Why don't cucumbers grow in a greenhouse? Often inexperienced gardeners are perplexed why there are so many ovaries on the bushes, but they cannot wait for the harvest. While the owners are waiting for the baby cucumbers to increase in size, they suddenly begin to turn yellow and fall off. Experienced gardeners know how to deal with the problem. It is necessary to change the atmosphere in which the plants are located.
Why cucumbers grow poorly in a greenhouse: Mr. Summer Resident explains 5 main reasons
The formation of fruits from ovaries is influenced by many factors. Knowing this, you can eliminate many problems. Our portal https://mrdachnik.com explains:
- The yield is negatively affected by both excessively high temperatures and too low temperatures. In addition, fruits do not form if there are frequent sudden changes in temperature. If the thermometer drops below +12 °C at night, growth stops. The optimal temperature during the day is from +23 °C to +28 °C, at night - at least +17 °C. Dry air in hot weather also prevents fruit formation.
- Another reason for stopping the growth of ovaries is a lack of nutrients in the soil. During the growing season, cucumbers need to be fed several times, often changing the composition of the fertilizer.
- Ripe fruits must be removed from the bush in time, otherwise young ovaries will not develop. Harvesting should be done every other day.
- If cucumbers do not grow in a greenhouse, keep in mind that they do not like waterlogged soil, which causes various diseases to develop that affect the harvest.
- It often happens that flowers are not pollinated, in which case a good harvest cannot be expected. Therefore, it is better to sow those varieties that do not require pollination.
Often, even experienced gardeners are perplexed why there were many ovaries, but the harvest was small.
It is important to identify the problem in time and fix it as quickly as possible.
Polycarbonate greenhouse
Polycarbonate sheets consist of many vacuum cells (mini-chambers) that provide thermal insulation in the greenhouse. The material transmits light well, while retaining ultraviolet rays and protecting plants from bright lighting. Polycarbonate is now popular, it is replacing glass and film.
- thermal insulation;
- light transmittance;
- flexibility;
- ease;
- strength;
- durability;
- withstands snow, wind, temperature changes.
In such a greenhouse, ideal conditions are created for the growth, development and fruiting of cucumbers. To place it, choose a flat place on a summer cottage, perhaps with a slight slope to the south.
Important! The greenhouse must have windows for ventilation.
Cucumbers need fertile soil; it is advisable to prepare it in the greenhouse in the fall.
It is necessary to provide a scheme for watering cucumbers; groundwater in the selected area must lie at a depth of at least 2 meters.
Scheme of automatic watering in a greenhouse
For greengrocers, the ratio of greenhouse volume to area of 2:1 is important; with such a construction, the temperature inside the structure will be stable and even capricious plants will not shed their ovaries.
In polycarbonate structures, cucumber seeds are sown directly into the soil. Not all greens seeds are suitable for indoor cultivation. For the greenhouse, hybrid self-pollinating types of vegetables of the first reproduction, marked F1, are chosen.
Soil composition: what should it be for cucumbers in a greenhouse
When planting cucumbers, it is important to take into account all the nuances. For example, remember what plants grew in this area last year. It often happens that predecessors deplete the soil and cucumbers lack essential minerals and trace elements.
In addition, do not lose sight of soil disinfection. It may contain pest larvae, harmful bacteria, and fungal spores. All this can not only deprive you of your harvest, but also destroy the seedlings. Therefore, before planting, it is worth disinfecting the soil by watering it with a solution of potassium permanganate.
If the seedlings have already been planted, it is important to feed them on time. Mullein solution is perfect. You need to take 1 liter of slurry per bucket of water. It is necessary to take precautions when applying nitrogen-containing fertilizers, since their excess provokes the growth of leaves and inhibits the formation of fruits. If the soil is already saturated with nitrogen, it can be neutralized by adding potassium and phosphorus fertilizers.
The correct temperature regime for cucumbers in a greenhouse and how to maintain it
Too hot or too cold days have a bad effect on crop growth.
At this time, the ovaries are not formed. Therefore, you should maintain a comfortable temperature.
- On hot days, it is necessary to ventilate the greenhouse. Bushes can be shaded using old newspapers or light fabrics so that they are not exposed to direct sunlight.
- During cold weather, you can place large bottles filled with hot water in the greenhouse. Once the water has cooled, it must be replaced. Before sunset, you need to water the beds with warm water, which will evaporate and warm the air in the greenhouse at night.
