In areas where there are deposits of sphagnum peat, it is advisable to use it in protected soil instead of the usual soil mixture. Sphagnum peat has enormous absorption capacity. This allows you to create a large supply of mineral food elements in a small volume.

The concentration of these elements remains within limits harmless to plants. In terms of moisture capacity, air capacity and porosity, sphagnum peat is significantly superior to conventional soil mixture. In addition, it does not contain microorganisms harmful to plants and is not infected with nematodes.

Sphagnum peat is required to be 5-6 times less in weight than conventional soil mixture. So, if per 1000 sq. m of greenhouse soil mixture is 200 tons, then sphagnum peat is no more than 30 tons.

The method of growing vegetables in sphagnum peat, developed by E. Yu. Abele, is widespread in the Latvian SSR.

On the Marupe collective farm in the Riga region, when cucumber was grown on soil, the fruit yield was 10 kg per 1 sq. m, and on peat - 19.8 kg, tomato yield - 6.2 and 11.5 kg, respectively. The start of sales of vegetables grown on peat was 8-10 days earlier than on soil.

When growing vegetables on soil, net income per 1 sq. m of greenhouses was 20 rubles. 06 kopecks, and on peat - 36 rubles. 76 kop.

For use in protected soil, high-moor sphagnum peat with a degree of decomposition of no more than 20% and a moisture content of no more than 40% is crushed with a crusher into particles measuring 5-25 mm. Then it is limed. At a peat pH of 2.6-3.6, 60-100 kg of dry ground limestone is required per 1 ton of peat; at a pH of 3.6-4.8, 30-60 kg are added; at a pH of 4.8-5.8, the amount of lime is reduced up to 10 kg.

After liming, the peat is placed and a nutrient solution consisting of mineral fertilizers containing macro- and microelements is introduced into it using hoses or through clay drainage pipes laid in the peat at a depth of 10 cm. Greenhouses can be covered with modern translucent material, such as.

Cucumber seedlings are grown on peat, watering it with a solution of mineral fertilizers.

When transplanting, seedlings are taken along with peat and planted with a slightly damaged root system in the peat soil of greenhouses. Thus, there is no need to grow seedlings in nutrient cubes or pottery pots, as well as to prepare turf soil.

Solution No. 1 is used when growing seedlings, and solutions No. 2 and No. 3 are used alternately when growing adult plants. Water the plants with them once every 7-10 days; the temperature of the solution should not be lower than the air temperature of the greenhouse.

The solution is prepared immediately before application, but concentrated solutions - separately of macroelements and microelements - are prepared in advance.

In the Latvian SSR (Sigulda Regional Industrial Plant) they produce a ready-made powder mixture and tablets with a full set of fertilizers, which makes it faster and easier to prepare a nutrient solution.

In NIIOH experiments, the growth of seedlings on high-moor peat was faster than on the soil mixture and the plants began to bear fruit 9 days earlier. The cucumber harvest as of July 1 was 13 kg per 1 sq. m, while on the soil mixture it was only 9.5 kg, and the total yield increased from 16.5 kg to 18.75 kg.

Experiments have also shown that high-moor peat with a decomposition rate of 10% can be used to grow vegetables in greenhouses for three years or more without reducing the yield. During this time, the degree of peat decomposition increases to 15-25%.

The content of nutrients in peat after three years of use without adding fresh peat increases slightly. Thus, the nitrogen content increased from 0.81% (initial peat) to 0.86%, P 2 0 5 from 71.65 mg per 100 g of peat after the first year of use to 79.25 mg, and K2O decreased from 43.35 mg to 19.14 mg (the original peat contained 0.04 mg). The acidity of peat becomes favorable for growing cucumbers (pH 3.9 in the original peat and 6.4 after three years of use).

NIIOH recommends applying mineral fertilizers to peat in dry form per 1 square meter. m: ammonium nitrate 42 g, superphosphate 105 g, potassium nitrate 168 g and magnesium sulfate 42 g, considering that this amount of fertilizer is enough for 3 months of the growing season, and then feed the plants with Abele solution.

Growing plants on high-moor peat is also common in Belarus, where a cucumber yield of up to 18 kg per 1 sq. m and tomatoes up to 14 kg.

Growing vegetables in greenhouses is possible not only on high peat, but also on transitional and lowland peat, which is confirmed by the experiments of the Vegetable Experimental Station TSHA (S. I. Kitaev) with the addition of lime in accordance with the acidity of the peat 10-15 days before planting seedlings . Application in greenhouses greatly simplifies the irrigation process.

Cucumbers are the main crop in protected soil. The earliest harvest of fruits is grown in greenhouses.

In greenhouses you can harvest crops throughout the year. Then the cucumber crop begins to come from the greenhouses and, finally, from the insulated soil.

Growing cucumbers in greenhouses

Cucumbers are the most common crop in greenhouses; they occupy most of the greenhouses in the second whorl. Cucumbers begin to bear fruit relatively early; After planting them in a permanent place, the fruit harvest occurs in about a month.

From varieties of cucumbers greatest distribution in greenhouses have non-growing, different big harvest ness and disease resistance. The Muromsky variety is taken in small quantities to obtain the earliest harvest. Sometimes cucumbers of the Vyaznikovsky variety are also grown. In the south, Crimean cucumbers give good results in greenhouses.

In greenhouses cucumbers are usually placed in the second whorl after greens and seedlings. According to experimental institutions and industrial practice, top scores occur when planting cucumber seedlings in a permanent place in greenhouses from April 1 to April 15 (in the middle regions of Russia).

Fertile soil for cucumbers

Cucumbers require fertile soil. They work best on turf soil or mixtures containing this soil. Turf soil contains sufficient nutrients necessary for cucumbers in an easily digestible form without excess nitrogen.

An excess of the latter can cause too much growth of tops to the detriment of fruiting. To add to the turf soil, humus and, less often, peat soil are used when growing cucumbers.

Sod soil for cucumbers

When harvesting turf necessary to obtain turf land, choose a place with good grass growth. It is necessary that sweet grasses grow there (clover, timothy, fescue, hedgehog, bluegrass). This indicates that the soil is not acidic. On the contrary, the presence of sorrel in large quantities means that the soil is poor in lime and has acidic properties.

You should not take turf near vegetable stores, piles of vegetables and similar places, since the soil here can be contaminated with various pathogens that can cause disease in plants in protected soil.

The turf is cut into layers and folded grass to grass in stacks 2.5-3 meters wide, 1.25-1.5 meters high, at any length. Two grooves are made on top of the pile to retain rainwater.

If the land is not fertile enough, then use manure. The last layer about 15 centimeters thick are placed between the grass. For dense clay soil it is better to take horse dung, and for light sandy soil, cow dung, which has greater binding properties, is preferable.

If the turf soil is acidic, then you should add on average per 1 cubic meter. meter of land 2-3 kilograms of lime or 3-4 kilograms of ash. Lime and ash are placed between those layers where manure does not lie.

When stacking turf that is too dry, it should be watered, otherwise the turf will not decompose easily.

In the future, you need to make sure that the turf in the pile does not dry out. If it dries out, the pile is moistened by pouring water into the grooves, or even better, slurry. The slurry, in addition to moisturizing the soil, enriches it with nutrients.

The pile must be shoveled at least once during the summer., that is, transfer it from one place to another, while trying to slightly chop the turf. When shifting a heap, you should put its surface layers in the middle, and the middle part on the surface. If the turf was laid in the spring, then with proper care the turf soil is ready by autumn. But in case of poor decomposition, the turf is left in a pile for another year.

The decomposed turf is sifted through the roar. If the turf is well decomposed, then it is better to use the turf soil for greenhouses without sifting, but carefully break up large lumps with a rake in order to maintain the structure of the soil.

Humus (manure) soil is very rich nutrients for the plant. It contains, in addition to phosphorus, potassium and other elements, a large amount of nitrogen. Humus soil in pure form is not used, but is added to other types of land, mainly turf and vegetable gardens.

