It is hard to imagine a table without cucumbers! They have been part of our diet for a very long time: fresh, lightly salted, salted, pickled, in salads or just like that. It's not that hard to grow them yourself. Yes, they are quite demanding, but if you study and prepare everything, then care will be minimized, and the yield will be maximized!

When and what to plant - seedlings or seeds?

Properly plant cucumbers - not an easy task. planted in open ground they are worth not earlier than May, because they are very thermophilic. IN southern regions- this is the middle of the month, and in the middle lane - the end. If the winter turned out to be cold and long, then you can shift the dates until the first half of June. It must be remembered that a cucumber grows on average 45 days, therefore, planting it on June 1, wait for the harvest from July 15. Later, it is better to plant cucumbers in a greenhouse, otherwise they may not have time to ripen.

The day of planting cucumbers used to be often timed to church holidays: May 19 on the day of Job the Long-suffering and June 2 on the day of Falaley the Borage.

Cucumbers germinate fairly well from seed, which is why most gardeners don't grow seedlings. The fact is that cucumber sprouts are rather fragile, the leaves are large and thin, it is difficult to transport them. root system tender, and painlessly transplanting sprouts is possible only when using peat pots. If the seedlings are slightly overexposed, then it will be difficult for the plant to take root in the open field. Therefore, it should be resorted to only if you want to bring the first harvest closer.

Seed material must be prepared for planting, then you will get the best result. It is worth taking already aged 2-4 years, and not freshly picked, last year's specimens.

Cucumber seeds retain good germination for up to 8 years.

Before planting, we carry out a number of procedures with seeds:

• We sort through. We remove damaged and overdried. You can put them for 10 minutes in a saline solution (50 g of salt per liter of water), empty and low-quality specimens will float, and good ones will remain at the bottom.
• We warm up. There are several ways to do this. You can keep them at a temperature of 25–28 degrees for a month, dry them for a couple of hours in an oven or dryer at 50 degrees, or pour water at 40 degrees for a couple of hours. This increases the number of female flowers on the plant, thereby increasing yields.
• We disinfect. To do this, place them for 20 minutes in a 1% solution of iodine or manganese, and then rinse well. In this way, we protect cucumbers from diseases such as powdery mildew.
• Top dressing. An optional step, but if you want to speed up growth, you can soak them in growth stimulants (Epin or Sodium Humate) for 12 hours.

After that, spread the seeds on moistened gauze and let them hatch slightly. One day is enough for this, you can not let them germinate strongly. After that, the seed material is ready for planting in a seedling container or immediately in open ground.

Hybrid coated seeds marked F1 do not need such preparatory work. It is enough to soak them in a growth stimulator, and after that you can immediately sow.

What conditions need to be created for a capricious cucumber?

A place for growing cucumbers should be chosen sunny, calm. The earth should be moisture-intensive, but at the same time it is worth avoiding places with close occurrence ground water- on them you will not receive big harvest. Cucumbers really do not like drafts, so often with north side tall corn or sunflowers are planted to protect the seedlings from the wind.

It is good to use the beds on which tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes used to grow. You should not plant where beans, melons or carrots have grown in the last three years, they take the same nutrients from the soil that cucumbers need.

It is necessary to prepare a bed for cucumbers since autumn. To do this, we will dig up the site and add fertilizer, mullein or bird droppings. If you didn’t have time to make preparations before winter, then you can do it in early spring. To do this, we dig a trench about 80 centimeters deep, lay out its bottom with brushwood, spruce branches or branches. Next, we lay a layer of mature compost, sawdust, then humus or manure, and on top of 25 centimeters of loose earth. In such a bed, seeds can be planted immediately.

Cucumbers love warm soil, so you need to wait until it warms up to 16 degrees. You can speed up the process by pouring boiling water over the bed and covering it with a film. Then in a couple of days the bed will begin to soar. So it's time to plant the seeds.

Cucumbers are planted in rows to a depth of 3-5 centimeters, depending on the soil. The heavier the soil, the closer to the surface the seed should be. Planted at a distance of 20 centimeters. Lay 2-3 seeds per hole, and if all the seeds sprout, they are thinned out. The distance between rows is kept at 70–90 centimeters, depending on the variety.

It is believed that you need to lay the seeds in the hole at an angle of 45 degrees with a sharp edge up, it is from it that the root will grow, bending down. So the sprout, breaking through the soil, cracks open the seed and pushes the leaves out. If you plant it the other way around, with the tip down, then the sprout crawls to the surface with the remnants of the seed shell and may die because of this.

To make it easier for the seeds to sprout, the earth is regularly gently loosened, preventing a crust from forming on the surface. Ate the nights are still cool, then at night they continue to cover the bed with a film.

Basic principles of care - the secrets of watering and feeding

At proper fit further care for cucumbers is simple, you need to follow the standard rules: water, remove weeds, fight pests and, if necessary, feed.

At the beginning of cucumber growth, the soil should be slightly loosened, thereby saturating it with oxygen. This must be done very carefully and shallowly. The root system of the cucumber is superficial, so you need not overdo it so as not to damage it. It is also worth slightly sprouting the sprouts, so additional roots form on the cucumber, which will help the bush to bear more fruit.

To make it easier to monitor soil moisture, it is recommended to mulch the ground around the shoots. Thus, it will dry less, lose moisture more slowly. It will also reduce weeds and make it easier for you to weed.

Watering should be regular, cucumbers are moisture-loving plants. Therefore, if there is no rain, then you need to water every day. It is better to do this in the evening, when the bright sun is already hiding, or very early in the morning. After all, if this is done in the midst of a hot day, then the plant can simply burn out. It is better to water with warm water, not lower than 10 degrees, otherwise there is a risk that the plant will drop all the ovaries. The lack of moisture also affects the amount of the crop and the taste of the fruit, it begins to taste bitter and takes on a bizarre curved shape. But its excess will lead to decay of the root system, so follow the measure.

