Secrets of the best agronomists: how to grow cucumbers outdoors

Any summer resident wants to get a good harvest of cucumbers in his garden. The cultivation of these vegetables has its own subtleties, the observance of which enhances it. They consist in choosing the right planting site, preparing seeds, observing the rules for watering, feeding, cultivating the soil and collecting vegetables on time.

In the article, we will consider how to properly approach planting and caring for cucumbers in the open field, we will tell not only about the basic nuances, but also reveal the secrets of vegetable growers with experience.

How to grow cucumbers outdoors

Although there is nothing complicated in the technology of growing cucumbers, it is still necessary to know the basic rules of agricultural technology. This culture is demanding on moisture, light and heat. When cultivated, plants are protected from strong winds, frost, diseases and pests. But besides the basic rules, there are some peculiarities.

The main conditions for the growth of a good harvest

The optimum air temperature for cultivating this vegetable is from +22 to + 26 ° C. If it drops below + 15 ° C or rises above + 42 ° C, the culture stops growing. With a continuous indicator of less than + 12 ° C, the plant dies. For plantings, sudden changes in air temperature are also harmful.

What cucumbers love

Cucumbers love fertile soil. Cucumbers good grow on sandy loam, organic-rich soils. When growing vegetables, follow simple instructions for a bountiful harvest.

Preparing the seeds

If you bought seeds from your hands or harvested from your own harvest, then prepare them before sowing. The first step is to calibrate. To do this, place the seeds in a 3% sodium chloride solution for 15 minutes. Stir the seeds thoroughly in salt water to remove any bubbles from their surface. Floated seeds are unusable, discard them. Rinse and dry the rest. Only process seeds that are 1-2 years old.

Next, the seeds are disinfected: they are poured into a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 20-30 minutes and then rinsed. The procedure is carried out to protect the grains from infections.

To germinate seeds, they are placed in warm water for a day, then removed and wrapped in a wet cotton cloth. They are left in this form until seed-sized sprouts appear. The fabric is periodically slightly moistened.

Planting in the ground with seeds

Cucumber is a thermophilic culture. Sowing seeds is carried out in warm soil. The first April warming can be deceiving, it often changes to a prolonged cold snap, because of which the seeds rot, vyt out into the ground and die.

Sowing cucumbers is carried out when the soil warms up to + 12-13 ° C. The grains begin to be planted in the holes according to the 40x40 scheme. The specific planting distance depends on the variety and area. Wood ash and humus are placed in each hole. The soil is poured on top and the seeds are deepened into it by 3-5 cm. The crops are moistened and covered with a film.

When sprouts appear, the covering material is removed. Also, the beds are insulated with sawdust.

Planting seedlings

For an earlier and plentiful harvest, cucumbers are grown in seedlings.In addition, seedlings with this method will be strong and can easily cope with adverse weather conditions.

Seedlings are grown for 20-25 days. They are planted in a permanent place of growth in late May - early June. 10 days before transplanting, the soil begins to warm up: periodically it is watered with hot water and covered with a film.

When planting plants, 50 cm are left between the rows, and 30-40 cm between the plants. The transplant is carried out carefully so as not to damage the root system. The wells are watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Plastic arches are installed on top of the plantings and the film is stretched.

During the day, at an air temperature of + 25 ° C, the shelter is opened on one side by 25 cm.

Preparing the soil and cucumber beds

The land plot for planting cucumbers has been prepared since autumn... All residues of previous crops are removed and the soil is fed with organic fertilizers.

In the spring priming dug up by about 15-20 cm. After that, all weeds are removed from the site and left in this form to warm up for about two weeks. For the best effect, the ground is covered with plastic black wrap or agrotechnical cloth.

After planting cucumbers, mulching is carried out. To do this, cover the soil with a 5-6 cm layer of hay, foliage, straw. Mulch retains moisture in the soil longer. The straw repels slugs and other insects.

Features of outdoor care

Care during fruiting consists in the formation of a bush, timely fertilization, watering, loosening the soil and hilling.

Secrets of proper watering

The surface of the leaves of cucumbers is thin, therefore, with a lack of moisture, they lose their turgor. Because of this, the first emerging ovaries fall off, which leads to a decrease in yield. Excessive moisture is also harmful, increasing the plant's susceptibility to disease.

Watering carried out with water at room temperature, preferably settled or rain. Regimen: at least once a week, 3-5 liters of water per plant.

Hilling

With the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, the bushes spud. This is done in order to build up additional roots and increase the culture's endurance.

For your information. The stronger the root system of cucumbers, the faster the ovaries form.

When and what to fertilize

Improper fertilization is bad for plants. Feed its mostly organic. Use mullein or chicken droppings diluted 1:10 with water. For each bush, 1-1.5 liters of fertilizer are consumed. Plants are fed twice a month. If the weather is hot, this is done more often.

The culture responds well to the alternation of complex mineral and organic fertilizers. For the introduction of mineral dressings, special preparations are used, for example, "Crystallin", "Solution" or "Kemira". Still effective nourish plants with ash solution (a glass of ash for 10 liters of water).

On a note... Experienced gardeners feed the cucumbers with cow's milk diluted with water in a 1: 2 ratio.

