To get a high yield of cucumbers, it is not enough to buy excellent seeds. One of the methods for increasing yields is to take into account the biological characteristics of the crop and observe the conditions necessary for the growth and development of plants. It is important to remember that cucumbers are a heat-loving, moisture-loving, light-loving and soil-demanding culture.
When choosing varieties or hybrids of cucumbers, trust professionals, buy seeds from reliable companies.
How to choose a variety of cucumbers
Both bee-pollinated and parthenocarpic hybrids are suitable for open ground. It is better to plant parthenocarpics in the greenhouse so as not to be left without a good crop of cucumbers due to the lack of pollinating insects in the greenhouse. And always plant several varieties and hybrids. Experiment, evaluate, choose!
What temperature do cucumbers need
The optimum air temperature during seed germination is about +25°С, during the period from germination to the beginning of flowering, a temperature of about +23°С is needed, during the flowering period, about +20 … +25°С. Cucumber plants do not tolerate low positive temperatures, and even more so frosts. At a temperature of about + 10 ° C, plant growth stops.
Do not rush to plant seedlings in open ground. It is very important to choose the right date for sowing or planting seedlings in a permanent place, especially in open ground. In the central zone of Russia, cucumbers are planted in greenhouses and greenhouses without heating starting from mid-May. And they start sowing or planting cucumbers in the open field as soon as the threat of frost passes and the soil warms up – this is the beginning of June or the end of May.
Of course, you can plant seedlings earlier, but no one canceled frosts, and in such cases you should not rush!
Can cucumbers grow in the shade
The lack of light leads to a slowdown in the growth and development of plants. Crowded plantings, prolonged cloudy weather, low light combined with high night temperatures provoke the appearance of male flowers. Do not thicken the planting of cucumber, hoping to get more yield, the effect will be the opposite. In addition, cucumbers can turn out crooked! Learn how to grow even and beautiful cucumbers.
In a greenhouse, 3-4 plants per square meter is optimal. Tie up and be sure to form cucumber plants in the greenhouse.
How to feed cucumbers to get a good harvest
For a high yield of cucumbers, light-textured, neutral (pH 6,5-7,0), humus-rich soils are needed. Cucumbers are categorically not suitable for heavy soils with a close level of groundwater.
When growing seedlings, use a quality nutrient mixture seasoned with fertilizers. To obtain healthy seedlings, fertilizing with complex fertilizers (5-0,1% solution) is carried out every 0,15 days. Before planting, 1-2 buckets of humus or compost are added per 1 m2, add 10-20 g of complex fertilizer. If organic matter is not available, increase the dose of complex fertilizer (30-60 g per 1 m2).
After planting the plants in a permanent place, feed the cucumbers every 7-14 days until the ovaries form, combining this operation with watering. In the initial period of fruiting, use 30-40 g of complex fertilizers per 10 liters of water.
During the period of mass fruiting, the doses of dressings are changed: 40-50 g per 10 liters of water are required. In case of prolonged cloudy weather, fertilize the leaf with complex water-soluble fertilizers with trace elements at a concentration of 0,1% (1 g of fertilizer per 1 liter of water).
What is Cucumber Missing?
- If the plants grow poorly, the stems are thin, the leaves are pale green, the ovary turns yellow – there is a lack of nitrogen. With an excess of nitrogen, the plants “fatten”, growth increases, the leaves are large, and flowering and fruiting are delayed.
- With a lack of phosphorus growth of plants and fruits slows downleaves are small, dark green.
- With a lack of potassium on the leaves, a pale yellow border is noticeable along the edge of the leaf.
How to properly water cucumbers
Regular watering is the key to a good harvest, since with a lack of moisture, plant growth stops, the ovaries fall off. But it should be remembered that waterlogging also negatively affects the development of plants, the aeration of the root system decreases, and the root hairs die off.
In greenhouses, various methods of irrigation are used: from a hose, sprinkling, drip irrigation. Cucumbers should be watered under the root in the morning with warm water (+ 23 … + 24 ° С). Before flowering and fruiting, the cucumber requires moderate humidity, and therefore the plants are watered 1-2 times a week (after 3-4 days). With the beginning of the fruiting period, it is necessary to water the cucumbers more often, after 2-3 days. Focus on weather conditions. In hot weather, cucumbers need daily watering. In cool and rainy weather, reduce the frequency and volume of watering. Irrigation rates: from 4-5 to 10-12 l/m2.
How to harvest cucumbers
Irregular and infrequent collections contribute to lower yields. It is advisable to collect cucumbers daily (at least 3 times a week), preventing the formation of overgrowth. It is important not to injure and move the whips as little as possible. Immediately remove deformed and diseased fruits.
