Is it possible to grow cucumbers and tomatoes together in the same polycarbonate greenhouse

The size of the site for many gardeners does not allow them to put another greenhouse. And I really want to have cucumbers and tomatoes on the table in a difficult climate. Is it really true that these vegetables do not belong under one greenhouse roof? Experienced agronomists believe that it is possible to co-cultivate antagonist plants if a number of rules are followed.

Is it possible to plant cucumbers with tomatoes in the same greenhouse

Cucumbers and tomatoes need completely different indicators of moisture, temperature and soil composition. Therefore, growing them in a common greenhouse is difficult, but possible. Beforehand, it is important to study all the requirements for the neighboring cultivation of both crops and create an optimal environment for them.

Compatibility: all pros and cons

There is only one pros: joint cultivation of cucumbers and tomatoes saves space.

There are many "cons":

• from systematic airing, so necessary for tomatoes, cucumbers get sick;
• due to the high humidity required for the growth of cucumbers, fruit ovaries are not formed in tomatoes;
• with excessive humidification of the air, tomatoes will inevitably "catch" late blight;
• irrigate and feed these plants at different times, but you can put up with this inconvenience.

Requirements for growing cucumbers

Cucumbers need special conditions for growth:

1. To water they are needed regularly, since this vegetable crop does not tolerate arid soil. Irrigation is carried out in the evening before closing the greenhouse by sprinkling. A vegetable requires 15-25 liters per day for 1 m². With the formation of fruit ovaries, the volume of watering is increased.
2. Feed cucumbers should be from the first days of planting 1-2 times a month. For proper development they need organic and nutritious fertilizers based on minerals.
3. For full-fledged formation, cucumbers require 10-12 hours of daylight.
4. Cucumbers need warmth. Immediately after sowing, this culture is provided with a temperature of + 25-28 ° C. As it grows, the average daily temperature in the greenhouse should be + 17 ° C.
5. Humidity below 85% significantly slows down the process of pollination and the formation of fruit ovaries of cucumbers.
6. The culture does not tolerate drafts, therefore it is necessary to ventilate the greenhouse very carefully. This is especially important when the cucumber sprouts are still small and weak.

Requirements for growing tomatoes

Luxurious and juicy tomatoes grow when gardeners follow all the rules of care:

1. Tomatoes in greenhouses require a mandatory artificial pollination. This procedure is carried out in warm sunny weather. At the end, you need to spray the flowers with warm water from a spray bottle so that the pollen in the pistil will germinate.
2. Tomatoes need systematic ventilation, especially in the flowering phase.
3. For active growth and fruiting, they require a suitable temperature: during the day + 20 ... + 22 ° С and + 16 ... + 18 ° С at night.
4. Tomatoes prefer soil with a moisture content of 75–80%.
5. To water they are needed rarely and abundantly, no more than once a week at the rate of 12-15 liters per 1 m². Do this in the morning with water at a temperature of + 20 ° C.
6. Dry air is the main requirement for tomato growth.
7. They prefer fertilizers from the category of organic and mineral.

How to find a compromise

The rules for cultivating tomatoes and cucumbers have nothing in common. If it is impossible to put another greenhouse on the site, a compromise solution can be found:

• zone the greenhouse space, distribute the plantings so that they do not disturb each other;
• choose varieties suitable for the neighborhood - tomatoes that are immune to fungal diseases and cucumbers that can withstand drafts and coolness.

How to grow cucumbers with tomatoes

Before combining cucumbers and tomatoes, it is recommended that you study the characteristics of these plants and create an acceptable environment for their existence.

The best varieties for the neighborhood

It is recommended to plant those varieties of tomatoes that are not afraid of high humidity and are immune to fungal diseases:

• Dubrava;
• Dwarf;
• Tsar Peter;
• Lark;
• New Year;
• Snowstorm;
• De Barao black;
• Union 8;
• La-la-fa.

Cucumbers that can withstand coolness and drafts:

• Crane;
• Thumb Boy;
• Masha;
• Goosebump;
• Natalie;
• Pasadena;
• Diva;
• Nightingale;
• Sister Alyonushka.

Landing technology and scheme

For cucumbers and tomatoes, it is important to highlight separate areas. Cucumbers are best planted on the north side of the room. Here, their shoots will be protected from drafts, and less sunlight will reduce moisture evaporation. But even without sunlight, seedlings should not be left.

