Cucumbers are cultivated in the open field on almost every personal plot... After all, such cultivation at low costs and with proper care can not only provide a family with a useful and favorite vegetable, but also serve as an additional income. How to grow cucumbers and how to achieve high yield plants, what points in their cultivation to pay special attention to?

The specifics of growing vegetables outdoors: pros and cons

When growing cucumbers in the open field, you need to know that this pumpkin crop is very demanding on moisture, light and heat. She needs protection from the winds, shelter from unexpected frosts, and regular watering. It is not always possible to grow an excellent harvest, since it often depends on weather conditions. The process from seed to fruit is very time consuming. In addition, he requires the necessary knowledge of some features and secrets of growing whimsical plants.

Benefits of growing cucumbers outdoors:

• small costs;
• the ability to clear the field of weeds before sowing (since late sowing is carried out);
• huge sales market;

Disadvantages:

• demanding heat;
• the need for regular watering;
• dependence on weather conditions;
• manual collection

How to grow cucumbers outdoors: popular ways

Growing up in roost

With this method, cucumbers are grown in ridges. The lashes of cucumbers are evenly distributed on them and get enough sunlight for the growth of the whole plant. But the downside is that a change in the position of the lashes, which cannot be dispensed with when caring for them, leads to oppression of the leaves and delays the ripening of fruits in the future.

Tapestry method

This is a two-line method for planting cucumbers on a support. It is more time consuming, but has many advantages: it saves space, free air access, good lighting and convenient plant care, long-term fruiting and best quality fruits are less susceptible to disease.

With this method, tapes or slats are installed on metal supports, which are driven into the ground to a depth of 30–40 cm. Bushes are formed and a garter is made at a trellis height of 1 m. If the trellises are low, the cucumber stalks are thrown to the other side without forming and not tied. The trellis method is rightfully considered more productive than growing with sprouts.

Growing in barrels

Metal barrels are filled with rotted plant residues, compost, the last layer is a normal nutrient soil. The substrate is well spilled with water and covered for a week plastic wrap for warming up. 5 seeds are sown in a container or ready-made seedlings are planted, covering with a film. After the plants have started to grow, supports in the form of arcs are installed around the barrel. Plants are regularly watered as the soil dries up. This original method allows you to get an earlier harvest, saves space and time to care for the plant, the fruits are always clean, and the structure itself with curly cucumber lashes has a beautiful aesthetic appearance.

A barrel with a cucumber roof is an incredible sight!

Soil and bed preparation

Selecting a site for sowing seeds

It is necessary to choose a site for planting cucumbers carefully, taking into account all their whims. First of all, they select a well-lit place, protected from cold winds. If there is no such place, it is created artificially, planting tall plants in cucumber aisles. Usually corn and sunflower are used as protective barriers.

The correct crop rotation plays the main role in the preparation of future cucumber beds. In no case should you plant cucumbers, where beets and pumpkin crops were previously grown. Legumes (with the exception of beans), nightshade crops, and cabbage are good predecessors.

Soil preparation

Fertile soil must be taken care of in the fall. Cucumber responds well to organics. Therefore, when digging or plowing for the winter, compost is added to the future ridges, rotted manure 5–8 kg / m 2. If there is no manure, use mineral fertilizers(potassium salt - 200 g / m 2, superphosphate - 300 g / m 2). Plants do not like acidic and heavy clay soil. If there is no choice, it is diluted with limestone sand 10 kg / m. 2 Conversely, the sandy soil is diluted with the same amount of clay.

10 days before sowing, experienced gardeners recommend adding ammonium nitrate 100 g / m 2, and adding mullein (1:10) or chicken droppings (1:20) diluted in water to the planting holes.

Cucumber beds

How to choose the right type of future garden? It all depends on several factors: the depth of the underlying groundwater, the content of the soil, the willingness to perform labor-intensive work.

Ordinary beds

In areas with prepared soil, ridges are formed with a width of 1 m or 0.5 m and the same passages between the rows. For the strong

- on beds without insulation, we form them 90 - 100 cm wide, 20 - 25 cm high, leaving a path of 30 - 40 cm between them.However, narrow beds (45 cm each) with wide aisles (70 - 90 cm) are more suitable for vigorous plants ). Then the cucumber lashes will not intertwine, which means they will not be damaged. If the cucumbers are planned to be grown in a virgin place, it is better to form the beds in the fall, especially if the site is located in a damp lowland, or the soil in the garden is heavy clay, or the fertile layer is small.

Bed-ridges

Bed-ridges (width 0.4–0.5 m, height - 0.3 m) will be appropriate on clay soils and areas with surface groundwater. This contributes to the fact that it does not dry out root system cucumbers. Indeed, in such a bed, water flows from the ridges during irrigation and rains. The beds are convenient for maintenance: soil treatment, fertilization. Minus: in rainy weather, after leaf contamination, the development of cucumber diseases is possible.

Warm beds

Creation of warm ridges - perfect option for cucumbers. There are two types of such ridges:

1. They dig a trench (at least 1m), fill it with organic matter (use rotted and unmatched plant residues, manure) to the level of the track. In the future, the contents of the trench will not only nourish the plants, but also provide them with heat, saturate the root system with carbon dioxide.
2. Everything is done in the same way as in the previous version. A side is made around the trench with wooden planks or flat slate 20-30 cm above the ground level. High beds protect from the cold and retain moisture well.

Warm beds allow you to make a film cover, reduce the number of soil treatments, watering cucumbers is easy and simple. The large amount of work on the preparation of the garden is frightening.

Note: an area with heavy clay soil and shallow groundwater will trap moisture in the trench, which can lead to plant decay.

