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Cucumber is a familiar culture for us, it is thermophilic and unpretentious. This allows you to grow it almost all year round. The season for cucumbers in the beds begins in mid-spring and ends in autumn. Is it possible to grow cucumbers in winter? Of course it is possible! Sometimes amateurs manage to do this in apartments on the windowsill, but we advise you to create heated greenhouses.
winter greenhouse requirements
Before we talk about the varieties that can and should be grown in the winter, let’s talk directly about where our crispy vegetables will grow – about greenhouses. Since the winter season involves a number of features in cultivation, certain requirements are imposed on greenhouses:
- electricity will need to be supplied to the greenhouse, its source should be located nearby;
- the area where the object will be placed must be flat (if there is a slight slope, make sure that it does not face north);
- additionally, barriers are created from strong gusty winds, which are dangerous for plants in the winter;
- nearby it is necessary to create a source of irrigation water;
- the best ratio of area to volume of a winter greenhouse is 1 to 2;
- as a material, you can use polycarbonate, glass or multilayer film (only for the southern regions).
Given these requirements, you can build several winter greenhouses. The best varieties resistant to such conditions will be grown in a short period.
Soil preparation
The composition of the soil is of great importance. Two types of soils are suitable for growing cucumbers in winter:
- Based on peat (at least 50% with the addition of compost in an amount of 20% or more);
- Based on soddy soil (with a mixture of humus).
Before planting the seeds, it is required to treat with copper sulfate 0,5 liters of an aqueous 7% solution per 1 m2. Three weeks later, the soil is dug up and compost is added. Enrichment is carried out either at the expense of mineral fertilizers or at the expense of wood ash.
The beds are formed in a special way from north to south. This will increase the resistance of plants to diseases and grow the best fruits you have ever seen.
Choice of varieties
In order for cucumbers to grow well in the winter and give an excellent harvest, it is not enough to build a solid greenhouse. Choosing a variety is the most important stage for growing cucumbers in winter. The choice is influenced by the following nuances:
- lack of moisture in this period;
- absence of insects;
- small amount of light.
All this suggests that for growing in a greenhouse in winter, a variety of cucumbers must be resistant, productive, self-pollinating. Fortunately, such varieties of cucumbers are widely represented on the market today.
Classification
We will immediately determine those varieties that are suitable for growing in greenhouses in winter. Let’s divide them into groups:
- self-pollinated variety of cucumbers;
- variety unpretentious to conditions;
- shade-tolerant varieties of cucumbers.
Below is a table with the names of varieties for these categories. These are the best varieties to date.
Group | Sorts |
|---|---|
Self-pollinated | Cheetah F1, Courage F1, Dynamite F1, Orpheus F1, Calendar, April, Machaon, Lilliput, Cuckoo F1, Anyuta F1, Hummingbird, Salad Hercules |
Unpretentious | Zarya, Grenade, Surprise 66 |
Shadow-tolerant | , Manul F1, Iva, Danila F1, Arina F1, Homemade, F1 Olympics, Moscow evenings F1 |
The choice is really very large, and these are only popular varieties, the best of the best. Cucumbers can be planted in the ground at any time of the year. The owner of a winter greenhouse can receive fresh fruits both by the New Year and by the beginning of spring.
To achieve a good harvest, it is necessary not only to choose the right seeds, but also to strictly follow the cultivation technology. We’ll talk about her later. Consider several varieties of cucumbers in more detail.
Description of some varieties
We present to your attention the three most popular varieties of cucumbers that can be grown in the winter in a greenhouse. These are varieties Courage, Danila and Zozulya.
“Courage”
It has a high yield, it is known to many gardeners. Characteristics are shown in the table.
Group | hybrid |
|---|---|
Advantages | early maturity, high yield |
pollination method | parthenocarpic |
Stability | resistant to many diseases |
Description of the fetus | fruit weight averages 130 grams, oval-cylindrical shape, length 15-16 centimeters |
Cultivation technology | seeds are sown to a depth of 3-4 centimeters according to the 50×50 scheme |
Plant | medium-sized, has 2-5 ovaries, fruiting no later than 44 days |
Productivity | 6-8 kilograms |
“Cuckoo”
It is early maturing and also has a high yield.
Group | high yielding hybrid |
|---|---|
Advantages | early maturing with high yield |
pollination method | parthenocarpic |
Stability | resistant to most cucumber diseases |
Description of the fetus | large cucumbers up to 200 grams inclusive of a cylindrical shape with rare tubercles |
Cultivation technology | seeds are sown to a depth of 1,5-2 centimeters according to the 50×30 scheme |
Plant | medium size with low climbing, requires good watering and application of mineral fertilizers |
Productivity | up to 16 kilograms per 1 m2 |
“Danila”
Bee-pollinated hybrid variety. Even during the winter months, it produces an excellent crop in greenhouses. Please note that this variety is pollinated by bees. Self-pollination is a long and complicated process.
Group | high yielding hybrid |
|---|---|
Advantages | medium early with high yield |
pollination method | bee pollinated |
Stability | to downy mildew and cladosporiosis |
Description of the fetus | cylindrical shape weighing up to 110 grams without bitterness and with large tubercles |
Cultivation technology | seeds are sown to a depth of 3-4 centimeters according to the 50×30 scheme |
Plant | powerful green bush, begins to bear fruit no later than 60 days |
Productivity | from 370 centners per hectare |
Cultivation technology
Of great importance for the return of the crop is the observance of the technology of growing cucumber from seeds. Remember that cucumbers love fertile fertilized soils. Even when growing in greenhouses, it will be necessary to calibrate and decontaminate in advance. Seeds are very often planted first at home while the soil is being prepared in greenhouses.
In addition, the best fruits grow when the soil is properly heated. It should reach 22 degrees, no less. Each variety described above requires this rule to be followed.
Below is a video with tips for growing cucumbers in winter in greenhouses for beginners. Regardless of which variety is chosen, note that two-year-old seeds give the highest yield.
A month after the emergence of seedlings, cucumbers are transplanted into beds, after watering them. By planting plants too close to each other, you will disturb the ventilation in the room. Remember that heating in greenhouses, whatever it is, dries the air. It will be necessary to create additional sources of moisture so that the cucumbers feel comfortable in the beds.
The varieties described above are resistant, however, do not forget that the cucumber is a thermophilic culture. Even in winter in a greenhouse, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for growing. This is the key to a rich harvest.