Growing cucumbers on the balcony: following simple rules

Many have come across information that some fruit-bearing plants can be planted at home in ordinary flower pots and get delicious vegetables and berries in winter (this applies to lemon, strawberries, etc.). But not everyone knows that a cucumber can be grown in the same way. Most often, cucumbers are grown on the balcony. In this article, we will analyze in detail all the stages of this option of cultivating everyone’s favorite vegetable.

Varieties for the balcony

Not all types of cucumbers are suitable for growing cucumbers on the balcony. For this purpose, only self-pollinating hybrid varieties should be used. The most popular varieties of cucumbers for the balcony are: Zozulya, Debut, April, Gribovchanka, Kukaracha, Stella.

In rare cases, bee-pollinated varieties of balcony cucumbers are used: Ladoga, Manul, Northern Lights, Marathon, Relay, Frigate, Olympics. But in this case, it is necessary to plant pollinating hybrids next to these plants in the amount of 1 hybrid and 5 ordinary insect-pollinated plants. This is true for the following varieties: Gladiator, Ermine, Hercules. Late-ripening hybrids, which are distinguished by strong vegetative growth, are also excellent in this situation.

It is necessary to competently approach the issue of selecting varieties and hybrids. Balcony cucumbers F1 are considered the best hybrids: Claudia F1, Marinda F1. The varieties of balcony cucumbers “Masha” and “Bianka” are also considered good. These plants are self-pollinating species and have the most positive reviews. They are characterized by high productivity and tallness.

The choice of a cucumber variety for a balcony should be approached very responsibly, because the success of the entire enterprise directly depends on it.

Growing stages

There is a lot of information out there on how to grow cucumbers on a balcony. In order to get a small cucumber plantation on your balcony, you need to carry out how many stages.

The stages of growing cucumbers on the balcony include:

• sowing seeds;
• soil preparation;
• seed care;
• planting seedlings;
• seedling care.

Let’s consider all these stages in more detail.

Seed sowing

Any process of obtaining any vegetables and fruits consists in sowing seeds. In our case, the first sowing can be started at the end of December or the middle of winter, but only under such circumstances when you can guarantee the necessary temperature parameters. In this case, you can get the first cucumbers in the first half of April.

If you cannot guarantee this, then you need to postpone sowing. But at the same time, it should be remembered that it is necessary to sow the seedlings in one month, because it is through this time period that the seedlings should be planted in a permanent place of growth.

Planting seeds is considered the most critical stage. In order for them to germinate, the following manipulations should be carried out:

• the seeds must be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and kept in this solution for about 20 minutes;
• after treatment with potassium permanganate, they are laid out on wet gauze;
• the seeds should start to germinate. At the moment when their spouts crack, the seeds are ready for sowing in cups or pots.

Soil preparation

The second, but not unimportant stage of this process is the preparation of the soil. It must be cooked before the seeds crack.

The soil is placed in pre-prepared containers. The ideal composition of the soil for the normal growth of cucumbers should include humus, soddy soil, peat, as well as sawdust crushed to dust. All components must be taken in equal proportions.

You can improve the soil mixture by adding one glass of wood ash, half a tablespoon of urea and a tablespoon of nitrophoska to it. After the above ingredients have been added to the prepared soil mixture, they should be mixed well.

Before placing the soil mixture for balcony cucumbers in a container, it must be washed well with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Also, to disinfect the container, you can hold it for about half a minute over the steam.

Instead of the soil mixture, you can use the soil itself. This is considered more affordable and economical way. It must be harvested before winter. In autumn, humus and soddy land should be prepared (either in equal proportions, or three parts to one). You also need to know that for one bucket of the prepared mixture, you need to add two glasses of wood ash, as well as 5-6 grams of phosphorus, potash and nitrogen fertilizers. Do not forget to add 20-60 grams of lime. Then the resulting mixture must be mixed well, and then placed in plastic bags. Remember that the soil for balcony cucumbers should be loose.

Balcony cucumbers grown in early spring will be a worthy addition to your dining table.

seed care

In any literature on how to grow cucumbers on a balcony, much attention is paid to seed care. For the normal growth of balcony cucumbers, it is necessary, first of all, to create the necessary conditions for seed germination.

As mentioned above, cucumbers on the balcony are grown in pots or similar containers. One seed is sown in a separate container. For better plant cultivation, the seeds need to be deepened by a maximum of 2 cm. After you have finished planting the seeds, put the container with them in a warm place (insulated balcony or loggia). The temperature regime for balcony cucumbers should be 23-26 ° C. Under such conditions, balcony seedlings should be kept for 26-28 days. During this period, several top dressings are carried out. The first subcortex of balcony cucumbers at this stage is carried out two weeks after the first shoots have appeared. The second time it is carried out as an additional feeding. For this, any garden mixture or complex mineral fertilizer is suitable.

The care for cucumber seeds on the balcony does not end there. When the first sprouts of germinated seeds appear on the surface, the container with them must be moved to a well-lit place. That is why a balcony is perfect for these purposes. But if it is not insulated, then a window sill can also be used. With plastic windows, drafts will not be a hindrance.

For normal growth of cucumbers on the balcony, germinated seeds should grow at an air temperature in the room of 18-20 ° C during the day, at night this indicator may drop to 15 ° C. If these rules are not followed, balcony seedlings will develop correctly.

Planting seedlings

When the seedlings reach the optimum age, they are planted on a balcony or loggia. For these purposes, small boxes are used, it is best that they are narrow and long: no more than 20 cm high, 30 cm wide, and 60 cm long. The previously prepared soil mixture is placed in the boxes. You can take a mixture from cups with germinated seeds.

On a closed balcony or loggia, seedling boxes are placed anywhere. The only condition is sufficient lighting. But on an open balcony they need to be placed only in the corners. This will protect them from possible sudden gusts of wind.

Before planting seedlings in the soil mixture, it must be watered with a warm solution of potassium permanganate. Before direct planting (approximately 15-20 minutes), watered with water at room temperature. This will sufficiently moisten the substrate. Small holes are made in the soil mixture and seedlings are planted in them. It is best to plant it with a clod of earth, so you will definitely prevent damage to the delicate roots.

Further, seedlings are grown on average 30-45 days. At the moment when the third true leaf appeared, pinching is carried out in insect-pollinated varieties. For hybrid species, this procedure is not carried out. When full leaves appear, seedlings can be transplanted into larger boxes.

Care

For further normal growth, the plant in the future needs to be provided with constant care. Caring for cucumbers grown on a balcony includes the following procedures:

• periodic removal of whiskers – to form one stem;
• pinch the top of the main shoot, but only after the entire shoot has grown to the wire;
• removal of all lateral processes, since they do not participate in the formation of fruits;
• pinching the remaining sprouts;
• protection of cucumbers on the balcony from gusts of wind;
• periodic watering of the plant;
• preventive spraying with chemicals to provide protection against pests and diseases.

If you correctly carried out all the above stages of growing cucumbers on the balcony, then, in the end, you will get a good harvest without leaving your apartment.

Video “Growing cucumbers on the balcony”

In this video you can see how to properly grow cucumbers on your own balcony or windowsill.