Humus soil is obtained as follows: in the fall, half-decomposed manure is removed from the greenhouses and placed in piles, in which it finally rots, forming good, rich soil.

Good humus soil will form in about a year, that is, by next autumn.

During this time, the pile should be shoveled once or twice, and if it dries too much, moisten it. Sometimes humus is used that has lain in heaps only in autumn and winter. This can be done if it has decomposed sufficiently in the greenhouses by autumn.

Peat soil for growing cucumbers

Peat soil has not yet received proper distribution in greenhouse farming. However, it can be used for cucumbers. Peat soil is not used in its pure form, but is added to other types of soil. The properties of peat soil can vary depending on the type of bogs from which the peat is taken.

In terms of chemical composition, peat is poor in potassium, and in most cases also in phosphorus, but rich in nitrogen, although in a form that is difficult for plants to access.

To obtain peat land Peat is harvested from lowland or transitional bogs. Peat from moss bogs is more difficult to decompose and is also poor in nutrients. However, when the appropriate amount of fertilizer is added, peat moss also makes good peaty soil.

Peat is piled up, sprinkled with lime in an amount of 4-6 kilograms per 1 cubic meter. meter. Peat piles are built approximately the same size as when preparing turf soil. To better decompose the peat, the heaps are shoveled once or twice. It is beneficial for heaps to lie outdoors during the winter. This helps improve the properties of peat soil.

Before using it, potassium phosphate fertilizer should be added to the peat soil.

Good results are obtained if you add phosphate rock in the amount of 15-20 kilograms per cubic meter to the acidic peat, when it is piled up. meter of peat. In this case, no lime or ash is added.

The condition of the soil is one of the main conditions for the development and productivity of cucumber. The crop begins to bear fruit early, so by the time of planting the soil must contain a complex of all minerals and nutrients necessary for fruit set. Otherwise, it is impossible to achieve a high yield.

Not only fertility is important, but also the structure of the soil. The weak root system of the cucumber does not tolerate heavy soils. It should be taken into account: everything that is introduced into the soil stays in it for a long time, so the process requires the right approach.

The main requirements of the crop for the mechanical composition of the soil are high air permeability and moisture holding capacity, so it is recommended to plant cucumbers on light and medium loams, which have good aeration of the root system, evenly distribute and retain moisture.

For good development, cucumber needs mineral and organic nutrition, which comes from the soil immediately after planting, so the soil must have a high humus content and an optimal ratio of macroelements.

Important minerals:

• Nitrogen. With its deficiency, the growth of the above-ground part and the development of roots slows down.
• Potassium. Mineral deficiency weakens plants and reduces resistance to disease and cold.
• Phosphorus. If there is a shortage, plant growth and fruit formation slow down.
• Magnesium. The leaves turn yellow, become brittle, and fall off. Plant growth and fruit development slows down.

The culture is demanding on the reaction of the soil solution and does not tolerate acidification. The optimal acidity level is pH 6.2-6.8.

Cucumbers love warm soil. Planting seedlings and sowing seeds is possible only after the soil has been warmed to 18°C. When the temperature drops to 14-15°C for 3-5 days, the cucumber roots stop developing.

Cucumbers develop better if the soil is 2-3°C warmer than the air. The average daily air temperature for cucumber is 16-32°C. These indicators are also used to control the soil.

Soil moisture should be 75-85%. Subsequently, to control soil moisture, take a handful of soil from the root layer and squeeze it tightly in your fist. If water comes out, the humidity level is more than 80%. If the lump retains fingerprints, it means the humidity is more than 70%. The lump crumbles - less than 60%.

Before you begin the basic preparation of the soil for cucumbers, you need to put its mechanical composition and physical properties in order. Create an optimal base into which fertilizers will subsequently be applied according to the requirements of the cucumbers. The task is especially relevant when developing a new site.

To determine the type of soil you can use simple method, which does not require special equipment. To do this, you need to take a handful of earth and lightly moisten it with water so that it does not wring out. Mash and form a lump. Then roll a cord with a diameter of 3 mm in your palms and roll it into a solid ring.

Depending on the condition of the cord, you can determine the type of soil:

1. disintegrates quickly - sandy loam;
2. crushes during rolling - light loam;
3. continuous, but disintegrates when rolled into a ring - medium loam;
4. continuous, but small cracks form on the ring - heavy loam;
5. solid, solid ring - alumina.

The most optimal soil types for growing cucumbers. The mechanical composition of light loams does not need to be structured. In the fall, manure is added to medium loams at a rate of 5-6 kg per 1 sq. m. m.

This type of soil warms up quickly, has intense aeration and high water permeability. In addition, sandy loam is easy to process, and the conversion of organic matter into humus occurs at an accelerated rate.

The disadvantages of soil for growing cucumbers are rapid cooling at night and leaching of minerals from the root layer. This can be corrected by adding fresh manure or compost in the fall, 10 kg per 1 sq. m. m.

These types of soil are not suitable for growing cucumbers. They do not warm up well and practically do not allow air and moisture to pass through. This is detrimental to culture.

The best option- introduction of fresh straw manure. This should be done in the fall so that it has time to decompose and turn into humus. 10-15 kg of manure per square meter is applied to uncultivated soils. m. When re-applying (recommended every 3-4 years), 5-6 kg per square meter is sufficient. m.

Manure is covered superficially. When buried deeply, it does not decompose and partially turns into peat, in which the bacteria necessary for plants do not develop.

This type of soil is not suitable for growing cucumbers. It does not retain moisture, and minerals are quickly washed out of the root layer. It warms up quickly, but also cools down during the night temperature drop.

To improve the soil per 1 sq. m. contribute:

• half-rotted manure or compost 1.5 -2 buckets;
• peat 1 bucket.

Labor-intensive, expensive, but very effective method- soil claying. To do this, in every sq. m. add 1-2 buckets of powdered clay. It is combined with manure or compost. After adding any baking powder, the area is dug up. The events are carried out over 2-3 years.

In Russia, this type of soil is found in the West Siberian Plain and in natural form unsuitable for growing cucumbers. It is excessively moist and fibrous, there are no conditions for the decomposition of plant residues, so the peat becomes very sour. Peaty-swampy soil is characterized by a light brown color.

First you need to dry the area. To do this, in the spring, grooves are dug along the perimeter of the site so that the water is drained outside the garden. By the end of summer, the area will be dry, and you can begin to improve the soil.

• powder clay 1 bucket;
• river sand 0.5 buckets;
• lime from 0.3 to 1.4 kg depending on acidity.

The area is dug up to a depth of 20 cm. Rotted manure, humus or bird droppings are added at a rate of 1 kg per square meter. m. More organic matter is not required.

Peat contains a lot of organic substances, and manure in this case is used only to start the processes of its decomposition.

Work on introducing these components is carried out constantly from year to year. Until the soil acquires optimal physical properties that are comfortable for plants. In addition to the main fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), copper and boron are added annually.

Acidic soil is typical for low-lying areas with stagnant spring water. Acidity can also increase after seasons with increased rainfall, which wash away calcium and magnesium. Hydrogen ions begin to predominate in soil particles, increasing its acidity.

In such areas, plantain, wild rosemary, horsetail, speedwell and sorrel grow rapidly. When digging up the soil at a depth of 10-15 cm, you can find a layer light color resembling ash.

To determine the acidity of the soil, mix a semi-liquid solution of soil and distilled water, and immerse a strip of litmus paper in it for 2-3 seconds. To calculate acidity values, it is compared with the accompanying color scale.

Calcium carbonate is used to reduce soil acidity. It is found in ground limestone, chalk, cement dust, wood ash, dolomite and bone meal.

For the primary regulation of acidity, it is better to use ground limestone. Norms for its application per 1 sq. m. for various types soil (pH How to prepare soil for planting cucumbers

Soil preparation and arrangement of beds for greenhouses and open ground are the same. The only difference is in the preparatory work.

