ovary, the effect will be noticeable.
Reason 6. Lack of lighting
Another common reason for the formation of barren flowers on cucumbers is a lack of sunlight. If you have allocated a shaded area of the garden for your cucumber bed, you can’t count on a good harvest.
Solution : Sow cucumbers on the south-eastern, well-lit side of the plot. If the cucumbers have already been sown, you can save the situation by limiting watering and pinching the main vine. In early-ripening cucumbers, pinch the stem after 8-10 leaves, in late-ripening cucumbers - after 6-8. This will stimulate the growth of lateral shoots, on which female flowers are formed.
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Farmers' advice
Experienced gardeners know what to do if there are a lot of barren flowers on cucumbers. They recommend following these rules:
- The beds should be watered early in the morning or after 18:00, when it is no longer hot.
- Do not loosen the soil at the base of the bush, otherwise you may damage the root.
- It is advisable to spray bee-pollinated varieties of cucumbers with a sweet solution prepared from 300 ml of warm water and 1 tbsp. sugar or honey.
- To ensure that there are few barren flowers on cucumbers in the greenhouse, you need to regularly open windows and doors. If the humidity is high, the pollen becomes heavy and does not disperse.
- It is necessary to regularly get rid of weeds that shade the plantings and absorb nutrients from the soil.
- After watering, the soil around the bushes should dry out.
- To attract bees, it is recommended to plant several honey plants between the rows: thyme, lemon balm or echinacea.
- If the shoots are tied to a trellis, air circulation and illumination of the plants will improve.
Advice!
To open access to the sun's rays to flowers and fruits, you need to periodically pluck a few leaves from the shoots.
When thinking about what to do when cucumbers bloom with one barren flower, you first need to determine the reason. Removing male flowers will only harm fruiting. To solve the problem, errors in planting care should be corrected. It is necessary to follow the feeding regime and prevent the plants from becoming fat. Disease prevention and timely fruit removal are important. To obtain a stable harvest, you need to take care of the plants at any stage of cultivation.
Reason 7. Incorrect feeding
If you overfeed your cucumbers with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, they may begin to fatten, i.e. increase green mass without producing fruit. This happens because in such “well-fed” conditions the plant simply has no need to take care of its offspring - it is quite comfortable with an excess of nitrogen.
Solution : Follow the feeding regime. For a good harvest, cucumbers must be fertilized with potassium and phosphorus. Before sowing seeds, it is good to apply both organic and mineral fertilizers at the rate of 10-15 kg of rotted compost or manure, 20 g of superphosphate, potassium sulfate per 1 sq.m.
After emergence, in the phase of two true leaves, cucumbers are fed with nitrophoska or nitroammophoska (1 tbsp per 1 liter of warm water). With the beginning of flowering, nitrogen is excluded from fertilizing. Usually, cucumbers are fed 4 times during the season.
- How to feed cucumbers during flowering and fruiting to increase yield
Simple and effective recipes for your garden based on yeast, iodine, boric acid, ash and other available ingredients!
Folk remedies for cucumber ovary
An analogue to store-bought preparations for enlarging the ovaries of cucumbers are folk remedies, which are found in almost every home.
- Boric acid is an excellent tool for the formation of ovaries. In addition, it increases plant resistance to disease and immunity to adverse weather conditions. For foliar feeding (spraying), 1 g of powder is diluted in 1 liter of water and sprayed on all sides over the leaves and flowers.
It must be taken into account that if boric acid is used with other additives, its concentration must be reduced, otherwise there is a risk of burns.
- Soda solution . The product is very popular and is used by many gardeners. To prepare the solution 2 tbsp. l. baking soda is diluted in a liter of water and watered at the root until flowering, 1 cup per 1 plant. Repeated application - during flowering.
- Milk with iodine . Iodine, in addition to being able to protect plants from powdery mildew and pests, is also involved in the process of budding and fruit set. It is better to use it with milk. To do this, add 30 drops of iodine, 1 liter of milk and 1-2 tbsp to 10 liters of water. l. liquid soap, mix the composition and spray the plants at the stage of 3-4 true leaves. Spraying is carried out once every 10 days. If you use only one iodine to enlarge the ovaries, then dilute it at the rate of 1 drop per 1 liter of water.
- Infusion of bread with iodine . This infusion keeps the tops green for a long time, helps cope with late blight, and most importantly, increases productivity by forming ovaries. To do this, soak 1 crushed loaf of bread in a bucket of water, add a bottle of iodine and leave to infuse overnight. In the morning, the infusion is filtered, poured into glass bottles and stored in a cool place all season. 1 liter of the resulting infusion is diluted in 10 liters of water and sprayed on the plants once every 2 weeks.
- Wood ash . This is a whole storehouse of useful microelements and nutrients, essential nutrients for cucumbers. Prepare an ash infusion - add 1 glass of ash to hot water and leave for a day. Then strain and spray the plants. This way you will increase the stress resistance and immunity of plants. And this will ultimately lead to an increase in ovaries.
Dear readers, I hope that you have found ways to solve such a problem as the presence of a large number of barren flowers in cucumber beds.
