Selecting cucumber varieties with strong fruiting capabilities is essential for high-quality production. These varieties are known for their ability to produce consistent, straight fruits under proper management.
To correct curved cucumbers, a hormonal treatment using a 30 mg/kg gibberellin (90%) solution was applied to the inner curved surface of the melon before and after flowering. Over several days, this treatment helped the fruit straighten naturally.
When a cucumber starts to bend, a shallow vertical cut can be made on the back of the curved part with a sharp blade, followed by 1 to 3 horizontal shallow cuts. The depth should be about 0.5 cm, and the length between 2 to 5 cm. This method helps the fruit regain its straight shape, and the scars become nearly invisible when sold.
A small tile, brick, or stone measuring 4 cm in length and 2 cm in width is tied to the cucumber stem using fine hemp or plastic rope. Once the cucumber reaches 10 cm in length, the weight helps guide it to grow straight as it continues to develop.
Proper cultivation is key to preventing bent fruits. If the soil lacks nutrients, planting density is too high, light is insufficient, weeds are abundant, or the soil is dry, the cucumbers may develop curled shapes. On the other hand, excessive water or nutrients can cause overly vigorous growth, leading to large, misshapen fruits. Therefore, it's important to manage fertilization and irrigation carefully, watering less frequently but more consistently, especially during hot periods. Controlling pests and diseases also helps ensure smooth fruit development.
To prevent early leaf aging, a balanced use of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, microbial, and multi-element mineral fertilizers is recommended. Organic fertilizer should be used as a base, and after flowering, applying 20 kg of microbial agents and 20–30 kg of multi-element minerals can enhance root growth, provide essential nutrients, and prevent premature leaf decline, reducing the occurrence of deformed fruits. As long as the lower leaves remain green, they should not be removed prematurely, as they play a crucial role in photosynthesis.
Controlling the yield per plant is also important. An excessively high yield can stress the plant, causing rapid leaf aging and the formation of bent fruits. To prevent this, it's advisable to avoid over-fruiting and to harvest regularly. Spraying cucumber leaves with Shuofeng 481 (0.1% natural canola lactone soluble powder) diluted at 7000–9000 times (dissolved in warm water first) or compound microbial fertilizer at 200 times, every 7–9 days, can significantly reduce the occurrence of crooked, pointed, or swollen fruits.
For mechanical bending issues, it's important to remove any obstacles that might block the vines as they grow, allowing the fruits to hang freely. Additionally, removing tendrils and other physical barriers can help prevent unnecessary bending. Most curved fruits are caused by environmental factors, such as temperature fluctuations or weak plants. Once the fruit becomes difficult to straighten, it may not affect the overall yield, but removing it can encourage the growth of new, straighter fruits.
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