Cucumber is a herbaceous plant of the pumpkin family.
Unlike their relatives, food is consumed exclusively in the immature form. Practically no nutritional value, since up to 97% consists of water. However, its constituent microelements and vitamins made the cucumber an indispensable element of diet and healing nutrition.
Cucumber is loved not only by culinary specialists, but also often used for cosmetic purposes and in recipes of traditional medicine.
Gardeners cucumbers attract a short growing season. And despite the heat-loving plants, cucumbers are grown in various latitudes almost all year round.
Growing cucumbers in the greenhouse
Cucumbers very demanding of temperature conditions. Therefore, experienced plant growers prefer growing cucumbers in greenhouses and greenhouses. Greenhouse conditions make it possible not only to protect cucumber plants from sudden cold spells, but also to get fairly early yields.
Greenhouse cultivation of cucumbers has a number of its features, which are reflected in the choice of seed, preparation of the soil and the formation of vines of cucumbers.
Growing cucumbers: the choice of seed material
Seed material for greenhouses must be chosen taking into account the fact that insect pollination in such structures occurs much worse than when growing cucumbers on open ground. Therefore, preference is given to hybrid varieties. Popularity enjoy:
• early varieties in the form of Anyuta F1, Pyzhik F1, Martha F1, Courage F1, Vicenta F1;
• mid-ripening greenhouse varieties such as White Angel F1, Sunny, Crystal;
• Late-ripe lettuce F1.
Ground Requirements
The plant root system is rather weak, it is not able to penetrate deeper than 20 cm. Therefore, when growing cucumbers, special attention is paid to soil fertility.
During the initial planting in the greenhouse the land is prepared in advance. To do this, remove the top layer of soil, pickle a solution of potassium permanganate or urea. Then make a complex composition consisting of humus, peat and meadow soil. Can be used in the preparation of soil composition and sawdust.
Cucumbers are very organic. Therefore, before planting, manure or compost mixtures are introduced into the ridges. To this end, a ditch is made at the site of future plantings, in which organic matter is flavored with nitrogen fertilizer. Above the layer of compost (up to 20 cm) fall asleep with ordinary earth (up to 15 cm). After a week you can start planting.
Planting cucumbers in the greenhouse
In the greenhouse cucumbers can be planted as seeds and seedlings. Be sure to adhere to the optimal distances between plants. It is planned to plant cucumbers in 40-50 cm in the ridge. The distance between the ridges should be at least 80 cm.
Planting seeds provided in the "warm" beds, which are made of manure base. For this, seed is not germinated. In each well down to 2 cucumber seeds. After that, for additional heating, the bed is covered with additional insulation material.
If cultivation is provided on conventional or compost soils, it is advisable to carry out a preliminary distillation of cucumber. In the greenhouse planted seedlings no older than 30 days, for which cups of plants deepen into the soil by two thirds.
Caring for cucumbers in the greenhouse
Cucumbers are demanding not only to soil fertility and heat, but also to moisture.
When soil moisture is below 10%, they completely stop growing. Therefore, the plant requires regular watering. Prior to fruiting, watering is carried out every five days.
After the appearance of the ovaries, it is necessary to moisten the soil every other day. The best option for irrigation in greenhouses are drip irrigation systems. But it should be borne in mind that for irrigation it is necessary to apply only warm settled water.
On cold water, cucumber plants react very sensitively.
Excess moisture is also destructive when growing cucumbers. They provoke the rotting of the root system and the death of the plant. In addition, too wet soil becomes dense and does not pass air well.
Top dressing during the growing season is carried out with organic matter in the form of diluted bird droppings or manure. Green fertilizers made from nettle extract have also proven their worth. You can pamper your cucumbers with home-made nutritious mixture prepared from mixed fodder, bread crust and yeast. Elements poured warm water, give a wander during the week. After that, they are used for root feeding of cucumbers, adding 1 liter of nutrient mixture to a bucket of water.
Gardeners recommend and mineral dressingthat conduct:
• 4 days after planting nitrogen fertilizer, for which use 15-20 grams. ammonium nitrate per 1 m2;
• during the period of intensive growth and fruiting by potash mixtures, for which potassium nitrate (20 gr.) And superphosphate (30 gr.) Are used per 1 m2.
• at lower temperatures in the form of foliar dressings, which are prepared from 0.5% ammonium nitrate, 0.3% superphosphate, 0.2%, potassium chloride and 0.05%, potassium permanganate.
Do not forget to loosen the soil under the cucumbers after each watering and periodically air the greenhouse.
Ways to grow cucumbers in the greenhouse
Particular attention when growing cucumbers in greenhouses is given to the formation of vines. The most commonly used method of distillation plants on the trellis.
For which, at a height of 2 meters in the direction of the ridges, the wire is fastened to which the trellis is tied up, along which the plants will climb up.
The second edge of the trellis is tied with a weak knot to a cucumber. Some growers stretch three rows of wire at different heights.
