What is barren flower on cucumbers and the features of its treatment that you may not know about

When growing cucumbers, beginners and sometimes experienced gardeners often encounter the problem of barren flowers. The abundance of empty flowers on fences threatens a low harvest. Let's figure out why there are a lot of barren flowers on cucumbers, what to do in this case, and how to eliminate the causes of this phenomenon.

What is barren flower

Barren flower - a male flower that does not produce an ovary. Its function is to pollinate female inflorescences. A barren flower can be identified by the presence of a stamen with pollen. Microspores are transferred by insects to female buds, where the ovary will subsequently form.

There are also varieties capable of self-pollination (parthenocarpic) - they do not need the transfer of pollen from male flowers to female flowers.

Male inflorescences tend to appear on common varieties of cucumbers: Most hybrids are parthenocarpic and flower according to the female type.

Important! Ignorant people rush to get rid of the barren flower, considering it useless. It is not advisable to pick off the staminate buds with pollen; you can leave the plant without an ovary.

Ideal option for high yields, – the appearance of an equal number of female and male flowers on the fence. The predominance of barren flowers or its lack leads to problems with pollination.

Why are there a lot of barren flowers on cucumbers?

A large number of empty buds may be caused by a violation of growing technology, non-compliance with plant care rules, low quality seeds. Having established the reasons that led to the appearance of abundant barren flowers, there is every chance to correct the situation.

Improper watering

Improper watering is one of the most common reasons for the predominance of male inflorescences over female ones.

The use of cold water leads to:

• the appearance of large quantities of barren flowers;
• diseases and root rot;
• falling of the ovaries;
• plant death.

Settled water warmed in the sun is used to water plants.. Its temperature should not be lower than +21ºС and not higher than +25ºС.

You need to know not only what to water the plant with, but also how to do it correctly. Warm water is poured carefully, avoiding moisture getting on the leaves and eroding the soil at the roots. Proper watering is especially important when buds are forming.

Important! Vegetable crops require systematic watering, which should not be overdone. Stagnation of moisture in the soil provokes not only abundant barren flowers, but also the fall of ovaries, diseases, and rotting of the root system.

Failure to comply with the rules of agricultural technology

The appearance of a large number of male inflorescences on fences occurs due to incorrect agricultural practices. To the most common errors, because of which cucumbers bloom barren flowers, include:

1. Thickened seeding. Failure to observe the recommended distance when planting seedlings is fraught with weak growth and slower development of plants, barren flowers, problems with ovary formation, and even a complete absence of female flowering. With dense planting, the likelihood of vegetable crops being damaged by diseases and pests is increased. In order to prevent the problem, it is recommended to plant 1 square. m of soil no more than 5 plants. The distance between rows should be 0.7 m, between seedlings - 0.20-0.25 m.
2. Planting seedlings in shady places. For cucumbers, a lack of light threatens the predominance of staminate buds with pollen over female flowering, as well as the fall of the ovaries. The problem can be prevented by providing the vegetable crop with sufficient lighting.
3. Cold. For proper formation of buds and ovaries, cucumbers need to be provided with root warmth. Cold negatively affects the roots of vegetable crops. Cooling of the soil and air is fraught with abundant barren flowers. You can protect the root system from the cold by placing fallen leaves, straw manure, and biofuel in the bed when planting.
4. Overfeeding nitrogen fertilizers. Excessive use of nitrogen-rich fertilizer before flowering results in a lack of female buds. A plant that finds itself in such comfortable conditions produces only barren flowers. The situation can be corrected by feeding the vegetable crop with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers.
5. Lack of conditions for pollination. The problem of predominance of male flowering over female flowering can be observed when growing varieties that require pollination by bees or wasps, if there are no insects nearby or cultivation occurs in closed conditions.

Sowing too young seeds and their quality

The reason for the appearance of a large number of staminate buds with pollen on the fence often lies in the low quality of the seeds. The problem is caused by using seed that is too young.

It is preferable to take purchased seeds from a trusted manufacturer for sowing.. You can also use prepared ones yourself. The ideal option is four-year-old seeds of a female cucumber, which has a tetrahedral shape and 4 seed chambers.

Important! Seed material obtained from a male cucumber will produce a large amount of barren flowers.Using seeds younger than two years of age will lead to a similar result.

How to get rid of barren flowers

If you find that the plants have only male flowers or no ovaries, take immediate action. Otherwise, there will be no good harvest of cucumbers.