Most gardeners do not have the opportunity to observe crop rotation in the greenhouse, so after harvesting, the depleted soil with manure that has rotted over the summer is completely removed from the room and distributed on the site of future beds. The exception is places where pumpkin crops are planted.

If for some reason a complete replacement of the soil is not possible, it must be disinfected.

• Spill the soil with boiling water and cover the surface of the bed with film for a day. After this, the ground is dug up and harrowed. The procedure is repeated after 3 days. Conducted in the spring.
• Application of biofungicides. Spraying solutions of drugs onto the soil: Trichodermin, Fitosporin M, Phytocide, Bordeaux mixture, Pentafog. Processed in autumn and spring.
• Adding bleach 200 g per 1 sq. m. and digging up the soil. Apply 6 months before planting cucumbers.
• Spill the soil with a 2% formaldehyde solution (40%), cover the surface with film for 3 days. The soil is dug up and harrowed. The event is held 2-4 weeks before planting.

In the fall, all plant residues are collected and burned. The internal surfaces of the greenhouse are washed with a 2% formaldehyde solution (40%). It is advisable to fumigate the greenhouse with sulfur.

In open ground, you need to constantly change the place for growing cucumbers, returning the crop back only after 3-4 years. The best predecessors are tomatoes, cabbage, peas. Do not plant after pumpkin crops.

A place for the garden bed is selected that is well-lit, protected from drafts and cold northern winds. In the fall, the site is dug up, removing all plant waste.

In a greenhouse and in open ground, when there is no replacement soil, you can sow green manure plants. The best option is white mustard. It should be sown immediately after harvesting the cucumber plants. After 3-4 weeks, a sufficient vegetative mass is formed, which is embedded in the soil to the depth of a spade bayonet.

Mustard will destroy and remove from the soil most of the cucumber root secretions that have accumulated over the season.

In addition, it produces a kind of compost in the soil, rich in proteins and minerals. A system of root tubules is created in the soil, which improves its mechanical properties.

Dead mustard roots attract worms and microbes, which produce nitrogen during their life processes. Additionally, the soil is protected from erosion and swelling.

Cucumber is one of the few plants that can and is even recommended to be grown on fresh manure. When laying manure, you need to take into account that the root layer of plants reaches a depth of 20 cm. Therefore, on the surface of the manure there should be a 25-30 cm layer of fertile soil.

In such a bed, a heat-loving crop is not afraid of cooling of the roots when the air temperature drops strongly at night or insufficient heating of the soil when early boarding in greenhouses.

To arrange a garden bed in a selected area, mark its boundaries. The width should be such that the gardener can freely reach the plants with both hands. You cannot even lean on boards laid on top of the beds. Cucumber does not tolerate the slightest compaction of the soil.

A trench 50-60 cm deep is dug across the area of ​​the bed. In the spring, two weeks before planting, it is filled with fresh manure. Cover the top with garden soil and fertilize.

Fertilizers for cucumbers begin to be applied two weeks before transplanting seedlings or sowing seeds.

For 1 sq. m of cucumber ridge are added:

• rotted manure 25 kg or compost 10 kg;
• superphosphate 40 g;
• potassium sulfate 40 g;
• magnesium sulfate 15 g or potassium magnesium 60 g.

Fertilizers are evenly scattered on the soil surface and the bed is dug up. After this, pour water at a rate of 10 liters per 1 square meter. m.

A week later, 30 g of ammonium nitrate is added per 1 square meter. m. The bed is dug up again and spilled with water. After this, we can assume that the soil is completely ready for planting cucumbers.

The strength of seedlings largely depends on the quality of the soil. The simplest option is to purchase ready-made soil, adapted to the requirements of pumpkin crops.

Ready-made soils consist of a mixture of different types of peat, turf soil, river sand, vermicompost with the addition of all the necessary minerals. They are completely processed and disinfected, they do not contain weed seeds, pest larvae and fungal spores.

• “Living Earth” soil No. 2;
• "Gumimax";
• "Peter Peat" soil for cucumbers;
• "Bood-soil" No. 2;
• "Hera";
• "Fasco".

To grow seedlings, you should not purchase peat soils. They are poorer in composition and are only suitable for filling planting containers or adding mature plants to the tree trunk.

To prepare the soil mixture yourself, you still need to summer season prepare and store components.

Several soil options:

• humus, lowland peat 1:1;
• turfy soil, decomposed peat, manure humus, river sand 3:3:3:1;
• lowland peat, humus, rotted sawdust 3:1:1;
• garden soil, manure humus, peat, rotted sawdust 2:1:1:1.

For a 10 liter bucket - add 4 tbsp to any of these mixtures. l. wood ash, 20 g superphosphate, 1 tsp. urea and potassium sulfate.

Homemade soil mixture must be disinfected. To do this, it is shed with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate or treated with biological fungicides. Recommended drugs: “Fitosporin”, “Trichodermin”, “Planriz”, “Extrasol”.

The limited space of boxes, barrels or other containers requires a slightly different approach to the composition and preparation of the soil.

When using drums and other tall containers:

• on the bottom lay a layer of pebbles, broken bricks, strong branches for 1/3 of the container;
• put hay, sawdust and tops on top, sprinkle with humus or rotted manure - after laying this layer, 40 cm remains to the edge of the container;
• poured with EM preparations for better reheating;
• mix leaf soil and humus (1:1) or peat and humus (1:1);
• cover with a 20 cm layer.

The container is covered with film and left to overheat for two weeks. Add fertile soil so that 15 cm remains to the edges of the sides of the container. Two weeks before planting, the soil is fertilized for cucumbers.

On balconies and window sills, cucumbers are grown in containers with a volume of at least 5-7 liters (depending on the variety). At the bottom of the pots there must be holes for water drainage and a drainage layer 5 cm high. A layer of fertile soil must be at least 20 cm.

Cultivated plants, including cucumbers, remove almost all nutrients from the soil during the season. She's getting exhausted. Salinity, increased acidity and severe drought sharply reduce the level of soil bacteria, and hence the formation of humus, so the soil must be constantly monitored, not limited to seasonal fertilization.

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When growing cucumbers, it is important not only to use the correct agricultural practices, but also to place the seedlings in suitable soil. As part of preparing a greenhouse or open beds for planting cucumbers, it is necessary to determine the composition and acidity of the soil and, if necessary, improve it by adding mineral or organic fertilizers.

Click on the map to enlarge

Not all types of soil that can be found throughout the country are suitable for growing cucumbers.

• The most acidic are saline soils, solonetzes and carbonate soils. pH parameters are in the range of 7.5–9.5. IN summer period they heat up to 25⁰C in the top layer. Such soils are practically unsuitable for growing cucumbers; to normalize them, it is necessary to enrich them upper layer humus, release salts, get rid of alkali.
• Such types of soil as chestnut soils, chernozems, and gray soils have optimal acidity. Their acidity parameters are in the range of 6.5–7.5 pH. In summer they warm up to 15⁰C, require virtually no adjustment of composition, and are suitable for cucumbers and almost all other garden crops.
• In permafrost-taiga soils, acidity indicators vary greatly and depend on the region, ranging from 4.5–7 pH. They do not warm up due to low temperatures and are not suitable for cucumbers. Sometimes they are used in greenhouses and greenhouses - in this case lime is added to them.
• Gray forest soil has a pH range from 4.5 to 6.5. It warms up well and sometimes requires minimal liming.
• Soddy-podzolic and podzolic soil varieties are not suitable. They have low acidity - in the range of 4.5–5.6 pH, warm up to only 8–10⁰С, and always need deacidification, shelter to increase the temperature and additional feeding with humus.
• Swamp-podzolic and peat-podzolic soils are not suitable for cucumbers. They are slightly acidic, the pH level is in the range of 3–5, the earth cools very much at night and overheats during the day. Measures against temperature fluctuations and additional liming are necessary.

Cucumbers can be grown in neutral or slightly acidic soil. In the latter case, additional lime is added to normalize the composition.

