Why Your Cucumbers Are Growing In Strange Shapes (And How To Avoid It)

Cucumbers are tasty and nutritious, and they are easy to grow, too, even for beginner gardeners. However, they are not without their quirks. For instance, sometimes cucumbers begin to grow in all sorts of weird shapes. They might curl, bend, or in some cases, even take on the shape of a hook. And this can happen for a number of reasons, from issues with pollination or water stress to too much heat or soil nutrition issues.

And while these misshapen cucumbers are edible, they are certainly not very appealing. So how do you avoid these problems? Well, fix what is causing them — for instance, improper pollination. If the cucumbers are not getting pollinated properly, some of the ovules inside the ovary don't get fertilized. And when some ovules don't get fertilized, they fail to grow adequate flesh, resulting in misshapen fruit. 

There are also many things that can disturb the pollinators. Take pesticides, for instance. Overuse of pesticides can easily kill pollinators like bees and butterflies. So, if your cucumbers are getting deformed, stop using pesticides. Instead, use flowering companion plants that can ward off pests from garden cucumbers. Also, keep in mind that pollinator activity decreases in cold and wet weather. So, try to grow your cucumbers when it is warm, and since cucumbers are warm-season crops, that is when they will grow best anyway.

Cucumbers are heavy feeders, so they need to be fertilized every 2 to 3 weeks. If they are not being fed properly, it can also cause them to deform. Poor soil fertility also decreases yield and makes cucumbers look pale. So, if you don't see any problems with pollinators and your cucumbers are still deforming, do a soil test. There are many home-based soil testing kits you can use to test the fertility of your soil at home. However, for a bigger and clearer picture, get the soil tested by a lab and then amend accordingly. 

Too much heat is another big issue. Not only can it reduce pollinator activity, but it can even kill the pollen. And once again, if the ovules are not getting fertilized properly, they will deform. Also, when temperatures go up, flower development can become irregular, which can also cause misshapen cucumbers. Take measures to protect plants from the brutal heat by installing shades or water sprinklers to keep the garden cool.

Sprinklers might also help decrease water stress on cucumbers, which is another reason why they sometimes deform. That is because when cucumbers don't get enough water, the fruit expansion takes a hit, which could result in misshapen fruits. So, make sure to give them plenty of moisture. You can even automate your plant watering by installing an individual drip irrigation system to make sure your cucumbers never go dry.