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Planting cucumbers in open ground with seeds. Cucumbers planting and care in open ground, secrets of productivity. Methods for planting cucumbers

Among other vegetable crops, this green vegetable is far from uncommon. It is grown and eaten in many countries around the world. It does not leave the shelves of shops and markets all year round.

Cucumbers can be grown continuously: in the summer in open ground, and in winter in heated greenhouses. This vegetable crop is most often consumed fresh. Cucumbers are also used to make Magnificent taste qualities pickled and pickled cucumbers have. The green vegetable is very popular among the population. You can find fresh or pickled cucumbers as ingredients in many salads.

When to plant cucumbers in open ground

Since this vegetable crop is quite heat-loving, its cultivation time is open ground falls in the summer. V middle lane You can start in late spring, when the soil has warmed up well. Usually this is the second half of May.

Preparatory work before planting

Cucumbers are a vegetable crop that requires light, moisture and soil fertility. To successfully grow them, the area intended for planting is prepared in the fall. It is dug up and fertilized. To prevent diseases in future plantings vegetable crop the soil is treated with copper sulfate, superphosphate and ash are added. In the spring, having harrowed such an area, you can safely sow the prepared seeds.

Which cucumber seeds are suitable for sowing?

You should not sow fresh seeds that were collected last year. The best seeds cucumbers - collected several years ago. Such seed will certainly produce excellent, strong seedlings that will delight you with a bountiful harvest.

How to prepare seeds for sowing

The selected seeds can simply be sown without pre-treatment into the ground. But in order to get friendly shoots, it is better to prepare them. Warming the seeds and soaking them is suitable for this purpose. Before processing, the seeds are sorted out, small and damaged ones are thrown away - they are unsuitable for sowing. Heat the seeds in water at a temperature of forty degrees for two hours. Then they are soaked for several days. During this time they hatch. Small sprouts appear. In this form, the seeds are sown in wet soil.

When to plant cucumbers in a greenhouse

This heat-loving plant is grown in a stationary all year round. When growing, you will need good lighting and watering. After the plants emerge, the soil is constantly loosened and the necessary fertilizing is applied. Overgrown lashes are tied vertically upward. Caring for plants consists of constant watering, fertilizing and treating against pests and diseases.

Growing cucumber seedlings

In order to speed up the harvest, you can grow seedlings in advance. It is grown in heated greenhouses or at home. Sow two seeds in small pots. Plants easily tolerate transplantation and take root well.

How to plant seedlings

Plants are planted under film covers at the end of April. Spring greenhouses are also excellent for this purpose. Seedlings grown in pots are planted in moist soil without damaging the root system. Properly planted plants do not get sick and quickly take root. When to plant cucumbers under film covers, weather conditions will tell you. If at the end of April the temperature is above zero, but there is still a threat of frost on the soil, you should wait to plant seedlings. But you should not delay planting, since overgrown plants do not take root well. Experienced vegetable growers can always determine exactly when to plant cucumbers.

How to choose the right plant varieties

When choosing varieties of cucumbers, you should carefully study the description attached to the seeds. In heated greenhouses, only self-pollinating varieties can be grown, but for open ground conditions it is better to choose bee-pollinated varieties. You should also pay attention to the purpose of the selected vegetable crop. Thus, there are salad and pickling varieties of cucumbers.

It's hard to imagine a garden without a bed of cucumbers. But not everyone knows how to please a demanding vegetable. detailed information about the rules of selection and preparation planting material, cultivating seedlings, secrets of planting cucumbers in open ground and further care will ensure a rich harvest even in capricious weather conditions.

To successfully plant cucumbers in open ground, at least the following conditions must be met:

  1. The best time for direct planting of seeds in open ground is considered to be the period from May 15 to May 31 (if there is a threat of night frosts, cucumber crops are protected with film or covering material).
  2. The planting date for cucumbers is planned for the period when upper layer the soil will warm up to +15 degrees, because in more cold ground the seeds will not sprout, or the plants will throw out empty flowers instead of full-fledged ovaries.
  3. You should not wait until it becomes too hot and dry; in such weather the seeds take root less well.
  4. The last date for planting cucumbers in open ground is considered to be the first days of June.
  5. If you plan to plant this crop as seedlings, then cucumber seeds are sown at home at the end of March - the first half of April in order to transfer the plant to the ground in about 30 days.

Seed selection and preparation

Every vegetable grower needs to know what to look for when choosing seed material for planting. An abundant ovary is formed on cucumbers from seeds that have been sitting for 2-3 years and properly stored in cloth or paper bags. Whole seeds are selected for planting, without visible damage.

Before germination, the planting material is rejected and calibrated. Cucumber seeds are soaked for several minutes in a solution of table salt, for the preparation of which take 1 tsp. substances per 500 ml of water. The seeds floating on the surface are thrown away, and those that have sunk to the bottom are dried and laid out in piles according to size.

Preparing cucumber seeds for planting involves heating and disinfection. Carrying out these procedures will disinfect the seeds and significantly reduce the risk of plant disease.

Warming them up is easy - just wrap them in a piece of fabric and hang them next to the battery 2 months before planting. The optimal temperature for the seeds is about 25 °C. To disinfect, seed material is soaked for 20 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate, which is prepared at the rate of 1 g of powder per 0.5 liter of water. Then the seeds are removed and washed with water.

