Often gardeners are faced with such a problem as barren flowers on zucchini; not many people know what to do in this case and how to correct the situation. Sometimes the problem can be solved on your own or prevented from occurring 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 empty flowers and inflorescences with fruits. Empty inflorescences are called male. They are necessary for pollination of female flowers.It is easy to distinguish between these two species: the male flowers have a long and thorny stalk, while the female flower has a short and smooth stalk.
Reasons for the growth of barren flowers on plants
There can be several reasons for empty flowering of zucchini: improper care, unsuitable weather conditions, various pests and fungi, as well as dry and expired seeds. In order to eliminate the problem, it is necessary to know exactly the reason that led to its occurrence.
The first and main condition for productive fruit growth is pollination of zucchini. Pollen from empty inflorescences should fall on the female flowers. Only under this condition will you get ovaries on zucchini. Since barren flowers are necessary for pollinating female flowers, you should not pick them from the bushes. If there are no male inflorescences on the plant, then you should not expect a harvest from this bush.
In addition, you need to water the plants correctly and carefully. You need to try not to get on the inflorescences, so as not to stick them together and wash off the pollen. Moisten the zucchini with settled water at room temperature. It is poured carefully and only at the root.
The cause of barren flowers is plant diseases
Pests and diseases can cause empty buds. The most common reasons:
- Powdery mildew causes the plant to wilt. The leaves and stems are covered with a white coating, as if sprinkled with flour. The bushes gradually stop bearing fruit. The leaves turn yellow and dry out. It is typical 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 vegetables. It often occurs at a time when many fruits have already set on the stems of plants.Not only the 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 throughout the area by insects, in particular bees. When the first signs of fungus appear, leaves and stems should be removed immediately. Indicative is the appearance of a large number of male flowers on the plant and white spots on the foliage.
Other reasons for the formation of barren flowers
Sometimes the care and conditions for productive growth of the crop are the most suitable, but the reason why barren flowers sometimes predominate in zucchini can 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 you treat the squash crop with special preparations in a timely manner, harmful insects will practically not appear on it. It is important to remember that pests most often appear in a humid environment, where there are errors when growing the plant. It is recommended to combat many pests with regular care:
- Timely preventive spraying of bushes will prevent harmful insects from appearing on them.
- Regular weeding and mulching the holes with dry sawdust will prevent moisture from stagnating in the soil.
- Watering must be timely. Too much moisture causes dampness and fungal development. Deficiency leads to loss of strength and fading.
- It is important to promptly pluck damaged plants from the bushes or completely remove them from the beds 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 unsuitable soil.Too wet soil causes male flowers to form on the bushes.
The situation can be corrected by adding ash to the soil. The solution is made as follows: take 500 g of ash per 10 liters of water, mix everything well and water the beds with this liquid.
Too depleted soil 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?
You can correct the situation in different ways. The main thing is to know the cause of the problem.
If pollination does not occur naturally, you can do it yourself - manually; pollinating by hand is not difficult, you just need to follow the gardeners' recommendations.
During the flowering period, you need to take a male flower and remove its petals, exposing the stamen covered with pollen. It is necessary to rub the stigma of the female inflorescence. Thus, artificial pollination occurs and the problem can be corrected; situations are corrected in this way most often in bad weather conditions and heavy rains.
You can always have time to get rid of the problem; you should not rush to get rid of barren flowers on zucchini, because this can disrupt the natural pollination process and will not allow the plants to make a new ovary.
If the soil is depleted, zucchini will not develop fully due to a lack of microelements. It is recommended to enrich the soil with complex mineral fertilizers. They can be purchased at a special store. It is good to fertilize with organic substances, especially manure; then the empty inflorescences leave the plant. The balance of female and male flowers returns to normal.
Gardeners often use boric acid to combat empty blooms.It nourishes the plant and gives it the necessary impetus to activate the ovaries.
Plants are sprayed with a solution of boric acid. Prepare the product as follows: take 2 g of boric acid per 500 ml of warm water and stir well. Then the solution is brought to a volume of 10 liters with settled water.
Properly selected fertilizer can not only correct the situation with barren flowers, but also improve the quality and quantity of the harvest. Excess nitrogen fertilizer can cause excessive growth of foliage and stems.
Preventive measures for intensive flowering
For productive growth of zucchini, it is worth taking preventive measures:
- Watering should be carried out only at the roots and exclusively with settled water. If they water with cold water, then empty inflorescences will appear on the bushes for this reason.
- Flowering will become uniform and intense if you follow the basic rules; squash are unpretentious plants and therefore do not require special care. It is important to monitor the soil and prevent pests from appearing. After all, a lot of effort goes into fighting all kinds of fungi and pests.
Advice from an experienced gardener
Zucchini blooms as a barren flower due to the acidic soil. The situation can be corrected using ordinary lime, scattering it at the rate of 1 kg per 10 m².
Often folk remedies also come to the rescue - experienced gardeners who have used various methods to combat barren flowers on plants for years reveal their secrets.