Cucumbers grow wild in Asia, preferring subtropical forests. The soils there are light, saturated with moisture, a large volume of fallen leaves and organic residues release carbon dioxide when rotting, soils with neutral acidity or slightly alkaline.

Let's consider the necessary soil parameters according to 6 main points.

• Structure. Cucumber prefers light, moisture- and breathable loose soils. Medium and light loams, which have a high degree of aeration and are able to evenly distribute and retain water inside, are optimal for this.
• Humidity level. The optimal range is from 75% to 85%. You can check soil moisture manually in a simple way: Take a handful of earth from the top layer in your hand and squeeze tightly. If drops of water remain on the palm, it means the soil moisture is above 80%. If you get a strong lump with visible fingerprints, the humidity is in the range of 70–75%. If it is not possible to form a lump, the soil crumbles, the humidity is below 60%.
• Temperature. Cucumbers are early-ripening crops; they begin to bear fruit early, so for planting seedlings or sowing seeds, the soil must be warm - not lower than 18°C. If the temperature drops to 15°C or lower, the development of the root system stops.
• Acidity. Cucumbers do not tolerate soil acidification; they prefer soils with a pH level ranging from 6.2 to 6.8.
• Humus content. It is optimal if it is concentrated in the upper layers, which will provide the plant with the necessary conditions for growth and development. Cucumbers also prefer high microbiological activity.
• Nutrient content. The most important minerals are nitrogen, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. With a lack of nitrogen, the growth of the above-ground parts and root system stops. If there is not enough potassium, the plant weakens and is more easily susceptible to disease and frost. Phosphorus deficiency reduces harvest volume. When there is not enough magnesium, leaves may turn yellow and fall off, and fruit growth slows down.

The root system of cucumbers is undeveloped, superficial - less than 30 cm deep into the soil, does not penetrate. Therefore, the level of groundwater does not matter. Watering, fertilizing, and loosening should be carried out only in the top layer.

You can determine the acidity level without special litmus papers and instruments using several methods. The simplest of them is based on indicator plants:

• if the site is dominated by horsetail, blueberries, moss, horse sorrel, the acidity is high, adding lime is necessary;
• wild rosemary, mint, lingonberry, bearberry – medium acidity, deacidification required;
• sedge, shieldweed, bells - indicators of soil suitable for cucumbers, weak acidity or with neutral PH;
• coltsfoot, chamomile, clover, sow thistle, nettle, shepherd's purse, yarrow - neutral acidity, the land is suitable for growing cucumbers;
• wormwood, alfalfa, sedge - soil with a slightly alkaline composition, suitable for cucumbers.

You can determine the type and, accordingly, acidity of the soil using another simple method. Take a handful of earth, wet it so that the water does not flow out. Mash well and make a tight lump. Then roll a cord about 3 mm in diameter from the ground, roll it into a ring and track the reaction:

• sandy loam - the earth quickly crumbles;
• medium loam - the cord is dense, uniform, breaks when you try to roll it into a circle;
• light loam - it is not possible to twist a tight cord;
• heavy loam – it is possible to form a ring, but cracks appear on it;
• alumina - the ring is dense, solid, without cracks.

You can also determine acidity using table vinegar. To do this, place a small handful of soil in a glass container and fill it with vinegar. A bubbling and hissing reaction occurs if the soil is alkaline or neutral. If there is no reaction, then the soil is acidic and needs liming (dolomite flour, lime).

Because the cucumbers prefer light, loose, nutritious, non-acidic soils, it is important to correctly optimize the composition of the soil for cucumbers in the spring.

• Dense clay soils are unsuitable for growing cucumbers, but even they can be brought into proper condition. It is necessary to add leavening components and humus-forming substances. These include brick chips, sand, horse and rabbit manure, litter, compost, and rotted leaves.
• Light loams require virtually no preparation. They are loose and have a high degree of aeration. It can be enriched with manure at the rate of up to 6 kg per 1 m 2 of land.
• Sandy loam is light, permeates well, but does not retain moisture, is easy to process, and is characterized by the rapid transformation of organic matter. Suitable for cucumbers, but it must be taken into account that the top layer cools quickly at night and mineral substances are washed out of such light soils. This problem can be solved by adding compost or manure in the fall at the rate of 10 kg per 1 m2.
• Sandstones are not suitable for growing cucumbers because they are not able to retain moisture, and with it minerals. In addition, such soils instantly warm up and cool down at night. You can improve the soil with rotted manure or peat. A more expensive and labor-intensive method is claying. It consists of adding 2 buckets of powdered clay for each square meter of land, then adding compost or manure and digging it up. The procedure is carried out annually for at least 3 years.
• Peaty and marshy soil is not suitable for cucumbers. It is characterized by excessive fibrousness, moisture, organic matter practically does not decompose here, and the peat sours. You can distinguish this type of soil from others by its color - it will be light brown. To optimize the composition, you first need to dry it, then make channels for water drainage. After this, per 1 m 2. half a bucket of sand, the same amount of powdered clay and about 1 kg of lime are added to the plot, depending on the acidity level. After this, the area is dug up to a depth of at least 20 cm.

In a greenhouse and in open ground, the soil for cucumbers is prepared in the same way - the mechanical composition and acidity are optimized, humidity is determined and adjusted, mulching is carried out, fertilizing is applied and humus formation is stimulated. In open ground, it may additionally be necessary to insulate the beds with black agrofibre or other materials that will retain heat.

Before planting seeds or seedlings, it is necessary to prepare the soil. Activities in open ground and greenhouses are somewhat different.

You can prepare the ground for planting as follows:

• High temperature and humidity in protected soil contribute to the development of fungal diseases, so fungicides or biological agents in the form of solutions and tablets - “Glyokladin”, “Fitosporin”.
• It is almost impossible to comply with crop rotation standards in greenhouse conditions, which is why it is recommended to completely replace the top depleted layer of soil. If this cannot be done, disinfection is recommended - adding bleach, watering the soil with boiling water, or a 2% formaldehyde solution. These products can be used to spray the soil, walls, floor, supports, and treat with sulfur before planting.

If cucumbers are regularly grown in the same bed, you can use green manure. They are sown immediately after harvesting; after about a month, a green mass grows, which is mowed and dug into one bayonet.

In an open area, it is necessary to regularly change the place for cucumber seedlings so that they end up in the same bed no earlier than after 4 years. Peas, cabbage and tomatoes are considered the optimal crop predecessors, while pumpkin and eggplants are considered the worst.

For the garden bed, choose a lighted place, closed from cold drafts. The area must be dug to a depth of about 20 cm. Then the debris and tops are removed. In open ground you can also use green manure to improve the composition.

You need to prepare the soil in the fall, immediately after harvesting the fruits and removing organic residues from the site.

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Cucumbers are a green, sweet, juicy vegetable that grows in every gardener’s garden. The plants are quite whimsical and require careful care. We will discuss what kind of soil they like and at what temperature they grow later in our article.

Soil type	pH level	Temperature in summer	Suitability for cucumber
	3,0-5	Big difference between day and night
	4,5-5,6	From 8.8⁰С at a depth of 20 cm
Gray forest	4,5-6,5	From 15⁰С at a depth of 20 cm
Permafrost-taiga	4,5-7,3	Low
	6,5-7,5	From 15⁰С at a depth of 20 cm	Suitable.
	7,5-9,5

Also, in the lowlands the air temperature will be slightly lower, and cucumbers love warmth. Therefore, it is recommended to plant cucumbers at the end of May.

When planting cucumbers, it is better to avoid sandy soils.

Indicator plants
	Low acidity or
	Neutral soil. Suitable for cucumbers.

This is because these crops feed on the same minerals as cucumbers, thus depleting the soil. They also have common diseases, which can remain in the soil for the next season and infect new plants.

