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Using the right and proven fertilizers, you can significantly improve the quality of homemade cucumbers. Such top dressings have an impact on fruit size and yield. They also directly affect the taste of cucumbers. Fertilizers can increase the keeping quality of fruits, as the composition of the pulp is optimized.
It is very convenient that today there is a huge amount of ready-made complex fertilizers that contain all the necessary minerals. Such fertilizers do not need to be mixed with other components. They are easy to apply, because usually top dressing is simply diluted with water or sprinkled on the soil. This saves gardeners from additional worries. To prepare the mineral mixture yourself, you need to know the proportions and follow them exactly. Such a universal fertilizer is “Rodnichok”. This remedy has gained great popularity, as it has a positive effect on cucumber seedlings, making them strong and healthy. Further in the article, we will consider what composition this supplement has, and also see how to use it correctly.
What do cucumbers need?
It is impossible to say exactly which fertilizer is most suitable for cucumbers. The fact is that the composition of the feed should vary depending on the method of cultivation (greenhouse or open ground) and the fertility of the soil. It is also important to consider what nutrients cucumbers need during seedling growth, after planting in the ground and during fruiting.
Given the needs of cucumbers, the most popular fertilizers are:
- manure and other organic fertilizers;
- potassium-based fertilizers;
- nitrogen mineral fertilizers;
- superphosphate;
- urea;
Fertilizers for greenhouse cucumbers
In order for cucumbers to grow well in a greenhouse, it is necessary to strictly follow the proportions of the introduction of individual microelements. The development of the fetus will deteriorate significantly if some substances are more than necessary, and others are less. The most popular fertilizers for cucumbers are phosphorus, potash and nitrogen. When using them, the needs of cucumbers should be taken into account.
When growing cucumbers in a greenhouse, plants simply need nitrogen. Such fertilizers have a very positive effect on the growth of green mass and help form fruits. Top dressing, which includes nitrogen, is used throughout the growing season. Nitrogen fertilizers are also great for soil preparation in autumn or spring.
Phosphorus fertilizers are needed for cucumbers in order to form ovaries, and, accordingly, fruits. You can determine the lack of phosphorus by the leaves of plants. If the extreme parts of the sheets change color to dark, this means that it is time to apply this substance.
Potash fertilizers are applied throughout the growth of plants. This substance helps transport other minerals from the roots throughout the bush. Potassium is also responsible for the resistance of cucumbers to diseases and pests. It improves the taste of fruits and makes plants resistant to temperature changes.
Most of all, cucumbers that are grown on the balcony need mineral fertilizers. The fact is that the soil in the garden has the ability to independently regulate its composition. When growing cucumbers in a small box or pot, sufficient nutrients will need to be added. In this case, it is better to use special complex fertilizers containing all the most important minerals. The easiest way is to use liquid fertilizers. Even an inexperienced gardener can easily handle this type of fertilizer.
Top dressing of cucumbers in open ground
Cucumbers planted on the site are usually fed with organic fertilizers. You can cook them yourself using improvised substances. Experienced gardeners recommend using chicken manure or manure for this. To prepare a nutrient solution based on cow manure, it is necessary to combine 10 liters of water and 1 liter of manure in one container. This mixture is poured over each bush of cucumbers at the rate of 1 liter per plant. In the same way, cucumbers are fed with chicken droppings.
Ordinary wood ash affects cucumbers very well. It is simply sprinkled on the soil, and then watered so that the beneficial substances penetrate inside. It is effective to use yeast for feeding cucumbers. Fertilizers based on them contain proteins, iron and essential amino acids. A similar effect on cucumber seedlings has top dressing made from ordinary bread.
Properties of fertilizer for cucumbers “Rodnichok”
Fertilizer “Rodnichok” contains many minerals that cucumbers need. It is used for watering plants in the form of an aqueous solution. Usually “Rodnichok” is packaged in packages of 50 grams, but you can also find large packs of 1 kg of feed. The fertilizer dissolves easily in water without leaving grains. Suitable not only for cucumbers, but also for zucchini and pumpkin. Can be used throughout plant growth.
The composition of the complex fertilizer “Rodnichok”:
- 15% potassium.
- 13% phosphorus.
- 9% nitrogen.
Many gardeners use this particular fertilizer and have noticed a number of important advantages:
- increasing the yield of cucumbers;
- provides plants with all the necessary trace elements;
- does not contain chlorine and other harmful components.
