Contents
Home cucumbers grow in special conditions. They do not have access to many of the nutrients found in open field or greenhouse soil. Therefore, constant feeding of homemade cucumbers is the key to a good harvest. This crop requires complex feeding based on mineral and organic fertilizers.
Soil fertilizers
To grow a good crop of cucumbers on the balcony, you need to prepare the soil for future plantings. This requires containers with holes for water drainage and pallets.
You can buy soil for homemade cucumbers in gardening stores. It already contains the ingredients needed to grow this crop.
You can prepare the soil yourself. Its composition includes earth, peat and humus in equal proportions.
At this stage, every 10 kg, the soil is fertilized with a special mixture:
- nitrophoska – 30 g;
- wood ash – 0,2 kg;
- urea – 15 g.
Nitrophoska is a complex of mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. For cucumbers, a sulfate version of the fertilizer is used, which contains, in addition to the listed components, sulfur. This element helps the absorption of nitrogen and the formation of protein.
Another source of nitrogen for domestic cucumbers is urea. Due to nitrogen, the green mass of the plant is formed and the foundation is laid for the formation of a healthy bush.
After fertilization, cucumbers are planted. Between plants leave up to 30 cm to avoid excessive planting density. The containers are placed in a warm place with good lighting.
Seed dressing
The first shoots of balcony cucumbers appear 5-7 days after planting, which depends on the variety and external conditions. The initial stage of their development requires a complex fertilizer consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium.
Seedlings require several types of top dressing:
- 14 days after the germination of cucumbers. A fertilizer is prepared for processing, consisting of urea (10 g), superphosphate (10 g) and water (3 l). Top dressing is carried out by introducing the resulting liquid under the root of cucumbers. For each bush, 60 g of solution is enough.
- 10 days after the previous treatment. You can feed the plants with a special complex fertilizer intended for cucumbers and other vegetable crops. The fertilizer should contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For top dressing, you can use the “Rossa” tool, 25 g of which is diluted in 3 liters of water. Each plant needs 100 g of the resulting solution.
- In the next 10 days.
Processing of grown seedlings of cucumbers is carried out with a solution containing:
- nitrophoska – 10 g;
- ash – 30 g;
- water – 3 l.
The finished solution with fertilizers is consumed taking into account the norm of 200 g of the mixture for each bush.
Pre-watering allows you to evenly distribute useful components in the soil. Processing is carried out in the morning or in the evening when there is no direct exposure to the sun.
Processing for the ovary
30 days after planting, the flowering of cucumbers and the formation of an ovary begin. At this stage, difficulties often arise in the further development of cucumbers: inflorescences fall, leaves turn yellow, fruit set does not occur.
The reasons for the depressed state of cucumbers on the windowsill are:
- incorrect composition of the soil;
- lack of lighting;
- too high or low temperature in the house;
- insufficient or excessive watering;
- lack or excess of fertilizers.
During flowering, cucumbers need abundant nutrition. After the appearance of the first inflorescences, complex fertilizer is applied to the soil:
- ammonium nitrate – 10 g;
- double superphosphate – 10 g;
- potassium sulfate – 10 g;
- water – 10 l.
Ammonium nitrate serves as a source of nitrogen for plants, strengthens their immunity and protects against diseases.
Potassium sulphate increases the content of vitamins and sugar in fruits. Therefore, after processing with this fertilizer, cucumbers with good taste qualities grow.
When working with mineral fertilizers, safety rules are observed. It is best to use protective equipment to avoid contact with the skin, eyes or respiratory organs.
Feeding during fruiting
When the first fruits appear, cucumbers require special feeding. This includes both mineral and organic fertilizers. It is best to alternate several types of dressings.
Ash processing
When the first fruits begin to appear, cucumbers are fed with ashes. For 1 liter of water, 100 g of wood ash is required. Products for incineration of garbage, various waste, paper or building materials are not suitable for make-up.
Pre-solution is infused for a day. Then the ash is filtered, and the resulting liquid is used to water the cucumbers.
After using the ash, the growth of cucumbers accelerates and the activity of metabolic processes increases. This fertilizer contains potassium and calcium, which contribute to the emergence of new ovaries.
Introduction of complex fertilizers
The next top dressing of cucumbers is based on nitrophoska. For 3 liters of water, 10 g of this fertilizer is required. Nitrophoska saturates plants with useful substances necessary for active fruiting.
Another option for feeding cucumbers is the use of azofoska. Its composition is identical to nitrophoska, however, phosphorus is contained in a water-soluble form.
Application of organic fertilizers
Natural fertilizers are no less useful for ripening cucumber fruits. The simplest method of feeding is the infusion of bird droppings. It is obtained by mixing with water in a ratio of 1:2. After 2 hours, a liter of infusion is diluted with 10 liters of water and used for irrigation.