You can understand the need for top dressing by appearance bush. If the fruits are crooked and small, then this indicates a lack of nitrogen and potassium. The lack of phosphorus affects the predominance of male ovaries (empty flowers) on the plant. In these cases, you need to make root dressing.

When growing cucumber in spreading, it is not recommended to touch and shift the cucumber lashes. Firstly, they are very easy to damage and even break. And secondly, the cucumber has its leaves at a certain angle to the sun, and if it is disturbed, it will spend a lot of effort on restoring the right angle for it.

Cucumbers in the open field are rarely tied up, although this method of growing has many advantages. The bushes will be located more compactly and more accurately, it will be easier to take care of them and harvest them, they will hurt less and bear more fruit. But it is worth considering that they will require more watering if the ground under them is not mulched.

The trellises can be installed strictly vertically, then it will be necessary to tie the stems as they grow, starting from the moment four leaves are formed. Or they can be placed at an angle. Then the shoots can not be tied up if a net is used, and not guide threads, but simply guide their growth, helping them to be held by the antennae. Sometimes low trellises are used, then the stems are simply thrown over them so that the same bush grows on both sides.

When growing vertically, you can place cucumbers next to other crops. They get along well with cabbage, peas, beans, tomatoes, salads, parsley and beets. So, for example, onions, garlic or calendula planted nearby will scare away cucumbers. spider mite. And dill growing in the aisle will lengthen the fruiting period. But with zucchini, grapes, potatoes and herbs it is not necessary to separate the beds.

Sometimes cucumbers are also grown in compost barrels. This method gives a good harvest, as 3-4 bushes are planted on compost, sprinkled on top with 20 centimeters of earth. And these containers look attractive.

As you can see, the cucumber requires correct location and additional care when planting, but then it grows easily with minimal care. And if you properly organize the garden, you will delight not only with a delicious harvest, but also with a beautiful view!

Planting cucumbers with dry seeds. Pollination of cucumbers. Features of growth and development. Why do I grow cucumbers in a seedless way? Why are there a lot of empty flowers on cucumbers? Why are cucumbers bitter?

With the cultivation of cucumbers in our climate, problems rarely occur. This is one of the easiest crops, along with pumpkin and zucchini. What could be the difficulties? Sowed the seeds, watered, covered with a film and wait for the first shoots to hatch. Then water more often, because cucumbers love moisture, then harvest, eat, salt, enjoy.

And yet, despite the simplicity of agricultural technology, it is worth studying some of the subtleties of this culture. First of all, you need to know that the cucumber culture is thermophilic, and absolutely does not tolerate frost. Even long (up to three days) a cold snap of +3°C can destroy plants. The optimal temperature for the growth and development of cucumbers is 24 - 27 ° C during the day and + 16 ° C at night.

Why I grow cucumbers reckless way.

Cucumbers are one of the fastest growing plants. Already after 45 - 55 days after germination, depending on the variety, you can get the first harvest. This means that cucumber seeds sown, for example, on May 1, will sprout in a week, and on the twentieth of June, they will bear the first fruits. So you think, does it make sense to accelerate fruiting by growing seedlings of cucumbers on the windowsill? If you sow cucumbers too early (in March - early April), then quality seedlings usually doesn't work. The trunk is stretched and looks unnaturally frail. The root system, limited by the volume of the container, gives the aerial part a “stop” signal, after which, rapid growth cannot be observed, and cucumber seedlings planted in open ground cannot recover for a long time, get sick, and subsequently give a poor harvest. If, however, to sow the seeds later, in mid-April, then you can get a good result. But, this result is not easy, given that in spring the window sills are already overloaded with seedlings of tomatoes and peppers. Cucumber seedlings require additional lighting, a large volume of the pot, it forces you to be careful when planting (transshipment from containers) in open ground, since cucumbers are very sensitive to root damage and, as the people say, “do not like” transplanting.

For the above reasons, cucumber seedlings I don’t do it, but I sow the seeds immediately in open ground under a film shelter.

Planting cucumbers in the ground with dry seeds.

I don’t soak cucumber seeds, I sow them dry, in pre-prepared beds, in early May, depth of planting cucumber seeds 1 - 1.5 cm, with an interval of about 50 cm from each other, in two rows, in a checkerboard pattern. Distance between rows 0.5 - 0.6 m.

I pre-fill the bed with compost, water it well, and after sowing I put arcs and cover with a film, without airing for a week, and without fear that overheating will occur under the sun's rays. Until shoots appear, overheating is not dangerous, on the contrary, warm, warmed by the sun's rays, the earth accelerates seed germination. And, now, when the first leaves appear, it is important to monitor the temperature under the film cover. If it is not possible to observe the bed every day and ventilate the shelter in a timely manner, you can install buckets of water under the film. high humidity saves cucumbers from death. I change polyethylene to non-woven material with a density of 32-40, opening it only for watering 2-3 times a week. To better retain moisture, the bed with seedlings should be mulched."Mulching beds with organic matter" —

Some time cucumbers grow under nonwoven fabric. Then we remove the cover.

For a while, cucumbers grow under the non-woven fabric. Then we remove the cover.

Pollination of cucumbers. Features of growth and development.

The peculiarity of cucumbers is that both female and male flowers are present on the same plant. That is, cucumbers are cross-pollinated plants. Male inflorescences are popularly called barren flowers. Their correct name is staminate flowers. The female flowers are called pistillate. Both types of flowers are important, since the fruit may be set after pollen with male flower will fall on the pestle of the female. At temperatures above +27°C, the pollen becomes sterile.

