Cucumbers are good when they are even, as if picked. In this case, it is convenient to use vegetables for whole canning; they look good in a jar. If the crop is grown for sale, the shape of the fruit and its appearance are all the more important. Unfortunately, sometimes cucumbers grow crooked. You can prevent deformation by knowing what causes it.
Lack of nutrients
It is because of a deficiency of micro- and macroelements that cucumbers most often become crooked. You can find out which mineral a vegetable lacks by looking at the type of fruit.
For example, if pear-shaped greens with a yellowish color grow, the plant is experiencing a potassium deficiency. This happens more often in mid-summer, when the bulk of the minerals in the soil have already been absorbed. In this case, foliar fertilizing is done with potassium humate (20 g per bucket of water) or the cucumbers are watered with an ash solution (half a liter jar per bucket of water). After 4–5 days, you will need to scatter potassium sulfate granules (60 g per 1 sq. m) over the garden bed.
With a nitrogen deficiency, greens take on a cone-shaped shape, becoming similar to carrots. As an ambulance, spray with a urea solution (15 g per 3 liters of water). After a few days, the bushes are watered with a solution of ammonium nitrate (30 g per 10 l) of water. You can replace chemical fertilizers with an infusion of cut grass or a solution of mullein.
Sometimes a plant lacks several elements at once, in which case the vegetables can have the most bizarre shapes. The fruits take on the appearance of a spiral or hook. You can prevent the appearance of ugly green plants by feeding the bushes twice with a short break with a solution of complex fertilizer.
Pollination problems
For various reasons, cucumbers may be under-pollinated. In this case, the fruits acquire a hooked shape, and their color is uneven (lighter closer to the flower). Bee-pollinated varieties can be helped by pollinating them artificially using a paint brush. This problem will not arise with self-pollinating and parthenocarpic cucumbers.
Close planting of varietal and hybrid, as well as parthenocarpic varieties, can lead to cross-pollination, which also leads to a change in fruit shape. In the event of such a mistake, it is impossible to avoid negative consequences; you just need to take into account for the future that cucumbers of different types should be planted away from each other.
Improper watering
Cucumbers are sensitive to watering with cold water. This factor alone can lead to distorted fruits. Water for irrigation is poured in advance into barrels located in the sun, where it settles and heats up. The most comfortable water temperature for the crop is 26–28°C.
Moisture should be supplied at the moment of mass flowering and formation of ovaries. During this period, cucumbers are watered every 2–3 days. Towards the end of the season, watering is carried out once every 10–14 days. Drying out the soil between waterings should not be allowed. Drought will cause the fruits to become hard and distorted.
Temperature fluctuations
This situation usually occurs in August, when the nights become colder. Significant temperature fluctuations lead to deformation of the fruits. A narrowing appears in the middle of each cucumber. The fruits seem to acquire a "waist". You can avoid deformation by covering the cucumber bed with film at night.
Uneven harvesting
When the fruits begin to ripen en masse, they must be harvested every 2-3 days. Uneven harvesting of cucumbers will lead to some of them becoming overripe. The plant will continue to give nutrients to large fruits. Small cucumbers will not receive the necessary elements, as a result, their shape will suffer.
Sometimes curved fruits are normal, this is a feature of a particular variety. The tip of the cucumber bends in Chinese and late-ripening varieties. This also happens with hybrids. Such fruits can be processed, making preparations for the winter, or used in salads. Prevention of curvature in other varieties will be compliance with agricultural technology.
