Why do cucumber embryos turn yellow in a greenhouse?

In most cases, cucumber embryos in a greenhouse begin to turn yellow due to a violation of the thermal regime, when the ambient temperature is either too low or too high. If cucumbers are grown in open ground, then yellowing occurs precisely because of the low temperature; when growing the crop in a greenhouse, it occurs because of the high temperature. It is worth noting that cucumbers are a heat-loving crop, its ovaries can turn yellow and fall off at temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius (with a long stay in such conditions), in order to avoid such a disease, every effort must be made to ensure that the temperature does not fall below the specified mark and does not fluctuate within night and day hours by more than 10 degrees.

Yellowing and falling off of the ovaries of greenhouse cucumbers is also a common ailment. The fact is that at temperatures above 32 degrees, pollen loses its former activity, flowers simply are not pollinated. Another reason for non-pollination of flowers in a greenhouse is incorrectly selected plant varieties. The fact is that bees rarely fly into greenhouses, so for growing plants in such structures, preference should be given to self-pollinating hybrids.

Improper watering can also have a detrimental effect on the development of ovaries. Using excessively cold water for irrigation can provoke the development of only “male flowers” ​​in cucumbers, while the female ovaries will simply fall off. The time of watering is also important, for example, on cool days it is undesirable to carry it out in the mornings and evenings, the optimal time is during the day, on hot and sunny days, on the contrary, watering in the daytime will negatively affect the development of plants, in this case watering must be carried out either before nine in the morning, or after 18 in the evening.

The ovaries on cucumbers can also turn yellow due to a lack of microelements. Most often, gardeners use nitrogen and potassium fertilizers for fertilizing, thinking that this is enough for the normal development of the crop. However, it is not. The absence of a sufficient amount of boron, zinc, copper and other things in the soil will inevitably lead to yellowing and, subsequently, falling of the ovaries.

Bacteriosis is a disease that quite often attacks cucumbers, and it is with this disease that the embryos of the crop turn yellow. The disease manifests itself as follows: small yellowish sores appear on the ovaries, after a short period of time the embryos rot and fall off.

Why do cucumber embryos turn yellow in a greenhouse and

First of all, you need to find out the reason why the ovaries turn yellow, and then eliminate it. If yellowing occurs due to a violation of the thermal regime, then it needs to be adjusted: when growing cucumbers in open ground, cover the crop with special materials at night; when growing in a greenhouse, close the windows and doors of the structure at night, and do not forget to ventilate it during the day.

If cucumbers of a non-self-pollinating variety are planted in a greenhouse, then in this case you must take care of attracting bees to the greenhouse or contribute to the pollination of female ovaries yourself. The easiest way is to pick a few male flowers and gently rub the female flowers with them.

If the reason for the yellowing of the embryos is improper watering, then it needs to be adjusted: water the plants daily, with warm water and only at the root. If the weather is cool and the soil in the greenhouse is moist, then it is advisable to reduce the watering regime.

If there is a shortage of microelements, as you might guess, it is necessary to feed the plants. For feeding, you can use both purchased complex fertilizers and homemade ones based on weeds and ash.

If the cucumbers are affected by bacteriosis, then it is enough to treat the crop with either 1% Bordeaux mixture or any other fungicide, for example, Quadris, Topaz, Allette, etc. And to prevent this disease, before planting you need carry out a set of measures against fungal infections.

Growing cucumbers is impossible without quality crop care. But sometimes failure to follow basic rules or ignoring certain procedures leads to very bad consequences. For example, cucumber ovaries simply fall off and, as a result, fruits do not form. It is better to clarify in advance what to do in such a situation.

Causes

There are several explanations why the cucumber ovary has difficulty developing. Some of them do not depend on the person himself, and some are precisely the consequence of ill-conceived care. Usually in such situations the entire bush begins to look sick, its ovaries turn yellow, dry out, and then fall off. As a result, fruiting deteriorates significantly.