Male flowers are formed mainly on the central, main stem. Female flowers appear mainly on lateral shoots. To increase the number of female flowers and reduce the number of barren flowers, pinch the central stem, forming side shoots, (usually 4 lower shoots). Personally, I don’t pinch, because even without it, the cucumber harvest is more than sufficient.

The same plant has both male and female flowers.

The same plant has both male and female flowers.

In addition, there are a huge number of hybrids that do not have a barren flower at all. In general, pinching is not a matter of principle for me.

Why are cucumbers bitter?

In the process of growth, very often we encounter an unpleasant phenomenon when cucumbers suddenly become bitter. It is generally accepted that this happens from a lack of moisture, they say, they watered little. Indeed, with prolonged heat and insufficient watering, the peel of cucumbers becomes bitter. The optimum soil moisture during the flowering period is 55 - 60%. Therefore, a sharp cessation of watering is perceived by the plant as the end of the vegetative period, the cessation of growth. Growth stops, the leaves begin to turn yellow, and the fruits become bitter. After that, it is difficult to restore normal plant growth. And if the plant itself, after subsequent watering, is able to resume growth, then it is more difficult to get rid of the bitterness of the fruit. You need to water the cucumbers depending on the weather, in the heat every day and preferably, warm water over the leaves. There is no need to fear that water that has fallen on the leaves will harm. Cucumbers - moisture-loving plant. The bed must be mulched with compost, grass, hay - any available material, especially if the summer resident does not have the possibility of daily watering. Organic mulch, in addition to retaining moisture, keeps the earth loose, attracts worms, and provides food for plants. With this soil content, it is enough to water cucumbers 2-3 times a week.

Bitterness can also appear with a prolonged cold snap. To any unfavorable phenomenon, cucumbers respond with bitterness of fruits, yellowing of leaves, their point lesions, as well as a shift in the sex of flowers to the male side, which leads to a decrease in yield.

Why are there a lot of empty flowers on cucumbers?

If there are a lot of barren flowers on cucumbers, then there may be several reasons. An empty flower can form due to strong shading. Cucumber bed should be in a well-lit place. Another reason is a heavily crowded landing. Sow seeds less often, and the return will be greater! It is possible that the sowing was carried out with the seeds of the previous year. For sowing, you need to use seeds, the period of which is at least two - three years. The older the seeds, the more female flowers are formed on the plant that has grown from them.

Cucumbers, having a powerful vegetative mass, greatly deplete the soil. Despite this, when growing cucumbers, you can not use any kind of top dressing using fresh manure. Manure farming also leads to various diseases and damage to the leaves. It is best to carry out liquid, organic feeding infusion of herbs with a frequency of 1 time in 10 days.

In the process of growth, the plants still form weak, twisted leaves affected by pests and diseases. First of all, signs of the disease appear from below, on old leaves. At the first sign of yellowing, the leaves should be removed. It is not necessary to wait until the pests that have settled on the leaves, or the disease, have spread throughout the plant.

It is sometimes difficult to harvest in lashes spread on the ground. And walking is uncomfortable - you will definitely trample the stems. And it is not always possible to find fruits that have reached the condition under the leaves; ripe, yellow-brown overgrowths that are no longer suitable for food will later remind of this. It is better to grow cucumbers on trellises -

How to grow cucumbers outdoors? This can be done in two ways. The first is planting seeds directly into the ground, and the second is planting seedlings. Both methods require some knowledge in order to get a good one later.

An important point for a successful harvest is the choice of a place and the preparation of the soil for planting. A suitable place will be where vegetables such as cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini or squash have not previously grown. This will help prevent the accumulation of various pests and diseases. But if this is not possible, then it is necessary to change the place every 4-5 years. It is better to choose a sunny and low-wind area for landing.

Cucumbers need top dressing and fertilizer nutrients. Organic ones have a particularly good effect on them.

Planting beds must be prepared in advance. In autumn, the site must be dug up by 25-27 cm, then a layer of organic matter is added - chicken manure, cow dung, humus and left for the winter. Fertilizers will need 1 bucket per 1 square meter.

In the spring, before planting, the soil must be abundantly moistened.

Growing cucumber seeds

Growing cucumbers from seeds is not difficult. But still, this is painstaking work, so you need to know the basic rules of landing.

Seed preparation and processing

Seeds for planting must be of high quality. To do this, it is necessary to treat the seeds with a weak solution of manganese and place them in water. room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Seeds that are unsuitable for sowing will float up, while good ones will remain at the bottom. Then it is desirable to germinate selected seeds.

Place them in a wet cotton napkin for two to three days. Seeds that have hatched can be safely planted in.

Planting seeds in the ground

You can plant cucumbers in open ground if the soil has warmed up to 15⁰ heat. The seeding depth should be 2-3 cm. Cucumbers have the ability to grow strongly, so they need to be planted in holes at a distance of 0.5 m × 0.5 m. If the plants are grown in rows and tied up, then the distance between the bushes should not be less than 30 cm.

You need to sow 2 seeds in each hole, but you can put more (4-5 seeds) for insurance. After germination, the cucumbers need to be thinned out and the 2 strongest seedlings left in the holes.

Growing seedlings of cucumbers

The method of growing cucumbers with ready-made seedlings allows you to get a crop earlier than from. But this process is laborious and requires a special approach.

First you need to prepare the seeds and choose the best ones, as described above.

Preparing the soil and containers for seedlings

Next, you need to prepare the soil and containers in which the seedlings will grow. The soil can be purchased at specialized stores. Most often, such soil consists of peat, with the addition of mineral fertilizers.

You can prepare the soil yourself. To do this, you need to take 2 parts of peat, the same amount of humus and add 1 sawdust. You can add some compost. For 10 liters of such a mixture, 3 tbsp. spoons of wood ash and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of nitrophoska. It is better to prepare such soil in the fall. If you plant the seeds immediately in such soil, then there is a possibility that the seedlings will burn.

