Every gardener wants cucumber spells to be filled not only with yellow flowers, but also with healthy, crunchy and tasty fruits.
However, it often happens that the plant blooms beautifully, but binds few cucumbers. Instead of fruits, mostly male flowers appear, popularly called „sterile” flowers.
In fact, these flowers are not useless. They produce pollen and are necessary for varieties that need pollination. The problem arises when the plant forms too few female flowers, that is, those flowers that are based on a small cucumber.
Why many male flowers appear in cucumbers
Cucumbers can make several male flowers for several reasons:
excess nitrogen, which stimulates leaves and shoots;
cold nights or cold soil;
lack of pollinators;
irregular watering;
too much heat;
nutrient imbalance;
lack of microelements, including boron.
If the plant has many leaves but few fruits, it may receive too much nitrogen and too few elements that support flowering and fruit binding.
How to recognize female and male flowers
It’s very simple.
Female flower it is based on a small bump, like a miniature cucumber. The fruit can form from it.
Male flower it sits on a thin tail and doesn’t have that thickening at the base. Her role is to produce pollen.
Do not tear all male flowers. In varieties that depend on bees, they are important for pollination.
Boron fertilization: when it can help
During the period of budding and flowering, cucumbers may need boron. This trace element is important for pollination, flower development and fruit formation.
If the plant is boron deficient, the flowers can fall more easily and the young fruits can stop growing.
For foliar fertilization, a boron-based fertilizer can be used, according to the instructions on the package. Some products are used in a dose of approximately 3 teaspoons per 1 liter of water, but the concentration differs from one product to another, so the label must be checked before.
How to apply the solution