Photo gallery: arrangement of beds of different types

High bed Bed-comb Traditional bed

How to properly plant cucumbers in open ground with seeds

Seed preparation for sowing

Seeds of cucumbers, which are 2-3 years old, are considered productive, although they can remain viable for up to 8 years. When buying seeds, you should give preference to pelleted seeds, which do not need preparation for sowing. Other seeds are prepared for sowing in advance:

The process of preparing seeds for sowing	Description of the actions to be performed
Seed selection	The seeds are soaked (1 tablespoon of salt per 1 liter of water). Those not suitable for sowing float. Those who have fallen to the bottom are taken away.
Soak	The seeds are placed on a damp cloth (gauze) for swelling for 1 day.
Germination	Germinate on a damp cloth until small roots appear. When the roots reach half the length of the seed, they are planted in wet soil.Grow, subject to sowing in moist soil
Warming up	It occurs at a temperature of 40-50 о С for 6 hours
Disinfection	For 20 minutes, the seeds are soaked in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. After disinfection, they are thoroughly washed under running water.
Growth stimulation	Seeds are soaked in a growth stimulator (Epin, etc.) according to the instructions

note: early sowing is done with dry seeds to avoid frost damage. In later lines, with a steady heat, germinated seeds are sown into moist soil.

This is how correct germinated seeds look like.

Timing of landing in the ground

Sowing dates of cucumber seeds in open ground has long been associated with church holidays and folk signs... These days almost always coincide with auspicious days for sowing this crop in lunar calendar... You will never go wrong if you stick to these traditions. And using all the recommended dates and doing the seeding in stages, you will enjoy cucumbers until the first frost. Of course, the exception will be situations when the soil did not have time to warm up to 18 ° C, and the night temperature is below 12 ° C.

• The first sowing falls on May 19 and is dedicated to the memory of Job the Long-suffering;
• The day of Falalei-Borage, Gardener, Teplovei (June 2) will be suitable for the second stage of sowing;
• The last stage is mid-June. At this time, the poplar is blooming (folk sign). It is necessary to choose an auspicious day according to the lunar calendar.

Sowing seeds in open ground

For sowing cucumbers, a furrow is made with a hoe or manually with a depth of 3-4 cm. If possible, water it, spread the seeds at a distance of 15 cm from each other. First, they are covered with moist soil by 1.5, and then always dry, in order to avoid the appearance of a dry earthen crust, which holds the growth of seedlings and air access. The soil is well compacted.

Read also about what you can plant in the summer, in our article -

How and what to cover

Table: covering materials for cucumbers - advantages and disadvantages

How and when to cover

After sowing, the soil is sprinkled 3-4 cm with peat, rotted manure, sawdust, straw, that is, mulched. Mulching not only helps to retain moisture, protects against diseases and weeds, but is also the first shelter of crops from the cold (the soil temperature rises by several degrees during mulching). In order to preserve moisture and shelter from recurrent frosts and cold weather, crops are covered with plastic wrap or other covering material even before germination. The film is removed 2 times a week to air the beds. If the shelter is made of nonwovens, you do not need to remove it. After the emergence of young shoots, the shelter is removed. In early June, there are unexpected night frosts. Therefore, it is necessary to follow the weather forecast and make a shelter in time. You can regularly cover the cucumber beds at night until mid-June.

Good protection for seedlings - covering the garden bed after sowing with spunbond

Some gardeners use covering materials until the end of fruiting in order to create additional warmth, protection from rain and wind.

Care

After the cucumbers have 2 true leaves, the seedlings are thinned out. This is done carefully, manually pinching the sprout at the base so as not to damage the roots of neighboring plants. You can leave two plants in the nest. The number of plants per running meter depends on the variety of cucumbers. Strong-growing cucumbers (Buyan, Farmer, Boy - sleeping bag, etc.) require more area for the stems. Therefore, for 1 running meter, you can leave 2 plants with a distance of 0.5 m between them. For varieties with small lashes (Parker, Gherkin, etc.), a distance of 30 cm between plants is sufficient. After thinning, the soil in the beds is loosened to a depth of 10 cm. When 5–6 true leaves appear, the plants are spud, pouring moist soil to the base. Thanks to this operation, new roots are formed and the cucumbers receive additional nutrition.

How to form a bush

Formation of a cucumber bush

On the beds where bee-pollinated varieties of cucumbers with a large number of fruitful shoots are grown, it is necessary to pinch. Usually it is done after 4 sheets. Without this procedure, the development of many shoots with unlimited growth will lead to depletion of the plant and a decrease in yield. Hybrids do not need to be pinched.

How to form plants growing on a trellis?

It is much more difficult to form plants grown on a trellis. Strong-growing varietal cucumbers and hybrids are subject to formation. First of all, the lower leaves of up to 5 leaves are removed on the stem, which facilitates free access of air to the entire plant. In the process of growth, lateral shoots are alternately pinched, starting from the bottom. First, shoots are pinched after 2 leaves, then several shoots - after 3 leaves. And the last row of shoots - after 4 leaves. The upper lash of the central stem is lowered down, leaving 1 leaf on it and pinching it at a height of 1 m to the level of the soil. The result is a bush in the shape of a reverse pyramid. This is a professional and time consuming plant shaping scheme.

Cucumber bush after back-pyramidal formation looks compact and aesthetically pleasing

If you are not ready to do the shaping according to professional schemes, just pinch the plant after 6 leaves and tie the side shoots to the trellis. In this case, the lower 3 leaves are removed, and later additional shoots are cut out, appearing from the axils of the shoots. After removing leaves and shoots, stumps must not be left!

Note: Not all varieties require shaping and are not pinched.

