What to Do About Deformed Cucumbers? The Latest Prevention and Control Methods
Everyone must be very familiar with cucumbers; they can be seen everywhere in our daily lives and are grown all over our country. But many friends will find during the growing process that, whether growing at home or on a large scale, deformed cucumbers appear. Although deformed cucumbers do not have much effect on taste or flavor, their appearance is extremely ugly and lowers their commercial value. So how do we solve the problem of deformed cucumbers? Let us take a look together below!
1. Pruning
The growth of cucumbers is closely related to the growth of their vines. We need to make corresponding adjustments to the growth direction of cucumbers to prevent growth from being hindered by the direction of growth. Before the main vine has topped out, all surrounding side branches can be removed so that nutrients are concentrated on the main vine and the fruit-setting rate of cucumbers is increased. After pinching the main vine, an appropriate number of side branches should be retained to promote fruit setting on the secondary vines.
2. Leaf removal
In the later stage of cucumber growth, some leaves on the lower part of the plant have already aged and gradually turned yellow and withered, and no longer play much role in its growth. But they are still consuming nutrients, so in order to save nutrients, the aged leaves should be removed in time. Then excess male flowers should also be removed at the appropriate time to prevent too many male flowers from affecting pollination, causing the growth of the fruit to be blocked, preventing timely nutrient absorption, and resulting in deformed growth.
3. Fertilizer and water
Before planting, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied. According to the growth of cucumbers and the characteristics of the soil, timely topdressing should be carried out, with more organic fertilizer and trace elements applied. Pay attention to the application of nitrogen fertilizer; it must not be excessive, otherwise it will cause excessive vegetative growth of branches, affect the normal growth and development of the plant, lead to premature aging, and then cause deformed growth. It is necessary to ensure sufficient nutrients for cucumber growth. If high temperature and drought occur, replenish water in time and always keep the soil moist. If there is too much accumulated water, it should also be drained in time to create a good growing environment for cucumbers.
4. Pests and diseases
Pests and diseases are very harmful to cucumbers. Common diseases include phytophthora blight and anthracnose. To effectively prevent diseases, the humidity in the orchard can be reduced to reduce pathogens. To reduce humidity, the smoke method can be used: burn chlorothalonil around the orchard and let the smoke drift into the orchard to sterilize it, once a week, which can effectively prevent diseases. A common pest is aphids. For pest control, imidacloprid can be used.
5. Harvesting
Cucumber is a perennial vegetable, so any mature cucumbers must be harvested in time, and if deformed cucumbers are found, they must also be removed in time. This is because only in this way can subsequent new cucumbers grow normally. If they are not removed in time, they will affect the growth of vines and leaves and nutrient absorption, consuming a large amount of nutrients. Therefore, timely removal can retain enough nutrients and space to supply the growth of subsequent cucumbers.
The five points above are the methods for solving deformed cucumbers. Deformed cucumbers not only lower commercial value, but also harm the growth of subsequent new cucumbers. Therefore, when deformed cucumbers are found, they must be handled in time. You can also spray an appropriate amount of growth regulator in the early stage of fruit setting to promote the growth rate of cucumbers and ensure their quality. That is all for today's introduction. If you want to learn more related information, please continue to follow us!