Diseases and viruses

Yellowness and shedding of cucumber ovaries may be a symptom of bacteriosis, which occurs due to increased humidity of the soil and air and extremely dense planting. This disease, also called “angular spotting,” can appear both due to temperature changes and improper care. Sometimes it all starts with non-compliance with the principle of crop rotation. Bacteriosis can be determined by examining the leaves of the plant: angular spots appear on them, which darken, dry out and form holes in the leaves. Subsequently, the spots are transferred to healthy neighbors.

Often a healthy plant begins to dry out in its upper part. This indicates the occurrence of root rot. The roots stop developing qualitatively, and therefore stop sending nutrients to other parts of the cucumbers. Naturally, the ovaries also suffer from this. In principle, if you immediately quickly bend the vine to the soil and cover the healthy part of the stem with soil, then after some time new roots will appear. By additionally fertilizing them with a mineral complex and getting rid of an impressive part of the ovaries, the plant can be restored.

Improper care

Often the ovaries turn yellow and then dry out when the cucumbers are not planted in time. Most cucumber varieties grow a very large vegetative mass, so it is important to shape the bushes. It is necessary to eliminate all excess processes that are not within the boundaries of the axils of the third and fifth leaves. Those stepsons that grow higher will need to be pinched above the second leaf.

In addition, pinching after the first leaf will be required for those stepsons that themselves grow on stepchildren. In this case, the crop will receive enough sunlight to further develop the crop.

Many gardeners are afraid to carry out the pinching procedure, being confident that its absence increases productivity. However, they do not take into account at all that the stepsons deprive the cucumbers themselves of moisture and nutrients, preventing the formation of new stepsons and fruits. Also, the ovaries deteriorate when the cucumbers are planted too tightly. The crop does not have enough space for growth, sunlight and nutrients, which means that the vegetables are not able to feed their own ovaries. The latter first lose color and then fall off. Exactly how many bushes can be planted per square meter of bed is usually contained in the instructions on the bag of seeds. Typically, in a greenhouse there should be no more than two or four bushes per square meter.

Feeding cucumbers too often with manure, too rarely or incorrectly during the fruiting period also leads to certain difficulties. Ovaries do not bloom or develop when there are no nutrients left in the soil. They also react negatively to excess fertilizer. When fruits are formed, phosphorus and potassium should be added to the traditional fluorine and nitrogen. For example, it is recommended to add wood ash and superphosphate dissolved in liquid to the soil, or purchase ready-made mineral fertilizer.

Some hybrids simply cannot “feed” all the ovaries. In this case, you will have to remove excess formations even before the flowers appear, and remember that one vine can cope with a maximum of thirty fruits. This all happens because modern hybrids have an ovary in the axils of virtually every leaf, or even more than one. When the ovaries are already growing, but the cucumber itself has not yet developed and become strong enough, they will begin to fall off. Also, the lack of pollinators in certain varieties may be to blame. If the females are not fertilized, then the fruits are practically not set.

Falling can also occur due to disturbed temperature conditions. For example, the ovary dries in a greenhouse when the temperature exceeds 27 degrees. Outside, it may well get colder to 15 degrees, as a result of which the ovary will become hypothermic. In both cases, this part of the plant dries out, turns yellow and falls off. By the way, this most often happens in greenhouses made of film. They are capable of warming up to 40 degrees or even higher during the daytime, and rapidly freezing at night.

The most comfortable temperature for cucumbers is considered to be in the range from 22 to 24 degrees. If the temperature drops to 13-15 degrees, the ovaries will definitely turn yellow and fall off.

The reason for the falling of the ovaries may also be a disturbed watering regime, excessive or insufficient. The soil should be filled with water as much as possible, but excessive irrigation is also dangerous. In addition, you should not forget that before the cucumbers start bearing fruit, the soil moisture should be slightly higher. Untimely harvesting may also be a problem. If large cucumbers are still located in the garden, but they have not been harvested, then the fruits continue to “consume” nutrients, which should go towards the formation of a new crop.

How to fix the situation?

In the case where the lack of pollinators is to blame, they have to be attracted independently. In the greenhouse, you can open the windows and doors during the daytime, and spray the cucumbers themselves with sweet water, in a liter of which 1 gram of boric acid is dissolved.