But every gardener, using certain means on his plot, notes to himself that he did not like something, then he uses something else. Through trial and error, each of them finds the only true method that is effective and works well for him. Do the same. And the harvest will certainly make you happy later. Have a good harvest!
Reason 8. Crowded crops
If you planted cucumbers too densely, you should not be surprised at the large number of empty flowers. When plants are crowded in a garden bed, this affects their development: they grow slowly, and female flowers may never appear. In addition, even when flowers with an ovary appear, it is too early to breathe a sigh of relief: dense crops can interfere with pollination.
Solution : Follow the cucumber planting pattern (40x40 cm). If the plants are already planted in the ground, all that remains is to “clear” the space between the seedlings as much as possible. To do this, you need to pinch the main vine of the seedlings. This will stop excessive growth and stimulate the appearance of female flowers.
If female flowers appear on the plants, but you notice that bees are not landing on them, you will have to pollinate the cucumbers yourself. To do this in the morning, as soon as the flowers have bloomed, tear off the corolla of the male flower and gently touch it to the stigma of the female flower. It is best to pollinate one female flower with two or three male ones.
We hope our tips will help you get a decent harvest and avoid the appearance of a large number of barren flowers.
What is barren flower
This term refers to a male (staminate) flower that does not set an ovary, but plays an important role in pollination. Its main distinguishing feature is the stamen with pollen, which is transferred by insects to the female individual. The female flowers between the petals in the inner part have small green cylinders, they are somewhat reminiscent of small cucumbers, and it is from them that the ovaries are subsequently formed. The barren flower differs from the female flower in the absence of a queen cell and the presence of an anther.
You should not pick male flowers from the bush; without them, ovaries will not form. The ideal option, which guarantees an excellent harvest, is approximately the same number of female and male flowers.
Rough loosening of the soil
Cucumbers have shallow roots, so loosening should be shallow and very careful. If the root system or main stem is damaged, the plant will become sick. In this case, he will not have time to bear fruit. The bush will devote all its strength to restoring health.
A bountiful harvest of cucumbers in a greenhouse starts with the right seeds. Therefore, be careful when collecting or purchasing them, take into account the conditions for growing the crop in a greenhouse. Then your plantings will delight you with a large number of delicious fruits.
How to prevent
To prevent the appearance of barren flowers, it is necessary to follow the agricultural practices of cultivating the crop.
First of all, you need to organize proper watering. The watering regime during plant and fruit growth should be sufficient, and during flowering and ovary – moderate
The water temperature for watering plants should be at least 20˚C. Be sure to fertilize, preferably with organic fertilizers. The air temperature must be optimal for the plant to flower, so it is important to select zoned varieties and observe planting dates. The seeds should be warmed up before sowing. Fresh seeds collected independently should be placed three months before sowing, in a fabric bag, or hung next to a heating device - this technique will increase their yield. Pinching the top of the main stem of the plant has a good effect - this stimulates more formation of female flowers. To prevent the appearance of barren flowers on an already fruit-bearing plant, you need to harvest vegetables in a timely manner.
Pest infestation
Pest attacks can lead to the appearance of barren flowers on cucumbers. If you notice that your cucumbers produce mostly male flowers and the bush is not going to bear fruit, although you follow all the recommendations for caring for the plant, check it for the presence of insects and mites. If you notice yellow spots, dark spots, cobwebs or pests on the leaves and stem of the plant, urgently take measures to combat them.
Spider mite
Ants
The main provocateurs of the lack of ovary on cucumbers in a greenhouse are ants. They carry away pollen from male flowers, and fertilization of female inflorescences slows down. To combat ants, before applying fertilizer, pour boiling water over the soil, and create a water barrier in the greenhouse, for example, a stream. Through it, ants will not be able to enter the room and attack plants.
Barren flower in greenhouse cucumbers
Why do cucumbers bloom like barren flowers in a greenhouse? There are many reasons for this phenomenon.
- Choosing the wrong variety.
- High humidity.
- High air temperature means pollen disappears.
- Lack of microelements.
- Incorrect formation.
Greenhouse greens need to be formed correctly:
- pinch the central lash - it is on it that the barren flower appears;
- pinch side shoots;
- pinch.
If there is a problem with the ovary on greens, you must first establish the cause and use the recommendations in this article.
Illiterate feeding
Gardeners who love organic fertilizers most often encounter an abundance of barren flowers on cucumber vines. Thoughtlessly watering plants with mullein or bird droppings leads to an excess of nitrogen in the soil. A plant that receives this substance in large quantities begins to “fatten.” The bush produces abundant foliage and produces large male flowers.
To correct the situation, you need to remove as much nitrogen as possible from the soil, and then feed the cucumbers with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. This will stimulate the formation of female inflorescences and soon cucumbers will appear on the vines.
Abundant watering for 3 days will help flush out nitrogen from the soil. After this procedure, sprinkle the soil surface with bone meal or colloidal phosphorus (1 handful per bush). After 2–3 days, water the plantings again and feed them with a phosphorus-potassium mixture.