The easiest way to prepare soil at home is to take the ground from which garlic or grew. The earth must be mixed with mineral fertilizers and watered with a weak solution of manganese in order to disinfect.

Containers for growing seedlings may be different. For this, any plastic jars, containers or cups from under food products. To save space, you can grow seedlings in wooden boxes. But when planting plants in the ground, it will be difficult to get them out of containers without damaging the roots. This can slow down the establishment of seedlings and reduce yields. It should be remembered that holes must be made in the bottoms of such containers to avoid moisture accumulation.

It is best to plant seeds in special peat pots. It is not necessary to transplant seedlings, as they are planted in the ground along with peat pots. The walls of such containers are porous and allow plant roots to grow freely through them. In addition, they do not contain toxins and harmful substances, quite moisture resistant and durable.

Planting seedlings in peat pots in open ground will provide a large percentage of plant survival. Over time, the pot decomposes in the soil and serves as an additional pot. This method guarantees an earlier harvest.

Another way that will be convenient for the gardener and not traumatic for cucumbers is planting in special glasses. They are made of plastic, but more dense than those used for food products. And even more stable dark color, and this contributes to the preservation of heat, and also already have drainage holes in the bottom.

When you transplant plants into open ground, you just need to press a little on the walls of the glass and the earthen lump will easily come out of it. Since it has been in the glass for quite a long time, it retains its shape well for some time, so nothing threatens the roots at all.

Glasses, like any other container in which you will grow cucumbers, should be placed on some kind of platform. This is necessary in order to excess moisture could drain without problems, not lingering at the roots of plants.

Sowing seeds and caring for seedlings

After the containers for seedlings are selected, it is necessary to fill them with prepared soil, while it is not necessary to compact it. The next step is to sow. You need to plant 2-3 things in each cup, no more than 2 cm deep.

Planted seeds need to provide an air temperature of 22 to 25 degrees Celsius and a bright room. It is better to place the plants on the windowsill and make sure that there are no cracks and drafts. Watering is necessary every day, but not too plentifully.

After 5-7 days, the first shoots will appear. For accelerated growth and development, you can install additional lighting in the form energy saving lamps. The backlight must be turned on during daylight hours, and turned off at night. Watering is done with separated water, at room temperature, once a day.

7 days before planting in open ground, seedlings can be taken out for 2-3 hours outside. So the plants will harden and be able to adapt faster in natural conditions.

Subject to all the rules, ready-made seedlings can be obtained within three weeks from the moment the seeds are planted.

If you germinated the seeds before planting, then you should not put two or three pieces in a glass. In each prepared hole, it is worth putting only one seed with the sprout up. It is better to use plastic tweezers for this, since the sprouts are very fragile and if they are damaged, then nothing will grow. After the seed is laid, it must be very carefully sprinkled with earth and poured with a little warm water. We recommend using a diffuser.

You need to water as the soil dries, and not only the top layer. In order to understand whether watering is required, you need to feel the soil with your hands or lower it into it. wooden stick. If it turns out to be wet, watering is not needed. If you simply moisten the earth at some intervals without checking whether it has dried out, then it is likely that the roots will begin to rot.

Seedlings must be hardened off before planting in open ground, otherwise they may not survive, or at least get sick after transplantation. It is worth starting with a few hours, but in last days before planting, it is necessary to walk the seedlings longer.

We recommend that you prepare in advance props or trellises on which you will grow cucumbers. In the case when they are mounted after planting seedlings, there is a high risk of injury to both the roots and the aerial part of the cucumber. In addition, they need to be tied up almost immediately so that the plant does not weave along the ground.

Transplanting seedlings in open ground

You can determine the readiness of seedlings for planting in the ground according to the following criteria:

• Plant height should be about 30cm
• The seedling should have 2-3 leaves
• Stems are fleshy and strong
• Leaves dense, dark green
• Well developed roots

Planting plants in the ground is usually carried out in early May, and in northern regions- at the end of May. Cucumbers are very thermophilic and do not tolerate sudden changes in temperature and frost.

Seedlings should be planted in holes 10-12 cm deep, depending on the size of the root system. After planting, plants should be properly cared for.

Care, watering and fertilizing

Cucumbers, like every vegetable crop, need proper care: weeding, loosening the soil, watering and fertilizing.

Plant feeding is done every 10 days. This requires the following solution: 1 liter of mullein and 30 g of saltpeter or are added to a bucket of water. For each bush, 0.5 liters of the mixture is enough. After the appearance of the first color, the same solution is taken, with the addition of 40 g of superphosphate and 50 g of potassium salt. For each plant, 250 g of fertilizer is enough.

Feeding is necessary only in evening time. Make sure that fertilizer does not get on the foliage, otherwise burns may appear on the plants in hot weather.

Watering cucumbers is necessary as the soil dries. On dry days, this should be done daily. It is advisable to water them with warm water. You can put a barrel or a tank of water next to the beds. During the day, the water warms up well, and in the evening it will be possible to water. Don't overfill the cucumbers.

Excessive watering promotes increased growth of lashes and reduces fruiting.

If the summer is very hot, the plants may begin to wilt. Then they can make an invigorating shower from a hose with cool water. This procedure is carried out in daytime. A refreshing shower will wash away the dust, lower the temperature, and help the cucumbers survive the heat.

During fruit ripening, it is necessary to maintain high humidity soil. And at the end of summer, watering should be reduced to avoid rotting of the root system and stems.

After each top dressing and watering, soil loosening and hilling is necessary. The soil must be carefully loosened between rows so as not to damage the root system of plants. Hilling will help retain nutrients in the soil and retain moisture in it.

Regularly weed the beds. Make sure that weeds do not clog not only the aisles, but also the lashes themselves. Remove the weeded grass away from the beds.