How to tie

Nature has endowed this vegetable with tenacious tendrils that silently ask for support. This fact confirms the idea of ​​the need to tie the plant. A tied plant saves a lot of space, gives more shoots, is less susceptible to diseases, as a result of which the yield increases.

They begin to tie up the plant when it reaches a height of 30 cm and at least 4 true leaves appear. More adult plant when the garter breaks. Gently tie the stem under the first leaf, pull the rope loosely and tie a knot so that the young plant does not break out by the root. The best material for a garter belt is durable soft tissue 2-3 cm wide.

The simplest to perform is a horizontal garter. Between the supports driven into the ground, a rope is pulled in three rows. Young shoots are directed around the bottom row of the stretched rope.

With a vertical garter, a rope or wire is attached to the supports from above. Along the entire length of the wire, ropes are tied over each plant, the lower end of which is tied at the base of the stem.

The plant feels comfortable on the trellis-mesh, which is attached to the supports. Cucumbers on a high trellis (from 1 m) need a garter.

V recent times make supports of a triangular and spherical shape, which have a decorative appearance. The choice depends on your capabilities and imagination.

Cucumbers tied on a triangular support look original

How to water and feed

Watering

Water the cucumbers with settled, warm water (not lower than 22 C). In summer, water can be heated in the sun in any container. The best time to water is evening. But if the night temperature is too low, watering is done in the morning. Before flowering, plants that are grown in areas with light soil, it is enough to water 2 times a week, on clay - 1 time. But with the onset of flowering and fruiting, they require daily watering. In this case, the soil must be constantly moist to a depth of at least 10 cm. Of course, this takes into account the weather conditions.

Young plants can be watered with a watering can and a spray hose. Adults from such sprinkling can be exposed to fungal diseases. As a result of watering at the root, the root system becomes bare and gradually dies off, the yield of the vegetable decreases. Therefore, it is better to water them along the furrows, mulching the soil after watering.

Top dressing

For the first time, the plants are fed after the first loosening. It is better to feed with a solution of mullein (1:10) or chicken manure (1:20). If there is no organic fertilizers, complex mineral fertilizers (50 g / 10 l) are suitable. The solution is evenly distributed along the grooves around the roots at a distance of 10 cm from the plant. The second feeding is done during mass flowering. Both organic and mineral fertilizers are used. It is advisable to add 0.5 g to the bucket boric acid, 0.3 g of potassium permanganate, 30-40 g of potassium sulfate. The third feeding is done during fruiting. Together with organic matter, add 1 teaspoon of urea and potassium sulfate to the bucket. If necessary, after two weeks, the plants are fed for the fourth time in the same way as for the third feeding.

Whether cucumbers need feeding or not can be seen by their condition. Ugly fruits indicate a deficiency of potassium and nitrogen. The lack of phosphorus is indicated by the predominance of male ovaries on the lashes. In this case, it is useful to make foliar feeding of cucumbers.

Features for the regions, including the Moscow region

If in the south and in the central zone of Russia (including the Moscow region) it is quite possible to grow cucumbers in the open field in a seedless way, then in Siberia it is better to prepare seedlings. Short summer and the harsh climatic conditions of this region make it difficult to grow crops.

In the Moscow region, the soil warms up to 12 ° C, usually in last days May. Therefore, cucumbers are sown in this zone, starting from the end of May and ending with the second decade of June. In the south, sowing in open ground can be done already in the third decade of April, ending in the second decade of July. Warm, stable weather in the southern regions allows for several harvests of cucumber.

For the south, it is appropriate to take varieties from ultra early to late, in other regions, late varieties on ordinary beds in the open field simply will not have time to bear fruit. Therefore, the inhabitants of the central zone of Russia and Siberia are trying to grow plants mainly in warm ridges in order to get a harvest as early as possible. At the same time, preference is given to early and mid-season varieties, the ripening period for which does not exceed 50 days (for the central regions) and 40 days (for Siberia).

In order not to be left without a crop, it is necessary to select zoned hybrids and varieties that have been tested in the climatic conditions of the region. Usually 5-7 varieties are sown, among which there are bee-pollinated and parthenocarpic ones. For Siberia, the bee-pollinated varieties Altai, Brigantina, Far Eastern, Miranda, Chinese, Crocodile Gena hybrids, etc., are good for the climatic conditions of the Moscow region. Rodnichok, etc. Zoned varieties for the south - Success, Signal, Jubilee, Donskoy, Winner, etc.

Every year, new zoned cucumber hybrids are bred, surprising with their yield, disease resistance and unfavorable weather conditions. But we should not forget that in order to obtain excellent yields in any region, it is important not only to choose a zoned variety, but also to follow simple rules, from seed preparation to harvesting.

A teacher by education. My hobby is growing flowers. I try to experiment in the selection of garden and indoor plants(irises, saintpaulia). I share my experience with the viewers of my channel on You Tube.

Pledge successful harvest is the timely and correct planting of cucumbers with seeds for seedlings and in the ground. You will learn the rules and secrets of agricultural technology from this article.

Dates of planting cucumbers by seeds in the ground

Open ground

• Cucumbers are planted in open ground in the spring with the onset of heat - the soil by the time of planting should warm up well (at least 14 ° C), in middle lane this is after about 5-6 May. In the middle lane and northern latitudes for receiving early harvest they plant cucumbers through seedlings; in the southern regions, seeds are planted immediately in open ground. When grown in seedlings, you can harvest a couple of weeks earlier.
• Do not try to plant cucumber seeds in open ground early: this will not help to get earlier shoots, moreover, in cold soil, especially with heavy rainfall, cucumber seeds will rot and trample. And if they do, it will be much later than landing in a warm earth.

