Barren flowers on cucumbers: 6 main reasons and how to deal with them

Barren flowers on cucumbers are one of the common reasons that can affect the amount of harvest. The plant forms buds, however, after the ovary withers, there are no cucumbers. In order to avoid such a problem, it is necessary to use simple methods that have repeatedly proven their effectiveness.

Why may barren flowers appear?

There can be many reasons for the appearance of male flowers on cucumbers. However, the most common factors are the following.

Bad Seeds

Before planting, the seeds must be properly hardened and aged for at least 1 year. Many gardeners make the mistake of collecting seeds themselves. Often, planting material is collected from cucumbers that are not fully ripened. This subsequently leads to a lack of harvest. Therefore, it is best to purchase seeds from trusted suppliers.

Using cold water

In order to get a large harvest, cucumbers, like other crops, are important to water correctly. Gardeners often make this mistake by watering the bushes with cold tap water.In order not to harm the cucumbers, they should be watered with warm water that has been left to settle for at least a day.

Bad weather conditions

Barren flowers often develop when air temperatures are low. Cold weather not only leads to empty flowers, but also contributes to the appearance of dark spots on the leaves. However, heat can also cause damage to plants. In hot weather, it is recommended to mulch the soil, thus retaining moisture.

Wrong fertilizer

To obtain a harvest, it is important to follow all the subtleties in fertilizing. However, gardeners often use too much nitrogen in fertilizing; with this fertilizer, plants grow very quickly, but do not form inflorescences.

Too dense beds

In order for the bushes with cucumbers to receive all the necessary nutrients, it is necessary to maintain a distance between the plantings of at least 30 cm. Otherwise, the crop will feel a lack of fertilizer and shade each other as it grows. Lack of light leads to the absence of ovaries or their improper development.

Lack of pollinators

In order to produce an ovary, cucumbers need natural or artificial pollination. If this is absent, barren flowers begin to develop. For artificial pollination, it is enough to use a brush to touch the flowers one by one.

Bottom line

In order for the cucumber harvest to please you throughout the season, it is important to follow simple recommendations. Otherwise, the crop will form barren flowers and only occupy the area.