Cucumbers are grown in almost every area. Caring for them is simple, but it often happens that even small cucumbers at the stage of formation brighten and fall off.

Why the ovaries of cucumbers turn yellow: the main reasons

The reasons for this phenomenon can be completely different and before proceeding with salvation, you need to find out what happened.

Violation of optimal conditions

Cucumber culture is photophilous and thermophilic. And often the lack of the first and the sharp fluctuations of the second is the reason that the cucumbers turn yellow and do not grow. For full development, they need at least 12 hours of light, and if in the summer this is not a problem, then in the spring, with greenhouse cultivation, plants need to be given additional lighting.Heat is another important factor in the correct formation of ovaries. The problem of sharp temperature changes is typical for film greenhouses, and for open ground. If at night the temperature is below + 15 ° C, then for cucumbers this is already stress. And if this is repeated regularly, the ovaries will turn yellow and dry.

Shortage or oversupply of fertilizer

Yellowing can also be caused by improper feeding. Moreover, not only the lack of nutrients adversely affects, but also their excessive introduction. At the growth stage, when the bush is actively growing leaves, it needs more nitrogen, which is contained in ordinary manure. If the soil was well fertilized in the spring, then there is no need to additionally feed. If nitrogen is not enough, then the leaves react first - they brighten and become covered with yellow spots, and then the ovary dies. As the fruits grow, they need less nitrogen, but more potassium and phosphorus.

Important! Excessive application of manure will lead not only to wilting and poor development of the ovary, but also to the accumulation of nitrates.

Wrong watering

Lack of moisture can also lead to drying and falling of ovaries. It must be remembered that cucumbers, although they love water, are demanding on the irrigation procedure:

• water should be warmed up;
• it is impossible to water under the root;
• watering is carried out early in the morning or before sunset.

Dense planting or a large number of ovaries

Each variety has its own requirements for planting density and must be observed. After all, wanting to save space, you can lose most of the crop. Too thick plantings interfere with the penetration of light, and also take away nutrients from each other, this leads to the fact that the fruits dry out. Recently, hybrid varieties have been very popular, since they are more productive. But there are drawbacks - in the process of development, they form hundreds of ovaries that simply cannot ripen.

Important! Flowers should be removed from the lower sinuses, as they take away nutrients, and there are few ovaries.

Lack of bush formation

So that the mother bush does not weaken and gives enough nutrition to the ovary, it is necessary to monitor its proper formation. The antennae and side lashes must be removed. If possible, it is better to tie the bushes. With minimal contact of the leaves and the stem with the ground, the risk of diseases decreases, which means that the cucumbers will be fully tied and grow.

Lack of pollination

This problem is typical for pollinated varieties, which are now being grown less and less, as well as for greenhouses and balconies. If the temperature in the greenhouse is above + 35 ° C, then the pollen becomes sterile and does not interest bees. Flowers that are not pollinated cannot give a normal ovary - it simply does not develop.

Did you know? In ancient Egypt, cucumbers were placed in the tombs of the pharaohs along with other values.

Overripe cucumbers

If already large fruits turn yellow, then this is clearly due to untimely harvesting. When sowing, you need to consider how large a particular variety grows. Indeed, some varieties are considered mature already when they reach 6 cm, while others reach 10-15 cm.

What to do and how to process cucumbers if the ovaries turn yellow

If the diagnosis of the cause of yellowing of the fruits is carried out correctly, then it will not be difficult to solve the problem.

In the greenhouse

Depending on the cause, the following control measures can be taken:

1. With a lack of light in the greenhouse install phytolamps. They must be turned on so that there is no gap between daylight and additional light.
2. In order to avoid a sharp temperature difference during nighttime cooling, heating is installed in the greenhouses and the temperature is maintained at not lower than + 20 ° С.
3. If there is a shortage of fertilizers, additional top dressing is necessary - pour manure at the growth stage, and use phosphorus-potassium fertilizers to form ovaries.
4. To solve the problem of proper watering, it is enough to install a drip system.
5. Too prolific hybrid varieties need to be pinched and left about 20 ovaries, otherwise all pups simply do not have enough strength to grow.
6. When planting, it is necessary to observe a density of not more than 3 bushes per 1 m² of area.
7. The pollination problem is solved by simply ventilating the greenhouse to lower the temperature inside and allow the bees to fly freely.

Did you know? The pulp of cucumber contains iodine, which is completely absorbed by the body.

In the open ground

To save the crop, any effective methods are good, including folk remedies:

1. The problem of temperature differences on the street can be solved with the help of covering material, which covers the cucumber bed for the night.
2. So that there is no deficiency of nutrients, it is enough to fertilize the soil well with manure from the fall and apply complex fertilizers every 3 years. You can also feed with ash or yeast.
3. Waterlogging cucumbers in the open field is difficult. Moisture evaporates quickly and must be watered in warm weather every day. A solution may be to mulch plantings with hay or pine needles. This will help maintain moisture. Also, do not water the bushes in cool, cloudy weather.
4. When collecting fruits, you need to carefully look under each leaf so as not to leave them overripe.
5. If you planted a pollinated variety, and there are few bees flying, then you can cheat - spray plantings with sweet honey water to lure insects.

Preventive measures

Prevention is always easier to carry out than treatment; preventative measures include:

1. Autumn digging of the soil with fertilizer.
2. Timely weed removal.
3. Compliance with crop rotation.
4. Select varieties that are suitable for your climate zone.
5. The use of quality materials in the construction of the greenhouse.
6. Allocation of enough free space for landings.

The problem of yellowing of the ovary is very common and requires a competent approach. Only by understanding the reasons, you learn how to deal with it.