Why are cucumbers empty inside and how to prevent this problem

Every summer resident has at least once encountered the fact that in the harvested cucumbers there are specimens that are empty inside. Violation of the process of formation and development of fruits can be caused by various reasons.

It is important to know how to eliminate them - then the efforts spent on growing fruits will not be in vain. We'll talk about this in the article.

Causes of emptiness inside cucumbers

Cucumbers cannot be called a capricious crop that is difficult to grow. Vegetables are easy to care for, but some rules should still be followed.to reap a rich and high-quality harvest.

By appearance, you can recognize that a void has formed inside the fruit. They look slightly concave, misshapen and wrinkled. You can make sure if you break a cucumber: the core is dried out, yellowed or completely missing.

Emptiness is the result of improper growth of the placenta, on which the seed primordia are located. Why this happens, we will understand further.

Incorrect microclimate

This is a common problem familiar to summer residents who have greenhouses. The culture reacts sharply to temperature changes, which cannot be called a rare phenomenon in most regions. The difference between day and night temperatures can reach 12-15 degrees, which is detrimental for plants.

Reference. Cucumber is one of the few vegetables that grows at night. The optimal temperature should be no lower than +20°C.

A mandatory requirement for growing is compliance with the light regime.. The leaves of the plant need bright sunlight, and when the fruits appear, it is recommended to slightly shade them.

If the greenhouse is too dark, they not only form hollow, but also lose their taste and do not grow to large sizes.

Errors in watering

Cucumbers are 90% water - the rest is juice and enzymes. Therefore, some gardeners are sure that they need a lot of moisture and often water the soil.

Both excess and lack of moisture are detrimental to the plant.. The root system does not absorb enough water and microelements, the fruits begin to dry out and crack, tissue damage on the stems and vegetables leads to a loss of 40-45% of the mass.

To organize regular and moderate watering in greenhouses They use a drip irrigation system that evenly moistens the soil, directing the flow gently under the root of the plant.

Soil quality

All nutrients and microelements are obtained from the soil of the crop., hence, the soil should be rich and balanced. Inept use of mineral fertilizers and organic matter leads to poor harvest quality.

Important! An excess of nitrogen, urea or manure on the site is the main reason for the formation of voids.

The application of complex mineral fertilizers is carried out according to the scheme:

• when the ovaries are formed, more potassium preparations are added;
• When flowering, cucumbers need phosphorus;
• At the initial stage, with the growth of green mass, nitrogen is needed.

The soil should be soft, regular loosening will saturate it with oxygen and ensure its circulation. In addition, the land for cucumbers is cultivated before planting.It may contain pathogenic microorganisms, bacteria and infections that will cause viral diseases and disrupt the development of young tissues.

Varietal features

Cucumber hybrids are the most resistant to void formation, they are marked with the letter F and one (F1). The most common of them are:

• Chistye Prudy;
• Green Wave;
• Brawler;
• Grasshopper;
• Marina Grove.

Hybrids do not have hereditary characteristics, so you cannot collect seeds from them for planting. To avoid the appearance of hollow fruits, take fresh planting material.

Diseases

With regular temperature fluctuations, the immunity of cucumbers decreases, they become vulnerable to infectious diseases. The appearance of defects is often associated with infection of the bush, which leads to a significant reduction in yield. For example, viral necrosis reduces yield by 30-50%.

Delayed harvesting

Vegetables are harvested immediately after they ripen. Specimens left on the beds become overripe and outgrow, and seed plants form in them., which becomes the cause of internal emptiness. The skin of such vegetables is hard and bitter, they actively consume moisture from the accumulated reserve.

What to do if hollow cucumbers appear

If hollow cucumbers appear on the site, this does not mean that the entire harvest is spoiled. Timely identification of the causes will help you understand how to get rid of this.

Plants need to be provided with comfortable growing conditions. First of all it is recommended to reconsider irrigation scheme:

1. Use only warm water (+26-28°C) - in this case, a sufficient amount of moisture will be absorbed by the roots, and the residue will quickly evaporate.
2. Limit watering in cloudy weather, as the roots do not absorb liquid on such days.
3. Moisten the soil with a weak stream, directing it carefully under the root so as not to damage it, and spray the above-ground part only after sunset.

If you come across a large number of empty cucumbers, correct errors in the organization of lighting: thin out the bushes so that they do not block the sun’s rays. If the site is located in the shade, ultraviolet lamps are installed inside the greenhouse between the beds.

Deterioration in fruit quality can be corrected by applying fertilizers. Compost is the most effective fertilizer, which is almost impossible to overdose. But in combination with urea it can deteriorate the quality of the soil, and therefore the taste characteristics of cucumbers.

Preventive measures

Choose suitable varieties for planting that are adapted to the climatic conditions of the region. To prevent the appearance of voids in fruits, it is recommended:

• avoid excess nitrogen in fertilizers;
• spray the fruits to prevent diseases (1 kg of mullein per 3 liters of water, leave for 3 days, strain and bring the volume to 6 liters);
• to prevent cracking and internal emptiness, treat the bushes with water with the addition of sour milk (in equal proportions);
• spray plants and soil with manganese solution to prevent viral diseases.

In greenhouses, cucumbers are treated with formaldehyde solution at the rate of 1 liter of 2% composition per 1 sq. m. Every evening the greenhouse room is ventilated, and on cloudy and humid days it is kept open.

Important! Follow the rule of crop rotation: do not plant cucumbers in the same place for 4 years in a row.

When the thermometer drops below +20°C, shrubs in the open ground are insulated, covered with film, and heaters are installed in the greenhouse at night.

Why are cucumbers empty inside when pickled?

Main causes of the problem:

• selection of low-quality, overripe, initially empty fruits;
• violation of salting technology.

Overripe fruits are not recommended for canning or pickling.. Only young cucumbers collected in a timely manner will do. It is not recommended to store them for a long time.

Some varieties are not suitable for harvesting for the winter, especially salad ones - a cavity may form inside the fruit.

During pickling, even high-quality vegetables can spoil. Emergence of emptiness inside is associated with the development of microorganisms that practically process the pulp into gases and destroy it. These fruits are recognized externally: they are swollen and increased in size.

Important! Experienced housewives soak the collected fruits in cool water for 2-3 hours before pickling, and if they are clogged, they make several punctures on the skin with a needle.

Tips and tricks

Before planting, it is recommended to treat the seeds with a solution of wood ash.. This composition saturates the seed with essential nutrients and increases plant immunity. The culture becomes more resistant to climatic conditions and diseases.

To avoid problems during cultivation, It is recommended to use trellises for cucumbers. This will avoid lack of lighting.

The hardening procedure is effective. Before planting, seeds are placed in a damp cloth or gauze and left in a warm room with an air temperature of at least +25°C. As soon as several young shoots hatch, the seed is placed in the refrigerator for 24 hours.After this, the seeds are kept in a cool room, for example, in a cellar or on a balcony, so that they recover from the cold.

Plays an important role in the development of cucumbers neighborhood. They get along well with garlic and onions, legumes and lettuce, celery and beets. And if you plant shrubs next to corn, you can collect juicy, slightly sweet fruits.

Conclusion

Compliance with the rules for growing and caring for cucumbers will avoid a decrease in the quality of the crop. Emptiness in vegetables is formed due to violations of agricultural technology, unsuitable microclimatic conditions and a number of diseases. The problem that has arisen can not only be eliminated, but also prevented by taking timely measures.