At the beginning of fruiting, the crop is harvested every 3-5 days. During the period of intensive ripening, cucumbers must be plucked every day. The fruits grow very quickly, so care must be taken not to overripe them. Harvesting is best done in the morning, after the dew has disappeared, or in the evening, so that the fruits are not sluggish. To keep cucumbers fresh, you can cover them in the daytime with a tarp or burlap.

After the last harvest of fruits, it is necessary to put the beds in order. To do this, carefully remove all the lashes and remaining weeds and burn. This is followed by the preparatory work of the beds for wintering.

Cucumbers are a popular vegetable in our country, so every gardener, regardless of the size of the plot, likes to grow cucumbers in his garden. But even with the same climatic features, the yield is different for everyone. The whole secret lies in the care when growing cucumbers, it is necessary to plant them following the rules.

If you follow the correct agricultural practices, plant according to advice on predecessor crops and take care of them properly, then getting a good harvest even from seeds will not be difficult for a beginner.

In general, caring for a culture cannot be called difficult, but taking into account the climate of regional characteristics, there are many nuances that you need to know.

The basic requirements for growing cucumbers include:

• to plant are chosen only healthy seeds that have been trained;
• the soil for sowing should be loose and slightly acidic;
• planting seeds and seedlings is carried out in a strictly allotted time in compliance with temperature regime;
• during the growing season 3-4 weeding and loosening soil;
• the beds are regularly watered with warm water (10-14 liters per 1 m2);
• fertilizers and top dressings are introduced according to the schedule, nutrient consumption rates cannot be changed;
• beds should be located on the sunny side, but not in a draft;
• when planting seedlings, avoid thickening;
• timely control the condition of plants and the degree of soil moisture;
• if problems are identified, immediately process the culture.

Growing methods

There are quite a few options for growing greens. Among the most known ways: outdoor, greenhouse, balcony, barrel, etc.

When cultivating a vegetable open beds the method of sowing and planting seedlings is used.

How to plant seeds in the garden

It is necessary to sow seeds at certain temperature indicators, otherwise shoots may not appear. The important point is soil and seed preparation. Not only how they can germinate, but also the intensity of development of seedlings depends on the quality of the work performed.

After the formation of 3-4 leaves, a frequent bed is thinned out, leaving the most strong seedlings. At the stage of germination and growth of shoots, it is important to ensure sufficient moisture, good light and fertilizer with any nutrients that help the plant grow.

seedlings

The seedling method is used to obtain early harvest and to protect young shoots from spring frosts. Grown seedlings in greenhouses or at home are transferred to the garden already strengthened. Their root system, although weak, takes root quickly in a new environment.

When transferring seedlings to the hole, it is important not to damage the sensitive root.

Before planting sprouts in open ground must undergo adaptation on the street, a sharp change in habitat and temperature can kill them.

Scourges can be located in spreading and on a trellis. Depending on the chosen method, it is necessary to observe the interval between bushes and rows. In the absence of a garter, the stems should have enough space for spreading in the garden.

Where is the best place to plant cucumbers to get a good harvest

The culture comes from India, so the hot, humid climate is ideal for it. The very structure of the whip indicates the need for a garter on the trellis.

A garden bed arranged in this way is protected from fungal infections with an abundance of rain and from the scorching rays of the sun. The fruits find shade under the massive leaves of the plant. However, it is worth remembering that the scorching sun is also dangerous for cucumbers; burns may appear on the greens.

Taking into account climatic features, it is necessary to provide partial shading of bushes or penumbra. This is easy to do by planting corn, sunflower or undersized grapes in the aisle zone. Diffused light will be more beneficial to the plant.

With all the love for moisture, you should not choose a plot in the lowland for sowing cucumbers. With heavy rainfall and high level groundwater threatens plants fungal diseases due to overmoistening. Where better place on a hill where it is much easier to control the degree of soil moisture.

Land preparation for planting

It is better to prepare a place for a cucumber bed in advance in order to exclude unpleasant surprises.

Digging up the beds in the fall is a must

In the spring the plot dug up again and must be disinfected. To do this, use a weak solution of potassium permanganate or boiling water.

Cucumbers respond very well to this type of fertilizer, such as manure. It can be introduced both in autumn and in spring 2-3 weeks before planting (8-10 kg per 1 m2). To stimulate the growth of young shoots, nitrogen and potassium-phosphorus substances are introduced into the soil (25 g of potassium salt, 40 g of superphosphate).

In the process of preparing the soil for the new season, it is necessary to treat the future garden bed for prevention purposes. wood ash or special preparations that protect bushes from pests (Fitoverm, Aktellik).

How to plant in soil

Growing greens with the help of seeds provides for compliance with the following rules:

• sowing time is selected taking into account the favorable temperature regime (end of May - beginning of June);
• seeds must be processed before planting;
• the soil should be disinfected and fertilized;
• it is better to arrange the beds with the side from east to west;
• landing plan - 20x100 or 60x80(depending on the growing method);
• seed immersion depth - 2-3 cm.

Rules for growing seedlings:

• seed must be prepared (sorting, soaking, disinfection);
• soil is also needed disinfect and enrich with nutrients;
• it is ideal for cultivating seedlings to use a substrate of soddy land, mullein and humus (2: 1: 7);
• substances are introduced to fertilize the soil (30 g ammonium nitrate or urea, 20 g of superphosphate, 6 g of potassium salt, 30 g of lime per bucket of soil);
• temperature regime after sowing - 12-15 degrees; after the seedlings had time to sprout, at first 20-25 degrees are observed for several days, then the temperature is reduced - in the daytime to 20-22 degrees, at night to 15 degrees;
• 10 days after germination, seedlings are fed with slurry (1: 1) with the addition of 20 g of superphosphate per bucket of the mixture;
• a week before the transfer of shoots to open ground, carry out daily outdoor hardening;
• for the purpose of prevention, seedlings are treated with epin or immunocytophyte.

