Why do zucchini have a lot of barren flowers, do I need to cut off, what to do if they do not tie
Often gardeners are faced with such a problem as barren flowers on zucchini, what to do in this case and how to fix the situation, not many know. Sometimes the problem can be solved on its own or not at all. The main thing is to know in advance the reasons that lead to the appearance of empty flowers on zucchini.
Normally, the plant should have an almost equal number of barren flowers and inflorescences with fruits. Empty inflorescences are called masculine. They are necessary for pollination of female flowers. It is easy to distinguish between these two types: in male flowers, the stem is long and spiky, and in the female species, the stem is short and smooth.
Reasons for the growth of barren flowers on plants
There can be several reasons for the empty flowering of zucchini: improper care, inappropriate weather conditions, various pests and fungi, as well as dry and expired seeds. In order to fix the problem, you need to know exactly the cause that led to its appearance.
The first and main condition for the productive growth of fruits is the pollination of zucchini. Pollen from empty inflorescences should fall on female flowers. Only under this condition will zucchini ovaries be obtained. Since barren flowers are essential for pollination of female flowers, you should not pluck them from bushes. If there are no male inflorescences on the plant, then the harvest from this bush should not be expected.
In addition, you need to properly and accurately water the plants. You need to try not to get on the inflorescences, so as not to glue them together and not wash off the pollen. Moisten zucchini with water at a settled and room temperature. It is poured carefully and only at the root.
The cause of barren flowers is plant diseases
Pests and diseases can lead to empty buds. The most common reasons are:
- Powdery mildew - leads to plant wilting. Leaves and stems are covered with a white bloom, as if sprinkled with flour. Bushes gradually stop bearing fruit. The leaves turn yellow and dry out. It is characteristic for the disease to cover the bush with empty inflorescences.
- Downy mildew - also leads to wilting of vegetable crops. The leaves become covered with dark spots and dry out over time.
- White rot is a fairly common virus among vegetable crops. Often it occurs at a time when many fruits have already set on plant stems. Not only leaves and branches are affected by the virus, but also the root system.
- Spotted mosaic. Almost all vegetables are often affected by this fungus. It is easily spread around the site by insects, in particular, bees. When the first signs of fungus appear, the leaves and stems must be removed immediately.The appearance on the plant of a large number of male flowers and white spots on the foliage is indicative.
Other reasons for the formation of a wasteland
Sometimes the care and conditions for the productive growth of the culture are the most suitable, but the reason why barren flowers sometimes predominate in zucchini may be harmful insects.
This phenomenon is caused by aphids, spider mites and sprout flies. Each type of pest acts differently, but the method of dealing with them is the same.
If the squash crop is treated with special preparations in time, harmful insects will practically not appear on it. It is important to remember that pests are introduced most often in a humid environment, where there are mistakes in growing a plant. Many pests are recommended to be dealt with using conventional care:
- Timely preventive spraying of the bushes will not allow the appearance of harmful insects on them.
- Regular weeding and mulching of the holes with dry sawdust will prevent moisture from stagnating in the soil.
- Watering must be timely. Too much moisture will cause dampness and fungal growth. Lack - leads to loss of strength and withering.
- It is important to pick off damaged plants from the bushes or completely remove damaged plants from the beds in time so that the infection does not spread throughout the garden.
Another common reason for the appearance of empty inflorescences on zucchini is considered to be inappropriate soil. Too wet soil causes the formation of male flowers on the bushes.
It will be possible to correct the situation by introducing ash into the soil. The solution is made as follows: 500 g of ash are taken for 10 liters of water, everything is well stirred and the beds are poured with this liquid.
Too depleted land can cause such an undesirable phenomenon as barren flowers. Fertilize the soil with minerals such as potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.
How to help zucchini during ovary?
There are different ways to correct the situation. The main thing is to know the cause of the problem.
If pollination does not occur naturally, you can do it yourself - manually, manually pollinating is easy, you just need to follow the gardeners' recommendations.
During the flowering period, you need to take a male flower and remove the petals from it, exposing the stamen, covered with pollen. She needs to rub the stigma of the female inflorescence. Thus, artificial pollination occurs and the difficulty can be corrected, situations are corrected in this way most often in bad weather conditions and heavy rains.
You can always manage to get rid of the problem, you should not rush to get rid of the barren flowers on the zucchini, because this can disrupt the natural process of pollination and prevent the plants from making a new ovary.
If the soil is depleted, zucchini will not develop adequately due to a lack of trace elements. It is recommended to enrich the soil with complex mineral fertilizers. These can be purchased at a specialty store. It is good to fertilize with organic substances, especially manure, then empty inflorescences leave the plant. The balance of female and male flowers returns to normal.
Often, gardeners use boric acid in the fight against empty flowering. It nourishes the plant and gives it the necessary impetus to activate the ovaries.
Plants are sprayed with boric acid solution. Prepare the product as follows: take 2 g of boric acid for 500 ml of warm water and stir well. Then the solution is brought with settled water to a volume of 10 liters.
A properly selected fertilizer allows not only to correct the situation with barren flowers, but also to improve the quality and quantity of the crop. Excess nitrogen fertilization can lead to overgrowth of foliage and stems.
Preventive measures for intense flowering
For the productive growth of zucchini, it is worth taking preventive measures:
- Watering is carried out only at the root and exclusively with settled water. If they water it with cold water, then there was the appearance of empty inflorescences on the bushes for this reason.
- Flowering will become uniform and intense, if you follow the basic rules, squash are unpretentious plants, therefore they do not require special care. It is important to monitor the soil and prevent the appearance of pests. After all, a lot of effort is spent on fighting all sorts of fungi and pests.
Tips from a seasoned gardener
Zucchini bloom with barren flowers due to the acidic soil. It will be possible to correct the situation using ordinary lime, scattering it at the rate of 1 kg per 10 m².
Folk remedies often come to the rescue - experienced gardeners who have used various methods of dealing with barren flowers on plants for years open their secrets.
Thank. Informative article. We will try.