A rich harvest requires effort and work. To obtain juicy fruits, you need to know the subtleties and secrets of cultivation. To grow seedlings, cucumbers are sown from the beginning of April. For the seedless method from the beginning of May. Harvesting greens is carried out from June to the end of September. When growing a culture, it is important to take into account the features and character of the plant. And also, control the process from sowing seeds to harvesting. Let’s analyze how to properly plant cucumbers in the soil.
Soil
The soil for cucumbers should be loose, light, highly fertile with a minimum amount of nitrogen. Cultivated soils with humus, peat, and compost are the most suitable for growing cucumbers.
It is possible to grow vegetables on sandy soil. At the same time, it is necessary to feed and water the culture more often.
Before landing, you need to choose the right place. The fertility of cucumbers is influenced by cultures that were predecessors. It is better if cabbage, onions, tomatoes, ciders grew here before. Predecessors in the form of pumpkin, melon, zucchini, zucchini will not bring benefits and a high harvest.
Landing scheme
Before planting, it is important to determine the optimal density between the holes. There are 3 main schemes:
- Private The width of the rows is 1 meter, the length in the bed between the holes is up to 20 cm. Self-pollinating hybrids can be placed at a distance of 70×70 cm.
- Tape two-line. The distance between the rows in a row is from 30 to 50 cm, and between the strips themselves – from 90 to 150 cm. This method of planting facilitates the care of greens (weeding, watering, collection).
- Square nest. This method is beneficial when planting greens, but it is also used when planting seeds. Seedlings or seeds, in the amount of up to 10 pieces, are placed in a planting hole with a diameter of no more than 10 cm. The distance between the nests should be from 65 to 70 centimeters. After opening the leaves, the strongest plants from 5 to 6 per nest are selected, the others are removed.
Sowing seeds in open ground
Cucumber seeds are sown in open ground from early May to mid-July (if you have a warm September and early October).
In order for the seeds to germinate well, they must be warmed for two hours before sowing. To do this, the seeds are laid out on a paper napkin, covered with a towel soaked in hot water (60 °C), wrapped with a dry cloth on top. Swollen seeds are sown.
The grooves should be wet 1-2 centimeters deep. Cover the seeds with loose, fertilized soil on top.
After the emergence of seedlings, it is important to monitor the soil moisture level:
- Plants should be watered in the evening.
- The water should not be cold, the optimal temperature is 20-25 ° C.
Planting seedlings in the soil
Seedlings are ready for planting in the soil after the appearance of the second pair of leaves. On average, it is 1 month from the moment of planting the seeds. Before transplanting, young seedlings need to be hardened. To do this, you need to put the pots outside on a sunny day for several hours.
Planting in open ground is carried out when there is no threat of frost, and the air temperature does not fall below + 5 °C.
Cucumber seedlings are placed at a distance of 40 centimeters from sprout to sprout.
Warm beds
A good way to get an early harvest is to use warm beds.
- To prepare the soil, you need to take a soft green mass (onion husk, nettle without roots, dandelion). Mix with biohumus or compost, fill a deep bed and pour boiling water.
- Then cover with a darkened film.
- After 3-5 days, you can plant seedlings.
Watering
Cucumbers love moisture, so they require frequent watering. The best time for the procedure is early morning or evening. During the heat, it is better to avoid watering. Greenery should be watered according to the following scheme:
- After sowing, it is necessary to moisten the soil with warm (20-25 °C), settled water, as the soil dries.
- Before flowering, it is important to strengthen the root system. Therefore, cucumbers need watering under the root, at least once a week.
- During the period of active flowering, the plant is watered every 3-4 days.
- If the air temperature exceeds 25 °C, the culture needs daily moistening.
- During the period of fruiting, cucumbers are watered twice, in the morning and in the evening.
Fertilizer
Fertilizers should be used to avoid disruption of flower fertilization, as well as to promote the formation of ovaries. Foliar feeding with a solution of boric acid (5 g per 10 liters of water) activates flowering and pollination of plants. Top dressing should be carried out in June, twice, with an interval of 10-14 days.
Cucumbers do not need a large amount of fertilizers, 3-4 fertilizing will be enough. Fertilizers are organic or mineral. The drug is administered in two ways:
- Root. Feeding is suitable for warm weather. It is applied after rain or abundant watering, under powerful and strengthened roots. The best time is a cool, overcast day or evening.
- Rootless The nutrient solution is used in cool summer. It is applied in the evening or in cloudy weather by irrigation. If the air temperature is not warm enough, it is difficult for the roots to cope with the assimilation of nutrients. With the help of spraying, the plant will receive fertilizer on the leaves, which will allow it to absorb the necessary substances slowly, in small doses.
To get a rich harvest and enjoy homemade cucumbers requires patience and desire. It is necessary to regularly check the presence of insects and diseases. During, as well as moderately feed and water greens. Do not start harvesting the vegetable, the smaller the fruit, the tastier and juicier it is. Following simple rules, a bed with fruits will bring benefits and delight the owner with delicious cucumbers.