Greetings, dear readers!
Cucumber is a southern plant, or rather a tropical liana. It loves warm, humid climates, so planting cucumbers in open ground in the Urals, Siberia and other regions with short summers, the matter is not very simple, but exciting. Without shelter, a cucumber can be grown, but the harvest is late, and my impatient nature cannot wait until June to plant.
Therefore, I make warm beds, grow seedlings, and bring the moment of the first sampling of my cucumber from the garden as close as I can.
How to grow cucumbers in open ground
Now there are many different varieties. It’s better not to sow just one, but to take 4-5 varieties. To be sure about the harvest. Because in different weather everyone manifests themselves differently. At all favorable years for cucumbers in the Urals there are 2-3 in 10 years.
But you can fix this by selecting early varieties, covering beds, planting in warm beds. Usually I always sow “Nezhenskie” - they are great for salads and pickling. And two early and two mid-season varieties. To be with cucumbers until autumn. At the same time, you always want to try something new.
The most common varieties for our latitudes are called Nerosimy 40, Altaisky early 166, Izyashny, Muromsky 36, Vyaznikovsky 37.
Good varieties for pickling are Competitor, Cascade, Aquarius, Salting, Altai, Kustovoy, Vyaznikovsky 37, Nezhinsky, Siberian Gherkin, Muromsky. You can't list everything.
Many people plant cucumbers in a greenhouse, but they have trouble growing there together with tomatoes. They are completely different. They need different conditions. That's why The best way- This is growing cucumbers under film.
The best air temperature for cucumbers during the day is +20 +24ºС and at night +16 +18ºС. When the temperature drops below + 12°C, plants drop flowers, the supply of nutrition through the roots stops, and at temperatures below + 5°C they can die. Preparing for the vagaries of the weather begins with the seeds.
Preparing cucumber seeds for sowing
Cucumber seeds remain viable for a long time, up to 7 years, but it is better not to sow fresh ones, especially your own. After 2-3 years of storage, the most better harvests. Cucumber seeds should be stored at above-zero temperatures. Seeds need to be prepared early, a month before planting.
Hardening and heating cucumber seeds improves flowering and increases cold resistance First, we select the best full-bodied seeds; to do this, you need to keep them in a 3% salt solution. A teaspoon per glass of water. Pour the seeds into salt water and see the result after 15-20 minutes. We remove the light ones from the top, and rinse the heavy ones from the bottom in clean water and dry them.
Now you need to harden the cucumber seeds, so they will more easily withstand the vagaries of the weather. First, I put them dry in the refrigerator for a week, and then I put them on the stove for three to four weeks. In the apartment you can put it on the battery. Warm-up temperature is about 40-50C.
Before sowing, the seeds can be soaked for a day in plain warm water to swell. For and, you can soak them in pink potassium permanganate, a solution of aloe juice (1:1 with water), a solution of ash (a teaspoon per glass of water). Then rinse in clean water and dry. All of our cucumbers are ready for planting in beds or seedlings.
I never germinate cucumbers before planting, because they sprout quickly anyway. And sprouted roots are easy to break off accidentally when planting.
Planting in open ground under film
Cucumbers can be planted in such a bed two weeks earlier than just in open ground, either as seedlings or as seeds. When the weather is warm, even at the beginning of May, I plant several seeds. Under favorable conditions, get an early harvest. Usually in mid-to-late May you can safely plant cucumbers under the film.
Even make a two-layer shelter from covering material and film. Then on cool days you don’t have to remove the covering material at all, but you need to open the film. Covering material alone will not protect your young plants from severe frost. After all, the difference is only 2-3 degrees with the temperature outside. 
We choose a sunny, bright place for planting, protected from winds and drafts. There is no need to plant cucumbers after their pumpkin counterparts.
- The best predecessors are beets, onions, greens, and legumes.
- In second place are potatoes and tomatoes.
The soil should be loose, airy, with neutral acidity. We loosen it well and make a high bed about 70 cm wide. We install arcs and cover them with film for several days.
