Why do cucumber ovaries turn yellow?
Sometimes, instead of forming the long-awaited cucumbers, the ovaries on the cucumbers do not develop, but dry up and fall off. Let's try to figure out why the ovaries of cucumbers turn yellow and what to do in this case, because this problem is familiar to many gardeners.
Causes of drying of the ovaries
Density of plantings
The cucumber is a light-loving plant, with a lack of light, the ovaries turn yellow and fall off. In order for cucumber lashes to receive a sufficient amount of sunlight, per 1 sq.m. should be placed no more than 2-4 plants, and when growing parthenocarpic hybrids - no more than one or two bushes. When planting, follow the recommendations on the package.
Large green mass
During the growing season, the plants form a huge green mass, therefore, it is imperative to carry out pinching: without exception, all stepchildren, originating from the axils of 2-5 leaves, should pinch the shoots located above the 2nd leaf, also pinch them. With enough light, cucumber ovaries will not turn yellow and fall off.
Features of the variety
Modern fruitful varieties of cucumbers, especially those that do not require pollination, are distinguished by a large number of ovaries, they are found in each leaf sinus. The plant cannot “feed” such a quantity of fruits, so it gets rid of part or all of the ovaries at once. To prevent this from happening, you should remove excess ovaries, breaking them off before the flowers bloom. On average, 25-30 fruits can form and ripen on one cucumber bush.
Provided that only part of the ovaries turn yellow and dry, and the rest develop normally, nothing needs to be done, the plant itself knows how many fruits it can feed.
Immature plants
Sometimes on a young and weak plant that has not gained green mass, but with long central and lateral stems, cucumbers begin to tie. The plant cannot provide the developing fruits with nutrients, therefore, it gets rid of the ovaries. Therefore, on young and immature plants, the lashes must be partially cut off, and the flowers must be removed.
No pollination
If you prefer not only modern varieties, self-pollinating or parthenocarpic, but also traditional ones, the ovaries may dry out due to the lack of pollination. If fertilization of female flowers has not occurred, the ovary will not develop further, it will turn yellow and dry out.
What to do in this case? We offer several options:
1. To attract bees and other pollinating insects, spray the bushes with sweet water with the addition of boric acid, 1 g per 1 liter. If the weather is “non-flying”, windy, cloudy, rainy, or vice versa, hot, carry out pollination by hand. To do this, touch the female flower with a male flower, or transfer the pollen with a brush to a female peduncle.
2. Plants are planted next to modern high-yield varieties that form flowers of the female type, on which male flower stalks are formed.
In the heat, pollination does not occur, the temperature rise above +27 degrees makes the pollen sterile, therefore, in hot weather, be sure to ventilate the greenhouses. Advises you to read an article on how to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse.
Why do cucumber ovaries turn yellow in the open field
Untimely cleaning
Vegetables in the beds should not be allowed to outgrow, a large number of overripe fruits give a kind of signal to the plant that it has fulfilled its purpose by giving offspring with seeds. After this, the formation of new ovaries is significantly reduced.
Unfavorable temperature conditions
Cucumbers are very thermophilic, the temperature favorable for fruit formation is about + 21 ... 26 degrees during the day and + 18 ... + 20 at night. If the nights are cold, the roots begin to die off from temperature fluctuations, leading to yellowing of leaves and ovaries. To protect against overheating, be sure to mulch the soil; to keep warm in greenhouses and greenhouses, install containers with water, which, when heated during the day, give off heat at night.
Watering
For abundant flowering and fruit formation, cucumbers need proper watering. Ideally, the temperature regime of soil and water should be the same, 23-25 degrees. Cold water causes leaves and ovaries to turn yellow.
With the beginning of flowering, for the formation of a large number of female flowers, watering is stopped for several days. After the foliage has slightly grown, and the soil has dried up, watering is resumed, and the volume of water is increased. Be careful not to dry out the soil, otherwise all the ovaries will fall off.
Watering during flowering and fruiting is carried out 3 times a week, in hot weather, daily.
Lack of nutrition
If there are not enough nutrients, the cucumber bush will get rid of the ovaries in order to survive. How often and how to feed the cucumbers if the ovaries turn yellow? Cucumber vines should be fed once every 7-10 days, combined with watering. During the formation of green mass, cucumbers need nitrogen and phosphorus, in the growth phase of fruits, phosphorus and potassium.
When feeding only with fertilizers rich in nitrogen (infusion of mullein, grass, chicken droppings), but with a deficiency of potassium, the ovaries may dry out. The lack of trace elements is evidenced by the twisting and yellowing of the ovary from the tip. To correct the situation, cucumbers are sprayed with a solution of ash and calcium nitrate, 3 tablespoons of ash and 10 grams of saltpeter per 10 liters are taken for 10 liters of water. water. Nitrogen fertilizers can also be added to this solution. You can also use ready-made fertilizer, Kemira or Solution.
Diseases of cucumbers
Another reason why cucumber ovaries turn yellow is root rot, which causes the cucumber lashes to dry out from the top. Due to damage to the roots, there is not enough nutrition for the formation of fruits, so the ovaries fall off. To save the plant, the lashes are bent to the soil surface, sprinkling the healthy part of the shoot with earth. After a while, the vine will take root and the plant will recover.
Ovaries also perish due to various bacterioses, which primarily affect weakened plants growing with a lack of light and nutrition, as well as with significant temperature fluctuations. Fungicides are used to treat these diseases.
Video about why the ovaries of cucumbers turn yellow
We have described the most common causes of yellowing and drying of cucumber ovaries. Observe the plants, timely measures taken will help preserve all the greens and get the long-awaited harvest.