After disinfection, the seed material is transferred to a cotton bag and soaked for 12 hours in a nutrient solution. The product is prepared from 1 tsp. sifted ash and 1 liter of settled water. Then the seeds are washed with water and stratified for 24 hours on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

Choosing a landing site: basic requirements

When preparing to plant cucumbers in open ground, you should take a responsible approach to choosing a location and planning the plant environment.

Knowledge of crop rotation will help you decide on the location of the beds. You should not set aside the same area for cucumbers where they grew last season. Maintaining a four-year rotation of plants will provide the soil with the necessary microelements and prevent plant diseases. Useful predecessors of cucumbers in the soil include cauliflower and white cabbage, legumes, potatoes, and tomatoes.

Please note: warm bed - the only option planting cucumbers in the same area for several years in a row. Organic “pillow” provides warmth and nourishes roots necessary substances and provides respiration due to the loose substrate.

Orienting the plantings from north to south will help to optimally use the ratio of light and shadow for the growth of green beauties.
Cucumbers prefer areas sheltered from the wind, so ideal neighbors in open ground will be those crops that quickly gain green mass and can become a “screen” for them. Such plantings include: sunflower, potatoes, dill, spinach, legumes. In addition, grown-up companions will be able to shade their neighbors in the midday heat. Cucumbers love abundant watering, which means it is undesirable to plan an environment of plants for which excessive soil moisture is undesirable, so you should not plant tomatoes nearby.

How to plant cucumbers in open ground

It is important to know the secrets of properly planting cucumbers in open ground. It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question: is it worth germinating seeds in advance or not? On the one hand, this simple procedure will identify viable plants, relieving the gardener of the need to guess whether he was lucky with the planting material or not. On the other hand, it is important not to miss the moment and not be late with landing.

It is carried out when the cucumber seeds just sprout; with later manipulations, it is easy to damage the fragile root and destroy the seedling. It is better to plant seeds in the ground during the daytime, when the ground is warmed by the sun, and the seedlings will take root better and will not get burned when planted in the evening.

Soil preparation

Before planting cucumbers, you should take care of preparing the soil in the fall. Following the harvest, plant remains are removed and destroyed, and the area is dug up to the depth of a spade bayonet.

Apply the autumn portion of fertilizers and disinfect the soil:

  • the area is disinfected with a solution copper sulfate– 50 g per bucket of water is consumed per 5 m2;
  • feed with superphosphate - 50 g of powder per 1 m2 of area;
  • add nitrogenous fertilizers. The addition of rotted cow manure is considered optimal - 6 kg per 1 m2.

The method of growing cucumbers on a raised warm bed, the level of which is 25 cm above the ground, is considered effective and convenient. Advantages of this design:

  • is located above ground level, as a result of which it warms up faster;
  • no tillage required in spring;
  • the process of composting residues will provide warmth for planting;
  • the composition of the “layer cake” will provide the cucumbers with the necessary nutrients;
  • there is no need to fight weeds;
  • Harvesting will become more convenient.

Make a bed better in autumn so that you can start planting in open ground earlier in the spring.

Sequencing:

  1. Remove a layer of soil to a depth of about 25 cm.
  2. The frame is made from boards.
  3. The filler is laid in layers.
  4. The removed fertile layer of soil is poured on top.

As a filler, a layer of branches or sawdust is placed in a warm bed. It is covered with plant debris - leaves, hay, straw. Humus is poured on top in such a way as to completely cover the previous components. The next layer is mineral fertilizers: add ash, ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, superphosphate.

Important! To protect the high bed from rodents during the winter months, a metal mesh is laid on the bottom.

Method 1: Planting seedlings

In order to transfer strong plants with real leaves to the garden bed, they begin growing seedlings from seeds in mid-April. At the end of March, a nutrient substrate is prepared in the following proportions: 2 parts humus, 1 part peat, 1 part aged sawdust. Pour 60 g of superphosphate and about 2 cups of ash onto 10 liters of the resulting soil and mix thoroughly.

The substrate is laid out in pots with a diameter of up to 8 cm and moistened. Plant 1 seed flat into each container to a depth of 2 cm and sprinkle with soil. Cucumbers love high humidity air, therefore, to ensure a comfortable microclimate, planting containers are placed on a pallet, which is placed in a plastic bag and tied. After the sprouts appear, the shelter is removed.

Seedlings are grown for 25-30 days, at a temperature at night not lower than 15 ºС, and during the day – not lower than 20 ºС. Water 1-3 times a week, depending on the condition of the soil in the pots, with slightly warmed water. Watering is organized at 1 noon.

Before planting cucumber seedlings in open ground, the seedlings begin to harden off 5-7 days before the “move.” These activities are carried out due to the fact that plants react negatively to a sharp drop in temperature. To adapt to transplantation, in the room where the cucumber seedlings are located, make sure that minimum temperature at night it was 14 ºС, and during the day 18 ºС.