Proper seed care

The rules for caring for a cucumber bed are extremely clear. Among the main conditions are creating a humid environment. This is regulated by watering.

Ideal for seed care sprinkling or drip irrigation . The use of a hose can damage fragile roots with a strong jet. small plot can be sprayed with a spray bottle. The norm of water per 1 m2 is 10-14 liters.

The frequency of procedures 1 time in 7 days with average air humidity, 1 time in 5 days at temperatures above 28 degrees.

To water the beds, only warm, settled water is used. The use of cold liquid adversely affects the development of the plant.

The intensity of development and the formation of a large lash requires a lot of nutrition, so it is impossible to ignore the feeding regimen. After the first shoots appear on the surface of the soil, it is applied first dressing: for 10 liters of water, 10 g of potassium salt, 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 30 g of superphosphate are taken.

Second feeding the bed is enriched after 2 weeks, doubling the amount of dissolved fertilizers. When fertilizing, contact of the working solution and the green part of the crop should be avoided.

To protect cucumbers from decay and pests, it is recommended to periodically carry out weeding. This procedure is usually combined with loosening, which provides free access of oxygen to the soil and prevents the formation of moisture stagnation in the soil. The first weeding is done after the formation of 4-5 leaves on the shoots.

Spring weather is often unpredictable, so after sowing the bed covered with film or agrofibre.

The film must be removed during the day, and the shelter must be restored again at night. So late frosts will not cause the death of seedlings.

Based on the above information, it can be concluded that favorable conditions Growing cucumbers is easy. Timely prevention will prevent damage to the plant by pests and various diseases. And thanks to complementary foods and irrigation, cucumbers will be endowed with high taste qualities.

It is impossible to imagine a Russian garden without cucumbers. And even though there are practically no nutrients in this vegetable, crunching on a green cucumber right from the garden is an undoubted pleasure. Cucumbers are planted by everyone, because it is not difficult to do this at all. For very early consumption, even seedlings are grown, but also when sowing seeds directly in the garden summer crops always guaranteed.

Selection and preparation of soil and planting sites

In different climatic conditions arrangement of beds for cucumbers is somewhat different. And if in the southern regions, landings are usually carried out on a flat surface, then more or less high ridges are equipped in the middle lane. To create a better air-thermal regime on heavy soils, the ridges are poured higher, on light warm soils they are made low. On the slopes, the ridges are made across the slope, on a flat surface - taking into account the best solar heating - from east to west.

In areas with high groundwater and heavy cold soils, it is widely practiced to sow cucumbers in separate elevated bulk holes located at a distance of up to a meter from one another. In dacha practice, it is not uncommon to grow cucumbers on wall ridges with or without film cover. To do this, use the southern walls of buildings or blind fences. If this is not possible, cucumbers are grown on trellises, protected from the leeward side by a shield of boards or film.

The fence is an excellent natural support for cucumbers, at the same time protecting them from the winds.

In addition to thermophilicity, cucumbers require higher, compared to many crops, doses of fertilizers, especially organic ones. Without good filling of beds with nutrients, crops are late and are small. Even fresh manure is well suited for cucumbers, especially if it is repaired for autumn digging. But it is better, of course, that the manure is at least half-rotted, cucumbers can use such fertilizer at the very first time. Peat-compost mixtures are also suitable, but they still add to any organic mineral fertilizers- 100 g / m 2 nitrophoska or at least a half-liter jar of wood ash.

Cucumbers feel good at high warm beds. For their arrangement, at the end of last summer, according to the size of the future beds, they dig a hole up to 30 cm deep. Various wastes are dumped into it: plant tops, small branches, fallen leaves, household waste, various cleaning. All this is periodically watered with infusion of mullein or chicken manure, sprinkled with earth or peat. fall throw good soil and form a ridge, limiting it along the sides with boards or slate.

In the spring, the bed is sprinkled with ashes, loosened, watered with warm water and covered with a film until the sowing of cucumbers. In the northern part of our country, the film is not removed at all, but holes are made in it, where seeds are sown or seedlings of cucumbers are planted.

Selection and preparation of seeds

Cucumbers by biological nature belong to gourd plants. There are bush cucumbers, but climbing cucumbers are more common, with different lengths of the whip. Another classification divides cucumbers into salad and pickling. There are varieties of universal purpose. According to the ripening time, cucumbers are divided into early, mid-early and mid-ripening.

There are also cucumbers pollinated by insects and parthenocarpic (self-pollinated). Some varieties are designed for growing in greenhouses, others - in open ground (but many grow both there and there). Therefore, the choice depends on the preferences of the gardener and the available growing conditions.

The number of varieties and hybrids of cucumbers in stores is now measured in hundreds, however, apparently, we should not forget the old, time-tested domestic varieties. Luckily, cucumber seeds don't need to be purchased every year as they stay viable for a very long time. Fresh seeds are even worse than those that have lain for two or three years: they have a greater proportion of male flowers.

There are gardeners seeking to purchase every spring latest hybrids, but there are those who plant their varieties from year to year and take seeds from them. The situation is ambiguous: of course, there is more confidence in themselves, but serious companies are now selling very good hybrids. True, it is useless to collect seeds from them: it is not known what will grow from this.

Majority hybrid seeds are sold ready for sowing, but with your own you need to work a little first.

It is not necessary to complete all of the existing preparation steps, but experienced gardeners choose the most, in their opinion, necessary from the following list.

• Calibration. Cucumber seeds are quite large, and the most feeble ones are easily separated by hand. It is safer to lower the seeds into the solution table salt(dessert spoon per glass of water) and shake. In a few minutes, the weak will emerge, it is better not to sow them.

  Cucumber seeds are quite large, so the worst ones can be identified by touch.