You can also place open containers with jam or honey water in the greenhouse. If it was not possible to lure the insects, for example, because it was cloudy or hot and stuffy, then you need to carry out manual pollination. To do this, either the female flower is fanned by the male one, or the pollen is moved from one to another using a brush. You can also lean the stamen against the female flower and make sure that the pollen ends up in the desired inflorescence. As a preventive measure, you should initially place different varieties so that the male ones are adjacent to the female ones.

If problems arise due to temperature fluctuations, then you should try to regulate them, especially when it comes to the greenhouse. To increase the temperature, you can use a heater or protect the walls with a special foam coating. At night, it is allowed to place a dark container in which water will be poured into the greenhouse. The liquid will be able to accumulate daytime heat and then “distribute” it at night.

In addition, it is initially recommended to construct a model from wire with a diameter of 2 to 3 millimeters and perforated film, the thickness of which reaches 0.5 millimeters. To reduce the temperature, you can spray the film with a solution of clay, flour and chalk. This combination will reflect excess light. In addition, shields and mats made of reeds painted white should be installed. This technique will help reduce your exposure to infrared radiation. Daytime soil can be mulched. Finally, morning watering and regular ventilation will work well.

When the whole problem lies in improper feeding, then you should start by stopping adding manure. Instead, the stems will need to be sprayed with a solution consisting of a tablespoon of urea and three tablespoons of wood ash mixed in ten liters of water. Of the ready-made mixtures in the store, you can purchase “Master”, “Solution” or “Crystalon”. In addition, it is necessary to add wood ash so that there are 300 grams of powder per square meter of bed.

If the problem is improper watering, then it will have to be normalized. For irrigation, you can only use infused water at a comfortable temperature from 23 to 25 degrees, and in no case cold.

Low temperature not only affects the fall of the ovaries, but also increases the number of male flowers. When it’s hot outside, watering occurs in the morning, but if it’s cold, during the day, but not under the scorching sun.

To increase the number of female flowers and dry out the soil a little, at the moment when the ovaries form, watering should be suspended for several days. Before flowering begins, you need to water so that there are about four liters of water per square meter of the bed, and this should be done once a week. When flowering begins and fruits appear, watering increases to almost twelve liters per square meter of bed and occurs once every three days.

Preventive measures

To comply with agricultural technology, it is necessary to place crops in a greenhouse, which is oriented to the cardinal points. If the climate is temperate, then it should be from east to west, and if it is southern, then from north to south.

It is important that there is also a moderate number of seedlings per square meter. The upper parts are pinched so that their length does not go beyond the border of 25 centimeters. Otherwise, the shoots will begin to “take away” most of the nutrients from the plant and prevent the ovaries themselves from developing. The sinuses, in which unnecessary buds, side shoots and whiskers are located, are also “cleaned” in a timely manner.

If bacteriosis is only at the initial stage of development, then it is enough to treat the cucumbers with prepared compounds. If all the cucumbers have been destroyed, then the bushes must be removed from the soil, and the greenhouse must be fumigated with sulfur bombs.

For more information about why cucumber ovaries turn yellow and do not grow, see below.

Even a not very experienced summer resident can grow a good harvest of cucumbers. This culture is quite unpretentious and does not require too much attention to itself. However, sometimes owners of suburban areas still have all sorts of questions regarding the proper care of these plants. For example, why cucumber embryos turn yellow. There may be several reasons for this phenomenon.

Low temperature

When grown in open ground, this is the most common reason for the ovaries to fall off. Cucumbers are heat-loving plants. The ovaries turn yellow and crumble already at daytime air temperatures below +16 degrees. If at night the air cools to +10-12 degrees, all parts of the plant without exception - stems, leaves, flowers - begin to die. Of course, in central Russia such weather in summer is quite rare. Therefore, yellowing of ovaries due to low temperatures is a phenomenon more typical of Siberia. It is possible that to save the harvest in this climate zone, the cucumbers will have to be covered with film. You can pull it on arcs made of thick wire or plastic pipes.