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Cucumbers need different types of fertilizing

You need to decide which fertilizer is best on an individual basis. A consultant in a specialized store will help resolve this issue. You should not buy fertilizers in markets or from hand, since the exact composition of such liquids and powders is not known. This can harm future plants or ruin the soil.

The composition of ash is similar to potash fertilizer

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For good growth and development, cucumbers need to create a multi-layered warm bed. Choose a suitable place on the site; the place should be sunny. The first layer is drainage. Any branches, straw and grass will do. Lay the layer to a depth of approximately 30-50 cm and tamp it down properly. Then add a layer of fresh manure. In this form, the bed should remain until spring, during which time all the layers will settle.

In early May, add a layer of fertile soil (it is best to use humus). Place the arcs and stretch the film or non-woven covering material. In a few days you can start planting cucumbers. The manure will “burn out”, releasing heat, as a result of which the cucumbers will grow and bear fruit very comfortably.

In addition, the plant will receive almost all the necessary nutrients for its development.

If you did not have the opportunity to prepare a cucumber bed in the fall, it is quite possible to do this in the spring. Place a layer of manure (you can also use unrotted manure), add 3 cups of wood ash and 100 g of nirofoska per 1 square meter. Then add a layer of soil and cover the bed with film, placing it directly on the soil and pressing it with a weight. Leave the bed like this for at least a week. After this, make holes and plant seedlings or cucumber seeds in them, place arcs and cover the structure with film.

If it is not possible to purchase manure, prepare compost in advance. During the summer, pile up grass, leaves, and weeds. Water periodically and turn with a pitchfork. By spring you should have a rotted mass that can easily replace manure.

To speed up the maturation of compost, water the plant waste with EM preparations.

In greenhouse conditions, a large harvest of cucumbers can be obtained only on soil rich in mineral fertilizers and organic matter. You can prepare the ground in the spring. First remove the top layer of soil, then apply manure. The layer should be quite thick, about 30-40 cm. Make several holes at a distance of about 1 m and pour one bucket of hot water into each. The manure will begin to “burn out” and release heat. Within a couple of days, the temperature in the greenhouse will be sufficient for planting cucumbers.

Before planting, add a layer of fertile substrate. Take turf soil (you can use the top layer of soil from a greenhouse), humus, clean sand or sawdust in a ratio of 2:2:1. Sprinkle the mixture over the manure and level it out. Sprinkle a pink solution of potassium permanganate over the bed to disinfect it.

It is difficult to imagine a garden without a bed of cucumbers, although this heat-loving vegetable can be very demanding on heat, regularity of watering and sprinkling, as well as on the quality of the soil. In order for the future harvest of cucumbers to delight you with abundance, you need to prepare a place for cucumbers in the fall. You should choose the sunniest place, well protected from the wind, remove weeds and dig the soil to a depth of 25-30 cm. You can ensure better heating of the soil in the garden bed by placing it from east to west. If the soil structure does not match favorable conditions To grow cucumbers, you will need fertilizers.

Owners whose garden plot is located in the floodplain part of the river can be proud of the rich harvest of this vegetable without having to do any special soil preparation. Sandy and loamy fertile soil with close groundwater is what cucumbers need. There is only one drawback - lack of potassium salt.

A lover of moisture, the cucumber does not tolerate light sandy soils that are unable to retain it. But heavy soil, where excess water remains for a long time, is not for him. High acidity of the soil will also have to be combated with liming.

When choosing a place for a cucumber bed, you need to pay attention to what crops grew there before. The best predecessors are onions, cabbage, potatoes and perennial herbs. A plot planted with tomatoes or garlic this season will do. If there are not many good places for cucumbers and you have to plant them in the same area year after year, then the top layer of soil needs to be removed. In the fall, you can make a high, warm bed from grass, tops of the crop harvested at this time, placing the coarsest waste on the bottom: trunks from sunflowers, corn, cut branches and foliage of trees. Fold on top potato peelings, moldy bread and other food waste.

Many gardeners have adopted the method of planting cucumbers on compost heap, which is decorated with boards made of boards. The heat that cucumbers so need is produced due to the rotting of the lower layers of such a bed, and vegetables can be sown much earlier by covering them with film. Since the branches are not capable of rotting in one season, it is possible to arrange a place for cucumbers in the same place more than once, while replacing the top fertile layer of soil.

It is necessary to add both mineral and organic fertilizers. Their number depends on the existing soil structure. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers should be applied in the fall. Cucumbers require little nitrogen, but if necessary, it is added in the spring, since, unlike the former, it quickly disintegrates. On average, for every square meter of land for cucumbers you need:

— organic matter (humus, peat) – up to 7 kg;
– crushed limestone – 6 kg;
— potassium salt – 10–25 g;
— superphosphate – 50–60 g;
— ammonium sulfate – 17–25;
- ammonium nitrate - no more than 25 g.

• Cucumber: growing
• Growing cucumbers: soil preparation, fertilization
• Land for seedlings: which vegetable needs which soil mixture
• What kind of soil do cucumbers need?

Cucumber is one of the favorite vegetables. It is grown everywhere: it is cultivated in the fields and greenhouses of vegetable farms, on the ridges of household plots, in apartments on the windowsill and on the balcony. Cucumber is cultivated in warm areas and in cooler climates. The cucumber has become so widespread due to its early ripening and productivity.

Cucumber – annual herbaceous plant pumpkin family. The cucumber is native to the humid subtropics precisely for this reason; to obtain a high yield of cucumbers, a warm and humid microclimate is required. Growing cucumbers using the seedling method is not entirely correct. The cucumber root is a taproot and can reach 80-100 cm in length. But the bulk is located at a depth of 20-30 centimeters. At the time of transplanting the seedlings, the root suffers severe damage, after which it takes a very long time to recover and subsequently produces a low yield. The best way To obtain an early harvest of cucumbers, you can sow seeds in warm ridges. Warm ridges can be built in open ground and in a greenhouse at an earlier date. In open ground, choose a sunny place protected from drafts for the ridge.

Warm beds are prepared from fresh cattle manure. The mass is piled 1.2 meters wide, of arbitrary length, with a height of 60 cm. But in each case, the dimensions can be individual, depending on the presence of organic matter. Then, as the organic mass is laid, the bed is compacted and watered. Cover the prepared ridge with film and wait until inside drops of condensation will appear on the film. The ridge heats up to maximum temperature. After 4-5 days, the combustion temperature drops and mushrooms appear. At the moment the mushrooms appear, a ridge is formed in the form of a bath (40 cm deep) or holes are made (60x60 cm and 40 cm deep) at a certain distance. The holes are filled with soil with a layer of 20 cm and seeds are planted (4 seeds per square meter) to a depth of 3-4 cm, watered and covered with film. The warm greenhouse is ready, as the sprouts sprout, arcs are installed over the ridge. Carefully monitor the air temperature in the greenhouse and on sunny days open the film for ventilation.

If for some reason you do not have manure, you can use compost made from crop waste and household and food waste. We lay manure on the top layer or water it with the Baikal EM-1 composting accelerator. The size of the compost bed is individual with a width of 1 meter. We spread fertile soil over the surface in a layer of 20-30 centimeters and plant the sprouted seeds or sprouts in peat pots or peat tablets.

As the plant grows and develops, it begins to form a stem. This is one of the main agricultural techniques when growing cucumbers. On the sides of the ridge, poles 1.5 m high are installed, to which wire is attached. From the central wire to each root we lower a separate twine to tie the cucumber strands. We form the plant into one main stem with side shoots. In the axils of the first four leaves, we remove all shoots and ovaries. We pinch the next two side shoots after the first ovary and the first leaf blade. Above, pinch above the second ovary and the second leaf. In subsequent side shoots we leave three ovaries and three leaf blades. When the central shoot reaches the height of the wire, we throw the shoot over and let it grow 60 cm, after which we pinch the central shoot. Side shoots should not be allowed to overgrow - this will lead to shading of the plantings and yellowing of the cucumbers. Throughout the growing season, we remove yellowed leaves and fruit-bearing side shoots. We cut out the mustache due to inappropriate use of nutrients.