Step-by-step landing instructions:

  1. Water the plants 2 hours before moving them into open ground.
  2. Prepare the bed for planting and apply the necessary fertilizers. The distance between the holes should be about 25 cm.
  3. It is impossible to bury cucumber seedlings because the roots need enough heat and oxygen to develop and maintain a healthy state. In addition, deep planting provokes root rot disease. If the seedlings have managed to stretch out, they are planted slightly obliquely (without deepening the glass). This measure will help cover the stem with soil, which will prevent bending, twisting in this place, and also cause the development of adventitious roots.
  4. Carefully remove the plant with a lump of earth from the planting container. Having placed the seedlings in the hole, check the degree of deepening, fill it with soil and compact the soil around the plant.
  5. Water with warm water (24-27 °C) and immediately mulch the ground with humus or peat to prevent the formation of a soil crust.
  6. Cover the plantings with plastic film or non-woven material on arcs 60-70 cm high.

The use of mulching will help to facilitate further care when growing seedlings. Mulch in the garden eliminates the need to loosen the soil; it does not lose heat overnight and remains moist. Mulching is carried out with grass, straw or covering material. In the latter case, a non-woven material or black film is rolled out onto the soil that has been fed and spilled with water, and the free ends are sprinkled around the perimeter. The location of the rows is outlined and cross-shaped cuts of 8*8 cm are made. 1 bush is placed in each hole. The film can also be used on next year– in the fall it is removed, washed with water and dried.

Method 2: Sowing with seeds

Planting cucumbers in open ground with seeds is preceded by processing the planting material according to the same principle as described earlier.

Step-by-step instructions for sowing seeds:

  1. In the spring, fertilizers should be added to the garden bed: 6 kg of rotted manure, 14 g of ammonium nitrate, 28 g of superphosphate, 17 g of potassium magnesium per 1 m2.
  2. Form holes for planting, water them, the minimum row spacing should be 50 cm.
  3. Place seeds in the holes at intervals of 15 cm. If there is an excess of planting material or there are doubts about its quality, you can sow cucumbers in the open ground a little more often: plant the seeds in pairs so that later you can thin out too dense plantings.
  4. Seed the seeds 2-2.5 cm deep, sprinkling humus on top.
  5. Then the rows of cucumbers are carefully watered and protected with film material until germination. The condensate formed on the covering material will provide the plantings with optimal microclimate and will eliminate the need for additional watering. Planting material germinates in 7 days.

Rules for care after landing

Rules of care after planting cucumbers with seeds or seedling method there is practically no difference.

After the first shoots appear (for planting with seeds) or for several days when using seedlings, it is necessary to monitor the soil moisture. Water the cucumbers in the evening with water room temperature every 1-3 days. When the ovary begins to form and fruiting begins, the plantings need regular and abundant watering.

The root system of cucumbers is shallow and small in size compared to the above-ground part. Saturating the soil with oxygen will help increase its mass in the soil. For this purpose, the cucumbers are loosened several times until the growing vines allow. An alternative to loosening is mulching with film or dried mowed grass.

A prerequisite for obtaining a bountiful harvest is the application of fertilizers for cucumbers. 3-4 days after planting in the ground, the soil is enriched minerals. Prepare the fertilizer as follows: take 5 g of ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride, 10 g of superphosphate per bucket of water.

Cucumbers respond well to mullein solution in a ratio of 1:10. The gardener insists on organic fertilizing and saturates it with fertilizer after rain or watering. An alternative to manure is chicken manure in a ratio of 1:15.

During the gardening season, cucumbers are fed up to 4 times: at the stage of formation of the first leaves, during the formation of the ovary, at the stage of active fruiting.



Expert opinion

Maria Vlasova

Gardener

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Knowing how to grow beautiful and strong cucumbers in open ground, a gardener will always be able to please himself and his loved ones with crunchy and tasty fruits. What is the best way to organize planting: in a regular or high bed, and what to transfer there - seeds or seedlings - is a matter of personal experience.


Cucumbers are cultivated in open ground in almost every household plot. After all, such cultivation at low cost and with proper care can not only provide the family with a healthy and favorite vegetable, but also serve as additional income. How to grow cucumbers and how to achieve high plant productivity, what points in their cultivation should you pay special attention to?

Specifics of growing vegetables in open ground: pros and cons

When growing cucumbers in open ground, you need to know that this pumpkin crop is very demanding of moisture, light and heat. It needs protection from the winds, shelter from unexpected frosts, and regular watering. It is not always possible to grow an excellent harvest, since it often depends on weather conditions. The process from seed to fruit is very labor-intensive. In addition, it requires the necessary knowledge of some of the features and secrets of growing fancy plants.

Advantages of growing cucumbers in open ground:

  • low costs;
  • the ability to clear the field of weeds before sowing (since late sowing is carried out);
  • huge sales market;

Flaws:

  • requirement for heat;
  • the need for regular watering;
  • dependence on weather conditions;
  • manual collection

How to grow cucumbers in open ground: popular methods

Growing up

With this method, cucumbers are grown in beds. The cucumber lashes are evenly distributed on them and get enough sunlight for the growth of the entire plant. But the downside is that changing the position of the vines, which cannot be avoided when caring for them, leads to oppression of the leaves and delays the ripening of fruits in the future.

Trellis method

This is a two-line method of planting cucumbers on a support. It is more labor-intensive, but has many advantages: space is saved, free access of air, good lighting and convenient care of plants, long-term fruiting and best quality fruits are less susceptible to disease.