Cold and warm greenhouse

• You can prepare a greenhouse by covering it with foil or glass. The land warmed up in the greenhouse will allow you to sow cucumbers indoors in March-April, depending on the weather conditions in your region.
• Landing on a warm bed will allow you to plant cucumbers in a greenhouse even with persistent night frosts down to -3 ° C, however, it will be necessary to warm up the laid manure well so that it “ignites” and releases required amount heat.

Dates for planting cucumber seeds for seedlings

Cucumber seeds are planted 27-30 days before planting on permanent place: in a greenhouse, greenhouse or open ground.

• Seedlings for heated greenhouses are planted in February.
• For planting in an unheated greenhouse in early April, you need to plant cucumbers for seedlings in the first decade of March.
• For planting seedlings in a greenhouse in mid-late April, we plant seeds in the second decade of March.
• For planting in the ground in early to mid-May, we plant cucumber seeds for seedlings in the first or second decade of April.

Preparing a site for planting cucumbers

Seat selection

To get a good harvest, choose a sunny place for growing cucumbers that is protected from the northerly winds. It is favorable to place fast-growing tall crops (sunflowers, potatoes, legumes) around the perimeter of the site - they will help create the necessary microclimate.

Priming

Almost any soil will work, but it should be drained and breathable. Cucumber grows best on light, humus-rich soils. You can increase the nutritional value of the soil by introducing organic fertilizers: humus or compost.

Prepare the site in the fall. It is necessary to dig a shovel to the depth of the bayonet and make organic fertilizers, add some superphosphate and ash.

Predecessors

It is advisable to change the place for cucumbers every 5 years. The best predecessors are: early potatoes, tomatoes, peas, corn.

Preparing the ridges

We prepare the ridges immediately before or planting seedlings. The height of the beds should be 20-25 cm.If the soil is depleted, apply in equal proportions turf land, peat, humus, sawdust.

How to disinfect the soil before planting cucumbers

For disinfection, spill the soil with a solution of copper sulfate: 10 liters hot water(80-90 ° C) 1 tsp. powder. Add 3 liters of solution per 1 m². Leave for a day, and then sow or plant seedlings.

How to choose the right cucumber seeds for planting

The seeds are not difficult to collect on your own, and there is also a wide selection of varieties on sale. If there is no information on the purpose of the variety on the package, take a look at the photo: cucumbers suitable for use in fresh, covered with white pimples, darker for canning. Store seeds for no more than 2 years.

How to check the quality of the seeds:

• Place the seeds in a container with warm water- low-quality seeds will float to the surface; for sowing, use only seeds that have sunk to the bottom.

How to prepare cucumber seeds for planting

Whether it is necessary to soak cucumbers before planting, the gardener decides for himself: cucumbers grow well in warm soil, even without preliminary preparation... But if you want to win a few days and get the harvest early, you can pre-soak and harden the seeds.

How to properly soak cucumber seeds before planting:

• Place the seeds for a few minutes in a low-borne solution of potassium permanganate: this will disinfect them from diseases, then be sure to rinse.
• Dry, then hold for a couple of hours at a temperature of 60 ° C - this will accelerate the onset of fruiting.
• How to process cucumber seeds before planting: place the seeds in a cloth bag (gauze is suitable) and hold for about 12 hours in the following solution: 1 tsp for 1 liter of water. nitrophosphate and sifted wood ash... After that, rinse clean water... You can simply hold the cucumber seeds on damp gauze dipped in a growth stimulant solution: the effect will not be worse.
• How to germinate cucumber seeds before planting: place the seeds on a damp cloth and keep them at + 20 ° C so that they swell well. The seeds should not sprout, but slightly hatch.
• Then harden the seeds of the cucumbers before planting: keep them in the vegetable section of the refrigerator for a day and plant them carefully so as not to damage them.

Hybrid seeds do not need processing.

Sowing cucumber seeds in open ground

• It is recommended to sow seeds in open ground in 2-3 passes: this way you will insure against recurrent cold weather (cover the ridges with a film if frosts are foreseen) and get fruiting in different terms.
• cucumber seeds with the onset of real heat (mid-late April) before the beginning of summer, but keep in mind that summer heat can destroy the shoots if the soil dries up.

The ridges are already ready. Form planting holes or rows, spill with water.

Planting depth of cucumber seeds and the distance between them

• Deepen the seeds by 2 cm, maintain a distance in a row of about 6-8 cm, between rows 60-80 cm.
• You can place 4-6-8 seeds in one hole, leave 60-80 cm between holes.
• After planting the ridges, it is useful to mulch thin layer humus.
• For 10 m², you will need about 50 g of seed.
• When shoots appear, thin them out, leaving the strongest shoots at a distance of about 10-15 cm from each other.

Thickened planting of cucumbers does not reduce the yield, but only improves the conditions for the growth of the crop: the lashes evenly fill the space allotted to them, closing the ground, and thus a wonderful microclimate is created, moisture lingers under the leaves, cucumbers do not experience stress from overheating in the hot sun, provided timely watering.

The disadvantage of this method can only be called the difficulty of harvesting, you just need to leave wide aisles between the ridges in two rows, so that there is convenient access.

How to easily protect cucumbers from the heat

In regions with very hot summers, it is recommended to plant a cornice planting between cucumber ridges: plant it more often, every 20-30 cm, to create a dense "fence". Orient the ridges so that the midday sun casts the longest shadow from the "living fence".

Pinching cucumbers to increase yields

So that the lashes are not too long, and each cucumber bush is compact and with many side lashes, the central point of growth is above 5-6 leaves.