Cucumbers in the greenhouse on the trellis
Acceptable option is the use of plastic mesh, which is strengthened under a slight slope. Such cultivation allows you to simplify care and harvest and prevents the appearance of downy powdery mildew.
Growing cucumbers in winter
To obtain a winter treat, a special heated greenhouse is required, which is made of glass or polycarbonate with a thickness of at least 10 mm.
Requirements for temperature regimes when growing cucumbers in the winter greenhouse
Cucumbers are very sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Therefore, during the winter cultivation of cucumbers, the main condition is to maintain the necessary temperature regimes in the greenhouse:
• daily rate ranges from 23 -250 C;
• night temperature should not be below 180 C.
Do not allow sharp changes in temperature. It is necessary to provide smooth adjustment. Heated should be provided not only the air in the greenhouse, but also the soil. Why use the method of "warm ridges", in which, before planting cucumbers, manure, sawdust and straw are brought in significant quantities. Soil temperature should be within 220 C.
Humidity requirements for growing cucumbers in the winter greenhouse
The second problem with winter growing is low humidity. Due to the constant use of heating devices, not only the soil, but also the air quickly dries up.
Therefore, it requires regular watering of cucumbers when grown in the winter, and humidification of the air. Water cucumbers better often with small amounts of water.
Bulk irrigation will not solve the problem of dry air. To increase the humidity in the greenhouse, you can:
• apply water spraying of plants;
• arrange containers with water in the greenhouse;
• spread out moistened fabric between the rows.
Requirements for light regimes when growing cucumbers in the winter greenhouse
Cucumbers need 12 hour light day. In winter, with a reduction in the light period, plants slow down their growth. In addition, the young cucumber plants are drawn out, becoming thin, weak and faded. In the absence of optimal lighting, you should not hope for good yields.
Therefore, when growing cucumbers in winter, additional lighting is used. Lamps first set at a height of half a meter above the plants. As cucumber grows, the lighting devices raise.
What cucumbers can be grown in winter
It should be borne in mind that in the winter period there are no insects that can help with the pollination of cucumbers. Therefore, it is necessary either to independently daily engage in artificial pollination of plants, for which the male flower is torn off and the female flower is pollinated manually. Or take care of the correct selection of seeds.
It is recommended to use hybrid varieties for the winter cultivation of cucumbers.
The best yields are shown by varieties bred for growing under shaded conditions, which include Arina F1, Danila F1, Domashniy, Iva, Northern Lights F1, Ladoga F1, Russian, F1 Marathon, Manul F1, Moscow evenings F1, Olympiad F1.
Planting periods are regulated independently and depend on the required harvest periods. Early varieties give the first cucumbers as early as 45 days after germination. A good conveyor method of planting cucumbers, when cucumbers are planted on different ridges with a break of 3-4 weeks. This method provides green cucumbers year-round.
Growing cucumbers on the windowsill
Not every cucumber lover was lucky to have a land plot, and even more so with a warm greenhouse. But cucumbers are so unpretentious that they can be grown in my apartment on the windowsill.
Features of growing cucumbers on the windowsill
Considering the love of the plant for light, heat and moisture, it is necessary to equip the place of growing cucumbers in a special way:
• choose a window sill or a loggia facing south, south-west;
• the window sill is additionally warmed, and the vents are closed with polyethylene;
• prepare the lamp for additional lighting;
• for pots for planting cucumbers, it is necessary to prepare additional trays with pebbles for additional moistening;
• for the formation of bushes or vines provide strong support or pull the wire at a height of 1 m.
Cucumbers on the windowsill provide additional lighting
Planting cucumbers for cultivation on the windowsill
When choosing seeds, preference is given to parthenocarpic hybrids that do not require pollination: Dragonfly, Kukarache, Dubrovsky, Zozulya, Barnaults, Courage, F1 Balcony miracle, Matrix, Sail.
Seeds pre-incubated for up to two hours in potassium permanganate, which will allow them to disinfect and accelerate growth. After that, the surfaced samples are taken - they are unsuitable for further cultivation.
Quality samples spread on a cloth or cotton pad to dry. You can start planting when the seeds are dry, and you can leave them for a couple of days on a damp cloth for germination. Seeds with a color coating, have already been processed and planted, bypassing the germination stage.
Soil for planting cucumbers when grown on the windowsill, you can buy ready-made in the store, and you can prepare yourself. To do this, mix sawdust, humus and peat. You can prepare the composition of compost and coconut fiber. The soil is disinfected, for which it is shed with a solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin.
Cucumbers are planted either directly in a 4-5 liter tank, or on seedlings in peat, paper or plastic cups. When disembarking through picking It is possible to select the strongest and healthiest seedlings.
Up to 4 seeds are placed in a cup. In the process of growth remove weak shoots, leaving the strongest. Upon reaching the phase of two of its own leaves, the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place.