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To grow cucumbers, the soil must be almost neutral. You can use slightly acidic. In such conditions, the plant will produce a rich and high-quality harvest. If the soil is acidic, then it needs to be alkalized, or the plant will simply gradually die.

To do this, you need to add limestone to it. On average, 1 square meter will require 500 grams of mixture. In this place, cucumbers can be grown for another two years, and then change the place of growth.

Soil type	pH level	Temperature in summer	Suitability for cucumber
Peat-bog and bog-podzolic	3,0-5	Big difference between day and night	Unsuitable, requires strong liming and protection from temperature extremes
Podzolic, sod-podzolic, red soil	4,5-5,6	From 8.8⁰С at a depth of 20 cm	Unsuitable, requires deoxidation and creation warm beds, adding humus
Gray forest	4,5-6,5	From 15⁰С at a depth of 20 cm	Suitable, in some cases requires a little liming
Permafrost-taiga	4,5-7,3	Low	Unsuitable, in some cases requires liming and the creation of warm beds
Chernozem, gray soil, chestnut	6,5-7,5	From 15⁰С at a depth of 20 cm	Suitable.
Carbonate, solonchak, solonetz	7,5-9,5	From 15⁰С to 25⁰С at a depth of 20 cm	It is of little use and requires strong alkalization, removal of salts, and enrichment with humus.

The most the best soil for growing cucumbers, it is considered to have a high moisture content. Loamy soils are the best type. Sandy ones are best avoided, as the plants simply won’t have enough water. Cucumbers love warm air and bright sunlight.

Before planting seedlings in the soil, it is necessary to check its acidity. At home, the easiest way to carry out the reaction is with ordinary table vinegar. To do this, you need to take a handful of earth and place it on a glass bowl. It is better not to use iron utensils, as this may give a false result.

Water the soil with vinegar. If the medium is neutral or alkaline, then a reaction will occur and hissing will occur and bubbles will appear. Everyone has had this reaction at least once in their life when preparing pastries or pancakes. If no reaction occurs, then it is acidic and needs to be limed. For these purposes, dolomite flour and ground limestone are used. This should be done in the fall. Therefore, a place for future cucumbers must be chosen after harvesting.

For other traditional methods, see the table:

Indicator plants	Soil reaction and suitability for cucumbers
Horse sorrel, horsetail, crowberry, blueberry, mosses, meadow grass	High acidity. Strong liming required.
Lingonberry, wild rosemary, sorrel-leaved knotweed, mint, bearberry, marsh goldenberry, cat's paw	Medium acidity. Requires deoxidation.
Broadleaf bellflower, hairy sedge, kupena, shieldweed
Coltsfoot, yarrow, chamomile, meadow clover, wild strawberry, quinoa, nettle, shepherd's purse, sow thistle, sowweed	Neutral soil. Suitable for cucumbers.
Hairy sedge, goosefoot, wormwood, vetch, alfalfa, meadow arzhanets, bromeless brome	Slightly alkaline soil. Suitable for cucumbers.

If you pour vinegar on alkaline soil, a reaction should occur in the form of hissing with bubbles.

Cucumbers need to change their growing location every few years. The more often you change, the better the harvest will be. The best predecessors are considered to be onions, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, rye, oats, and clover. You cannot plant cucumbers after growing melons, pumpkins, cucumbers, and squash.

The soil needs to be loosened to saturate it with fresh oxygen. You can start from the end of May. It is also necessary to fertilize it with natural organic or mineral fertilizers. If this was done in the fall, then there is no need to fertilize it in the spring.

It is better to apply manure in the fall so that it has time to turn into humus. If the soil is heavy clay, then it needs to be fertilized no later than 30-40 days before planting cucumbers in the soil. Manure has a large amount of large minerals. Nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, potassium - all these substances are contained in it. They are absorbed into plants and provide an excellent harvest. It is necessary to apply about 6-9 kg per square meter of soil in the autumn.

An excellent option would be to use the place where the compost pit was previously located. In such a place, cucumbers will grow in open ground. Humus will release a large amount of heat and energy. If you cover the seedlings on top with a thick film, this will create a greenhouse effect. Moreover, humus releases a large amount of nutrients suitable for cucumbers.

Ash is very similar in composition to potash fertilizers and can serve as an excellent replacement. They usually add 200 grams per square meter of land. You need to add ash in the spring, after loosening the soil.

The harvest from such plants may not be the best, so it is better to grow them immediately at home on the windowsill. If the temperature is below 12 o C, it can be detrimental to the seeds. They will begin to freeze and stop growing. Therefore, it is better to avoid critical temperatures or cover the seedlings. Mature plants tolerate low temperatures better. The older the plant, the more resilient it is. It is better to harden off the seedlings a couple of times before planting them in the ground.

The best temperature for the growth of cucumbers is 24-25 degrees

To do this, you need to put it in a place with a low temperature a couple of times. Cucumbers grow best at a temperature of 24 o C. At night, the optimal decrease should not be below 15 o C. If temperatures are too high, plants die. Too much moisture evaporation will lead to oppression of the roots and drying out of the cucumber. The leaves will turn yellow and fall off. The fruits that have set will stop growing and dry out, after which they will simply fall off.

Cucumbers require increased attention both during planting and subsequent care. They can be grown both in a greenhouse (greenhouse) and in open ground. Greenhouses must be with good lighting so that the plant has enough light. Before you start growing them, you need to study all the nuances and determine your own capabilities.

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What kind of soil do cucumbers like: optimal composition, acidity, humidity and temperature range of soil for growing cucumbers (105 photos)

Cucumbers, so beloved by summer residents, come from warm subtropical countries. This explains their capricious nature. Succulent vegetables will not grow if the soil does not have certain characteristics.

Brief contents of the article:

It is no secret that yield primarily depends on the chosen planting location. What do cucumbers like? Here is a list of the main preferences:

• Vegetables love warm and sunny places in their gardens. The optimal daytime temperature is between 20 and 35° Celsius. At night it should not fall below 5°, otherwise the plants will die.
• The mechanical composition of the soil for cucumbers should be loose and loose. This includes sandy loam and light loamy soil.

To understand which soil is the best for cucumber, you need to remember the origin of this crop. Cucumber vines grow wild in the subtropical forests of Asia.

The soils of these forests are characterized by structure, lightness, moisture and a large amount of plant litter on the surface. Acidity approaches neutral or slightly alkaline, and rotting organic matter releases huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the air.

The root system of the cucumber is superficial. It does not penetrate deeper into the soil than 30 cm. Therefore, the depth of groundwater of great importance does not have. When preparing the soil for a cucumber bed, the main attention should be paid to the upper layers of the soil.

This culture is picky about cold and acidic soil, watering with cold water, drafts and temperature changes (from +27..35 C during the day to +12..15 C at night), and when it freezes, the plant dies.

Other negative points are:

• Excess nitrogen
• Dried soil
• High temperature in a greenhouse
• Alternating mineral and organic fertilizers during fruiting
• Collecting greens after 2-3 days, this worsens the taste and stops the ovaries.

Before planting seedlings in the soil, it is necessary to check its acidity. At home, the easiest way to carry out the reaction is with ordinary table vinegar. To do this, you need to take a handful of earth and place it on a glass bowl. It is better not to use iron utensils, as this may give a false result.

Water the soil with vinegar. If the medium is neutral or alkaline, then a reaction will occur and hissing will occur and bubbles will appear. Everyone has had this reaction at least once in their life when preparing pastries or pancakes.

If no reaction occurs, then it is acidic and needs to be limed. For these purposes, dolomite flour and ground limestone are used. This should be done in the fall. Therefore, a place for future cucumbers must be chosen after harvesting.

There are usually no difficulties in assessing soil moisture under cucumbers and correcting it. Since the root layer is not very thick, you can determine the need for watering visually. To do this, just rake the soil to a depth of 5 cm. If it is dry, it’s time to water it.