After warming up, make two furrows along the bed and water them warm water. We sow the soaked seeds at a distance of about 10 cm to a depth of 4 cm. Sprinkle with soil. Once again, water the entire bed with warm water and cover with film. Until the shoots appear, we do not open the garden bed. Then we plant the excess ones or simply remove them so that there is 20-25 cm between plants.
When the cucumbers grow, I tilt them to the ground in free space and spread them in different directions. Then I try not to disturb the vines, the cucumber doesn’t like that. It puts out new roots wherever it touches the ground. You can even specially sprinkle soil in the internodes for more roots. Then they grow and you need to walk carefully to water and collect greens so as not to step on the vines.
Without film in our area, cucumbers can be planted in the ground after June 10 to avoid frost. But we don’t do that, because we want to try the first cucumber early, and not wait until July.
Folk signs advise: “The rowan tree has bloomed - cucumbers and tomato seedlings are sown in open ground.”
Growing cucumbers in a warm bed
I tried to grow cucumbers in different ways (both on a trellis and with corn), but the most best method– planting in a warm manure bed under a film. There are many options for preparing it, but the basic principle is the same. Below there is a layer of biofuel about 20 cm, and on top there is 15-20 cm of soil. A bed of manure is formed right on the ground, sides are made on the sides and a layer of earth is poured into the inner recess. We install arcs on top and cover them with film.
Planting cucumbers under film is a necessary measure in the conditions of the Urals and Siberia. The bed is prepared in advance, two weeks before planting the seeds. Usually in early May. It should stand and warm up. The manure begins to “burn” and release carbon dioxide, useful for the growth and better flowering of cucumbers.
Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to make a large bed of manure. You can take less of it or completely replace it with grass.
To make such a warm bed, you need to remove a layer of soil the size of the bed (about 15 cm deep). We put this soil in a pile nearby. In the recess we put thin twigs, hay, grass, leaves, small chips, sawdust - all this needs to be trampled down well. If there is some manure, this is also added along with the grass. The height of this “pie” is about 20 cm. Then pour hot water with potassium permanganate - dark pink. On top we pour the fertile soil that we set aside.
If your land is good and fertile, then it does not need any additives. If it is very poor, you need to add humus and compost. If the soil is acidic, then add lime, chalk, and ash to it.
It is convenient to make warm beds in wooden boxes.
If the weather allows, that is, during the day above +15°C, at night at least +12°C, then in mid-May you can sow cucumber seeds or plant seedlings in this bed. Further, as I already told about sowing in open ground. We close the film. After germination, I open them every day in the morning and close them in the evening. So about a month until mid-June, while there is a danger of return frosts. Then the film can be completely removed until autumn. With this planting, we try the first cucumbers at the end of June, and by July we are already eating them to the fullest.
You will need
- - cucumber seeds;
- - plastic cups;
- - ash, nitrophoska;
- - branches, fallen leaves, pine needles, straw, sawdust, peat;
- - polyethylene film;
- - fertilizers.
Instructions
In order to grow in the garden, you should first do it. Plant seeds in plastic cups or small pots filled with a special nutritious soil mixture consisting of sawdust, peat and humus. Fertilize the soil with ash and nitrophoska. It is best to plant in early or mid-April.
Water once a week with filtered water. At a temperature of 20-28°C, they will begin to germinate quite amicably, and within a month after planting you will notice the appearance of seedlings.
Immediately after the seedlings emerge, start looking for a place for further growth in the garden bed. Give preference to a lighted area, protected from the wind by a fence, netting or dense thickets of garden shrubs. It is best to grow cucumbers in beds where root vegetables, tomatoes, bell pepper, cabbage or onions. Please also keep in mind that the soil in the garden bed where you are going to grow cucumbers must have a minimum nitrogen content.
In order to grow cucumbers in the garden, try to create the maximum possible conditions for their growth and development. favorable conditions. To do this, in early spring, collect branches, fallen leaves, pine needles, straw, sawdust and peat from the site and its surroundings. Mix the collected garbage with a rake, form it into an even oblong pile, fill it with hot water, compact it well and disinfect it with a solution of copper sulfate.