• Warming up. Fresh seeds are kept near the radiator for a couple of days before sowing; this increases the proportion of female flowers.
• Disinfection. For seeds prepared for sale, this operation is optional. Your seeds should be treated for 15-20 minutes with a strong solution of potassium permanganate, then rinsed well with clean water.

  For dressing seeds, a very strong solution of potassium permanganate is required.

• Soaking in growth stimulants. Some hobbyists use this technique to increase the vitality of future plants. The most harmless is aloe juice, diluted 5 times with water, from purchased preparations - Zircon or Epin.

  Plant growth stimulants are completely harmless to humans, do not be afraid to use them

• Soaking in water. Even purchased seeds, many gardeners try to soak before sowing at least until they swell. To do this, they are kept for about 24 hours in water at room temperature or a little warmer, then dried a little so that the seeds are easily sown. Such a procedure can speed up the emergence of seedlings by no more than a day, so the meaning of it is not too great.
• hardening. For planting in a greenhouse, it is not necessary to harden the seeds, but for unprotected soil this operation is useful. Hardening of cucumber seeds is carried out by sending the soaked seeds in a wet cloth to the refrigerator for a day.
• Germination. Seeds are most often germinated in wet sawdust. It makes sense to do this before the appearance of the primary root - no more than a centimeter long, otherwise it will be difficult to sow them. True, some amateurs germinate seeds right in a rag and before the appearance of cotyledon leaves, but it will be very difficult to plant such seeds in a garden bed. For seedlings, at home, in comfort, you can. But the meaning is lost: you can just sow the seeds in pots early.

  If the seeds germinate up to the leaves, they will have to be sown very carefully.

Is it possible not to do anything from the above list? Certainly. The author of these lines always sows cucumbers with dry seeds, straight from the bag. And they sprout beautifully, only a little later. Although, of course, if you have time, you can do whatever your heart desires.

Planting dates for cucumbers

The timing of sowing seeds or planting seedlings is linked to the fact that they are sensitive not only to frost, but also to low temperatures. Seedlings and seedlings, if not protected, may die when the soil temperature drops below 10 ° C. Cucumber seeds germinate when the soil warms up to at least 14 ° C. Based on this, we can conclude: in the middle lane, dry seeds should be sown after May 25, and germinated - in early June. Cucumbers begin to grow and develop normally when the daytime air temperature reaches 25 ° C.

As for the southern or northern regions, there the timing of sowing seeds in the ground is shifted by 1-2 weeks in one direction or another. Based on the foregoing, it is possible to estimate the timing of sowing seeds for seedlings. They will also depend on whether they are going to plant seedlings in the greenhouse or in open ground. From the moment of sowing seeds to planting seedlings in the garden, 30-35 days should pass. This means that in the middle lane it is necessary to sow seeds in cups at the very end of April. IN good greenhouse it will be possible to plant seedlings already in the first days of May, which means that sowing for seedlings begins around April 1.

Planting cucumber seedlings

Since in many early-ripening hybrids the first cucumbers can be tasted as early as 33–38 days after emergence, the need for mandatory seedling cultivation is doubtful. But if you want to get own products as early as possible, the gardener must grow several seedlings of seedlings. To do this, select the most illuminated window sill.

Cucumbers tolerate any transplant very painfully, so the seeds are sown immediately in individual cups with a capacity of 300 ml or more, and preferably in peat pots medium size. For a dozen bushes, it is better to buy soil in a store, but if there is everything at home to prepare light, moisture-absorbing and breathable soil, you can do it yourself, be sure to add fertilizer (compost, ash, nitrophoska) to it. Sowing cucumber seeds in cups is not difficult.

Cucumber seedlings emerge in 4–8 days, depending on the variety and temperature. A few days after germination, the most frail plants should be carefully trimmed with scissors. As soon as shoots appear, the glass is removed, and the temperature is lowered to 18 ° C, several degrees lower at night, and so left for five days. If this is not done, the seedlings will stretch and be very weak.

Further optimum temperature- about 24 o C during the day and 18 o C at night. If there is not enough sunlight, it is necessary to organize supplementary lighting. fluorescent lamps or LED lights. The rest is in the care of seedlings - as for any vegetable plants: moderate watering, top dressing if necessary, hardening before planting in the ground.

Planting cucumber seeds in the ground

Sowing cucumbers with seeds directly in the garden is no different from sowing any other crop, you just need to choose the right time and, if the heat lingers, prepare covering materials.

1. On the beds prepared in advance, with a corner of a chopper or any other convenient object, grooves are made according to the chosen scheme. Most often used tape landing. In this case, when sowing early varieties between rows leave 30–50 cm, for the rest - 40–60 cm.

   In order to outline the grooves, even any plank is suitable.

2. The grooves are well watered with water from a watering can without a strainer, and after soaking it, the prepared cucumber seeds are laid out. At what distance? Yes, it’s not a pity: as a result, extra plants will have to be removed, leaving the strongest at distances of 15–30 cm from each other.

   If there are a lot of seeds, you can even “salt” the soil with them, but scarce seeds are laid out one by one

3. The seeds are sprinkled with soil taken from the side of the groove, or with humus, with a layer of 2–3 cm. To preserve moisture and heat, it is worth covering them polyethylene film(immediately after the emergence of shoots, the film must be replaced with spunbond).

   At first, the film can be laid directly on the ground, but if you have to hold it for a long time, arcs should be made

Video: sowing seeds in the garden

Cucumber Planting Schemes

There are various layouts of cucumbers in the garden. There are three most common ones.

Ways to plant cucumbers

In addition to the completely natural cultivation of cucumbers in the beds "as is", that is, with the location of the lashes on the ground, there are various options designed to save space in the garden. And if in greenhouses cucumbers have always been grown on trellises or, at least, tying the lashes in the vertical direction, then the trellis method has become almost traditional among small-land summer residents relatively recently. And after him, more exotic options appeared.