With this method, trellises or slats are installed on metal supports, which are driven into the ground to a depth of 30–40 cm. The bushes are formed and tied when the trellis is at least 1 m high. If the trellises are low, the cucumber stems are thrown to the other side without shaping and not tied. The trellis method is rightfully considered more productive than growing.

Growing in barrels

Metal barrels are filled with rotted plant residues, compost, the last layer is ordinary nutrient soil. The substrate is well watered and covered with plastic film for heating for a week. 5 seeds are sown in a container or planted ready seedlings, covering with film. After the plants begin to grow, supports in the form of arcs are installed around the barrel. Plants are watered regularly as the soil dries out. This original way allows you to get an earlier harvest, saves space and time for caring for the plant, the fruits are always clean, and the structure itself with curly cucumber vines has a beautiful aesthetic appearance.

A barrel with a cucumber roof is an incredible sight!

Preparing soil and beds

Selecting a site for sowing seeds

You need to choose a site for planting cucumbers carefully, taking into account all their whims. First of all, choose a well-lit place, protected from cold winds. If there is no such place, it is created artificially by planting tall plants in the cucumber rows. Typically, corn and sunflowers act as protective barriers.

Proper crop rotation plays a major role in preparing future cucumber beds. Under no circumstances should you plant cucumbers where beets and pumpkin crops were previously grown. Good predecessors are legumes (with the exception of beans), nightshade crops, and cabbage.

Soil preparation

It is necessary to take care of fertile soil in the fall. Cucumber responds well to organic matter. Therefore, when digging or plowing for the winter, compost and rotted manure of 5–8 kg/m2 are added to future beds. If there is no manure, use mineral fertilizers (potassium salt - 200 g/m2, superphosphate - 300 g/m2). Plants do not like acidic and heavy clay soil. If there is no choice, it is diluted with limestone sand 10 kg/m. 2 And, conversely, sandy soil is diluted with the same amount of clay.

10 days before sowing experienced gardeners It is recommended to add ammonium nitrate 100 g/m2, and add mullein (1:10) or chicken droppings (1:20) diluted in water to the planting holes.

Beds for cucumbers

How to correctly choose the type of future bed? It all depends on several factors: the depth of the underlying groundwater, soil maintenance, readiness to perform labor-intensive work.

Regular beds

In areas with prepared soil, ridges 1 m or 0.5 m wide are formed with the same passages between the rows. For vigorous growers

– on beds without insulation, we form them 90–100 cm wide, 20–25 cm high, leaving a 30–40 cm path between them. However, narrow beds (45 cm each) with wide passages (70–90 cm) are more suitable for vigorous plants ). Then the strands of cucumbers will not intertwine and therefore be damaged. If you plan to grow cucumbers in a virgin area, it is better to form the beds in the fall, especially if the site is located in a damp lowland, or the soil in the garden is heavy clay, or the fertile layer is small.

Raised beds

Ridge beds (width 0.4–0.5 m, height 0.3 m) will be appropriate on clay soils and areas with shallow groundwater. This helps prevent it from drying out. root system cucumbers After all, in such a bed, water flows from the ridges during watering and rain. The beds are easy to maintain: tillage, fertilization. Disadvantage: in rainy weather, after contamination of the leaves, cucumber diseases may develop.

Warm beds

Creation of warm ridges - perfect option for cucumbers. There are two types of such ridges:

  1. Dig a trench (at least 1 m), fill it with organic matter (use rotted and unrotted plant residues, manure) to the level of the path. In the future, the contents of the trench will not only nourish the plants, but also provide them with heat and saturate the root system with carbon dioxide.
  2. Everything is done in the same way as in the previous version. A side is made around the trench using wooden boards or flat slate 20–30 cm above ground level. High beds protect from cold and retain moisture well.

Warm beds allow you to make a film shelter, reduce the number of soil treatments, and water the cucumbers easily and simply. The large amount of work required to prepare the beds is daunting.

Note: area with heavy clay soil and shallow groundwater will contribute to moisture retention in the trench, which can lead to plant rotting.

Photo gallery: arrangement of different types of beds

Raised bed Ridged bed Traditional bed

How to properly plant cucumbers in open ground with seeds

Preparing seeds for sowing

Cucumber seeds that are 2–3 years old are considered productive, although they can remain viable for up to 8 years. When buying seeds, you should give preference to pelleted ones, which do not require preparation for sowing. Other seeds are prepared for sowing in advance:

The process of preparing seeds for sowing Description of the actions performed
Seed selectionThe seeds are soaked (1 tablespoon of salt per 1 liter of water). Those not suitable for sowing float. Those that fall to the bottom are taken away.
SoakThe seeds are placed on a damp cloth (gauze) to swell for 1 day.
GerminationSprout on damp cloth until small roots appear. When the roots reach the length of half the seed, they are planted in moist soil. Germinated if sowed in moist soil
Warming upOccurs at a temperature of 40–50 o C for 6 hours
DisinfectionThe seeds are soaked for 20 minutes in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. After disinfection, rinse thoroughly under running water.
Stimulation of growthSeeds are soaked in a growth stimulator (Epin, etc.) according to the instructions

note: early sowings are done with dry seeds to avoid frost damage. In later lines when steady heat Sprouted seeds are sown in moist soil.