The use of fertilizer “Rodnichok”
Fertilizer can be used to enrich the soil with nutrients before planting cucumbers. Also, with its help, prepare the soil in the fall. If the soil was previously used and fertilized, then about 1–45 grams of the substance will be needed per 50 square meter. If this site is used for growing vegetables for the first time, then 60-70 grams of fertilizer should be applied.
It is more efficient to apply “Rodnichok” directly into the hole. To do this, up to 15 grams of fertilizer are placed in the holes prepared for planting cucumbers. You can do this in 2 ways:
- Fertilizer is mixed with soil and placed at the bottom of the hole.
- Fertilizer is applied to the bottom of the hole, and then lightly sprinkled with soil. Only then can seedlings or seeds be planted.
During the growing season, fertilizer can be applied no more than 3 times. For 1 square meter of beds, you need only 20 grams of “Spring”. The first time cucumbers are fed during the formation of ovaries. Further, feeding is done every 2 weeks or as needed.
This fertilizer can be applied both dry and by watering plants. In the first case, “Rodnichok” is scattered on the surface in a dry form. Then you should dig up the soil so that the fertilizer gets deep. If the soil is not moist enough, then after that it must be watered. Fertilizer solution “Rodnichok” is usually used during the formation of the first leaves on plants, as well as during the growth of green mass.
Signs of Nutrient Excess
Even using complex fertilizers, it is not always possible to guess the ratio of the amount of minerals. An excess of even the most useful substances can adversely affect the growth and development of cucumbers. As a result, it will be useless to count on a good harvest. And an excessive amount of certain minerals can even adversely affect human health.
In order to help the seedlings in time, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the sprouts. Signs of too much fertilizer may include:
- due to the large amount of potassium, plants do not absorb nitrogen well. As a result, the shoots become thin and lifeless, the leaves brighten and may gradually dry out;
- excess nitrogen contributes to the fact that the stems of cucumbers become too thick, the green mass is growing rapidly, and fruit ripening, on the contrary, is significantly delayed. Such fruits will turn out very small. They may also contain nitrate, which is dangerous for the human body. The immunity of cucumbers is weakened, which is why they often suffer from various fungal diseases;
- an excess amount of phosphorus immediately affects the condition of the leaves. Non-critical spots appear on them, and then the foliage completely falls off. The plant begins to absorb potassium poorly, and the aging process goes much faster.
Signs of a lack of mineral elements
You can also determine the lack of nutrients by carefully examining the plants. Noticing the following signs, you must immediately change the composition of the feed:
- nitrogen deficiency affects the general condition of plants. They become weak and lethargic. Due to the lack of this element, the stems will be thin and hard. The leaves fade and become light green. As a result, the fruits will grow small, and there will be very few of them. The fruits will grow and develop very slowly. Also, the sharpening of the tips of the fruits can be added to the signs of a lack of nitrogen;
- insufficient amount of magnesium can be determined by fragile and burnt leaves. They acquire a pale green or yellow color. Spots appear on the lower leaves;
- the lack of potassium first appears on the leaves of cucumbers. A light yellow border forms on their edges.. The leaves themselves darken and become round. The fruits grow poorly in length, noticeably rounded. Near the stalk, cucumbers taper. The plant itself quickly loses strength and begins to fade;
- the need for calcium in cucumbers will be noticeable by the characteristic light stripes on the leaves. Over time, they can expand. This phenomenon can lead to the fact that the leaves become brittle and fade over time. The inflorescences begin to rot, and in the future the disease can pass to the root system and the plant as a whole;
- insufficient amount of phosphorus can lead to the formation of dry spots on the leaves. In this case, not the upper, but the lower leaves suffer more. As a result, the plant stops growing normally, and all the ovaries and flowers simply fall off.
Conclusion
As we saw from this article, proper nutrition plays a very important role for cucumbers. Each gardener selects the feeding method that is most suitable for his plot and variety of cucumbers. It is very convenient to use ready-made complex fertilizers, such as “Rodnichok”. It contains enough nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus for cucumbers.
It is also used to fertilize squash, zucchini and pumpkin. You can make this top dressing in autumn and spring to prepare the site for planting cucumbers. Also, with its help, watering the sprouts is carried out and top dressing is applied in a dry form. It is very important to fertilize cucumbers with this preparation during the formation of ovaries. Also, plants need to be fed during active fruiting. The instructions on the packaging will tell you how to apply the fertilizer correctly.