A simple way to plant cucumbers in open ground video:

Prepare the greenhouse in advance: dig up the bed and fertilize, loosen the ground with a rake, rake the breasts to the edges of the greenhouse. Cover the arcs with foil, press firmly with stone or bricks. Let the earth warm up. After a week, check: pierce the ground with your hand, if it is warm to the length of your palm, feel free to sow.

• Embedding depth 2 cm.
• Make or round holes with 5-6 seeds evenly distributed (distance between holes 60-80 cm)
• Or rows every 60-80 cm, the distance between seeds in a row is 6-8 cm.
• When the seeds sprout, we thin out the seedlings in rows up to 10-15 cm between the plants.

After the greenhouse is lightly watered with warm water (you can even hot) and quickly covered with a film. Watch the weather and in the bright sun, be sure to open the greenhouse partially or completely so that delicate plants do not "burn": burns from high temperatures will noticeably postpone the time of fruiting. In case of excessive heat, the seeds may die right in the ground and will not sprout.

Planting cucumber seeds for seedlings at home

Sow cucumber seeds for seedlings during March-April(for heated greenhouses - in February).

A nutritious soil mixture is required:

• 2 parts of peat and humus, 1 part of small sawdust, add 2 tbsp. l. wood ash and 1.5 tbsp. l. nitrophosphate.
• Mix all components thoroughly.

How to plant:

• in cassette cups, so that the plants do not dive afterwards. If you are planting in small cassettes, then transfer to large cups when the seedlings become cramped.
• Deepen the seeds by 1 cm, moisten the soil, cover the crops with foil.
• Lighting is required bright, but diffused, maintain warm temperature air. On short daylight hours, additional lighting is required.
• With the emergence of shoots, remove the shelter.
• When 2 leaves are formed, feed: dissolve 1 tsp in 1 liter of warm water. nitrophosphate or nitroammophoska.
• Water the seedlings once a week, completely moistening the entire volume of the soil in the cups, drain the excess water in the pan.
• Before planting in open ground, gradually accustom you to fresh air - take it out into the garden for several hours.

The seedlings will be fully ready in 27-30 days.

Planting cucumber seeds for seedlings video:

How to plant cucumber seedlings in the ground

• Water the plants well the day before planting.
• Choose a warm, clear day for planting.
• Carefully remove the cup from the earthen clod without breaking its integrity.
• Deepen only the roots into the ground, sprinkle the soil around the placed earthen clod, press lightly with your fingers. To prevent the plants from interfering with each other, keep a distance of 10-15 cm between them. Water.

Planting cucumber seedlings in open ground video:

Planting cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse video:

How to care for cucumbers

Weeding and loosening the soil

Plants need to be attentive. Remove weeds from the beds at all times. Loosen the soil regularly after watering, going 3-4 cm deeper. Be careful not to damage the roots and whips.

Watering

Cucumbers are hygrophilous. you need them regularly. From a lack of moisture, the taste of the vegetable deteriorates, and a bitterness appears. The leaves darken, fall off. It is best to irrigate in the morning or evening when the sun is not so active. Do not water cold water or with a strong jet from a hose. You need to irrigate the soil, not the plants themselves. The regularity of watering depends on the weather conditions. On average, you need to water every 2-3 days, during the fruiting period, do it more often: every evening or morning. If the water does not pass well, make punctures between the rows with a pitchfork.

Pinching

When the 5-6th leaf grows, you need to pinch the main shoot - this helps to strengthen the roots and active regrowth of lateral shoots.

Hilling

To prevent fungal diseases and maintain normal growth of the root system, the bushes should be spud several times per season.

How and what to feed cucumbers

In the greenhouse

When grown in a greenhouse, it is necessary to feed 5 times per season (organic or mineral fertilizers). The first feeding is carried out with the beginning of flowering, then - as it grows and fruiting. For the first feeding, it is recommended to use a solution: take 10 liters of water, add 1 tsp each. urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate, add 1 cup of mullein with a mushy consistency (instead of it, you can add 1 tbsp. l sodium humate).

In the open field

Cucumbers, on open area it is advisable to feed 3-4 times per season. Mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen are best suited. Apply the first top dressing when a couple of leaves appear, the second - with the beginning of fruit setting, then - during the fruiting period.

Choose a warm, clear day for fertilizing so that nutrients have successfully mastered.

Collect the fruits regularly (every other day) so that they do not outgrow, and the bush continues to bear fruit successfully. Store your cucumbers in a cool place.

Fermented grass

Highly good feeding obtained from fermented grass: collect more green weeds without seeds, put in a container and fill with water, let it ferment for a week and add a liter of solution with water under the plants in a ratio of 1:10.

Diseases of cucumbers: how to spray and treat

It is important to observe the agricultural technique of planting, to ensure proper watering and shading, and in greenhouses - ventilation, then the harvest will be good, and diseases and pests will not bother.

Cladosporium- the most common disease. The causative agent is a fungus, which is activated by high humidity and sudden changes in temperature.

The leaves of the plant, young cucumbers are covered with black spots with a gray bloom, the fruits grow curved. It is necessary to spray with a preparation containing benzimidazole.

Powdery mildew- a fungal disease in which the leaves are covered with a white bloom. Remove affected areas, spray with colloidal sulfur solution.

White rot- all parts of the plant are covered with a slippery whitish bloom, then rotting begins. This happens from excessive humidity in the air and soil, poor ventilation - if there is a pathogen in the soil, do not thicken the planting. The damaged areas should be removed, sprinkle the plant with fluff lime.