Protection against diseases and pests

Diseases and pests make it more difficult to grow cucumbers outdoors. Diseases lie in wait for the culture throughout the growing season. In the open air, the infection is transmitted by air.

The most common diseases of cucumbers:

• root rot;
• anthracnose;
• powdery mildew.

Root rot can destroy the entire crop. The first signs appear immediately after planting the plants in a permanent place. When the daytime temperature rises, the foliage wilts, and at night it regains its elasticity. The lower part of the stem of the bushes becomes brown. At this time, they do the following:

• the fungicide "Hom" or the biological product "Bactofit" is introduced into the soil;
• spud stems for the development of new roots;
• for the resistance of plants to diseases, the bushes are treated with Effekton.

Anthracnose affects the entire plant: whips, leaves and even fruits.Yellow spots spread through the foliage, pink ulcers appear on the fruits, the stems begin to dry out, the vegetables become unusable.

The sooner the plant is cured, the more chances it is to save it. To overcome anthracnose, the bushes are treated with 1% Bordeaux liquid.

Powdery mildew appears due to cool weather (+ 15-20 ° C) with high humidity. At first, the disease manifests itself as a white coating on the leaves. In the future, the foliage dries and turns yellow.

Cucumber bushes are treated for powdery mildew with an aqueous infusion of mullein (1:10). If the disease is already progressing, the bushes are sprayed with a solution of ferrous sulfate (5%).

Plants are often attacked aphid, which complicates the care of the culture. Leaves of damaged bushes wither and turn yellow, buds and ovaries deteriorate. Insects multiply quickly, they can literally destroy an entire garden bed in 10 days.

To combat, use a soap-ash solution. In 1 liter of water add 2 tbsp. l. ash and laundry soap diluted in hot water. Leaves and stems of cucumbers are washed with this product. The procedure is carried out in the morning, and at noon a covering material is thrown over the plants, protecting the leaves from sunburn. After five days, the event is repeated.

On a note. To scare off pests and feed weak plants, the soil under them is sprinkled with wood ash.

Cucumber bush formation and pinching

In order not to harm the plants, pinching is carried out in this way:

1. The formation of lashes consists in the removal of excess flowers and shoots after the sixth leaf. For hybrid crops, at least three shoots are left, for the rest - one.
2. Further actions are aimed at maintaining a single plant shape: for example, if four points of growth are selected, then the appearance of additional ones is not allowed - this will reduce the yield.

Techniques for increasing the yield of cucumbers in the open field

Moisturizing the cucumber culture is carried out with the addition of apple cider vinegar... Rainwater or tap water is poured into a barrel. When it warms up, add apple cider vinegar to it. For 200 liters, 1.5 glasses are enough. Cucumbers are watered with this acidic solution throughout the season. It will be possible to collect 15% more grown ground cucumbers than when watering with ordinary water.

If the plants are poorly pollinated, they are helped with a brush. With its help, pollen from male flowers is transferred to female ones. Male and female flowers are easy to distinguish: male flowers have stamens, female flowers have a pistil. In the first, pollen is formed, in the second - the ovary.

If there are several beds with cucumbers on the site, which are not tied, and pollination work is impractical, it is necessary to interrupt watering for a while. When stressed, cucumbers begin to form many female flowers.

Care during fruiting

The area with cucumbers is kept clean and weeds are carefully removed. For the first three weeks, young bushes are loosened to a depth of 3 cm.

Important! Loosening is carried out carefully so as not to damage the weak root system. When the bushes grow up, they loosen every week.

Cucumbers need a regular tie to the support. After the appearance of the seventh leaf, pinch the main stem. This allows the plant to sprout more side shoots, which will significantly increase the yield.

Harvesting

Do not wait for the fruits to gain maximum weight. The more often cucumbers are harvested, the faster new ones will form. Vegetables are harvested at least three times a week.

Recommendations for growing a rich harvest

Experienced summer residents advise using the following life hacks:

1. To make the ground warm faster in spring, it is covered with a black film.
2. In cool weather, young plants are protected with cut plastic bottles or set up a greenhouse from arcs.
3. If there is not enough space on the site, the plants are planted in barrels. For such a planting, varieties with strong climbing are used.
4. Growing cucumbers on trellises will facilitate the care and picking of vegetables, save space on the site.
5. Watering is carried out early in the morning.By the evening, the ground overheats, and cold water damages the root system.
6. The largest harvest is obtained at the beginning and at the end of summer, since cucumbers need only 12 hours of daylight to grow well.
7. Be sure to hilling cucumbers so that additional roots develop, plus this protects the stem from fungus.
8. To stimulate the formation of female flowers, watering is reduced before flowering. The bush activates the growth of flowers to avoid death.
9. Experienced gardeners remove the first ovaries. At the time of their formation, the plant has a fragile root system, therefore, after the procedure, it will direct its forces towards strengthening.

Conclusion

Every summer resident knows how to grow cucumbers: planting and caring for the garden does not require much effort. But even such an unpretentious culture has its own “wishes”. The main conditions are competent care and care. Observing the rules of agricultural technology, protecting plants from diseases and pests in time, you will get a good harvest of cucumbers in the open field.