However, it would be better to avoid over-drying even at such a depth. The delicate roots of the cucumber are already beginning to suffer from overheating and lack of moisture. Therefore, the soil in the cucumber bed must be mulched.

Cucumbers benefit from organic mulch. It is this that not only prevents the soil from drying out, but also provides the plants with the necessary carbon dioxide feeding.

In addition, under organic mulch, the activity of soil flora and fauna is activated and there is a constant enrichment of humus.

To mulch cucumbers you can use:

• mature compost;
• chopped straw;
• well-rotted composted sawdust;
• composted peat.

It is better not to put cut grass under cucumbers. In conditions of high humidity required by cucumbers, such mulch becomes a medium for the development of pathogenic fungi.

To do this, you need to put it in a place with a low temperature a couple of times. Cucumbers grow best at a temperature of 24°C. At night, the optimal decrease should not be below 15°C. When temperatures are too high, plants die.

Too much moisture evaporation will lead to oppression of the roots and drying out of the cucumber. The leaves will turn yellow and fall off. The fruits that have set will stop growing and dry out, after which they will simply fall off.

Cucumbers require increased attention both during planting and subsequent care. They can be grown both in a greenhouse (greenhouse) and in open ground. Greenhouses must have good lighting so that the plant gets enough light. Before you start growing them, you need to study all the nuances and determine your own capabilities.

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The soil for cucumbers must be fertile, then the high survival rate of the seeds and an excellent harvest will delight you. These rules must be followed both when growing bushes outdoors and in a greenhouse. To ensure the most comfortable conditions for growing plants, it is necessary to prepare the soil in advance. Cucumbers grow well in loamy or sandy soil.

It is not recommended to plant cucumbers in acidic or heavy soils. The best option will be planting plants on neutral or, in extreme cases, slightly acidic soils. First of all, it is necessary to determine the acidity level of the earth, after which you can continue preparatory work.

The acidity of the earth determines the pH level. Soil for cucumbers, provided neutral reaction, must have a pH value of 7. The lower the pH value, the more acidic the soil, which may not be suitable for planting. Too high pH values ​​indicate alkaline soil, which is also not suitable for planting bushes.

Soil acidity testing can be done in three ways:

• using the Alyamovsky device (in the laboratory or privately);
• thanks to litmus paper;
• watching the weeds sprout.

Such studies can be carried out in a special laboratory or using certain equipment that can be purchased. To perform soil acidity analysis, you need an Alyamovsky device. This device is easy to learn, as it comes with instructions that any gardener can understand.

You can assess the acidity of the earth using other methods. To do this, you need litmus paper, which can be purchased at any store that sells chemical reagents. To conduct the study, it is necessary to cut the ground to a depth of 30 cm in the vertical direction. The soil should be moistened with distilled or rain water, and part of the soil should be squeezed in your hand along with a piece of litmus paper. The color of litmus paper is equal to the usual control scale, and the degree of acidity of the earth's surface is determined by color matches.

When you don’t have an Alyamovsky device and you can’t get litmus paper, then you can make an approximate assessment of acidity by observing harmful crops that grow in a greenhouse or in a bed where cucumbers will grow. Optimal indicators of acidic soils are plants in the form of plantain, horsetail, speedwell, pickleweed, sedge, horse sorrel, mint, creeping buttercup, wood lice, willowweed, and heather. If these plants are observed, then the acidity of the soil must be reduced before cucumbers are planted.

A good sign is the presence of creeping wheatgrass, field bindweed, coltsfoot, garden thistle, odorless chamomile and clover. These plants grow in low-acid soils, which indicates that the soil ideally matches all the requirements of cucumbers.

It is best to start preparing beds for cucumbers in the autumn. The saturation of the soil with minerals occurs through the application of various types of fertilizers. If the soil acidity is low, then optimal solution will be the use of alkaline organic fertilizers of liquid consistency. For acidic soils, it is necessary to carry out liming, which is carried out by fertilizing the soil with lime, dolomite flour, cement dust, chalk, defecate, and ash.

When warm spring days arrive, you need to dig up the soil surface, and the digging depth should be at least 25 cm. After digging, the top layer of soil (approximately 12 cm) must be mixed well with humus. To prepare humus, any organic matter. When digging and fertilizing the soil comes to an end, the bed must be watered abundantly, after which the area is covered with film for 2-3 days (this manipulation is necessary to warm the soil to a temperature of at least 150°C).

When soil preparation cannot be completed in the autumn, it is necessary to carry out spring preparatory work, which is slightly different from autumn. In this case, it is better not to enrich the soil with lime fertilizers. It is better to focus on alkaline organic fertilizers of liquid consistency and on the maximum increased coefficient of soil fertilization with humus. It is important to complete these procedures at least 7 days before sowing seeds or planting cucumber seedlings.

It doesn’t matter whether you need to sow seeds or plant seedlings, the main thing is to do this in conditions that completely exclude the possibility of renewed frosts.

The maximum level of cucumber yield can be obtained if the plants are planted on elevated beds.

This planting guarantees:

• optimal heating of the root system of this crop, which loves heat very much;
• protection from the effects of excessive soil moisture on the plant;
• ideal illumination of each bush;
• high level of plant productivity.

The beds must be formed and ready for planting at least 7 days before the start of planting work. This is explained by the fact that the land for planting cucumbers must settle a little.

When arranging an area for planting, it is recommended to make several beds, the height of each of which is 20-30 cm. The height of the beds is explained by the type of soil: the heavier the soil, the higher the bed the cucumbers need. The width of the beds is formed by paths, the distance between which should be at least 50 cm.

If cucumbers are grown using the method of vertical plant growth, it is necessary to install and stretch a special frame, which can be made from mesh. The plant will weave along the surface of the mesh, which will create comfortable conditions for growing cucumbers and caring for them. The grid must be placed so that when it is on different beds, did not block them.

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A crop like cucumber came to us from the hot tropics. This explains its rather high need for heat - plants grow best at temperatures from 22 to 27 ° C. Also, their list of preferences includes high humidity of both air and soil. In general, cucumbers are perhaps the most moisture-loving crop among those found in our country. Like many others, it is also demanding on soil fertility - it is desirable that the soil is rich in humus, but at the same time light and not clogged.

In order to enjoy an impressive harvest of cucumbers during the season, you need to follow several rules:

• place a barrel or bucket with fermented grass inside the greenhouse. The latter will actively release carbon dioxide, and this, in turn, will stimulate the appearance of ovaries on the bushes;
• if cucumbers are planted in open ground, use trellises to form bushes, this recommendation especially applies to bunch varieties. This simple technique can increase your yield several times!
• maintain a consistently high level of humidity, approximately within the range of 75-85%, and soil moisture should be 70-80%;
• ensure an adequate supply of nutrients in the soil. They are necessary to ensure rapid ripening during the fruiting period. And since the root system of this plant is located closer to the surface, the soil must be nutritious in the upper layer - there will be no way to “extract” the necessary microelements from the lower roots;
• cucumbers love “airy”, loose soil - one that is well saturated with air. In such soil, the seeds remain viable and show better germination results.

Let's talk about what cucumbers absolutely cannot stand. Firstly, it is acidic and cold soil. Secondly, it is watering with cold water and drafts. The cool liquid actually puts them in a state of shock; one careless watering will be enough for the plants to stop growing. Thirdly, they do not like sudden changes in temperature, when during the day it rises to 25-35 ° C, and at night it drops to 12-15 ° C. Fourthly, these are simply very low temperatures - already at 3-4°C the plant will simply die. The risk zone includes soils with a high nitrogen content, overdried soils, and elevated temperatures inside the greenhouse.

Cucumbers do not like it when some of their varieties are grown in climatic conditions unsuitable for this. For example, some time ago, Dutch varieties were at the peak of popularity, which in our region produced very low yields. And this is quite natural, because the Netherlands has a completely different climate, milder and warmer, and the varieties themselves are more delicate, requiring precise adherence to growing technology.

