Already the middle of June. Why don't cucumbers bloom in a greenhouse, on a balcony or in the open field?
On average, cucumbers begin to bloom 30-45 days after sowing the seeds. Dates may vary depending on weather conditions and the variety you have chosen. But sometimes flowering is delayed or does not occur at all. There can be many reasons for this.
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Reason 1. Watering with cold water
This is perhaps the most common reason why cucumber flowering is delayed.
Water temperature for irrigation should be around 25°C. It is better to moisten the soil early in the morning or in the evening. Watering over the leaves is recommended before noon, in which case the air around the plants will be quite humid. At the same time, it is desirable to leave the earth around the root neck dry to prevent the stem from rotting.
Before flowering and during the period of growth of greens, the soil must be moistened regularly. But with the beginning of flowering, it is advisable to limit watering, because. this will encourage the laying of more female flowers.
If the average air temperature reaches 27 ° C, it is impossible to limit watering in any case. On the contrary, you can carry it out twice a day, because. high temperatures prevent fruit set.
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Reason 2. Too dense fit
If you plant cucumbers too close together, the plants will not ventilate well, they will not get enough sunlight, and nutrients will not be able to reach the roots in sufficient quantities. The result will be late or weak flowering.
If your space is limited, try growing cucumbers on a trellis, in barrels, or in a bag. These simple methods will allow you to efficiently use the available space.
Sometimes overly thickened plantings that harm plants result from improper bush formation. If you decide to form cucumbers vertically, it is important to know that different varieties require a different approach. Plants on which male-type flowers are formed, it is desirable to pinch in the phase of 5-6 true leaves.
This will encourage side shoots with female flowers. In parthenocarpic varieties and hybrids, all shoots and buds that have appeared in the axils of 3-5 lower leaves are "blinded" (removed). This allows you to get rid of the ovaries that inhibit the development of the bush.
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Reason 3. Poor quality seeds
Sometimes novice gardeners find a wonderful variety of cucumbers on store shelves, which produces tasty and beautiful fruits, ideal for both fresh eating and canning. It is quite logical that you want to collect the seeds of such plants in order to subsequently use them for sowing. However, next year, for some reason, cucumbers do not bloom or give a large number of empty flowers.
Most often, this means that the plant used to collect the seeds was pollinated by a hybrid or was itself a hybrid. Since it is very difficult to control cross-pollination in a typical small area, it is best to buy seeds from reputable companies. Self-harvesting is, at first glance, quite simple, but risky.
If you still decide to try your luck, choose fruits with four seed chambers for harvesting seeds, they usually produce many female flowers.
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Reason 4. Unbalanced feeding
One of the most common mistakes is excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers. As a rule, at the same time, the plant begins to actively grow green mass without setting fruits. It is important to remember that your green pets also need potassium and phosphorus for normal development. And nitrogen can be completely excluded at the beginning of flowering. In total, it is enough to feed cucumbers 4 times during the season.
It is also useful to water cucumbers with diluted milk, which is a source of potassium and helps maintain a neutral soil reaction (1 glass of milk per 10 liters of water).
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Reason 5. Improper soil preparation
Cucumbers are demanding not only to the temperature of the soil, but also to its composition. If you plant cucumbers in the same place for several years in a row (for example, in a greenhouse), you should be prepared for the fact that a significant amount of pathogenic microorganisms has accumulated in the soil. As a rule, they lead to the development of fungal diseases that depress the plant.
In order not to be left without a harvest, do not forget to observe the rules of crop rotation. Cucumbers will feel best in the place where white cabbage, tomatoes, peas, potatoes or beets used to grow.
If you grow cucumbers in a greenhouse, be sure to change the soil every few years or treat the ground and surrounding structures with fungicides.
In addition, cucumbers do not like limed soil too much. Therefore, chalk, slaked lime or dolomite flour should be applied in advance.