You can divide cucumbers and tomatoes with partitions by pulling the film from top to bottom. And break the soil into 2 parts using a sheet of slate - this will prevent excess moisture from entering the tomatoes.

It is advisable to plant the seedlings in a checkerboard pattern, keeping the distance between plantings for cucumbers at 25-30 cm, and for tomatoes - from 40 cm. You can also separate the "neighbors" with a film.

Tomatoes are planted deeper (up to the first leaf) in the center and southern part of the greenhouse. So for them there is enough fresh ventilated air without excess moisture.

Tall varieties are best planted at a distance of 60 cm between bushes. Small plants - on the front line so that taller plants do not shade them.

Attention! When planting, cucumbers should be fed with organic matter. Humus gives off heat, which is essential for cucumber shoots.

When planting cucumbers, it is recommended to add half a glass of hydrogel to each well. This will increase soil moisture for them, reducing the excess moisture supply for tomatoes.

Features of care, soil preparation, top dressing, formation of bushes

Correct and timely watering, top dressing, airing, loosening and pruning of bushes are extremely necessary for plant life:

1. Crops must be processed on time to prevent infectious diseases and insects.
2. It is important to monitor temperature and humidity regularly.
3. Tomatoes are in dire need of regular ventilation. At this time, it is recommended to protect their neighbors with a partition or film.
4. Cucumbers need moisture in the soil and air. Experienced vegetable growers recommend adding hydrogel under the cucumbers when planting or covering the soil around them with mulch.
5. It is imperative to form bushes in order to enhance the growth of fruit ovaries, and not a green bush.
6. Tomatoes are fertilized 4 times per season, cucumbers - 6 times.

Reference. 7-8 days after planting, the plants should be tied up.

Combination conditions

For a conflict-free existence of cucumbers with tomatoes, it is important to observe a number of conditions:

1. Do not let the whips of the cucumber seedlings block the light to the "neighbors"
2. Plant tomatoes near the entrance, as this is the most ventilated place. Vigorous ventilation removes excess moisture from the air in the greenhouse and protects plants from diseases.
3. Purchase tomato seedlings that are immune to late blight.
4. Manually pollinate flowering plants: shake them easily in sunny warm weather.
5. Place the cucumbers in the most windproof place - at the end of the greenhouse.

Separation by film

The beds can be divided using foil... Polyethylene is stretched from the ground to the roof.With this method, a microclimate is created for each plant species. For tomatoes, it is important to provide for the possibility of regular ventilation.

In addition to air division of the territory, the soil should also be partitioned. It is advisable to delimit the beds with varietal plants.

Separate landing

You can do without plastic wrap. It is enough to place the plants correctly: plant tomato bushes in the south and in the central part, and cucumber seedlings in the north. Then the amount of evaporated moisture will decrease, and it will be enough for cucumbers.

How to get a good harvest when grown together

To get a good harvest, it is important to create a warm and humid microclimate for cucumbers, and a well-ventilated and dry microclimate for tomatoes. This can be done in two ways:

1. In the greenhouse, three beds about 60 cm wide are laid out with aisles between them. The middle one is taken away for cucumbers, so a trellis is constructed on it from stakes and a special plastic net for climbing plants. The side beds are for tomatoes. In order to have more light in the greenhouse, it is better to plant undersized varieties. As they grow, tomato bushes are tied to stakes. Humidity in the greenhouse should be a compromise for both plants - 70%, daytime temperature - at + 25 ° C, night - + 19 ° C.
2. The greenhouse is divided into two parts, separating the crops from each other with a double curtain made of film, and the vegetables are seated in opposite beds.... For the tomato half, choose a section of the greenhouse with a large number of vents and closer to the exit. In this case, you can plant tall varieties of tomatoes.

Experienced agronomist tips

To create a microclimate suitable for both crops, vegetable growers advise using a hydrogel when planting cucumbers. Its crystals absorb excess moisture with lightning speed.

If the cucumbers have already been planted, and the hydrogel has not been added, mulching is used. After the appearance of cucumber sprouts, mowed grass is scattered around them - mulch. This helps to reduce the frequency of watering for cucumbers while retaining warmth and moisture.

Conclusion

Cucumbers and tomatoes require completely different conditions for ripening, so planting them in the same polycarbonate greenhouse is difficult, but possible. To get a rich harvest, it is important to consider the needs of both crops, choose the most hardy varieties and follow the planting scheme.