Next, pour a layer of soil mixture consisting of turf soil, sawdust, peat and humus onto the resulting bed and carefully level it. The thickness of such a layer should be 10-15 cm. It will act as soil for growing cucumbers in the garden. To create a greenhouse effect, wrap the bed with plastic wrap and do not remove it until the cucumber seedlings are planted.
Plant cucumber seedlings in a prepared warm bed in mid-May, provided the weather is stable. If you plant cucumbers in soil that is not warm enough, they will die. For each plant, dig a separate hole and fill it with mineral fertilizers: superphosphate or nitrophoska. Water the bed with the prepared holes with warm water and start planting the seedlings.
Once a month, carry out dry root feeding by sprinkling the soil around the plants with any of the fertilizers you have. To increase the yield of cucumbers, the best compositions are “Bogatyr”, “Breadwinner”, “Yagodka” and “Giant”. Don't forget to water the cucumbers. This should be done 3 times a week. At the fruiting stage, water and fertilize with a mixture of slurry and mineral fertilizers.
To obtain an excellent harvest of cucumbers, at least important role has the correct planting of cucumbers.
Beds with a secret for cucumbers
Experienced gardeners never plant cucumbers in simple beds. Many intricacies have been invented over the centuries of cultivation of this vegetable crop. But the meaning of all the tricks comes down to the following: due to the fact that the root system of this crop is located quite superficially and is well branched, the nutrients should be located a little lower, and in sufficient quantities. Therefore, a bed for cucumbers is prepared in the form of a layer cake: the top layer of soil is first removed, chopped brushwood is poured over the entire area of the proposed ridge (or only along the proposed rows), you can use coniferous spruce branches, last year’s (not completely rotted) compost, peat, straw or sawdust, on this flooring - a small layer of manure or humus with the addition of ash, and on top - about 20-25 cm of garden soil. All this organic “garbage” will gradually rot and release heat, and after a while it will turn into excellent fertilizer.
If such arrangement of the ridge seemed dubious or too labor-intensive to you, there are more standard option— fertilize the proposed area with manure in the fall (about 1 bucket per 1 sq. m) and dig it up thoroughly. In the spring, this area is dug up again, loosened and a raised bed is formed. If it is not possible to use manure, you can fertilize the soil with a mixture of 2 cups of dolomite flour (can be replaced with the same amount of chalk) with 3 tablespoons of double granular superphosphate, and in the spring add 1 bucket of peat or humus (both are possible) and 1 2 cups of ash and dig again.
When choosing a place for a future cucumber bed or greenhouse, do not forget that you should not plant cucumbers after other representatives of the pumpkin family, since pathogens and pests common to these crops may remain in the soil. At the same time some garden crops on the contrary, they are good precursors for cucumbers, because they contribute to the accumulation of some minerals, for example, nitrogen, which will have a beneficial effect on the growth and development of planted plants. So, cucumbers are best planted after legumes (peas, beans, beans) and nightshades (tomatoes and potatoes). We have mentioned the most commonly grown crops in the garden, but other options are also possible - any representatives of these families, including wild ones, contribute to the health and enrichment of the soil. Cabbage and radish are also good predecessors for cucumbers.
❧ Do not forget about preventive disinfection of the soil - it will never be superfluous to spill a solution of copper sulfate (10 liters) from a watering can on the future bed warm water 1 tbsp. copper sulfate, consumption approximately 2 liters per 1 sq. m).
For practical purposes, you can use the previously mentioned ability of cucumbers to easily form adventitious roots. Additional development root system significantly improves the nutrition of the vine and increases productivity. For many vines, this is practically the only way to ensure normal nutrition for the entire plant with a multi-meter stem. In cucumbers, you can often see new roots appearing from the leaf axils, in places where the whip lies on the ground. To take this process under your “guidance”, you just need to pin it a little or sprinkle the stem with warm, moist soil where you see fit.