Recommendations for caring for the greenhouse
Prepare the greenhouse in the fall, after harvesting:
- wash the metal frame, remove rust, paint it;
- treat the wooden building with copper sulfate;
- remove the removed soil outside the greenhouse;
- carefully dig up the ground;
- fumigation - set fire to lump sulfur with kerosene, close the door and vents in the building tightly. You can ventilate after 5 days.
To ensure that the ovaries form and do not fall off, the greenhouse must be heated using barrels, buckets, and bottles of hot water. They are placed inside throughout the entire area of the building, then the plants will not freeze at night.
If you follow all the growing recommendations, the harvest will not be long in coming.
Analysis of the issue of pollination of cucumbers in a greenhouse
When purchasing seeds for planting cucumbers, you need to pay attention to the method of pollination. If the variety is pollinated, problems may arise with the harvest, because insects do not have free access to the greenhouse. Therefore, it is necessary to buy seeds whose packaging has the designation F1 - they are self-pollinating. In addition, such varieties germinate well and produce an excellent harvest.
Before planting the seeds, they must be sorted. To do this, prepare a 5% salt solution and pour it into the planting material. Those seeds that float to the surface will not be useful - they are empty inside and will not sprout. The rest are soaked for 15-20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After this, they need to be washed and soaked.
If a gardener is faced with a pollination problem, when similar varieties are already growing in the greenhouse, it is necessary to attract insects as actively as possible. To do this, on warm days, open the windows and doors. You can plant flowers next to the cucumbers that are interesting to insects. Marigolds, mint or lemon balm are suitable. In addition, it is possible to pollinate cucumbers yourself by picking a male flower and rubbing it against a female one.
Planting insect-pollinated plants
Many novice lovers of early vegetables often simply do not pay attention to the type of seeds they purchase; they look only at the size of the fruit shown on the package. Meanwhile, all varieties of cucumbers are divided into 2 types:
- parthenocarpic (or self-pollinating);
- insect-pollinated.
The latter type of cucumbers will not be able to form an ovary on their own: pollen transfer is necessary for fertilization through insects or humans, because the main number of flowers are masculine. Self-pollinating cucumbers do not need such intervention. Why? The fact is that parthenocarpic varieties have mostly female flowers, which differ from male ones in a small ovary and a tiny cucumber located at the base of the flower.
If, however, insect-pollinated cucumbers are planted in your greenhouse, then there are a couple of ways to get an ovary: attract bees or pollinate with your hands. In the first case, you need to prepare a solution that will attract bees. Add a tablespoon of honey (candied jam) and boric acid (0.1 g) to a liter of water. Spray the cucumber leaves in the greenhouse with the resulting mixture.
Do not forget to open all doors and windows wide for easy access of insects.
If this does not help and the insects ignore your efforts, you will have to pollinate manually. To do this, pick a male flower (it does not have a cucumber under the flower), touch it to the core of the female flower, which has a small ovary. It is better to do this monotonous procedure early in the morning, while it is not so hot in the greenhouse.
Diseases, pests and measures to eliminate them: table
| Disease | Signs, description, reasons for appearance | Folk remedy | Drugs |
| Root rot | It can appear when the soil is over-moistened. This disease is identified by stems that become thinner and darker. | 5 ml of iodine or 10 drops of brilliant green are diluted in a bucket of water. The bushes are watered with this solution. It can also be used for prevention in cases where the crop is planted in wetlands. | The pesticide Previkur is used. Dissolve 20 ml of the drug in a bucket of water and water the bushes at the root. |
| Powdery mildew | It occurs in rainy and cold times. The underside of the leaves becomes covered with a whitish coating, the fruits become drier and acquire a bitter taste. | Dilute 1 liter of low-fat milk in a bucket of water and add 10 drops of iodine. Bushes are sprayed with this product. | The substance used is Topaz. Dissolve 2 ml of the product in a bucket of warm water and spray the shoots. |
| Cladosporiosis | This fungal infection appears in conditions of high humidity and warmth. The fruits become covered with brown spots and become distorted. You can't eat these cucumbers. | On cold days, the greenhouse must be tightly closed. If symptoms have already appeared, do not water the cucumbers for a week. At this time, the bushes are sprayed with a solution of Bordeaux mixture. | The drug Oxychoma in an amount of 20 ml is diluted in a bucket of water and sprayed on the affected plants. |
If no specific signs are observed, you can treat the weakened shoots with a soap solution or tincture of garlic and onion.