This is what properly germinated seeds look like

Time for planting in the ground

The timing of sowing cucumber seeds in open ground has long been associated with church holidays and folk signs. These days almost always coincide with favorable days for sowing this crop in lunar calendar. You can never go wrong if you stick to these traditions. And using all the recommended dates and sowing in stages, you will enjoy cucumbers until the first frost. Of course, the exception will be situations when the soil has not had time to warm up to 18 o C, and the night temperature is below 12 o C.

  • The first sowing falls on May 19 and is dedicated to the memory of Job the Long-Suffering;
  • The day of Falaley-Borage, Gryadochnik, Teplovey (June 2) will be suitable for the second stage of sowing;
  • The last stage is mid-June. At this time, the poplar blossoms (folk sign). It is necessary to choose a favorable day according to the lunar calendar.

Sowing seeds in open ground

To sow cucumbers, make a furrow with a hoe or by hand, 3–4 cm deep. If possible, water it, and place the seeds at a distance of 15 cm from each other. First, they are covered with 1.5 moist soil, and then always dry, in order to avoid the appearance of a dry earthen crust, which retards the growth of seedlings and air access. The soil is compacted well.

Read also about what you can plant in summer in our article -

How and what to cover

Table: covering materials for cucumbers - advantages and disadvantages

How and when to cover

After sowing, the soil is sprinkled with peat, rotted manure, sawdust, straw to a depth of 3–4 cm, that is, mulched. Mulching not only helps conserve moisture, protects against diseases and weeds, but is also the first shelter for crops from the cold (soil temperature rises by several degrees when mulching). In order to maintain moisture and shelter from return frosts and cold weather, the crops are covered with plastic film or other covering material even before germination. The film is removed 2 times a week to ventilate the beds. If the shelter is made of non-woven materials, it does not need to be removed. After the appearance of young shoots, the shelter is removed. In early June there are unexpected night frosts. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the weather forecast and make shelter in time. Can be covered regularly until mid-June cucumber beds for the night.

Good protection for seedlings - covering the bed after sowing with spunbond

Some gardeners use covering materials until the end of fruiting in order to create additional warmth and protection from rain and wind.

Care

After the cucumbers have 2 true leaves, the seedlings are thinned out. This is done carefully, manually pinching the sprout at the base so as not to damage the roots of neighboring plants. You can leave two plants in the nest. The number of plants per linear meter depends on the variety of cucumbers. Vigorous cucumbers (Buyan, Farmer, Little Boy, etc.) require more area for stems. Therefore, on 1 linear meter you can leave 2 plants with a distance of 0.5 m between them. For varieties with small vines (Parker, Gherkin, etc.), a distance of 30 cm between plants is sufficient. After thinning, the soil in the beds is loosened to a depth of 10 cm. When 5–6 true leaves appear, the plants are hilled up by adding moist soil to the base. Thanks to this operation, new roots are formed and the cucumbers receive additional nutrition.

How to form a bush

Formation of a cucumber bush

In the beds where bee-pollinated varieties of cucumbers with big amount fruitful shoots, it is necessary to pinch. Usually it is done after 4 sheets. Without this procedure, the development of many shoots with unlimited growth will lead to depletion of the plant and a decrease in yield. Hybrids do not need pinching.

How to form plants growing on a trellis?

Plants grown on a trellis are much more difficult to shape. Vigorous varietal cucumbers and hybrids are subject to formation. First of all, the lower leaves on the stem are removed up to the 5th leaf, which promotes free access of air to the entire plant. During the growth process, side shoots are pinched one by one, starting from the bottom. First, shoots are pinched after the 2nd leaf, then several shoots are pinched after the 3rd leaf. And the last row of shoots - after 4 leaves. The upper lash of the central stem is lowered down, leaving 1 leaf on it and pinching it at a height of 1 m to the soil level. The result is a bush in the shape of an inverse pyramid. This is a professional and labor-intensive scheme for plant formation.

The cucumber bush after reverse pyramidal shaping looks compact and aesthetically pleasing

If you are not ready to do the shaping according to professional patterns, just pinch the plant after the 6th leaf and tie the side shoots to the trellis. In this case, the lower 3 leaves are removed, and later additional shoots appearing from the axils of the shoots are cut out. After removing leaves and shoots, stumps should not be left behind!

Note: Not all varieties require shaping and do not need to be pinched.

How to tie

Nature has endowed this vegetable with tenacious tendrils that silently ask for support. This fact confirms the idea of ​​the need to garter the plant. A tied plant saves a lot of space, produces more shoots, is less susceptible to disease, resulting in increased productivity.

The plant begins to be tied when it reaches a height of 30 cm and at least 4 true leaves appear. More mature plant breaks when tied up. Carefully tie the stem under the first leaf, pull the rope loosely and tie a knot so that young plant not uprooted. Best material for garter - durable tape soft fabric 2–3 cm wide.

The easiest to perform is a horizontal garter. A rope is pulled in three rows between the supports driven into the ground. Young shoots are directed around the bottom row of the stretched rope.

When tying vertically, a rope or wire is attached to the supports on top. Along the entire length of the wire, ropes are tied above each plant, the lower end of which is tied at the base of the stem.

The plant feels comfortable on a mesh trellis, which is attached to the supports. Cucumbers on a high trellis (from 1 m) need a garter.