Root rot- at the beginning of the fruiting period at the base of the stem appears brown spot which extends further. This happens with excessive moisture. Powder the affected areas with chalk or ash. If the plant has died, it must be disposed of, treat the hole with a solution of copper sulfate.

Leaf mosaic- the leaves are covered with spots of light green or dark green, their surface becomes corrugated. Spots and bumps can also affect the fruit. Infection occurs if the seeds were not treated before planting, and weeds contribute to this. Sick plants will have to be disposed of. Spill the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Olive spot- the fruits are covered with brown sores. This happens when watering with cold water, due to high humidity, from drafts. Stop watering for 5 days. Treat with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.

Bacterial wilting- Plants wither and dry out very quickly. At night, the turgor can recover, but during the day the leaves and shoots wither again, soon completely die. The disease is caused by a bacterial infection. Cut the cucumber shoot: if you see white formations on the cut, this is definitely bacterial wilting. There is no cure for this disease, you need to immediately destroy all affected plants (burn) and scatter boiled wheat etched with carbaryl over the area - this will help to destroy the beetles that carry this dangerous disease... It will be possible to return the cucumbers to the same place only after three years.

Cucumber pests

Most often, pests are annoying when grown in greenhouses, greenhouses.

Among them: spider mite, melon aphid, whitefly. At the first detection of a pest, urgently carry out an insecticide treatment, if the waiting period allows. If the cucumbers are already bearing fruit, you will have to deal with the pests manually: pluck and burn the affected leaves, use a soap solution.

What to do if the cucumbers turn yellow, look at the video:

Cucumbers are planted by almost every summer resident. However, not everyone knows when and how to plant them correctly in order to get the best harvest. And the cucumber is a whimsical vegetable, which puts forward a number of requirements for sowing and care. With optimal planting times and due attention, the plant can grow and bear fruit well both in greenhouses and under open air... You will find tips on when it is best to plant cucumbers in open ground in this material.

Features of planting cucumbers in open ground, choosing a place for planting

There are several things to consider when planting cucumbers. First, you need to choose a place based on the preferences of the plant. Secondly, you should follow the recommendations for the timing of sowing. Thirdly, the soil and seeds must be properly prepared before sowing.

Cucumbers can be planted in two ways: seeds and seedlings. In this article, we will focus on the first.

Did you know? The seedling method allows you to get fruits two weeks earlier than the seed method. Sowing seedlings is carried out in May. June 7-10 is the time when it is necessary to plant cucumber seedlings in open ground.

Before planting, you need to decide on the method of planting cucumbers. There are two of them: horizontal and vertical.

Since cucumbers are very thermophilic plants, it is necessary to choose a site for them that is well lit, warm, protected from cold winds, especially from the north. It is better if the bed is located from north to south - so it will be under the sun throughout the day.

When sowing cucumbers in open ground, follow the rules of crop rotation. They can be planted in the place where cabbage, lettuce, peas, potatoes, tomatoes were previously cultivated. Cannot be placed after cucumbers, beans, zucchini, carrots, melons, since all these crops have common diseases and pests.

A green vegetable is picky about the composition of the soil. The plant thanks to good yields if it is placed in fertile loose soil with neutral acidity.

The soil for planting is prepared in advance - first in the fall, then in the spring, just before the cucumbers are sown in the open ground. V autumn period They dig a trench 20-25 cm deep and 70 cm wide. A ditch 30-35 cm deep is made in its center. A 15-centimeter layer of leaves, peat, sawdust, straw, grass should be placed on the bottom.

Right before sowing, the land will need to be fertilized with rotted manure, mullein or bird droppings. You can apply, for example, this method: a 25-centimeter layer of manure is poured into a trench dug in the fall at the beginning of May. Then the soil is disinfected with boiling water with manganese. For the next layer, 5-6 kg of humus is added to the fertile soil per 1 running meter, one liter jar ash, 20 g of superphosphate, 10 g of potassium salt. This layer is poured onto manure with a height of 20 cm. Everything is mixed, poured over with a hot solution of manganese and covered with foil. In this state, the ground should warm up to the required temperature for planting.

Seeds also require preparation - for swelling, they are placed in water (20-25 ° C) for 10-12 hours. In this case, the water is changed several times. It is also recommended to start warming them up at temperatures above 20 degrees two months before sowing. Also, the seeds can be disinfected by dipping them into a solution of potassium permanganate and treated with a growth enhancer.

Before sowing cucumbers in open ground, the furrow must be well watered. Even repeated watering is allowed. Then we spread the seeds into this furrow, leaving 25-30 cm between each of them.The row spacing should be 50 cm wide. Cucumbers grow very well on high beds at 25-30 cm, they are slightly warmer than usual. Sprinkle the seeds on top with soil, lightly tamp it with the palm of your hand and water it again.

Important! Sowing is best done during the day, in sunny weather. Planting seedlings - in the evening or on a cloudy day.

To maintain the necessary humidity and temperature for planting, they must be covered with a film. You can directly cover the soil, but it is better to stretch the film over arcs. Watering is no longer necessary until sprouts appear.

When the seedlings break through, the film will need to be periodically opened to give access to oxygen and not to provoke thermal burns. The shelter is completely removed when the first flowers appear.

When to plant cucumbers in open ground: weather conditions, planting dates, preparation of cucumbers

The timing of planting cucumbers will depend on the climate in which you live, on the weather conditions this spring and summer, and on the variety you choose.

Early sowing

Cucumbers should not be sown too early. The earth should warm up well to at least 15 degrees at night. The most optimal temperature for the development of this vegetable crop is +18 ... +26 ° С. If you are interested in how many cucumbers to plant in open ground, then it is recommended to do this no earlier than June 5. Although this date will depend on the climate of the region in which you live. If the soil has time to warm up earlier, and at the end of May - in June there are no night frosts, then the most early sowing possible from 15 to 25 May.

