Rules for feeding cucumbers with chicken droppings in the open field and in the greenhouse

Cucumbers, like other garden crops, require proper care and nutrition. Vegetable growers often wonder how and with what to feed cucumbers in order to get a rich harvest. One of the common and available fertilizers is chicken manure. Whether it can be used and how to do it correctly, read our article.

Is it possible to feed cucumbers with chicken droppings

Chicken manure is not suitable for fertilization for all crops.... It contains a high content of urea, which is not tolerated by all plants. But for cucumbers, this is a good feeding: it solves a number of problems in the process of growing and ripening fruits.

Reference. Chicken excrement is not inferior in quality to cow dung and purchased fertilizers.

Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of feeding cucumbers with chicken droppings.

The pluses include:

1. The presence of trace elements such as nitrogen, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium and cobalt. They increase the immunity of cucumbers against fungal diseases and harmful insects, accelerate the growth and set of green mass of the plant.
2. Beneficial effect on soil structure. Excellent solubility helps the vigorous growth of the bush and increases the yield of cucumbers.
3. Destruction of yeasts and molds in the soil, thereby protecting plants from diseases.
4. Saves time and money. Unlike complex fertilizers, which are used every year, a single soil cultivation with chicken manure is enough for 2-3 years.
5. Naturalness and environmental friendliness.
6. Easily absorbed by the plant and accelerates the ripening process by 1-2 weeks.

Cons of using chicken droppings:

1. It may contain weed seeds, which will subsequently sprout in the garden.
2. Chicken manure cannot be combined with fertilizers such as lime, Nitroammofoska, saltpeter, Ammophos, ammonium sulfate and Diammophos. They will reduce its effectiveness.
3. The presence of infectious agents, incl. helminths and salmonellosis.

It can be useful:

When you need to feed cucumbers with urea

Top dressing for cucumbers in the greenhouse during fruiting

Why is it useful to feed cucumbers with ammonia

How to properly prepare a feeding solution

If you keep chickens yourself or have somewhere to get fresh droppings, remember that the process for preparing a fertilizing solution will differ from fertilizing made from ready-made granulated droppings.

Granular litter

Pros of finished fertilizer:

• lack of unpleasant odor;
• absence of pathogenic bacteria, larvae, helminths;
• weed seeds will not sprout due to heat treatment;
• he has a much longer shelf life;
• the methods of preparation and fertilization are indicated on the package.

Granules are used both in dry form and in dissolved form... Dry granules are scattered on the ground before digging in the fall.

Preparation of infusion

The infusion is prepared depending on the stage of plant development.

For feeding cucumbers at the initial stage, starting from seedlings to flowering plants, the solution is prepared in the proportion: 1 kg of droppings per 50 liters of water... For flowering cucumbers, during the budding period and the appearance of ovaries, 1 kg is already bred per 100 liters of water. Such a solution is infused during the day. Consumption - about 1 liter per bush.

Important! After feeding with infusion, the bushes must be watered with water.

Homemade chicken manure solution

If you are using fresh chicken poop, it is important to maintain proportionssince the concentrated solution can burn the roots of the cucumber.

Solution preparation methods at home:

1. Fermented mixture. We take chicken manure in dry form and fill it with water in a ratio of 1:20 and remove it in a dark place. We regularly monitor the fermentation process. As soon as the liquid stops bubbling, and this is after 2-3 weeks, the solution is ready. After straining, you can water the bushes.
2. Infusion. It prepares faster in time, is most effective during the period of growing green mass. For infusion, take rotted droppings, fill with water, mix thoroughly and let it brew for 2-3 days. The finished infusion is light brown in color, like weakly brewed tea. If it turns out darker, dilute with water to the desired consistency.
3. The solution is also prepared from liquid chicken manure. To do this, collect chicken excrement and immediately fill it with water (0.5 kg of droppings per 10 liters of water). We insist for 4-5 days and water the seedlings.

Read also:

How to feed ashes to cucumbers

How to feed cucumbers for their record yield

Fertilization timing

The basic rule for fertilizing cucumbers is that everything is a good measure... Do not overdo it, monitor the condition of the seedlings and bushes, their appearance will tell you everything:

1. We carry out the first feeding during the period when four leaves appear on the bushes. Pour an aqueous solution of chicken manure strictly under the root.
2. The second time we feed the cucumber bushes during the flowering period.
3. For the third time we apply top dressing during the period of the appearance of the first fruits.
4. For the fourth time, you can feed the cucumbers if new fruits have ceased to appear.

Step-by-step instructions for fertilizing cucumbers with chicken droppings

Regardless of where the cucumbers are grown, in a greenhouse or in the open field, the rules for feeding and preparing the solution are the same.

Important! When grown in a greenhouse, cucumbers are first fed at the planting stage. Feeding cucumbers with chicken droppings in the open field is carried out after the first leaves appear, but before flowering.

Fertilization Algorithm:

1. Water the wells with a pre-prepared working solution.
2. We plant seedlings in the holes.
3. Water each bush with water to avoid scalding the plant roots.
4. During the flowering period, before fertilizing, first water each bush with 2 liters of water, then water with a solution and again with water.
5. When feeding cucumbers during budding and fruiting, pour the solution not under each bush, but between the rows. Then pour water thoroughly again.

Tips from experienced summer residents

In order not to make the mistakes of most beginners, use the useful advice of experienced summer residents:

• do not fertilize cucumbers with fresh chicken feces. The concentration of uric acid in them is high and can burn the root system. Enter fertilizer only in the form of weakly concentrated solutions;
• chicken droppings have a very unpleasant pungent odor. To get rid of it, leave the droppings outdoors for a while to dissipate the smell;
• if, when applying fertilizer, the solution gets on the leaves of the cucumbers, immediately rinse them with water so that they do not get burned;
• Collect chicken droppings with straw or hay, and store in buckets or bags. If you want to keep it for a long time, start a special box.

Conclusion

Growing cucumbers is a simple matter, but it requires attention and care from gardeners. Many take 1-2 dozen chickens for the summer dacha period and use chicken manure as free fertilizer for cucumbers and other crops. If you do not have such an opportunity, use ready-made bird droppings in granules, the result will please you no less.

Correctly and timely fertilizing the cucumbers with chicken droppings, you will speed up the process of their ripening and increase the yield several times. A rich harvest!