IN Lately they make supports of triangular and spherical shapes, which have a decorative appearance. The choice depends on your capabilities and imagination.

Cucumbers tied on a triangular support look original

How to water and feed

Watering

Water the cucumbers with settled, warm water (not lower than 22 C). In summer, water can be heated in the sun in any container. Best time for watering - evening. But if the night temperature is too low, watering is done at morning time. Before flowering, plants grown in areas with light soil need to be watered 2 times a week, and in clay areas - 1 time. But with the onset of flowering and fruiting, they require daily watering. In this case, the soil must be constantly moist to a depth of at least 10 cm. Of course, weather conditions are taken into account.

Young plants can be watered using a watering can and a hose with a sprayer. Adults may be susceptible to fungal diseases from such sprinkling. As a result of watering at the root, the root system is exposed and gradually dies, and the yield of the vegetable decreases. Therefore, it is better to water them in furrows, mulching the soil after watering.

Top dressing

The plants are fed for the first time after the first loosening. It is better to feed with a solution of mullein (1:10) or chicken manure (1:20). If there are no organic fertilizers, complex mineral fertilizers (50 g/10 l) are suitable. The solution is evenly distributed along the grooves around the roots at a distance of 10 cm from the plant. The second feeding is done during mass flowering. Both organic and mineral fertilizers are used. It is advisable to add 0.5 g of boric acid, 0.3 g of potassium permanganate, 30–40 g of potassium sulfate to the bucket. The third feeding is done during fruiting. Along with the organic matter, add 1 teaspoon of urea and potassium sulfate to the bucket. If necessary, after two weeks, feed the plants for the fourth time in the same way as the third feeding.

Whether cucumbers need feeding or not can be seen by their condition. Ugly fruits indicate a deficiency of potassium and nitrogen. A lack of phosphorus is indicated by the predominance of male ovaries on the vines. In this case, it is useful to foliar feed the cucumbers.

Features for regions, including the Moscow region

If in the south and central zone of Russia (including the Moscow region) it is quite possible to grow cucumbers in open ground without seedlings, then in Siberia it is better to prepare seedlings. The short summer and harsh climatic conditions of this region make growing the crop difficult.

In the Moscow region, the soil warms up to 12 o C, usually in the last days of May. Therefore, cucumbers are sown in this zone, starting from the end of May and ending in the second ten days of June. In the south, sowing in open ground can be done as early as the third ten days of April, ending with the second ten days of July. Warm, stable weather in the southern regions allows for several cucumber harvests.

For the south, it is appropriate to take varieties from ultra-early to late; in other regions, late varieties in ordinary open-ground beds simply will not have time to bear fruit. Therefore, residents of central Russia and Siberia try to grow plants mainly on warm ridges in order to get a harvest as early as possible. At the same time, preference is given to early and mid-ripening varieties, the ripening period of which does not exceed 50 days (for the central regions) and 40 days (for Siberia).

In order not to be left without a harvest, it is necessary to select zoned hybrids and varieties that have been tested in the climatic conditions of the region. Usually 5–7 varieties are sown, among which there are bee-pollinated and parthenocarpic varieties. For Siberia, the bee-pollinated varieties Altai, Brigantina, Dalnevostochny, hybrids Miranda, Chinese, Crocodile Gena, etc., have proven themselves well. For the climatic conditions of the Moscow region, Magnificent, Nezhinsky, Competitor, VIR 505, etc., universal hybrids Annushka, Aist, Masha, Metelitsa, etc. are suitable. Rodnichok, etc. Released varieties for the south - Success, Signal, Yubilei, Donskoy, Pobeditel, etc.

Every year, new regionalized hybrids of cucumbers are developed, surprising with their productivity, resistance to diseases and adverse weather conditions. But we should not forget that in order to obtain excellent harvests in any region, it is important not only to select a zoned variety, but also to carry out simple rules, from seed preparation to harvesting.

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By growing such a popular garden crops Almost all owners of country plots and dachas are doing the same thing as cucumbers. However, few of them ask the question: “How to plant cucumbers in open ground?”, using personal experience and skills accumulated over many years. But further productivity and health of plants can depend on proper planting.

It is known that cucumber is a rather capricious and finicky resident of our gardens who needs intensive care. If all stages of care are carried out in accordance with established rules, cucumbers will begin to produce a good harvest in any conditions, whether it’s a greenhouse or open sky. You will find valuable tips for proper and productive cultivation of crops in this article.

How and when to plant cucumbers

Planting cucumbers in open ground must be accompanied by compliance with some key nuances. First of all, you need to decide on a suitable place for planting, taking into account the biological preferences of the crop. It is also important to take into account recommendations regarding sowing dates, as well as responsibly respond to the need to thoroughly prepare the soil for planting. Today, summer residents grow cucumbers in two ways:

  • from seedlings;
  • using seeds;

Let's consider the second planting method, because... it is distinguished by a more productive result and the absence of many difficulties.

Before preparing planting material and placing it in the substrate, you need to choose a planting method. There are two of them:

  • vertical;
  • horizontal;

It's no secret that cucumbers are extremely heat-loving plants, therefore, when choosing a suitable site for planting them, you need to give preference to places that are sufficiently lit, warm and protected from all kinds of external influences. It is known that the crop reacts poorly to contact with cold northern winds and drafts, so they cannot be planted in such places.