Planting cucumbers
The characteristics of the root system of cucumbers should also be taken into account when planting. You can plant cucumbers by seeds and seedlings. Both options have equal rights to exist. Naturally, using the seedling method, you will get an earlier harvest, but there will also be much more hassle: first growing the seedlings themselves, then constantly “keeping an eye” on the young plants, since during the period of planting them in ridges in the Middle Zone there are still very unpredictable night and day temperatures, and at night You will have to close them and open them during the day, since the hot May sun can burn everything.
The seedless method is more suitable for busy people. But before you sow the seeds, they need to be prepared. So that the manipulations proposed below do not seem to the distrustful reader as “medieval shamanism” or grandmother’s superstitions, we will provide some more scientific information that will explain the need for all preliminary “rites”.
A little botany
Cucumber is a dioecious plant, that is, it is characterized by the formation of male flowers, which have stamens with pollen, and female flowers, in which the stigma is located. The optimal temperature for flowering and fertilization is +18...+21 °C. Temperatures above +27 °C or bright sunlight are harmful to pollen. Male flowers remain open for only one day; after another day they fall off. And the pollen in them ripens approximately 24-36 hours before opening. Female flowers open in 1-2 days. The stigmas are most susceptible to pollination during the period of their opening. In addition, the ability to fertilize already exists a day before opening and partially remains the next day.
Cucumber is a monoecious plant, meaning there are male and female flowers on the same plant. Externally, the female flower is distinguished by the presence of an ovary below the sepals. In addition, male flowers usually form a corymbose inflorescence of 5-7 pieces, while female flowers are arranged singly or in groups of 2-3. Male flowers predominate on the main stem, and female flowers on the side shoots, and the higher the branching order, the more of them.
The bright yellow color of the flowers and the presence of nectar attracts bees and other insects, which transfer pollen from male flowers to female flowers, fertilizing them. The fertilized ovary grows and turns into a cucumber fruit. Unfertilized ovaries turn yellow and dry out after 3-4 days.
Let's talk about sex
Flower boys and flower girls are, so to speak, “classics of the genre.” After all, as you know, “nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man is a worker in it.” And so, along with the traditional “dioecious monoecious cucumber”, through the efforts of many generations of professional breeders and even more numerous amateur breeders over several centuries (the 20th century can be considered especially fruitful), dioecious varieties, and hermaphrodite cucumbers, and even parthenocarpic, that is, not requiring fertilization at all (from the Greek words parthenos - virgin, virgin and karpos - fruit).
How can we use the information received directly in the garden?
Firstly, by and large it turns out that a cucumber is a “female person”, with the rare exception of varieties that have both stamens and stigma in one flower (well, that’s already “it”), and when a radiantly shining merchant appears at the market To prove to you that “a girl watermelon is sweeter than a boy watermelon”, you will be guided by other signs of determining ripeness and sweetness.
Secondly, guided by the information received, you can understand such an unpleasant phenomenon as “an abundance of barren flowers.” Why sometimes the whole garden bed is in bloom, but there is no harvest? Of course, this is good for a flower bed, but you also want cucumbers. Let’s first take a close look at what kind of flowers “rule the show” here. If in your garden there is only a “bachelorette party” or “bachelor party”, you understand that you won’t have any offspring. Why is this happening? The predominance of one or another type of flower depends on many factors.
More female flowers are formed when the temperature drops at the beginning of the growing season. An increase in carbon monoxide content in the air also contributes to the predominant flowering of “girls”. This is the basis of the “smoking” method, when the beds are specially “fumigated” with smoke. And the crazy summer of 2010 with burning peat bogs and smog that covered the entire middle lane Russia, once again confirmed this - many gardeners rejoiced at the unprecedented harvest of cucumbers on their plots.
Male flowers are predominantly formed on the main stem; there are significantly fewer of them on the side shoots. This must be taken into account when forming vines in open beds and can be used to speed up fruiting in late-ripening varieties. Also, a large number of male flowers can form due to too much watering, on plants grown from too fresh seeds (the first year of storage) or when planted very densely (optimally there should be no more than 5-6 plants per 1 sq.m.).