Heat

Very often, summer residents are also interested in why the embryos turn yellow. The reason in this case is exactly the opposite. The plants may be too hot. At air temperatures above +32 degrees, pollen in flowers loses its activity. That is, cucumbers simply do not pollinate. The problem in this case can be solved by regular ventilation of the greenhouse.

Sometimes the answer to the question of why cucumber embryos turn yellow in a greenhouse lies in the incorrect selection of the variety. For a greenhouse you should take self-pollinating hybrids. After all, bees rarely fly into a greenhouse. In the event that a mistake has already been made and the “wrong” variety is planted, you can try to solve the problem by attracting insects. To do this, saucers with sugar syrup are placed throughout the greenhouse. You need to place male cucumber flowers in them. To ensure that bees can get inside the greenhouse, transoms and doors should be opened more often.

Artificial pollination

If you fail to attract a sufficient number of bees, you can try the procedure yourself. This should be done from 6 to 10 am. It is during this period of time that cucumber pollen is most active.

For pollination you need to prepare a soft brush. It is carried out along the stamens of several male flowers. Next, the pollen is transferred to the female pistils. Soon after this procedure, many ovaries will appear on the lashes. You can also use another method - pick a couple of male flowers and rub the female flowers with them. Since cucumber pollen is sticky, this method may even be more effective.

Improper watering

Why do cucumber embryos turn yellow? The answer to this question often lies in non-compliance with the technology for caring for these plants. You need to water the bushes exclusively with warm water. Its temperature should be approximately +25 degrees. If it is lower, the plant will begin to develop only male flowers. The existing ovaries on female ones will disappear.

On cold days it should be applied at lunchtime, on hot days - in the morning and under the root. Ovaries can turn yellow not only from cold water, but also from lack of moisture. In this case, the cause of cucumbers falling off is insufficient nutrition.

Lack of microelements

Why do cucumber embryos turn yellow and fall off even with good care? Another reason for this unpleasant phenomenon may be a lack of microelements. This problem also occurs especially often in greenhouses. Typically, summer residents feed plants with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers, while forgetting about microelements such as boron, zinc, copper, manganese, etc. Therefore, to solve the problem of wilting of the ovaries, you should try feeding the plants with a complex fertilizer for garden crops or wood ash.

Poor development of embryos can also be caused by an excess of nitrogen in the soil. This macronutrient promotes the development of green mass of plants: leaves and stems. It can slow down the growth of ovaries.

Bush formation

The answer to the question of why cucumber embryos turn yellow in open ground and in a greenhouse may also lie in improper pruning of plants. Modern varieties and hybrids can produce simply a huge number of ovaries. As a result, there may not be enough nutrients for everyone. In this case, yellowed ovaries will hang on the plant like a dead weight. This is why it is so important to prune cucumbers. In a greenhouse, one main stem and several shoots are usually left. In open ground, cucumbers are pruned only lightly, and only if the number of ovaries per vine exceeds 20-25 pieces.

Of course, you should pick the already grown greens in time. As long as they remain on the lash, new embryos will not develop.

Bacteriosis

This unpleasant disease can also cause cucumber embryos to turn yellow and fall off. This infection usually affects up to 30% of fetuses. At the same time, weeping yellow sores appear on the ovaries and small cucumbers. Subsequently, the fruits rot.

Bacteriosis is usually treated with 1% Bordeaux mixture. You can also use some kind of fungicide. For example, "Hom". This drug is diluted in an amount of 40 g per 10 liters. Spraying is carried out at the rate of 1 liter per 1 m2. You should also pick off fading male and female flowers.

Infection with bacteriosis can be prevented by warming the seeds at a temperature of 60-70 degrees for 1-2 hours before planting. You can also treat the planting material with TMTD in an amount of 3-4 g per kilogram. In the fall, it is imperative to remove all tops from the beds. It is especially important to carry out this procedure in a greenhouse, where favorable conditions arise for the development of bacterial infections.

Why do cucumber embryos turn yellow on the balcony?

