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Since most regions, according to climatic conditions, are not favorable for the good development and growth of most heat-loving crops in open ground, planting cucumbers in a greenhouse is increasingly practiced among amateur gardeners and farmers. This ensures a high, high quality and guaranteed yield. It is not at all difficult to equip a small film greenhouse in a summer cottage. However, you should know and take into account certain nuances, such as the scheme for planting cucumbers and further care for the plants.
What should be the soil
Before planting cucumbers, it is necessary to determine the area where the greenhouse will be located and prepare the soil in advance. To do this, they dig it deep, remove the roots of perennial plants and at least 5-7 cm of the top layer of soil, since pathogens and viruses of various diseases that can infect young plants accumulate in it. After harvesting plant residues, it is possible to disinfect the soil with a 7% solution of copper sulfate. The soil must be necessarily enriched and fertile, with good absorption and throughput, neutral or low acidity.
The soil mixture is prepared 20-30 days after the treatment of the site. As practice has shown, it is better to plant cucumbers in a substrate of soddy soil and fresh humus. For its preparation, 45-55% peat, 25-35% humus or compost, 15-25% fertile soil and 10-15% sawdust scalded with boiling water are used. 10-15 g of superphosphate and urea, 250-280 g of sifted ash are added to a bucket of such earth mixture, nitrogenous fertilizers are not applied.
When growing cucumbers in greenhouse conditions, only the seedling method is used. Since this plant does not tolerate transplantation well, so as not to waste time on adaptation and survival, it is advisable to sow seeds for seedlings immediately in peat cups, pots or bags. It is recommended to plant seedlings 25-27 days old with 4-5 leaves. The term of its landing varies depending on the region, size and type of greenhouse.
Landing scheme
The most optimal conditions for fruit growth are provided by a two-line scheme for planting cucumbers in a greenhouse on ridges and ridges, 95-110 cm wide and 22-28 cm high. To increase yields, fallow beds or ridges are used. To do this, dig holes 35-45 cm deep. A layer of hot manure is laid on the bottom and covered with soil 14-18 cm thick.
Depending on the width of the greenhouse, the ridges are placed along or across. If its width is 2-2,5 m, then a path is made in the center, and one row is planted on the left and right. If the width of the greenhouse is 3,5-4,5 m, make 2 paths and 4-5 planting rows, placing one on the sides and 2-3 in the center. The distance between the bushes in a row is left 35-40 cm, since with a more dense planting, the illumination of the plant worsens significantly. Wire trellises are pulled over the ridges, to which cucumbers are later tied with a thread or twine. Sometimes lettuce, Beijing cabbage or low-growing greens are planted in the aisles.
As soon as warm weather is established and the soil warms up enough, you can plant seedlings. Immediately before planting, water the prepared wells with a warm solution of potassium permanganate, and then just water. Cucumbers from pots are planted in such a way that the earthen ball remains 1,5-2,5 cm above the soil level. The root neck should not touch the ground, since water flowing down during irrigation and pathogens can provoke infection and death of the plant.
What cucumbers to plant?
To date, there are a very large number of hybrids and varieties specifically designed for growing in greenhouse conditions. They are characterized by high and stable fruiting, compact bushes, resistance to major diseases. When choosing a variety, preference should be given not only to high-yielding varieties with low lighting requirements, but to self-pollinated cucumbers that do not need to be pinched.
One of the most popular are late-ripening, high-yielding hybrids White Angel F1, Athlete F1, Hercules F1. They are resistant to many diseases and pests. The fruits are medium large, weighing 160-190 g, with high palatability, versatile in processing. However, they require artificial pollination, or planting a pollinator variety nearby. For this, the high-yielding hybrid Emelya F1 is also often used.
Especially popular are such mid-season varieties as Relay, Willow, Moscow greenhouse, Regatta, Spotrezisting and hybrids Annushka F1, Dynamite F1, Pyzhik F1. They are self-pollinating and require little maintenance. The fruits are medium, weighing 100-125 g, with a good watery-sweet taste, dense, crispy.
Features of care
As well as cucumber grown in open ground, greenhouse plants require top dressing, timely watering and the formation of a bush.
Shrub formation
In greenhouse conditions, the cucumber is formed into one stem. 5-7 days after planting, the seedlings are tied to the installed trellises. As it grows, through each internode, the plant stem is twisted around the twine. When the stem outgrows the trellis, pinch off the top. The lower sinuses blind – remove male and female flowers, as well as side shoots. Since the lower ovaries grow very slowly, they often do not mature and inhibit the vegetative growth of the entire bush, drawing nutrients onto themselves. The next 4-6 braids that form at the bottom of the stem. Pinch over the first leaf, leaving no more than 1-2 fruits for each shoot. Shoots, in the middle part of the stem, pinch over the second leaf.
Then they only make sure that the braids do not go beyond the aisles. To do this, their tops are pinched as necessary and directed inside the ridge. If bee-pollinated varieties are grown in the greenhouse, then insects should be provided with access to the plants. It should be borne in mind that in hot, summertime, bees fly to the greenhouse reluctantly. As a rule, they are lured with sugar syrup, which is infused on the corollas of male flowers.
Planting a cucumber in a greenhouse
Watering
The soil must always be kept moist, swamping or waterlogging is not allowed. A sharp fluctuation in moisture is detrimental to planting, this can provoke not only root rot, fruit deformation, leaf death and ovary fall, but also the death of the entire plant.
In early spring, in relatively cold weather, cucumbers are watered only with warm water, regardless of the time of day. In hot weather, watering is preferably carried out in the morning, spending 5-8 liters of water per sq m. To accelerate fruiting, short-term weak drying of the soil is used at the end of flowering. Since the film does not allow water vapor to pass through, it is necessary to carry out daily ventilation of the greenhouse, avoiding air stagnation. So that the soil does not compact, it is advisable to loosen it shallowly after each watering. And as the roots appear on the surface, pour a fresh nutrient mixture with a layer of 1,5-2 cm.
Additional fertilizing
An infusion of chicken manure, mullein, humus and rotted leaves is used as a fertilizer. Cucumbers do not tolerate high concentrations of soil solution. Therefore, 150-200 g of organics are added to a bucket of water. Leave for 1-2 days for the contents to ferment, then adding 150-250 g of wood ash and 30-50 g of superphosphate. From mineral fertilizers, preparations intended for pumpkin crops are used. During the whole season, cucumbers are fed no more than 4-5 times.
It should be noted that an excess of organic and mineral substances also negatively affects the yield. Plants begin to fatten, grow intensively, and budding and flowering are delayed.
Video “Planting cucumbers in a greenhouse”
This video tells how to plant seedlings so as not to damage the roots, how to feed the plants for maximum yield.
Growing cucumbers. Cucumbers in the greenhouse.