Growing on a trellis

It has been noticed that cucumbers planted near the trees themselves easily climb to unthinkable heights, as a result of which both apples and cucumbers can be collected from one tree. It's hard to say why, but in my garden cucumbers are more partial to powerful apple trees than to less solid cherries or plums.

Using this fact, many gardeners plant cucumbers next to natural supports (for example, a fence) or specially build them for them. Vertically growing cucumbers not only save space in the garden. They are much easier to care for, they are easier to collect, the fruits hang clean.

Video: cucumbers under the apple tree

When growing on a trellis, a more dense planting is possible (reduce the distance both in a row and between rows). Therefore, the amount of fertilizer applied must be increased. Since it is undesirable to grow one crop for several years in a row in one place, craftsmen provide for the design of the trellis to be easily collapsible or portable. At the same time, the distance between the racks is kept about 1 meter, and several rows of wire are pulled over them.

In order for cucumbers to climb onto the trellis, it is often necessary to carry out the initial tying of plants with soft twine. The situation is simpler if there is a grid with large cells (at least 15 cm). By placing such a grid vertically, you don’t have to worry: the cucumbers will behave like a creeper. You can do it differently, pulling only one wire at a distance of about 2 meters from the ground. Cucumbers are tied with twine at a height of 10–15 cm from the ground, and this twine is tied to the wire. The very technique of sowing seeds or planting seedlings does not differ from that of conventional cultivation.

Vertically placed mesh solves many problems with cucumber farming

Growing cucumbers in a barrel

Using old barrels is becoming a popular way to grow many vegetables that grow large bushes. So they plant, for example, melons, watermelons, pumpkins, even strawberries. This saves space in the garden (the barrel can be placed anywhere), and the plants are in well-heated soil. Any barrel, but preferably an iron one, dark-colored and full of holes, is filled halfway with all sorts of organic garbage, and placed above fertile soil, well flavored with humus. In the spring, the contents are watered with mullein infusion and covered with a film to warm up.

Already in the middle of May (for middle lane) in a barrel, you can sow the seeds of cucumbers under a temporary shelter. Since bushes grow faster in warm soil, it is more profitable to plant the most early-ripening varieties in a barrel, they can catch up with greenhouse ones. Over time, due to the decay of the residues, the soil in the barrel will still settle, so there are no problems with temporary shelter of the bushes from cold weather. And by the onset of this summer, the shelter is removed, and the whips are either allowed to hang down, or directed to specially constructed arcs.

Barrels with planted cucumbers even decorate the site

The advantages of using barrels are obvious, it is much easier to care for cucumbers in them, but you have to water more often than in the garden.

Video: planting seedlings of cucumbers in a barrel

Growing cucumbers in bags or tires

Instead of barrels, large garbage bags can be used with almost the same success. Most often, bags with a capacity of 100-120 liters are taken for this purpose. True, they are less stable than barrels, so they are strengthened by any wooden frame. They also drive in a stake inside for tying lashes. It is necessary to water cucumbers in bags often, in hot weather - daily.

Bags with cucumber plants can be carried from place to place

Instead of bags, sometimes they use several old tires from a car, laying them on top of each other in a cylinder (if they are the same size) or in a pyramid. Since the tires are black, the soil inside them is quickly warmed by the sun. Drainage material is placed in the lower part of the pyramid, and then nutrient soil. Planting and care - as in barrels or bags.

After what crops can cucumbers be planted

Cucumbers should not be grown in the same place for two years in a row; it is advisable to plan the return of the crop to the garden for the third or fourth year. This is due to the fact that they are very depleted of the soil in nutrients, especially nitrogen. Therefore, it is best to plant them after those crops that absorb little nitrogen, and even better - enrich the soil with it. Such vegetables exist: these are beans, beans and peas. After fruiting, legumes are not pulled out, but cut off: nitrogen-fixing bacteria are present on the roots, so the roots are left in the soil.

Good predecessors are garlic or onions, which cleanse the soil well of harmful microflora and are excellent orderlies: after them, you can plant almost any vegetable. Solanaceous (tomatoes, peppers) behave similarly. Cucumbers also grow well after potatoes, carrots or beets. Various cabbage vegetables also serve as good predecessors.

Do not plant cucumbers after any pumpkin crops (zucchini, squash, watermelons, melons). Plants of the same type have the same pests that can remain overwintering in the soil. Yes, and they consume nutrients mostly in the same proportion.

What can you plant cucumbers with?

Numerous tables describing the neighbors in the beds agree that best neighbor for cucumbers is corn. They do not interfere with each other in terms of competition for light and food. But tall stalks of corn cover cucumbers a little from the winds and serve as an ideal support for lashes. The situation is similar with sunflowers. It is shown that these neighbors cause an increase in the yield of cucumbers by a quarter.

Corn helps cucumbers better than other neighbors

Rows of beans or peas planted along the edge of the bed feed the cucumbers with nitrogen. True, the help in this option is only symbolic, but at least the legumes do not interfere with the growth of cucumbers. Various aromatic plants and flowers, especially garlic, dill, calendula, bring great benefits. They purify the air and drive away pests. Radish acts similarly, relieving cucumbers from spider mites.

You should not plant tomatoes next to cucumbers: together they are good only in a salad, and the living conditions in the beds vary greatly. Cucumbers also feel bad next to potatoes. And, of course, if powerful trees such as apricot or Walnut, they will leave no water or nutrition for the cucumbers.

Cucumbers grow almost throughout our country, however, in the northern regions they are planted in greenhouses. But real delicious cucumbers obtained in open ground, in natural sunlight. This is far from the most difficult crop to grow, so every summer resident strives to plant at least a dozen bushes: after all, the most delicious cucumber- just plucked from his garden.