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Attempt grow cucumbers in a greenhouse for beginners it may not be successful. A familiar crop in closed ground conditions can become capricious, not bear fruit, or get sick and die. This is due to a lack of ultraviolet rays in the early stages of planting, too high a temperature in the summer, as well as an elementary mistake by a novice gardener when selecting seeds. Proper care of plants also includes such an important event as the formation of a cane.
Preparing to plant cucumbers in a greenhouse
If the greenhouse has already been used for growing plants, then its preparation should begin in the fall. Processing must be carried out taking into account the type of previous crop. When growing melons, watermelons, zucchini and similar plants from the pumpkin family, it is best to completely remove the soil, thoroughly clean the equipment parts and treat the greenhouse with antifungal drugs (FAS type smoke bombs with sulfur, 7% solution of copper sulfate). This will prevent cucumbers from becoming infected with root rot, gray rot, powdery mildew, etc.
Crops unrelated to cucumbers have practically no diseases in common with them, so preparing a greenhouse for winter can be done according to the usual rules:
- remove the remains of plants, water the ridges with a solution of copper sulfate;
- fumigate or spray the interior of the greenhouse with disinfectants and antifungal drugs;
- if you plan to plant plants in early spring, prepare the beds by removing all the soil from them.
Soil excavation should be done in order to facilitate the work of forming ridges for cucumbers planted in early spring. In an unheated greenhouse, the soil will freeze, making it difficult to cultivate before the start of the season.
Spring preparation of beds in a greenhouse
To prevent tender seedlings from freezing when the outside temperature drops below 0°C, when planting early (beginning of April), even in closed ground, it is necessary to use the “warm ridges” technology. Its essence lies in the fact that fresh manure is loaded into a box or pit made on the site of the future ridge in the greenhouse. This substance, with slight compaction, begins to decompose with intense heat release, which has been used by gardeners since time immemorial.
The manure needs to be leveled and compacted a little.
It should not be compacted vigorously, as this prevents the flow of oxygen into the biofuel layer and makes heating impossible.
If the lumps of manure are frozen, then after loading and compacting it is necessary to thoroughly water the ridge with very hot water (boiling water) at the rate of 10 liters per 1-2 m². After this, cover its surface with polyethylene or covering material and leave for 2-3 days. During this period, microorganisms that cause rotting begin to vigorously activity in the manure. The bed becomes very hot to the touch, and a slight haze of vapor may appear above it.
The finished layer of biofuel must be covered with fertile soil. The thickness of this layer should be 25-30 cm.Arcs should be installed on top of the ridge directly in the greenhouse and covering material or film should be stretched. After the soil temperature is close to +20°Now you can start sowing seeds or planting cucumber seedlings.
Selection and planting of cucumbers in a greenhouse
Not all varieties of cucumbers are suitable for growing indoors. Some of them are bee-pollinated, that is, pollen must be transferred by insects. These plants are intended only for outdoor use; it is impossible to harvest from them in a greenhouse.
Modern hybrids for greenhouses are usually marked “for closed ground.” In the description of the variety you can read the incomprehensible word “parthenocarpic”. This means that this variety is capable of producing fruits without the participation of insects. These are the cucumbers that are needed for those who want to grow an early vegetable in a greenhouse.
Hybrids created for cultivation in the northern regions and Siberia are very undemanding in terms of lighting. Among them are varieties "Brawler", "Ant", "Twixie", "Hally" and many others. Multiple fruit varieties may be more whimsical "True Friends", "Merry Family" and similar ones, which produce several ovaries in a node. Long-fruited hybrids are very good for early plantings. "Malachite", "Biryusa", "Stella".
Before planting, the selected seeds should be soaked for 20-30 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate (pink) for disinfection. After this, wrap them wet in a wet cloth and leave for 12-24 hours in a warm place (+30… +35°WITH). During this time, many seeds will hatch and a root will appear. Such planting material should be selected for sowing.
Sowing cucumbers in a garden bed
This stage is very important. At the time of sowing, it is important not to break off the tips of the roots, so it must be done very carefully.A hole for a seed can be made with your finger; its depth should not exceed 1.5 cm. The distance between the holes is 70-90 cm. If there are a lot of seeds, you can put 2 seeds in each hole. Water the crops with a small amount of water (0.5 cups per hole) and cover the ridge again with covering material.
After 3-5 days, the seeds will germinate and plants with two rounded cotyledon leaves will be visible in the garden bed. After the seedlings rise above the soil surface, you need to select and leave a stronger plant, and remove the excess. Young cucumbers carefully removed from the soil can be transplanted to another place, if necessary. Caring for plants at this time consists of timely watering with warm water (as soon as the soil surface dries out).
Forming a lash in a greenhouse
To effectively use the areas allocated for planting cucumbers, it is customary to tie them to a trellis and pinch out the side shoots according to the pattern.
To do this, you need to stretch a horizontal rope or wire over each row of cucumbers. From there, lower a thin twine down to each bush and secure it at the base of the stem. Until the lash reaches a length of 15-20 cm (4 true leaves), it is enough to wrap it around the twine once.
At this level (zero zone) it is necessary to remove all ovaries and side shoots, leaving only the main stem. Pinching should be done as soon as the shoot bud becomes noticeable. This does not harm the plant at all. Next, form the lash as follows:
- Near the 5th leaf (first zone) leave the shoot primordium, allowing it to grow to 1-2 leaves and leave 1 ovary. Pinch the shoot and do the same until there are 8 leaves on the main stem.
- In the next 3-4 nodes (second zone) you can leave 3 leaves and 2 ovaries for each.
- After 11-12 leaves (third zone) and up to the trellis, 3-4 leaves and 3 cucumbers are left on the side shoots.
- When the main stem outgrows the height of the trellis, it needs to be bent over it, lowering it down. Form into one stem.
As the stem grows in length and new leaves form, the cucumber vine begins to lose its lower leaves. They become lethargic and turn yellow. Starting from the first tiers, they must be removed as they die, without allowing them to rot or dry out. Thus, constant air exchange will be maintained in the lower levels, which will prevent fungal diseases. This is especially true in cool, rainy weather.
Caring for cucumbers in a greenhouse in general is not particularly difficult, even for beginners. The main requirement of this crop is an abundance of moisture. Cucumbers need to be watered daily, in the morning, with warm water. They also love watering the leaves, which increases air humidity.
In hot weather, when temperatures can rise to 30°C, the greenhouse must be ventilated without the formation of drafts. Exceeding this mark makes the formation of fruits slower, and already formed ovaries may fall off. To reduce the temperature, you can shade the greenhouse during the hottest midday hours, constantly monitoring the thermometer. The optimal readings for the device are +20…+25°WITH.
