Barren flowers can appear on cucumbers for several reasons, mainly due to mistakes in care and poor soil. To prevent the appearance of "empty" non-fruiting flowers, it is enough to follow a few rules.

Barren flowers are called "male flowers", they play an important role in the process of pollination, as they have stamens. In fact, it is impossible to get a good harvest without barren flowers.

Note! Gardeners note that after removing the “empty” flowers from the plant, the “female” flowers wither or even rot rapidly.

It happens that the number of barren flowers on a plant exceeds the number of fertile flowers, this is also unacceptable, and the crop is threatened. To remedy the situation, gardeners are advised to remove only weak and withering "empty" flowers, thus maintaining balance.

Why are there a lot of barren flowers on greenhouse cucumbers

There are several reasons why empty ovaries appear on plants:

  • bad seeds;
  • sowing errors, too dense arrangement of seedlings;
  • temperature below 16 degrees, cold or extreme heat. Temperatures above 30 are considered unfavorable for the formation of ovaries;
  • watering errors, both too rare and very frequent watering are harmful;
  • a lot of shade over the beds, lack of sunny color;
  • very cold water used for irrigation;
  • problems with the soil, sometimes it contains an excess of certain substances or, on the contrary, there is a lack of them;
  • insufficient pollination.

Appearance

Self-pollinated cucumber varieties do not need insect assistance when polluting. As a rule, it is these plant varieties that are grown in greenhouses or even on window sills. In such varieties, the flower has both a pistil and a stamen at the same time.

For planting in the beds, experts advise planting cucumbers pollinated by bees. It has been proven that they are much more resistant to various negative factors: changeable weather or insufficient watering.

If a bee-pollinated variety is chosen, do not forget about the additional attraction of bees to the site, for this planting you need to spray it with sweet water (1 spoon of honey or sugar per 300 ml of water). If disturbances and failures occur in the process of pollination, the number of "male" inflorescences increases and this is directly reflected in the quantity and quality of the crop.

What to do if cucumbers are blooming with barren flowers

The main factor affecting the appearance of barren flowers is improper plant care and unfavorable conditions for the growth of cucumbers.

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Weeding should be done on time, the beds should not be overgrown with weeds. Loosening is also very important for the plant, it is better to do it immediately after watering is complete, then the roots will be fully saturated with oxygen and the necessary elements.

Important! The cucumbers in the greenhouse need a garter.

If a barren flower appeared on cucumbers in a home greenhouse, then what to do? There are some more tips for preventing empty flowers:

  • Often, barren flowers appear as a result of low air temperatures, in which case it is necessary to stop watering for a while and cover the plants with a protective awning. Temperatures below 15 degrees are one of the main reasons for the appearance of barren flowers.
  • In hot periods, you need to water the plants more often, twice a day, in the morning and in the evening.
  • The temperature of the water being irrigated is also important, it must be warm, it is advisable to defend the water before irrigation. During the flowering period, the number of watering should be reduced, this will help the plant to concentrate forces on the fruits, and not on the foliage.
  • Pinching the main stem. This method is recommended when the plants are close to each other.

Sometimes the ovary on cucumbers is completely absent. This means that the plant lacks nutrients and needs to be fertilized. The best options for feeding are wood ash, mullein infusion and nitrophoska.

The reason is the lack of pollination

If the reason for the appearance of barren flowers is insufficient pollination, the following technique can help: you need to shake the stem of the cucumber during the flowering period or brush it with a small brush over the barren flowers, and then over the female flowers.

Boric acid is a good option for feeding cucumbers. Nutrition will go to both the root system and the ground part. In addition, the ovary will develop more intensively. To treat a plant with boric acid, you need to dilute 2.5 g of the substance in 5 liters of water and spray the planting.

Medicines such as Bud and Ovary are also very effective in stimulating the ovary. By applying them, it is important to follow the instructions. The slightest violations can harm the plant.

  • BudIs a drug designed to saturate plants with nutrients and activate the formation of ovaries. It is used not only for cucumbers, it is also suitable for feeding zucchini, peppers, eggplant and cabbage. According to the instructions, 5 g of powder is diluted in 5 liters of water. Plants should be sprayed during the budding period, when the ovary is just beginning to form. The drug is consumed in proportions of 2 liters per 5 m².
  • Nutrient preparation Ovary very popular among gardeners, it effectively nourishes plants with various substances and contributes to the formation of a full-fledged ovary. The positive influence of the ovary on the yield of not only cucumbers, but also tomatoes, cabbage and legumes was noted. With regard to cucumbers, the agent is used in an amount of 2 g per 1.4 liters of water. Spraying should be done twice, when flowering is just beginning and at its peak. The solution is consumed in proportions of 300 ml per 5 m².

If barren cucumbers grow, what to do is now clear. It is necessary to adjust the care, providing the necessary conditions for the plantings.

Barren flowers prevention and removal

When it became clear why the cucumbers in the greenhouse bloom with barren flowers and what to do at the same time, it is worth thinking about prevention. It is desirable to carry out it even before planting seedlings in the ground.

Cucumbers Real Colonel

Particular attention should be paid to the quality of the seeds, giving preference to only proven brands. 3 and 4 year old seeds are quite suitable for planting.

Important! Seeds that are too young sometimes produce many "male" flowers.

You should not neglect the selection of seeds, you need to plant only the strongest and most dense ones. Seeds treated with potassium permanganate solution germinate faster.

Traditionally, experienced gardeners dry the selected seeds. This is due to the high protein content of cucumber seeds. If they are not dried, the plant will develop intensively, but not bear fruit. To deactivate the protein, they need to be dried for at least 1.5 months.

Spraying

There is a list of solutions that initiate the active development of the plant and form its protective functions. It is recommended to use Novosil, Ecosil, Zircon. Gardeners who used these preparations noted a high yield and a small number of empty flowers.

Important pay attention to sufficient illumination of the beds.

Also, in the prevention of barren flowers, the distance between seedlings plays a huge role, it should not be small, at least 40 cm.With frequent planting, the whip and leaves of cucumbers do not allow the ovary to fully develop, which leads to the appearance of a large number of barren flowers.

Improper feeding is one of the factors influencing the appearance of "male" flowers.Many people make the mistake of feeding cucumbers with too much nitrogen fertilizers, which causes the plants to develop phosphorus and potassium deficiencies. It is necessary to fertilize cucumbers according to the needs of plants, alternating preparations and not giving preference to only one group of nutrients.

Interesting.You do not need to harvest cucumbers every day, it is better to do it every other day. If the cucumbers remain on the lashes for too long, they overripe, and such fruits prevent the appearance of new ovaries.

Fertilizers are perhaps the most proven method in the fight against massively formed barren flowers. Mullein and chicken droppings are excellent choices for feeding during the flowering period of cucumbers. Potassium sulfate can also help in the formation of ovaries. They are watered with cucumbers when they begin to bloom.

Water on time

Ovary problems can arise from the heat. At temperatures above 28 degrees, pollination stops. In such a situation, mulching and covering the beds with protective awnings will help. To avoid dehydration of the plant, straw and peat can be used to help the root system of the cucumber retain moisture.

Having figured out why cucumbers bloom with barren flowers and what to do, it will not be difficult to get rid of the excess of male flowers and get a harvest.