Caring for cucumbers when grown on a windowsill
Cucumbers on the windowsill require regular watering and feeding. In winter, the air in the room is very dry. Therefore, the plants are watered as the soil dries. To humidify the air, which will improve the nutrition of the foliage, cucumbers are periodically sprayed, and under the pots they install trays filled with pebbles into which they pour water. With a lack of moisture, flowers and young ovary can crumble. But do not overdo it. Constantly moist soil is the source of the black leg.
Feeding is carried out every 10 days. To do this, you can use mineral fertilizers or infusions of tea, onion peel, eggshell.
Growing cucumbers in the ground
The absence of a greenhouse or greenhouse is not an obstacle for the cultivation of cucumbers. Plants feel great in the open field. But it is necessary to take into account the temperature regimes, which significantly affect the timing of planting cucumbers.
Cooking beds for cucumbers
For the cultivation of cucumbers suitable high ridge, which allows the soil under the plants to warm up better. The height of the ridges should be up to 25 cm and width up to 80 cm. There are several ways to prepare the ridges:
1. Since autumn, it is good to dig up the soil, adding superphosphate to it at the rate of 2 spoons per square meter and a glass of wood ash. In the spring, manure is added to the soil and spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate.
2. For the preparation of warm beds, a trench is dug into which the compost prepared in the fall is placed in the form of leaves, straw, grass. Top sleep with soil consisting of humus, peat and sawdust and shed with potassium permanganate. This bed cover with a film. Within two weeks, it warms up well. Manure and ash are added to each well for planting.
3. A warm bed can be made by placing manure in a trench, which, having burned out, will provide additional warming up of the soil. From above, the manure is filled with soil up to 20 cm, to which I add potassium salt (10 g.) And superphosphate (20 g.) Per m2.
Rules of planting cucumbers in open ground
Landing start when the threat of return frost is bypassed. At low temperatures, the seeds can not only slow down the growth, but also completely die. The soil should warm up to 15-180 C. To speed up the appearance of fruits in the open ground, cucumbers are planted in the form of seedlings or ridges covered with a film, which is removed when warm days come.
For the cultivation of cucumbers are suitable any varieties of cucumbers. After all, the problem of pollination is absent. But preference is given to seed material that was stored for 2-3 years. Such samples give more female flowers, which will affect the yield.
With horizontal cultivation, seeds are planted in wells of 4-5 pieces. The distance between the holes is 40 cm. After 10–15 days, weak sprouts are removed, leaving two seedlings in the hole.
With vertical cultivation, seeds are sown in the grooves. After thinning the distance between cucumbers should be no more than 40 cm.
Care for cucumbers when grown in open ground
Care is timely watering. Determine the timing of watering, you can hold a simple test. For this lump of earth is compressed in the hand. If the soil crumbles, it's time to moisten the ground under the cucumbers.
It is necessary to carefully remove weeds that take nutrients from the plant and become sources of disease. Soil loosening and weeding are carried out until not overgrown vines allow.
If the soil is well supplemented with nutrients before planting, then additional feeding is not required. To provide nutrition to weakened plants, organic fertilizers in the form of bird droppings or manure are used. At the moments of active growth, cucumbers need nitrogen, during fruiting in potassium.
The main pests of cucumbers
On cucumbers, many harmful insects like to settle or lay the larvae:
Gourd aphid. Attacks the whole plant. Located at the beginning on the bottom plate of the leaf, rapidly covers the flowers, the ovary and the fruits, which shrink and fall. Remove melon melon with Inta-Vira solution or infusion of grass fermented for 24 hours. Help and spraying solution of ash. Why in the bucket of water, add 200 grams. ash, and strengthen sticking by adding 50 grams. laundry soap.
Spider mite It feeds on sap of leaves. Settling on the bottom plate of a leaf, entangles it with cobwebs and deprives of all juices. If you look at such a sheet in the sun, you can see the delicate light strokes, devoid of color, made by a tick. Rapidly multiplies in dry hot weather and can destroy all plantings. Spraying infusions of garlic or onion helps in the fight against spider mites.
Spider mite sucks cucumber foliage juice
Slugs They wield cucumbers at night, devouring foliage and fruit. To discard slugs, the soil under the cucumbers is pollinated with ash or lime. You can arrange a trap of pieces of cardboard, burdock leaves, under which slugs can gather.
Whitefly. A prolific insect that lays colonies of larvae on cucumber leaves. The larvae suck the juices out of them and destroy the plant. Whitefly can be fought by washing the foliage of the larvae. After that, the soil is loosened and spilled with peat. Afraid of the insect and the smell of tobacco. You can plant a few tobacco bushes next to the cucumbers.
The best methods with pests are thorough soil preparation, seed disinfection and timely weed removal between cucumber plantings. It is also necessary to follow the rules of crop rotation and not to plant cucumbers in one place.
If the harmful insects are still settled on cucumber beds, after harvesting the plants are burned and the soil is disinfected.