Those who do not have their own summer cottage often grow this plant on loggias. Cucumbers are an unpretentious crop, and therefore they feel very good in such conditions and can produce good yields. However, sometimes the problem of yellowing of the ovaries also occurs when growing on the balcony. In this case, there may be several reasons for the loss of female flowers.

As in a greenhouse, the answer to the question of why the cucumber embryos on the loggia turn yellow may be too high a temperature, lack of pollination, or lack of microelements.

This problem can also arise, for example, due to a lack of nutrients. Containers should be large enough (buckets, deep boxes, etc.). It is worth pouring rich garden soil into them. It is also a good idea to feed the cucumbers in the early stages of development with mullein solution, and in the later stages with complex mineral fertilizer for indoor plants.

Bacteriosis can also cause the embryos to drop off, even though there seems to be no source of infection on the loggia. Experienced gardeners advise warming up or disinfecting seeds before planting for good reason. Often the disease lies precisely in the planting material.

Thus, we have found out why cucumber embryos turn yellow in greenhouses, on the balcony or in open ground. The main reason for this phenomenon is, as you can see, improper care. Also, such a nuisance can occur due to infection of plants and unfavorable weather conditions.

Many gardeners have encountered the problem of yellowing of the ovaries of cucumbers. For some, this is a real problem: the ovary has just finished blooming, but it has already turned yellow. This leads to a logical question: “ Why do the ovaries of cucumbers turn yellow?" There are many reasons for this. In this article we will try to answer this question in great detail.

Those who grow cucumber plants quite often encounter the problem of yellowing of the ovaries. This process begins with the yellowing of the flower itself.

The reasons for yellowing of the ovaries of cucumbers may be: improper growing conditions, lack of nutrients, irregular watering, inability to pollinate, sudden temperature changes, improper formation of bushes, as well as various plant diseases. All this can be monitored, prevented in advance and prevent yellowing of the ovaries on your plants.

Yellowed ovaries inevitably fall off and cannot produce a harvest; accordingly, the yield of cucumbers from your plot decreases sharply. Therefore, it is in your interests to eliminate all causes of yellowing and falling of the ovaries. Below we have listed all the main reasons and ways to eliminate them.

Unpollinated ovaries

Today, most varieties and hybrids of cucumbers are bee-pollinated. However, it often happens that pollinating insects cannot pollinate the plant. This most often occurs in closed growing conditions, such as greenhouses or greenhouses.

Pollinated ovaries immediately begin to grow and the fruit grows, while unpollinated ones inevitably turn yellow and fall to the ground.

There can be three solutions to the problem:

1. Ensure that pollinating insects have access to your plants.
2. Plant only self-pollinating varieties and hybrids.
3. Pollinate your plants by hand. (read about how to do this in the article:).

Lack of nutrients in the soil

A very common cause is a lack of all essential nutrients in the soil. The fact is that for the formation of a fruit from the ovary, a lot of a substance such as potassium is spent from the soil. If there is not enough of it in the ground, then the ovary cannot properly set and produce a harvest.

That is why it is necessary to constantly feed cucumber plants. During fruiting, cucumbers need potassium and small amounts of nitrogen. There is a lot of potassium in wood ash. And urea can act as a nitrogen fertilizer. However, it is best to feed cucumbers with liquid chicken or cow droppings.

If you need to eliminate the problem of yellowing of the ovary in a short time, then it would be better to produce. Add 1 tablespoon of urea and 3 tablespoons of ash to a bucket of water, stir thoroughly and spray the plants: leaves and stems. You should spray only in the early morning or evening, when there is no scorching sun. After foliar feeding, the plant will recover very quickly, within 1-2 days and the ovaries will no longer turn yellow.

Improper watering

A very common reason Why do cucumber ovaries turn yellow? the watering mode is incorrect. This is especially true for growing cucumbers in greenhouse conditions.

It's no secret that cucumbers love frequent, abundant watering and high humidity. However, many vegetable growers neglect this and as a result, the ovaries and leaves turn yellow and the entire plant dries out. It is recommended to water cucumbers growing in open ground 3 times a week (on particularly dry days you can water every day). It is much hotter in greenhouses, so the plants are watered 4-5 times a week.

