Choosing the best green manure for cucumbers in the fall for greenhouses and open ground

Planting cucumbers in one place depletes the soil, contributes to the accumulation of pathogens and pests. Crop rotation helps to correct the situation. But what if the plot is small or the vegetable is grown in a greenhouse? Siderates will come to the rescue!

What is it, which ones to use for cucumbers and which ones to sow after - read below.

What are siderates and why are they needed

Technical crops that are grown to enrich the soil with nutrients and improving its structure are called green manure or green manure.

Green manure plants are planted in one of the ways:

• in the aisles between crops;
• as an early culture among later ones;
• at the end of summer or before winter;
• for the whole year during the rest of the soil from intensive use.

Siderata are mown before or shortly after flowering and after decay, they are plowed into the ground.

Attention! Do not confuse green manures with weeds. Useful plants turn into weeds when the moment for mowing is missed and they have time to bloom and give seeds.

The benefits of siderates for cucumbers

Sowing green manure plants before planting cucumbers restores soil fertility naturally and increases yields. With the growth and subsequent decay of "green fertilizers":

• the soil is enriched with nutrients: nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and trace elements;
• the soil is structured: the roots of green manure penetrate deeper, loosen and improve aeration;
• on the dead roots, soil microorganisms accumulate, fixing nitrogen;
• light sandy soils are bound and protected from erosion and weathering;
• the roots of useful plants deliver nutrients from the deep layers of the earth to the surface where the root system of cucumbers is located.

Planting siderates in the aisles or around the beds is useful:

• their dense foliage, shading the soil, slows down the evaporation of moisture and inhibits the growth of weeds;
• companion plants scare away or distract some of the pests of cucumbers to themselves;
• most siderates are honey plants, attracting bumblebees and bees, which simultaneously pollinate cucumbers.

It can be useful:

How to increase the yield of cucumbers in the open field

What to do if crocheted cucumbers

What to do with barren flowers on cucumbers in a greenhouse

What green manures are best to plant in front of cucumbers in the fall

Sowing is recommended by plants that are undemanding to heat, quickly (in 1–1.5 months) gaining green mass and easily decaying in winter. These qualities are possessed by:

1. White mustard. It quickly builds up mass, heals the soil, prevents the appearance of cruciferous fleas, slugs, cleans the soil from spores of pathogenic fungi.
2. Oil radish. Grows quickly, increases soil fertility, prevents fungal and viral diseases.
3. Cold-resistant phacelia. A universal green manure that rapidly accumulates biomass. Easily decomposes, makes the soil nutritious and loose.
4. Oats. Enriches the soil with nutrients and minerals.

On a note. 10 acres of cut phacelia replace 300 kg of manure.

What crops are better not to plant under cucumbers

In the open field

It is better to plant more cold-resistant plants on open beds.: winter rye, oil radish, phacelia.

When choosing a green manure, it is worth considering the type of soil on the site:

• Phacelia and oil radish are ideal for depleted, sandy soils;
• heavy clay soil softens legumes and grains.

On a note. Experienced vegetable growers sow the beds with green manure mixtures. Plants complement each other, the fertilization is more balanced.

In the greenhouse

When growing cucumbers in a greenhouse or greenhouse, it is problematic to observe crop rotation... If you can enrich the soil with nutrients with the help of organic and mineral fertilizers, then it is difficult to cope with the accumulation of pests and pathogens.

In this case, mustard is irreplaceable.... The green mass of the plant disinfects and saturates the soil with nutrients. With sideration in greenhouses, watercress and oats, which have a high growth rate, show a good result.

Attention! When using the same "green fertilizer" from year to year, the soil is oversaturated with some substances and lacks others. Siderata must be alternated.

How to properly plant green manure under cucumbers in the fall

Autumn siderates are planted after full harvest., usually from mid-August to mid-September. There are several reasons to sow them in the fall:

1. Saving time in the spring. No need to plant and wait for them to sprout to prepare the beds.
2. Green manure plants stay on the site longer, their root system loosens the soil better, additionally saturates it with oxygen.
3. Protection of the soil from drying out and frost. Siderata, remaining on the surface, retain snow and moisture longer.

Read also:

How to pinch cucumbers correctly - when and why you need it

Why cucumbers are bitter, how to prevent it and what to do with the harvest

In the open field

Having decided on the choice of a green manure plant, they start work:

1. The designated area is freed from tops and weeds.
2. If the soil is severely depleted, potash-phosphorus fertilizers are applied.
3. Dry soil is spilled with water, dug to a depth of 5-10 cm and loosened.
4. The seeds are distributed over the garden bed, covered with a rake and covered with compost. Crops should be very dense.

On a note. Poultry is not averse to eating siderat seeds. Install a scarecrow to secure landing.

In the greenhouse

The stages of sowing in the greenhouse are the same as in open beds.... But the seedlings will appear earlier - already on the 5-7th day.

Treatment of beds with green manure

Plants sprouted in autumn are not touched... A dense layer of greenery will create a kind of mulch, and with the onset of cold weather and shortening of daylight hours, the siderates will stop growing.

With the onset of spring, "green fertilizers" begin to grow again. When they reach a height of 20-25 cm, they are mowed and left in the garden... Plant residues are quickly overheated. The beds with the humus of the green manure are dug up and cucumbers are planted in 2-3 weeks.

Cucumbers have no special requirements for green manure plants.... However, it is not recommended to plant them after zucchini, pumpkin, watermelon and melons. After these plants, the yield of cucumbers will be lower.

You do not need to place cucumbers and beds next to celery, parsley, bell peppers, onions.

What siderates to sow after cucumbers

Cucumbers extract many nutrients from the soil. There is an accumulation of pathogens. The roots of the vegetable secrete colins into the soil - substances of various structures that suppress the vital activity of other plants.

To prepare the ground for subsequent plantings will help:

• mustard - heals the soil;
• vetch-oat mixture - restores fertility, enriches the land with nitrogen, slows down the growth of weeds.

Let's sum up

Siderata are grown to restore and increase soil fertility, improve its structure, and increase the number of useful soil microorganisms. Sideral plants are unpretentious, quickly grow green mass, and easily rot.

In the beds for cucumbers, autumn green manure is usually carried out.Useful plants are densely sown over the site after harvest, give back and leave until spring. In the spring, after regrowth, they are mown and left to decompose. Then the beds are dug up and after 2-3 weeks cucumbers are planted.

Most often, white mustard, legumes, cereals, as well as mixtures of these plants are used for cucumbers. Cucumbers have no special requirements for green manure, but after them it is better to prepare the soil for other crops with the help of mustard or vetch-oat mixture.