| Pest | Signs, description, reasons for appearance | Folk remedy | Drugs |
| Spider mite | This is a small insect, similar to a spider and reaching a length of 1 mm. The pest eats the sap of the plant. It usually gets onto shoots directly from the ground, but it can also be carried on clothing or equipment. The insect prefers dry air, but there is also a false mite that loves humidity. If the plant is severely affected, it may die or become diseased. Signs of damage include tiny white dots and thin webbing on the shoot. | Four finely chopped heads of garlic should be poured with two liters of water and the solution should be kept for 5 days. Then add water in a 1:1 ratio. In the evening, spray the shoots with the prepared infusion. The second option is to pour 200 g of onion peels into a bucket of water and leave for 5 days. Strain the finished product and spray the plants. | If the affected area is large, you can use Actellik, Neoron, Fitoverm, Karbofos, Apollo. |
| Aphid | A small homoptera insect approximately 2 mm long often appears on cucumbers. Aphids can vary in color, being green and yellow. The larvae usually wait out the winter in fallen leaves and weeds. Aphids are carried by ants. Insects attack cucumbers starting in mid-summer. The pest sucks juices from the green mass, in return releasing poison that negatively affects the stems and leaves. The main signs of aphid damage: crumbling flowers and ovaries, dried leaves, weak growth and formation of cucumbers. Another danger of these insects is that they often carry other diseases. | 400 grams of finely chopped garlic are poured into 2 liters of water. After 4 days, the product is diluted with water at the rate of 60 grams of infusion per 2 buckets of water. For one square meter you will need 30 grams of infusion. | The drugs Fitoverm, Aktofit, Komandor, Iskra, Karbofos have proven themselves well. |
| Slug | Mollusks prefer high humidity, so they appear after heavy and prolonged rains. They are active only at night and eat young shoots. In addition, slugs are carriers of fungal spores. | You can collect pests with your hands. Between the beds you need to scatter fragrant plants, such as rosemary, cilantro and others. Another option is to bury an open beer can up to the neck. The smell will attract slugs and they will fall into the trap. | In large areas, you can use the drugs Slug Eater, Meta, Thunderstorm, Ferramol, Ethisso. In addition, slugs disappear after using calcium-containing fertilizers. As a preventative measure, you can mulch the soil with sawdust. |
To avoid damage by soil pests, the drug Terradox is added to the soil. For prevention, Glyokladin tablets are suitable, which are placed in the holes during picking.
Be sure to read the article about what to do if cucumber leaves and ovaries dry out. whip.
Incorrect chemical treatment
There are several varieties of cucumbers that simply will not grow without fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. This indicates that fertilizers are needed. However, the process must be treated responsibly: you cannot put the entire “bouquet” of fertilizers into the seedling hole at once. After planting, fertilizing should be done weekly. It is necessary to increase the intensity of fertilizer application only if there are signs of “starvation” of the crop. The first treatment will be required when the leaves appear, the second - after 2.5-3 weeks, the third - on the eve of flowering, the last - approximately 18 days before the formation of the first fruits.
You can completely avoid feeding if you plant plants that are resistant to various types of infections. However, how to prepare a greenhouse to avoid the troubles described above?
Careful transplantation and proper planting of cucumbers
The seedlings of this crop react very sensitively to transplantation. It is important to handle the roots of the plant as carefully as possible, since if damaged, the seedlings will take a long time to take root and lag behind in development. To help cucumbers, you can apply fertilizers containing phosphorus, potassium or growth stimulants.
The problem can be avoided if the seeds are planted immediately in the greenhouse. For this, individual peat containers are useful, which are subsequently placed directly into the ground and decompose there.
If cucumbers grow slowly, the reason may be due to dense planting. The optimal distance between shoots is 70 cm.
Growth stimulants for cucumber ovaries
Among modern drugs you can eat those that are designed to stimulate the growth of ovaries and fruits:
- "Ovary",
- "Let's be fruitful"
- "Bud".
Oh, and the Cheat Sheet turned out to be big! And all because there are many reasons for delayed growth of cucumber ovaries. But it is difficult to give a definite answer as to why the ovaries do not grow. It all depends on individual factors. In any case, knowing the reasons will help you find a solution! And we hope our Country Cheat Sheet helped you with this.