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Diseases of cucumbers
In order for cucumbers to give large yields and bear fruit for a long time, it is necessary to treat diseases in a timely manner. And there are a lot of them.
Mučnistaâ rosa
A common fungal disease appears as a white, sometimes reddish powdery coating on the upper side of the leaves. Diseased leaves dry out prematurely. The harmfulness of the disease increases during dry and hot weather. It has a negative effect on plants and increases their susceptibility to powdery mildew by watering cold water.
Powdery mildew prevention. Avoid dense plantings and overfeeding with nitrogen fertilizers. Destroy plant debris, weed weeds. Do not allow sudden fluctuations in temperature, waterlogging, stagnation of air.
Powdery mildew control measures. Spray plants with fungicides that are registered and recommended for powdery mildew.
Fuzarioz
Fungal disease (pathogen) Fusarium oxysporum), common in greenhouses. It affects both seedlings and adult plants. Before flowering, they look healthy, then they begin to fade. The roots die off, the stems dry up, the leaves hang.
Fusarium prevention. Choose fusarium-resistant varieties of cucumbers. Disinfect the soil in the greenhouse.
Fusarium control measures. Heavily damaged plants should be destroyed immediately (it is better to burn).
Gray mold
A common fungal disease of many vegetable crops (pathogen Botrytis cinerea). At the same time, large brown spots form on the leaves, the shoots rot. Fruits at high humidity are covered with brown, increasing in size wet spots with a moldy gray coating.
Prevention of gray rot. Don’t thicken your crops. Maintain optimal temperature and humidity conditions. When watering, avoid getting water on the plants.
Measures to combat gray mold. Sprinkle the affected areas with crushed charcoal or ash. If the effect is insufficient, treat the plants with fungicides. If the disease progresses, cut off severely affected shoots and destroy plant debris.
Peronosporoz, or downy mildew
Downy mildew, or peronosporosis, is caused by many species of oomycete pseudofungi from the peronosporaceae family (Downy mildew). Leaves, shoots, pedicels, receptacles, rarely buds and flowers are affected.
The causative agent of peronosporosis persists (overwinters) for a long time in the affected shoots and fallen leaves. In closed ground, the development of the disease is promoted by high humidity, sharp fluctuations in temperature and excess nitrogen. Under favorable conditions for pathogens, the spread of the disease can occur, primarily on unstable varieties.
When the disease occurs on the upper side of the leaves, vague, shapeless (sometimes angular), colorless, pale yellow, slightly convex spots form. Often the spots have a weakly pronounced border. Growing, they can merge into one large spot in the entire leaf. Affected leaves often wrinkle, acquire a corrugated shape and occasionally even twist into a tube, dry out prematurely and fall off (if the central vein is affected).
Prevention of downy mildew. Remove weeds from the area. Collect and destroy fallen leaves, as well as affected shoots and dead plants. Use nitrogen fertilizers sparingly. Carry out autumn digging of the soil with the turnover of the reservoir. Alternate crops on separate ridges. In greenhouses and winter gardens, observe a constant temperature regime with systematic ventilation. If a disease is detected, water should not get on the leaves when watering.
Downy mildew control measures. Spraying plants during the growing season with Ordan.
Cucumber pests
Aphids on cucumbers
Shoots are bent and slow down growth. Leaves wrinkle. Small insects sit in clusters on the tops of the shoots and on the underside of the leaves.
Prevention of aphids on cucumbers. Pull out the weeds. Observe agricultural practices in the care of crops.
Measures to control aphids on cucumbers. Spray insecticides Biotlin, Biotlin BAU, Fitoverm.
Tobacco thrips on cucumbers
Small, about 1 mm in size, insects and light angular spots appear on the leaves. With the development of the lesion, the foliage turns brown and dries. Thrips also contribute to the spread of the mosaic virus.
Prevention of tobacco thrips on cucumbers. Observe crop rotation. Dig and loosen the soil regularly. Destroy weeds.
Control measures for tobacco thrips on cucumbers. Use insecticides: Biotlin, etc.
spider mite
Ticks predominantly live on the underside of leaves. They braid them with a thin web and suck the juice out of them. First, whitish dots form on the leaves, then they become larger, turning into spots. Eventually the leaves turn yellow and dry up.
Prevention of spider mites on cucumbers. Fight weeds Destroy crop residues.
Control measures for spider mites on cucumbers. Use Kleshchevit, Fitoverm, etc. When spraying, pay special attention to the underside of the foliage.
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