When growing cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse, it is important to tie up the stems of these plants in a timely manner. The yield of plants depends on this, as well as the quality of fruits grown indoors.
The need for a procedure
Beginning gardeners do not always understand why it is necessary to tie up cucumbers growing in a greenhouse, because their fruits may well form and ripen while lying on the ground. The bottom line is that indoor air temperature and humidity are much higher. In such conditions, various fungal diseases develop faster.
If, under such conditions, the leaves lie directly on the ground, they will begin to rot there. Over time, such foliage dies off. This will result in fewer flowers and fruits appearing on the bushes. In addition, cucumbers will ripen much more slowly. If you tie the shoots to the supports in a timely manner, this problem can be avoided.
In addition, it is worth noting that the garter facilitates the process of watering and loosening the soil. Caring for cucumbers becomes much easier. During ripening, the fruits also receive more light. Because of this, they become more delicious. Experienced gardeners also note that fruits that do not come into contact with the soil are stored much longer.
Deadlines and ground rules
It is very important to tie cucumbers growing in a polycarbonate greenhouse in a timely manner. If the gardener hesitates, it will be quite difficult for him to form a bush in the future, because the shoots lose their elasticity over time and become very brittle. When a gardener tries to tie such vines to a support, they simply break and fall to the ground.
As a rule, gardeners tie up cucumbers 2-3 weeks after germination. At this time, the length of the shoots is 20-25 centimeters. The first tendrils and green leaves are already appearing on them.
The bushes at this time are already quite strong.
In order not to harm the plants, in the process of their garter, you should adhere to the following rules.
- Prepare a support for tying bushes in advance. By installing the trellis at the right time, you can avoid damaging the fragile root system of cucumbers.
- Having fixed the shoots, they should not be moved in the future. Thus, they can be easily injured. Because of this, they turn yellow and quickly dry out.
- When forming bushes, the tendrils of plants growing nearby should not be allowed to intertwine. It is recommended to inspect the area with cucumbers regularly, separating the shoots from each other.
- Before tying the bushes, the foliage that grows on the bottom of the shoots should be carefully removed. Usually gardeners cut off everything that grows below the 5th leaf. The cut sites must be disinfected using a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- Attach the stems should not be too tight. If the stem is pulled, it will begin to die. Because of this, the gardener may be left without a crop.
- Winding the stems around the support, it is important to move only counterclockwise.
If you follow these simple rules, the cucumber bush will quickly adapt to new conditions.
Tools and materials
Before starting work, it is important to prepare all the necessary materials and tools.
- Supports for cucumbers. They can be both iron and wooden. In the second case, it is worth using bars or pegs made of hardwood. Before deepening into the soil, it is important to treat them with an antiseptic. Metal pipes for protection are covered with a thin layer of oil paint. Plastic strips are not used as supports, because they cannot withstand a serious load.
- Wire. For garter cucumbers, it is worth picking up a wire that does not sag when pulled. It is very important that the wire is not too thin. Otherwise, it can damage thin and fragile shoots.
- Π‘Π΅ΡΠΊΠ°. Gardeners prefer to use plastic or metal mesh. It can be bought at a specialized store. To fix the creeper, you should immediately buy convenient small hooks.
- Cords. You can also use twine or synthetic cord to tie vines. It is inexpensive and of high quality. But you need to work with the cord carefully. Do not press too hard on the shoots, so as not to damage them. It is also worth remembering that, getting into the soil, this material does not decompose.
- Pieces of cloth. To fix cucumber vines, you can use pieces of cotton fabric. They are soft and not able to damage thin shoots. In addition, the fabric does not slip on the surface of the vines. As a rule, gardeners simply cut unnecessary things into thin strips. The width of each of them should be within 5 centimeters, the length – about 20 centimeters.
In addition to basic tools, a gardener may also need nails and a hammer. They are needed to attach the net and cords.
Garter Methods
There are several basic ways to tie cucumbers growing in a polycarbonate greenhouse. Each scheme has its own characteristics.
The vertical
Owners of spacious greenhouses with high ceilings can tie up cucumbers in this way. To begin with, support posts are installed at different ends of the beds. A cross bar is attached to them from above. The finished design resembles the letter “P”. If the cucumber bed is long, an additional support is also installed in the middle of the row. A strong rope is pulled between the supports. Its edges are tied with knots. Pieces of rope are lowered from it to the ground. It is along them that cucumber shoots will trail in the future. It is very important that each bush has its own support.
Some gardeners do things differently. They drive in a tall stake next to each plant. It is on it that cucumber vines are weaved. For reliability, the shoots are additionally fixed with small pieces of tissue. After the plant reaches the desired height, its top must be carefully pinched.
It is very easy to care for such bushes. They receive a sufficient amount of light and moisture, so cucumbers grow large on them. It is also very convenient to collect fruits from such a bush.
Horizontal
This garter method is suitable for low greenhouses. In their work, gardeners use supports about 40 centimeters high, a strong rope or wire, and any means for fixing the vine.
Pegs are set around the perimeter of the beds on which cucumbers grow. The distance between them should be within 50 centimeters. The supports are placed opposite each other and connected to each other with a rope or wire. Several rows of ropes are usually attached to the pegs. The lower one should be at a height of 30 cm from the ground.
Having prepared such a support, the stems of the plant can be attached to it. They are neatly wrapped around the rope. Lateral shoots that appear over time are tied up to the next level. It is very important to tie each shoot.
Otherwise, they will tangle.
Mixed
This method is not very popular among gardeners.. It is usually used in greenhouses where plants are arranged in a circle. The finished structure with supports has the shape of a cone.
To create it, you need to drive 9 supports into the soil. A grid with large cells is pulled over such a design. The whiskers of the bush are threaded into these holes. In the future, the bush grows up, gradually braiding the structure. The finished building has the shape of a hut or pyramid. That is why this method of tying cucumbers is also often called pyramidal.
When choosing this method of attaching shoots, it is worth making sure that the mesh is securely fixed. Otherwise, the structure may collapse over time under the weight of shoots with young fruits growing on them.
With twine
This method of tying bushes, on the contrary, is popular among gardeners. The process of creating a support consists of the following steps.
- Along the edges of the row you need to drive in metal or wooden supports.
- Next, along the beds you need to stretch the wire. It must be securely fixed on the tops of the supports.
- Pieces of twine are tied to this support.
- A low stake is fixed next to each plant. The lower edge of the twine is tied to its top. A vine is carefully tied to its base. In the future, cucumber shoots will stretch upward, braiding the base prepared for them.
It is very important not to pull the twine too tight. It should sag slightly.
On arcs
If a large number of cucumbers are grown in a greenhouse, it makes sense to tie them to arched structures. Arcs can be made from any durable material. The height of the finished structure should be within 80 centimeters. Arcs are usually located at a small distance from each other. They are tied with strong ropes. They must be securely fastened. It is to these ropes that the shoots of young plants are attached. Growing, cucumbers braid arcs not only on the sides, but also on top.
Using a fence
To create a support, a strong trellis mesh is used. It must be securely fastened to the frame. Supports are usually installed at the edges of the row. A wire is stretched between them. After that, the mesh is fixed on the frame.
A big plus of this method is that only the largest stems need to be tied.
In the future, the shoots will independently trail upward.
Decorative
This method of garter cucumbers is considered one of the most unusual. Wooden slats are fixed at a short distance from each other. Using them, you can form a cube, heart or any other shape. A rope is tied to the pegs. Further, cucumbers are planted inside the resulting figure. In the future, the lashes wrap around the structure from the inside and outside.
If everything is done correctly, cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse will grow large and healthy.