If you want to plant seeds in open ground, it is necessary to adhere to the rules of crop rotation. Good germination is observed in places where other treatments were previously carried out. garden crops, including:

  • cabbage;
  • salad;
  • peas;
  • potato;
  • tomatoes;

Poor growth occurs when planted after beans, zucchini and carrots, as such plants are susceptible to similar diseases and pests that can survive the winter in the soil.

Soil preparation

The vegetable has a lot of requirements for soil composition.. High yield- the merit of keeping it in fertile and loose soil with average acidity levels.

To prepare suitable soil you need to start in advance - first of all, in the autumn, and then in the spring, before sowing seeds in open ground. In the fall, it is enough to dig a trench 20 - 25 centimeters deep and 70 centimeters wide, making a ditch in the center 30 - 35 centimeters deep. At the bottom is located drainage layer with a diameter of 15 centimeters. Leaves, peat, sawdust, grass and straw are used for drainage.

Immediately before sowing the seeds, the soil needs to be fed with good organic fertilizer, which works well as rotted manure, bird droppings or mullein. The method of placing a 25-centimeter layer of manure in a trench dug in the fall is characterized by excellent efficiency. It is better to implement such an action in early May.

The soil composition is thoroughly disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate, diluted in boiling water. The next layer is fertilized with 5 - 6 kilograms of humus per 1 linear meter, one liter jar of ash and 20 grams of superphosphate and 10 grams of potassium salt. After thorough mixing, the soil should be watered with the previously prepared solution of potassium permanganate and covered tightly with film. It is important that the soil has time to warm up to a comfortable temperature for planting seeds.

As for the preparation of planting material, it consists of a simple action: for 10 - 12 hours, the seeds are placed in warm water with a temperature of 20 - 25 degrees, which changes periodically. The option of warming up the seeds two months before planting also works well. temperature indicators above 20 degrees. For the purpose of disinfection, they can be placed in a manganese solution and treated with a good growth stimulator.

Just before landing, you need to pour a sufficient amount of water into the prepared recess. Even if watering is repeated, it will give good results. The next step is to lay out the seeds at a distance of 25 - 30 centimeters from each other. In this case, the distance between rows is at least half a meter.

When to plant cucumbers in open ground

Asking the question: “when to plant cucumbers in open ground?” - you need a lot important points and features of the upcoming event. The exact planting date is determined by climatic factors and varietal preferences of a particular variety of cucumbers.

If we talk about early watering, then it must be implemented provided that the night temperature does not fall below 15 degrees above zero. Best temperature for a successful landing +18…+26 degrees Celsius. Many summer residents living in mid-latitudes begin the event no earlier than the fifth of June. Naturally, the exact timing may vary depending on regional circumstances. If the soil manages to warm up to high temperatures much earlier, and the likelihood of night frosts will completely disappear, you can start sowing from May 15 to 25.

An important factor in successful seed planting is daylight. It is known that the crop is a light-loving plant, so planting in early June is The best decision. For growth and development to occur fully, it is enough to provide cucumbers with 10 to 12 hours of full lighting. When planted at the end of June, they may suffer from unwanted exposure to direct sunlight over a long period of time.

If you intend to harvest early than expected, try planting the crop using carefully prepared seedlings, or start growing in greenhouse conditions. IN open ground seedlings can be placed only at the beginning of summer, however, the ripening period of vegetables will begin 2 - 4 weeks earlier (the first ripe fruits will appear in the middle of the second summer month).

When choosing highly effective varieties for cultivation in mid-latitudes, you should opt for proven specimens such as “Competitor”, “Cascade”, “Universal” and others. Landing at summer time excludes the possibility of using pickling species. They take root very poorly, and yield indicators leave much to be desired. Therefore, the best solution is the above varieties.

Middle and late sowing

The second wave of sowing also begins in June. Almost all varieties can be used here. If the June planting is carried out in accordance with the established rules, the first harvest will appear in early August. Naturally, the exact timing of fruit harvest depends on the varietal characteristics.

Concerning late landing cucumbers, then, in this case, it is much wiser to opt for special varieties - pickling ones. Early ripening varieties with a growing season of 45 to 50 days also take root well. Fruiting of such crops coincides in time with tomatoes. The main advantage of late planting is the opportunity to enjoy the excellent gifts of nature until winter.

When asking the question: “When exactly to plant?”, be prepared to study the climatic and geographical features region, as well as seasonal factors. If you live in a cold area, it is better to practice planting from seedlings in a greenhouse environment. If, on the contrary, it is hot, the soil will have to be shaded in the heat of the day, protecting it from the harmful effects of direct sunlight, which can simply destroy the crop.

Main features of crop care

Every summer resident can plant cucumbers at home.. It is only important to take into account the recommendations of experienced colleagues and avoid fatal mistakes. After planting seeds or seedlings in open soil, cucumbers need to be provided proper care which is:

  • regular watering;
  • clearing the beds of weeds;
  • loosening the soil;
  • mulching;
  • hilling;

And also in seasonal feeding.

