When to sow cucumbers, cultivation, care

Every novice gardener tried to sow cucumbers for seedlings, but if the seedlings did not sprout, then cucumber seeds were sown in open ground. Cucumbers can be grown outdoors, in greenhouses and greenhouses, as well as in pots. When planting cucumbers, remember that cucumber is a climbing plant that can be grown on a trellis, which significantly increases yields.

Cucumber is a very moisture-loving, heat-loving and light-loving plant. Very often, tomatoes and cucumbers are planted in the same greenhouse, but ideally it is better to grow them in different greenhouses, because cucumbers love moist heat, and tomatoes love dry, warm air. With a lack of moisture in the soil and air, as well as at low temperatures, cucumbers can stop growing.

Preparing the soil for cucumbers

For cucumbers, choose sunny areas that are protected from wind and drafts.

Cucumbers need light, nutritious, non-acidic soil ((pH 6 -7) cucumbers will not grow on acidic soils; acidic soils need to be extinguished with lime). In autumn, the soil is dug up and enriched with organic fertilizers (rotted manure, 10 liters per 1 m2), digging up in the spring, mineral fertilizers are added (3 weeks before planting seedlings or sowing cucumber seeds) 30 g per 1 m2 and leveled. The bed is ready.

Cucumber sprouts are very sensitive to sudden changes in weather conditions. For an earlier harvest of cucumbers, we grow seedlings indoors to plant healthy young plants in the ground that will be resistant to various weather conditions.

How to sow cucumbers for seedlings? How to care for cucumber seedlings? How to plant cucumber seedlings in open ground? You will find answers to these questions in the article “Sowing seeds for seedlings”.

Fertilizer for cucumbers

If you did not fertilize on time and the cucumbers grow slowly, the plants are weak, they can be fed with a solution of mullein or chicken manure with the addition of wood ash. A sign of a lack of fertilizers is yellow leaves, cucumbers shed all ovaries, cucumber fruits are deformed (pear-shaped – lack of potassium, narrowed and bent tip – lack of nitrogen). Crooked, arched cucumbers can grow as a result of cross-pollination of various hybrids, or the reason may be irregular watering (either overflow, then underfilling).

To make the harvest rich, observe the annual crop rotation and part-time work in the garden.

Planting cucumber seedlings and sowing seeds in open ground

A week before planting seedlings, they are hardened (taken out into the street for 1 hour, then for 2 ….), gradually accustomed to sunlight, cool air and wind.

Cucumbers love to grow in warm soil, that is, sow seeds in open ground in early June, to a depth of 2-3 cm, and plant seedlings no earlier than June at a distance between plants of 20-30 cm, and between rows – 1 m.

Cucumber care

Caring for cucumbers is simple. Cucumbers need frequent watering with warm water, fertilizing, weeding, hilling (stimulates the formation of adventitious roots), pinching.

Pinching and pruning cucumbers

To obtain the maximum amount of cucumber harvest from one bush, cucumber plants are pinched.

Ground cucumbers are pinched over the 5-6th leaf to form side lashes. In greenhouse cucumbers, side lashes are regularly pinched over the first ovary.You also need to remove excess fruits that have reached 5-7 cm so that no more than 10-18 cucumbers remain on one plant.

Mulching cucumbers

Another important element in cucumber care is mulching. Mulching greatly simplifies the care of cucumbers (weeds do not grow, the defect evaporates more slowly). For mulching, use straw, sawdust, mowed grass (10 cm layer of mulch).

Water and humidity for cucumbers

Cucumbers love high humidity, for this they can be sprayed, but with an excess of moisture there is a risk of various fungal diseases. When growing cucumbers in greenhouses, regular ventilation is necessary.

Cucumbers need to be watered abundantly with warm water (+ 18 ° C), especially during the period of mass fruit formation. With a lack of moisture in the soil, the leaves of cucumbers darken, become brittle, and the fruits are bitter, with an excess of moisture, the leaves become pale green. For the first time, it is not worth watering cucumber seedlings abundantly (they will have a more powerful stem, short internodes and a good root system). Cucumbers are watered with partial drying of the soil, without delay.

Diseases and pests of cucumbers

Diseases and pests of cucumber: anthracnose, powdery mildew, root rot, white rot, bacteriosis, cucumber mosaic, aphids, whiteflies, slugs, spider mites.

Tip:You can grow cucumbers outdoors, in greenhouses and greenhouses. Experienced gardeners combine these 2 methods by planting seedlings in temporary greenhouses, which are removed after the threat of night frosts and in stable warm weather.