Currently, quite a lot of varieties have been bred in which the predominant formation of female flowers over male ones is genetically determined.
If there are sufficient quantities of flowers of both sexes in the garden bed, pay attention - how long has it been since you last saw bees above your garden bed? Perhaps due to some natural factors (rainy weather, very hot or, conversely, very cold), complete pollination does not occur. This point will not be considered if you planted self-pollinating or parthenocarpic varieties - they do not need pollinating insects.
To attract pollinators, try spraying the plants with some sweet solution (dilute sugar syrup, leftover jam or a little honey). If this procedure is not successful, you will have to “turn into a bee” yourself. You can use a regular soft and fluffy brush to transfer pollen from male flowers to female flowers.
But a more reliable method is this: a male flower is picked (the one without an ovary at the base), its petals are very carefully removed, thus revealing the stamens, placed on the stigma in female flower and is left there. (You can verify the maturity of the pollen by carefully touching the stamens to the back of your hand; the yellow pollen remaining on the skin will be clearly visible). It is better to carry out pollination manipulations early in the morning, when all the flowers are well open. It is better to use several male flowers at once.
And don’t forget the popular wisdom that only great love produces beautiful children - if you engage in “cucumber sex”, the cucumbers will be crooked and lopsided, since with uneven pollination and pollen falling only on some lobes of the stigma, the components of the ovary will grow unevenly, forming “freaks”.
And now you can move on to the promised “shamanic rituals,” which, perhaps, will no longer look so witchcraft or superstitious to you.
Cucumbers are a popular vegetable in our country, so every gardener, regardless of the size of the plot, loves to grow cucumbers in his garden. But even with the same climatic conditions, everyone’s yield is different. The whole secret lies in the care when growing cucumbers; you must plant them following the rules.
If you follow the correct agricultural techniques, plant according to advice regarding predecessor crops and care for them properly, you will get good harvest even from seeds it will not be difficult for a beginner.
In general, crop care cannot be called difficult, but taking into account the climate regional features there are many nuances that you need to know.
Basic requirements for growing cucumbers include:
- to plant are selected only healthy seeds that have been prepared;
- the soil for sowing must be loose and slightly acidic;
- planting of seeds and seedlings is carried out at a strictly allotted time in compliance with temperature regime;
- during the growing season is carried out 3-4 weeding and loosening soil;
- The beds are regularly watered with warm water (10-14 liters per 1 m2);
- fertilizers and fertilizing 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 crowding;
- promptly monitor the condition of plants and the degree of soil moisture;
- If problems are identified, immediately treat the crop.
Growing methods
There are quite a few options for growing greens. Among the most well-known methods: in open ground, greenhouse, on the balcony, in a barrel, etc.
When cultivating vegetables in open beds, the method of sowing and planting seedlings is used.
How to plant seeds in the garden
Seeds must be sown at certain temperatures, otherwise seedlings may not appear. The important point is soil and seed preparation. The quality of the work performed determines not only how they will be able to germinate, but also the intensity of development of the seedlings.
After the formation of 3-4 leaves, the bed is thinned out, leaving the strongest seedlings. At the stage of germination and shoot growth, it is important to ensure sufficient moisture, good lighting and fertilization with any nutrients that help the plant grow.
Seedlings
The seedling method is used to obtain early harvest and in order to protect young shoots from spring frosts. Seedlings grown in greenhouses or at home are transferred to the garden bed when they are already strong. Root system Although they are weak, they quickly take root in the new environment.
When transferring seedlings into a hole, it is important not to damage the sensitive root.
Before planting sprouts in open ground must undergo adaptation to the street, a sharp change in habitat and temperature can destroy them.
The lashes can be placed spread out or on a trellis. Depending on the chosen method, you need to maintain the interval between bushes and rows. In the absence of a garter, the stems should have enough space to spread across the bed.
Where is the best place to plant cucumbers to get a good harvest?