It is known that the crop has high requirements for soil moisture. If she stays for too long wet conditions, this can cause the development of dangerous fungal diseases. However, prolonged stay in dry soil is also a very unpleasant phenomenon, due to which plant leaves begin to darken and break. If there is no balance between rainy and dry weather, this can negatively affect the fruiting of the crop. The best air humidity indicators are 80%. If the level remains at 30%, this is a direct path to the death of the plant.

When watering cucumbers in hot weather, you need to use warm, settled water with a temperature of at least 18 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, fruit development may be at risk. When watering, it is better to use a watering can, carrying out the activity in the evening or early morning, while the air temperature is not too high. Try not to let the liquid get on the leaves.

If you did not have time to fertilize the soil before planting seeds or seedlings, be sure to do this all season. The first feeding measures will be useful at the moment when 2 - 3 true leaves appear on the bush. In the future, the fertilizing interval is 10 - 15 days. During the process, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers or ready-made complexes based on them should be applied. Regular alternation of organic fertilizers with mineral fertilizers works well.

An indispensable step for the successful growth of cucumbers is thorough loosening of the soil. It is known that the root system of bushes penetrates 40 centimeters deep into the soil, although a significant part of it remains 5 centimeters from the top level. Because of this feature, loosening upper layers must be careful.

Conclusion

In addition to loosening, many gardeners carry out thorough mulching of the soil or hilling, which promotes the development of strong immunity to fight all kinds of fungal diseases.

So that the side shoots can finally form, the plant needs to be pinched. The procedure is carried out on the main stem above the fifth or sixth leaf. Such actions will have a positive effect on fruiting rates.

When planting vertically, it is better to tie 30-centimeter lashes to wide strips of fabric.

If the crop begins to bear fruit, harvest every other day, or at most, every two days. The more often the harvest is carried out, the more fruits you can get in the end. Any unharvested cucumber delays the formation of new ovaries. It is better to start collecting in the morning, because... in the evening, vegetables quickly wither.

Growing cucumbers is a very interesting and profitable activity. With the right approach to all the features of keeping a plant in your garden, you can get very good performance yield at minimum costs. The main thing to remember is that properly spent efforts will definitely result in good and productive fruiting and will allow you to enjoy the priceless gifts of nature until the first frost.

That's all, now you know what the features of proper planting of cucumbers in the garden are. All that remains is to implement them into reality and get your results.

Like many other wonderful things, cucumbers came to us from India. This valuable food product is capable of saturating the body with essential nutrients, quenching thirst, and noticeably improving appearance if applied to the skin of the face as a natural cosmetic. Cucumbers purchased in retail chains are inferior in taste and energy quality to those grown at your own dacha. Growing them yourself is not that difficult.

Primary requirements

First of all, it is necessary to take care of protecting plants from spring cold snaps, because even at soil temperatures no higher than ten degrees Celsius, the delicate root system experiences serious stress and may die.

Popularly, the best guideline is considered to be the flowering plant, which gives the go-ahead for sowing cucumber seeds in the ground. Traditionally, cucumbers are sown on May 15th on Athanasius, and folk signs They call this day Solovyin and claim that the great Sowers Boris and Gleb go out into the field, setting a good example for us.

Cucumbers are unpleasant sharp changes humidity, so the soil must be kept optimally moist at all times. Water better evening, using water heated in the sun, direct the streams to the ground under the plant.

While the plants have not yet grown much, it will be useful to loosen the soil around them.

Preparations for seasonal sowing should begin in the previous autumn by laying beds slightly raised above the ground using compost, plant residues, mown grass, small twigs and pine needles, with the addition of sawdust, shavings and straw manure. Fermentation processes in the bed in the spring will give additional temperature from the inside, and a raised bed will bring the sown seeds closer to the spring sun's rays.

Preparing for sowing

If self-pollinating varieties, complexly called parthenocarpic, are better suited for greenhouse cultivation, then for open ground you can take those that are pollinated by insects, because they are undoubtedly tastier and healthier. Hybrid varieties They give a more generous harvest, but their seeds are more expensive. To improve germination and reduce barren flowers on the eve of sowing, the seeds are kept near the heating radiator for the entire month.

The heated seed is washed in weak solution potassium permanganate, rinse in clean water and soaked for a day in an aqueous solution of sifted wood ash. Placed in a damp cloth for a couple of days and placed in a warm place, the seeds swell and hatch slightly. As a hardening procedure, they can be placed in the lowest section of the refrigerator for another day, after which we proceed to sowing.

Growing seedlings

Hybrid varieties and seeds purchased in branded stores do not require such preparation and pre-warming. They can be sown immediately in peat tablets so that three-week-old plants can be planted in the ground by mid-May.

Cucumber seedlings, as a representative of pumpkin plants, are very sensitive to even minor damage to the roots, so when replanting, injury to the root system should not be allowed.

Cucumber seedlings are very sensitive to drafts, which must be kept in mind when protecting plants from sharp gusts of wind. As natural fertilizer You can use a fermented infusion prepared from a mixture of dandelions and nettles, aged for a week. Such fertilizing, diluted with warm water, will be gratefully received by plants.

Cucumbers can be sown in two streams: for salads and continuous use - in the month of May, and varieties for pickling and canning - in the summer, when the soil has warmed up sufficiently. The efforts spent on growing cucumbers are repaid by the pleasure and benefits obtained from consuming this valuable food product.