Moreover, it is necessary to water cucumbers exclusively with warm water in the evening or morning hours.

A large number of ovaries

You should not allow too many cucumber ovaries to form on a plant at the same time. One plant should have no more than 25-30 ovaries.

It should be remembered that the more ovaries, the more nutrients are consumed for their maintenance and maturation. As a result, some interfere with the growth and development of others, and the vegetable grower has yellowed ovaries, inflorescences and small crooked fruits. The plant simply cannot provide too many ovaries; as a result, they turn yellow and no longer provide any benefit, and the nutrients (albeit not many) have already been spent.

To prevent this problem, it is necessary to plant cucumbers correctly and on time. Read about this in detail in the article:.

Sudden changes in temperature

With sudden changes in temperature or during long cold weather, a lot of bad things can happen that will lead to yellowed ovaries.

Sudden temperature changes can cause the development of many diseases in cucumbers, which will lead to yellowed ovaries. This is especially true for fungal diseases.

During prolonged cold weather (below 10-14 degrees), the roots of the plant stop absorbing nutrients from the soil. Accordingly, there will not be enough nutrients for fruit ripening. In this case, foliar feeding can help.

Bacteriosis

The ovaries of cucumbers can also turn yellow due to bacteriosis. Bacteriosis can appear due to too high soil and soil moisture. Too high a planting density can also contribute to its development.

These are the main reasons why do cucumber ovaries turn yellow?. Avoid these reasons, follow all the growing rules and you will undoubtedly have a rich harvest of cucumbers.

Also watch a very useful video about growing cucumbers.

Summer gardeners are faced with the problem of yellowing fruits and falling ovaries. Why do cucumbers turn yellow? Let's consider the most common reasons for such color changes in mature fruits and ovaries.

One of the most common reasons why cucumbers turn yellow and grow poorly is a simple lack of water. Cucumbers, in principle, do not need anything else except moisture and heat, so they should be watered abundantly and often. A lack of water is diagnosed quite simply - along with the yellowing of the cucumbers, the leaves change color and begin to dry out. However, if after abundant watering the problem does not disappear, then the reason lies in something else.

The reason why cucumbers turn yellow may also be due to unfavorable weather conditions - early frosts and sudden cold snaps. Even cold water can cause such a stressful change, so it must be warmed up in the sun before watering. A covering material can save you from cold snaps if the cucumbers are growing in open ground, or a heater placed in the greenhouse. With additional heat, fresh cucumbers will not disappear from your table until late autumn.

Also, a similar problem often occurs due to a lack of nutrients in the soil. That is why crop rotation is recommended, which must be done annually. Regular fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus mixtures will be an excellent preventive measure, but care must be taken when adding organic matter. Along with such fertilizers, fungi and viruses can enter the garden bed, for example the virus

In addition, inexperienced gardeners can be reminded that the yellow color of a cucumber is a completely normal color for a ripe fruit. They are not eaten, so you can simply throw them away or leave them for seeds.

Why do small cucumbers turn yellow and fall off? At the stage when the fruits have just formed, yellowing can occur for several reasons. Firstly, this happens due to the large number of ovaries on one plant. Some types of cucumbers, especially hybrid ones, bloom profusely and can produce up to 150 ovaries. the plants simply do not have time to feed so many fruits, and they begin to dry out, turn yellow and fall off. The way out of the situation is simple - remove excess ovaries or flowers.

Another reason for this, at the ovary stage, may be insufficient pollination. If seeds do not form in the fruit, the plant may stop feeding it with its juices. In this case, you can pollinate the cucumbers yourself using a soft brush or spray a solution of honey or sugar on the garden bed. Such a sweet bait will attract bees, which will pollinate all the flowers.

These are all the main reasons why cucumbers turn yellow. If your case does not fit any of the descriptions, most likely the plants are affected by a fungal or viral disease. In such a situation, it is necessary to use special preparations and, possibly, destroy the affected plants.