Using it for sowing seeds will help you forget about barren flowers. self-pollinating or a self-fertile variety. Self-pollinating varieties are characterized by flowers with both a pistil and a stamen. Self-fertile plants tend to produce fruit without seeds. They have no need for pollination.

With proper planting and care, you can avoid the problem of abundant barren flowers when growing varieties that produce dioecious flowers.

Compliance with the following conditions will prevent the appearance of a large number of male flowers:

1. Using seed material 2-4 years old. Last year's seeds can be sown for seedlings by first heating them for 1 month on a radiator or calcining them in a frying pan for at least 2 hours. Before planting the seed, additional preparation will be required to increase the germination rate and stimulate female flowering. It consists of soaking the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate, boric acid, or in a ready-made commercial preparation.
2. Planting seedlings in compliance with standards according to the distance between rows and plants.
3. Full light mode.
4. Competent, systematic watering in compliance with the norms for the volume of water per plant. It is necessary to provide abundant watering for cucumbers before flowering and during the period when the plant bears fruit. Flowering vines do not need it. Cucumbers should not be watered if the ambient temperature is below +16°C.
5. Cold protection. In cold weather, plants are covered with film and adjustments are made to the watering regime. Otherwise, a large number of male flowers will appear on the fences.

The development of female inflorescences can be stimulated by briefly drying the soil. The duration of the process is determined by the appearance of the plant. It should look slightly “sick.” Slight wilting of the leaves is a signal to resume watering and carry out the next feeding.

Fertile soil is poured under the bush and fed with mullein solution. The solution is made based on the proportions: take 10 liters of water per 1 kg of fresh raw materials. Watering is carried out at the rate of 1 glass of liquid per bush. When the cucumbers begin to bear fruit, fertilizing is carried out twice.

Carbon dioxide deficiency can also delay the appearance of fruiting flowers. It is necessary to periodically loosen the soil after watering or heavy rain. It is also recommended to cover the plant with mullein.

For reference. You can install a container with fertilizer directly in the greenhouse. This measure will increase the concentration of carbon dioxide, which will reduce the amount of barren flowers.

It is recommended to resort to pinching upper leaves on the main stemto reduce the number of male inflorescences. Early varieties need to be pinched after 8-10 leaves, late varieties - after 6-8 leaves on the stem. The manipulation will cause intensive growth of the side lashes. Female buds will be formed on them.

At the time of fruiting, it is recommended to harvest in a timely manner.without keeping the ripe cucumbers on the stem. This measure stimulates the appearance of new flowers and leads to an increase in the yield of the bush.

Advice from experienced summer residents

Experienced summer residents claim that the problem of barren flowers is more common when growing cucumbers in a greenhouse, and not in open ground. Keeping a plant in a greenhouse prevents its natural pollination by insects. In such a situation, you can resort to artificial insemination. The best time to conduct it is from 9 to 12 noon. The technology is simple - a bud with pollen and applied to the female flower. Pollen must fall from the stamens of one inflorescence to the stigma of another.

You can use the folk method and attract bees to the greenhouse. To do this, place a bouquet of dandelions or perennial onions in it. It is permissible to use a honey solution as bait, which is sprayed onto the bushes. The aroma of honey will attract insects to the greenhouse.

In a greenhouse, experienced summer residents advise monitoring the temperature. If indoors it is above +35˚С, then more buds with pollen will form. In this case, the humidity in the greenhouse should not exceed 90%.

Particular attention is required when solar activity reaches its peak. and the temperature in the greenhouse is growing at high speed. In such a situation, immediately after planting and during the process of caring for cucumber bushes, soft, diffused lighting will be required. Experienced gardeners provide it by irrigating the outside of the greenhouse wall with an aqueous solution of chalk.

Hardening the seed will also help speed up the appearance of fruiting inflorescences. The manipulation is carried out with swollen seeds. First, the cucumber seed is left on a damp cloth at room temperature to swell, then transferred to the refrigerator.

It is recommended to keep the seeds in the cold for two days, after which the seed is dried. Only after this is sowing carried out.Hardened seeds will germinate faster even at temperatures not exceeding +10° C. They will produce female buds earlier.

It can be useful:

Why cucumbers don’t grow in a greenhouse: effective solutions

Requirements for soil for cucumbers in a greenhouse and rules for its preparation

Conclusion

Barren flowers are male flowers necessary for fruiting of a cucumber bush. Improper care and bad seeds are the main reasons for the appearance of a large number of staminate inflorescences with pollen. Advice from experienced gardeners and adherence to agricultural practices will help you cope with the problem of barren flowers.