Other types of manure are suitable for feeding cucumbers. However, they need to be insisted for a week, which is not always possible at home.
emergency top dressing
The lack of nutrients negatively affects the appearance and fruiting of cucumbers. You can determine the deficiency of a particular element visually by special signs.
Lack of nitrogen
With a lack of nitrogen, indoor cucumbers look frail, the stems become thinner, the leaves droop, and small fruits form. Watering with urea-based fertilizer will help solve the problem.
If nitrogen is present in excess, the foliage will turn dark green and older leaves will curl. With excessive nitrogen intake, cucumbers die in a few days. You can solve the problem by daily watering or spraying with calcium nitrate.
Lack of potassium and calcium
You can determine the lack of potassium by the presence of a yellow border on the leaves. To process cucumbers, you need 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water.
Calcium deficiency is reflected in young leaves, on which yellow spots appear. The reverse side of the leaf acquires a purple hue. You can feed cucumbers at home on the windowsill with ash, which is brought into the ground or added to the spray solution.
Phosphorus deficiency
If cucumbers grow dense small leaves, twisted down, then this is a sign of phosphorus deficiency. Another symptom is the presence of reddish veins.
Superphosphate in the amount of 1 tbsp will help fill the lack of phosphorus. l. Fertilizer is diluted in 10 liters of water, after which the plants are watered.
Foliar processing
Leaf processing has a positive effect on cucumbers at home. To work, you need a spray gun with a fine spray.
Foliar top dressing has its advantages, among which are the rapid absorption of nutrients and the low consumption of components.
During the preparation of fertilizers, the established proportions must be observed. If the content of the substance exceeds the norm, then the cucumbers will get a leaf burn.
Before fruiting, cucumbers are sprayed with a solution of urea. It is obtained by dissolving 5 g of this substance in 3 liters of water.
Boron is responsible for the fruiting of cucumbers. This fertilizer promotes the absorption of calcium and synthesizes the production of active substances.
To process cucumbers, a solution is prepared containing 1 g of boric acid per 1 liter of water. The procedure is performed every 10 days.
Folk methods
You can prepare an effective fertilizer for feeding homemade cucumbers from improvised means. Folk remedies are completely safe for others and have a positive effect on the development of cucumbers.
Banana peel
Banana peel contains potassium, magnesium and calcium. In smaller quantities there is phosphorus and nitrogen. This combination of elements contributes to the flowering of cucumbers and further fruiting.
On the basis of banana skins, you can make a watering agent, which must first be infused for 3 days. For 3 liters of water, 4 peels are used. Before watering cucumbers, water is added to the resulting fertilizer in a ratio of 1: 1.
Eggshell
The eggshell contains 93% calcium in an easily digestible form, as well as phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron and other trace elements.
You can get fertilizer for homemade cucumbers by grinding eggshells. The resulting mass is poured with water and left for three days. During this time, useful substances will enter the liquid. Infusion is not recommended to close the lid.
Dried shells can be placed on the bottom of a container for growing cucumbers. Such a layer will ensure the circulation of the liquid without the formation of its stagnation.
Lukovaâ Husk
Onion peel saturates the soil with useful substances and improves its structure. It contains carotene, phytoncides and vitamins. Carotene has antioxidant properties and increases the resistance of cucumbers with increased gas pollution in the city. Phytoncides help to cope with various fungi that provoke diseases.
For preventive purposes, a solution is prepared on onion peel: 2 cups of this component are poured into 2 liters of boiling water. The solution takes 2 days to infuse.
Onion infusion is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 2 and used for spraying.
Coffee grounds
During the preparation of the soil for planting homemade cucumbers, you can add coffee grounds to it. For these purposes, only roasted grains are suitable. If the grains have not been previously processed, they will have a deoxidizing effect on the soil.
Coffee grounds improve the quality of the soil, making it looser, able to pass moisture and air. As a result, cucumbers receive nutrients: magnesium, nitrogen and potassium.
Sugar boost
Glucose is a source of energy for living organisms. This substance is found in dietary sugar. For watering cucumbers, you can use sweet water obtained by dissolving 1 tsp. Sahara.
Another option is to use glucose directly. It can be purchased at the pharmacy in the form of tablets or solution. Feeding is done every month.
Potato peelings
Potato is a source of starch, glucose and organic acids for plants. Potato peels are pre-dried, after which they are placed in the ground before planting homemade cucumbers. Based on them, you can prepare an infusion and apply it by watering.
Conclusion
To grow cucumbers at home, you need to provide them with access to nutrients. For this, complex processing of plants is carried out. Top dressing of cucumbers is carried out by watering and spraying the leaves.
Top dressing is required for cucumbers at every stage of development, from preparing the soil for sowing. Then fertilizers are applied when the first sprouts appear, at the stage of flowering and fruiting. If the plants are in a depressed state, then additional processing is performed.