The culture comes from India, so the hot, humid climate is suitable for it. ideal option. The very structure of the lash indicates need for garter on trellises.
A garden bed arranged in this way is protected from fungal infections when there is plenty 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 conditions, it is necessary to provide partial shading of bushes or partial shade. This is easy to do by planting corn, sunflowers or low-growing grapes in the inter-row area. Diffused light will be more beneficial to the plant.
As much as you love moisture, you should not choose a low-lying area for sowing cucumbers. During heavy rainfall and high level groundwater plants are threatened fungal diseases due to waterlogging. Where better place at higher elevations, where it is much easier to control the degree of soil moisture.
Preparing the land for planting
It is better to prepare a place for a cucumber bed in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Digging up the beds in the fall is a mandatory procedure In spring the area dug up again and be sure to disinfect. 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 spring 2-3 weeks before planting (8-10 kg per 1 m2). To stimulate the growth of young shoots, nitrogen and potassium-phosphorus substances (25 g of potassium salt, 40 g of superphosphate) are added to the soil.
In the process of preparing the soil for the new season, it is necessary to treat the future bed for preventive purposes. wood ash or special preparations that protect bushes from pests (Fitoverm, Actellik).
How to plant in soil
Growing greens using seeds requires compliance with the following rules:
- sowing time is selected taking into account favorable temperature conditions (late May - early June);
- seeds must be treated before planting;
- the soil should be disinfected and fertilized;
- It is better to place the beds from east to west;
- landing scheme – 20x100 or 60x80(depending on the growing method);
- seed immersion depth is 2-3 cm.
Rules for growing seedlings:
- the seed must undergo preparation (sorting, soaking, disinfection);
- soil is also necessary disinfect and enrich with nutrients;
- It is ideal to use a substrate of turf soil, mullein and humus (2:1:7) for cultivating seedlings;
- substances are added to fertilize the soil (30 g of ammonium nitrate or urea, 20 g of superphosphate, 6 g of potassium salt, 30 g of lime per bucket of soil);
- temperature after sowing – 12-15 degrees; after the seedlings have managed to sprout, at first 20-25 degrees are maintained for several days, then the temperature is reduced - during the day to 20-22 degrees, at night to 15 degrees;
- 10 days after emergence, the seedlings are fed with slurry (1:1) with the addition of 20 g of superphosphate per bucket of the mixture;
- a week before transferring the shoots to open ground, carry out daily outdoor hardening;
- for the purpose of prevention, seedlings are treated with epin or immunocytophyte.
Proper care of seedlings
The rules for caring for a cucumber bed are very clear. Among the main conditions are creating a humid environment. This is regulated by watering.
Ideal for use when caring for seedlings sprinkling or drip irrigation . Using a hose can damage fragile roots with a strong jet. A small area can be sprayed with a spray bottle. The water requirement per 1 m2 is 10-14 liters.
Regularity of procedures – Once every 7 days at average air humidity, 1 time every 5 days at temperatures above 28 degrees.
To water the beds, only warm, settled water is used. Using cold liquid negatively affects the development of the plant.
The intensity of development and the formation of a large lash requires a lot of nutrition, so the feeding regime cannot be ignored. After the first shoots appear on the soil surface, apply first feeding: for 10 liters of water take 10 g of potassium salt, 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 30 g of superphosphate.
Second feeding the bed is enriched after 2 weeks, doubling the amount of dissolved fertilizers. When applying fertilizers, contact of the working solution and the green part of the crop should be avoided.
To protect cucumbers from rotting and pests, it is recommended to periodically weeding. This procedure is usually combined with loosening, which ensures free access of oxygen to the soil and prevents the formation of stagnant moisture 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 at night. This way, late frosts will not cause the death of seedlings.
Based on the information presented, we can conclude that it is not difficult to create favorable conditions for growing cucumbers. Timely prevention will prevent the plant from being damaged by pests and various diseases. And thanks to complementary feeding and irrigation, the cucumbers will be endowed with high taste qualities.