Important! If you plant cucumbers with more low temperatures(10-15 ° C), then they can stop growing and even die.

Another factor that confirms that the most best time for planting cucumbers will be exactly the first days of summer, is that a cucumber is a plant short day... For normal development, he needs only 10-12 hours of light. Thus, if you plant cucumbers, for example, at the end of June, then a long daylight hours and high temperatures will not in the best way affect the growth, development and productivity of the plant.

If you want the cucumbers to harvest early, then you have no choice but to plant the cucumbers in open ground using seedlings or give preference to growing in a greenhouse. Seedlings, as with seed planting, will need to be moved to the garden before June 10, but the harvest will be ready 2-4 weeks earlier - until mid-July.

By choosing early varieties, stop at "Competitor", "Cascade", "Universal", etc. For planting during this period, you should not choose salted species.

Average sowing

The second sowing of cucumbers, medium, is carried out in June. Almost all varieties are suitable for medium sowing. May 25 - June 10 is the second period when you can plant cucumbers in open ground. With a June planting, the crop can be harvested from the beginning of August. Although these dates will differ depending on which variety you plant: early, mid or late ripening.

Late sowing

For late sowing, choose specially designed for this variety, the best salting. Early ripening varieties are also good for him, the growing season of which lasts 45-50 days. Their harvest will coincide in time with the fruiting of tomatoes. The advantage of this sowing is that fresh cucumbers will get to your table until the first frost.

When to plant cucumbers in open ground when summer sowing? The timing will depend on climatic conditions and on the weather that is observed in this particular season. However, it should definitely be July.

In cool climates, you can resort to seedling method... If the conditions are hot, the seeds are directly placed in the open ground, but the plants will need to be shaded with taller crops or covered with agrofibre.

Popular varieties for planting in open ground

One of the keys to the success of high fruiting of cucumbers in the open field is the selection of the most suitable varieties for such planting. Among them there are undemanding and unpretentious ones, capable of withstanding adverse weather conditions. These are, for example, "F1 Adam", "F1 Carolina", "F1 Christina", "F1 Darling", "F1 Cappuccino", "F1 True friends".

Small bushes, lack of long lashes and thickets, tying a large number fruits differ in the varieties "Malysh", "Kustovoy", "F1 Puccini".

Juicy and fragrant fruits will delight "F1 Athos", "F1 Porthos", "F1 Goosebumps", "F1 Shchedrik", "F1 Southern Emerald".

If you like canned cucumbers, then we advise you to pay attention to "F1 Zodiac", "F1 Perseus", "F1 Nord". Perfect for salting are "F1 Dasha", "F1 Spring", "F1 Crane", "Salting", "F1 Zanachka".

Did you know? The "F" in the name indicates the seeds of the hybrids.

The basics of caring for cucumbers outdoors

After planting in open ground, cucumbers will require care in the form of regular watering, weeding, loosening the soil, mulching, hilling and fertilizing.

Cucumbers are demanding on the presence of moisture. If they are not constantly moistened and allowed to dry out, then the leaves of such plants can darken and become brittle. With too much watering, the leaves brighten, the lashes stop growing, and fruiting worsens. If long time there will be sharp changes in moisture and temperatures, this can add bitterness to the fruit. The optimum moisture content is considered to be 80%. A level of 30% and below will lead to crop wilting.

• before flowering - 3-6 liters per 1 sq. m in 5-7 days;
• when fruiting - 6-12 liters per 1 sq. m in 2-3 days.

Moisturizing cucumbers should be carried out only with warm water (not lower than 18 ° C), otherwise problems with their development may also arise. This procedure is best done with a watering can in the evening or early in the morning, before the onset of heat. When watering, make sure that no water gets on the leaves.

If no organic fertilizers were applied during planting, then the cucumbers should be fed throughout the entire period. The first feeding is carried out when the first 2-3 true leaves appear. Then it is fertilized throughout the entire fruiting phase at intervals of 10-15 days. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are introduced. It is best to alternate organic matter with mineral fertilizers.

Vegetables require special care, but they must be planted first. Growing seedlings is just one way to harvest. Unfortunately, without such actions, many types of vegetables simply cannot be grown (tomatoes, peppers, cabbage). But there are others that you can simply plant by seed directly into the soil. We are talking about the most popular plant - cucumber. Appetizing smell and pleasant taste allows using it in food in different variations.

For a high-quality and quantitative harvest, you need to know how to plant cucumbers in open ground, as well as what care is needed after that. It is unambiguous that they will not like the wild conditions. Careful attitude and attentiveness are favorable conditions for the gardener who wants to grow them.

For those who do not yet know how to sow cucumbers in open ground correctly, this information will be useful.

Before you start sowing, you need to choose a variety and which cucumbers are best planted in open ground, gardeners do not even have the slightest idea. It's good if there is help from knowledgeable people nearby (neighbors on the site, who have been doing this for several years). But if you do not know the basic plan of action, the novice gardener is lost. Moreover, you need to choose a variety. Accordingly, this problem arises much earlier than how to plant cucumbers in open ground with seeds and grow them qualitatively.

Considering that housewives love to use their green harvest in the preparation of various salads and stock up on conservation for the winter, therefore, the conclusion suggests itself that universal varieties that are used for various purposes will be relevant.

In order not to go into the jungle of all kinds and modifications, you can designate the types optimal options cucumbers, which can vary in both their yield and appearance:

A variety that can take root in this place is also selected for the place of cultivation. So, more modified options are used that have those necessary qualities, which are not inherent in varietal. And then, it is described on the package, since some data vary (planting depth, spacing between seeds). Although the disadvantage of such varieties is the impossibility of collecting seeds.

The beginning of the process of cultivating cucumbers in the open field

Before starting the action, you need to check the seeds that were purchased in advance, after which you will have the opportunity to plant cucumbers in open ground. There is one simple "grandmother's" way - to fill in with water and monitor their buoyancy. Quality material will fall over time to the bottom, the empty ones will float on the surface. Then the liquid is drained, laid out on a porous cloth (gauze for example) and moistened. A warm place with good lighting for germination is chosen. Everything that can eventually yield a crop will soon sprout, the rest are worthless. Next, we figure out how to plant cucumbers in open ground and do it without any problems.

Crop planting process

The planting process itself is the main one in growing a vegetable.

Further fruiting and ease of maintenance of the beds depend on how well this is done. If seeds were purchased for planting not in greenhouse or greenhouse conditions, then they need to be sown correctly. How to grow cucumbers: planting and care in the open field and a little about how to do it correctly, we will consider further.

Land preparation for landing

In order to start the planting process, you need to prepare the soil. For this, places are selected where there are no drafts and winds. If there is such an opportunity, then it is worth choosing the site that will not be located in an open area.
Air humidity is also important. If there is a lake or other body of water nearby, then this place is ideal.

The earth should have the following qualities:

• structural and well-heated;
• not acidic and moisture-absorbing.

After the selected area, which will be allocated for cucumbers, proceed to the next steps.

Arrangement of beds for cucumbers

Since these vegetables do not require further transplantation, the correct planting of cucumbers in open ground is carried out by the method of row sowing. To do this, prepare ridges with a hoe, which have a depth of 5-7 cm. The distance between the lines of the beds can be different - from 20 cm to 60 cm. It depends on the area of ​​their location, varietal characteristics. The best option is 40 cm.

Sowing cucumbers in open ground

Those seeds that have been prepared in advance are sown into the formed depressions. Further, the scheme for planting cucumbers in open ground looks like this: the interval should be approximately the same, you do not need to sow chaotically, the roots of plants located close to each other will interfere. It is supposed to make an interval of 15 cm to 20 cm between the planted seeds, so sowing cucumbers in open ground will happen correctly and allow the plants to develop normally. Use those grooves that remain at the edges of the recess for covering from above.

Watering planted seeds

So, all the seeds are buried, it is now worth pouring water on top of them. It is not necessary to do this with a jet under pressure, as the newly planted material may simply wash out.

It would be ideal to use a watering can with a diffuser and a hose with a similar nozzle, so the irrigation will be uniform and with a small pressure, simulating rain.

If the soil is clay, then it is not necessary to water the seeds after planting, but the deepening itself. Soil with moisture at the top after watering will make a crust that cannot allow air to germinate the seeds.

Covering sown beds

If the weather has not stabilized yet (as often happens in our regions in spring), it is better to cover the sown beds with sacking, plastic or bedspreads. At first, the seeds are very fond of warmth. Therefore, it is better not to open them until they germinate on the surface. After all, the temperature for planting cucumbers in open ground is optimal if it is above 10 degrees Celsius.

This rule directly refers to the continuation of how to properly plant cucumbers in open ground and avoid possible difficulties in this. The key here is the meaning of "open ground", which has not yet completely warmed up in the spring, but it is already necessary to sow. Covering will help to withstand a more or less stable temperature inside the garden.

All planting manipulations are quite simple and every novice gardener can repeat them. At the same time, doubts about how to properly plant cucumbers in open ground will disappear by themselves.

Outdoor cucumber care

If you have already gained knowledge of how to plant cucumber seeds in open ground, then you need to learn how to care for this plant. Depending on the variety and place of growth, cucumbers need a certain approach.

First of all, it is about regular watering. Otherwise, the fruits will taste bitter, bend, and the plant itself will bear little fruit. As a rule, it is watered at night or in the early morning, when the roasting sun is not yet very hot. If you do this in the middle of a hot afternoon, you really spoil all your efforts, since the leaves of the plant will simply burn, and it will die.

Getting rid of the extra tendrils that constantly grow on the plant is also a necessary action. After all, they take away nutrients from him. The antennae are also an indicator of the fruiting of the plant. If they grow regularly on the plant, then the growing season is not over yet and the plant is doing well. With a small number of them, it can be assumed that there will be no more harvest from it.

For good harvest the cucumbers are fed. This should be done once a week, and foliar feeding once a month. Choose differently for each stage of plant growth - before and during fruiting.

Tying is rarely used outdoors, but this is done if there is a desire and the variety allows... Then it is easier to harvest, and the site will take on a neater appearance. Also, tied cucumbers are easier to fertilize (feed), but at the same time, the bushes lose moisture faster at the base, and they will have to be watered more often. You can learn more about how to care for cucumbers outdoors.

Conclusions on the correct planting of cucumbers in open ground

After figuring out how to properly plant cucumbers in open ground, you will be able to plan your site to determine the amount of space for each vegetable. To obtain a crop for sale and for personal nutrition, several varieties are planted that will satisfy all the requirements.

In order for the harvest to turn out to be expected, you need to have knowledge of how best to plant cucumbers in open ground, before that, you should also know about how to prepare the site and how. The rules are so simple that even that summer resident who did it for the first time will be able to enjoy his own harvest.

As a result, it is worth highlighting the chain of key values ​​that will affect the receipt of a good harvest. This is a variety, a plot, a care that includes a set of measures to prevent the death of a plant (watering, getting rid of insect pests, feeding). Complex actions can not deprive the gardener of good fruiting.