What cucumbers (like many other garden crops) do not like is diseases and pests. Powdery mildew, aphids and spider mites pose a particular danger to them.

It was written above that cucumbers love moisture, but too much of it can also lead to negative consequences. Thus, increasing the relative humidity inside the greenhouse or in the open ground above 85% is extremely undesirable. If low temperature is added to this, the plant either will not bear fruit or will simply die soon.

In order for cucumbers to grow well, it is necessary to fertilize during the fruiting period. It is best to alternate mineral and organic fertilizers. When the cucumbers are ripe, pick them within the first 2-3 days, otherwise this will lead to a deterioration in their taste and will also slow down the setting of new fruits.

To achieve a high yield, it is recommended to pay attention to unpretentious varieties of cucumbers. For example, one of them is Sparta F1, a high-yielding hybrid variety. Its distinctive feature is that its fruits do not fade even if you collected them later than 2-3 days after final ripening.

In another hybrid variety - Zozulya F1 - female flowers predominate, which determines its very high yield: up to 16 kg per square meter of plot! A distinctive feature of this variety is the ability to adapt to growing conditions even if these conditions are not ideal.

And a variety called Pinocchio bears fruit well even in hot weather, when other varieties require increased amounts of moisture. In addition, cucumbers of the Pinocchio variety ripen quickly, grow in bouquets and produce very juicy, crispy fruits.

One cannot help but recall the favorite of many gardeners - the Rodnichok variety. It is also characterized by high yield, unpretentiousness, and is excellent as a basis for winter preparations.

But the hybrid variety TSHA-98 shows maximum endurance when there is a danger of infection with diseases, rotting, etc.

So, cucumbers prefer: excess carbon dioxide in greenhouses, trellises in open ground. Cucumbers categorically do not accept an excess of nitrogen fertilizers and sudden changes in temperature and drafts.

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Growing cucumbers requires a lot of skills, knowledge and experience. This is not a crop for the lazy, and gardeners put a lot of work into cultivating it. The situation is even more offensive when this work is not paid for by the harvest. It can occur if the site has unsuitable soil. In the article we will tell you what the soil and soil for cucumbers should be like, and consider the issues of optimizing soil parameters.

To understand which soil is the best for cucumber, you need to remember the origin of this crop. Cucumber vines grow wild in the subtropical forests of Asia. The soils of these forests are characterized by structure, lightness, moisture and a large amount of plant litter on the surface. Acidity approaches neutral or slightly alkaline, and rotting organic matter releases huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the air.

Based on this, we can conclude that optimal parameters soil for cucumber:

1. The mechanical composition is loose, light, breathable.
2. Humidity is constant, high, without waterlogging or drying out.
3. Temperature – not lower than +12⁰С at a depth of 20 cm.
4. Acidity – neutral, not lower than 6.2 hydrogen units.
5. The percentage of humus is high, concentrated in the upper layers.
6. Microbiological activity is high.

The root system of the cucumber is superficial. It does not penetrate deeper into the soil than 30 cm. Therefore, the depth of groundwater does not matter much. When preparing the soil for a cucumber bed, the main attention should be paid to the upper layers of the soil.

In Russia, acidic podzolic soils are most common. And there are problems with the required soil temperature in many regions. The analysis of the suitability of different types of soils is discussed in the table:

Soil type	Level pH	Temperature in summer	Suitability for cucumber
Peat-bog and bog-podzolic	3,0-5	Big difference between day and night	Unsuitable, requires strong liming and protection from temperature extremes
Podzolic, sod-podzolic, red soil	4,5-5,6	From 8.8⁰С at a depth of 20 cm	Unsuitable, requires deoxidation and the creation of warm beds and the addition of humus
Gray forest	4,5-6,5	From 15⁰С at a depth of 20 cm	Suitable, in some cases requires a little liming
Permafrost-taiga	4,5-7,3	Low	Unsuitable, in some cases requires liming and the creation of warm beds
Chernozem, gray soil, chestnut	6,5-7,5	From 15⁰С at a depth of 20 cm	Suitable.
Carbonate, solonchak, solonetz	7,5-9,5	From 15⁰С to 25⁰С at a depth of 20 cm	It is of little use and requires strong alkalization, removal of salts, and enrichment with humus.

In terms of mechanical composition, loose, lumpy sandy loam and loamy soils with a high humus content are good for cucumbers.

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Selecting components for the soil

To increase the resistance of seeds to low temperatures, they can be hardened. To do this, the washed seeds are laid out on gauze, filtered paper or scalded sawdust. They should lie for a day at a temperature of 20 ° C. Then they are placed in the refrigerator or covered with snow. Some of the seeds die after this treatment, but the remaining part will be more resistant to short-term drops in temperature.​

​Required: 200 g cucumbers, 20 g smoked pork belly, 25 g onions, 50 g broth, 125 g milk sauce, 2 egg whites, 20 g cheese.​

• ​Root rot of cucumber.​​Scheme for sowing cucumber seeds.​
• ​Good cucumber seedlings should have a thick stem and a dark green color.​​Next required condition- the composition of the soil for seedlings should contain a moderate amount of nutrients and allow water to pass well when watering. For crops that are severely affected by blackleg, the soil for seedlings includes turf soil, peat and sand (3:1). The peat must sit for at least a year, during which it is shoveled and limed. And the turf land must be harvested for at least two years and be well decomposed. It is better to use coarse river sand. If this is not the case, then any, but washed and sifted to clean water and dried. Earth and peat are also pre-sifted through sieves with 1 x 1 cm cells, and then mixed in the required proportion adding sand.​
• ​Prepared, hatched or treated seeds must be planted in individual containers, since cucumber does not tolerate root damage during transplantation. Such seedlings take a long time to take root, get sick and may die. Even an established plant will be much less productive than one grown in a cup and planted with a whole lump of soil. Treated seeds are prepared for planting; they are often recommended to be sown directly in open ground, since they are coated with a thin layer of antifungal and antimicrobial agents. Granulated seeds, in addition to being protective, are also covered with a layer of nutrients that give a positive start to young, immature plants.​
• ​After the disinfection process has been carried out, seed material can be added to the soil nutrient mixture. Prepared soil for seedlings according to all the rules will guarantee a high and stable harvest at your summer cottage. Have a successful season! Preparing the soil for seedlings begins with the process of mixing the soil. To do this, spread polyethylene on the ground and pour out each component in the required proportions.​

Mixing the ingredients

Properly grown seedlings will guarantee a good harvest of tomatoes, cabbage, peppers and eggplants from your summer cottage. Therefore, first of all, you need to take care of the soil in which the seeds will germinate. The soil mixture for seedlings must meet certain characteristics. It should have good porosity, friability and not too acidic environment. Such indicators can be achieved provided that the soil for seedlings is properly prepared.​

​The soil mixture for planting cucumbers can be taken ready-made. Experienced gardeners usually do it themselves. There are several compositions of planting mixtures. Here are some examples of the simplest ones:​

​Purified fresh cucumbers you need to cut into pieces and remove the seeds. Lightly fry the onion cut into slices along with pieces of smoked brisket in a deep frying pan. You should also add chopped cucumbers and add meat broth. Then cover the pan with a lid and simmer until the cucumbers soften. When they become soft, you need to add half the milk sauce, salt and pepper. Next, you need to beat the egg whites into a thick foam, grate the cheese and add it all to the remaining milk sauce. Then pour the prepared sauce over the cucumbers and bake in the oven until golden brown.

In the first days after planting, watering is not necessary so as not to cool the greenhouse. In the future, as the soil dries out, the seedlings should be watered with warm water heated to 25-30°C. The temperature in the greenhouse should be 25-27°C during the day, and 16-18°C at night. On sunny days, in order to increase air humidity, it is necessary to saturate the greenhouse with water vapor. To do this, you need to water the plants before lunch (about 3 liters per frame), and then quickly close the greenhouse with frames. To prevent the leaves from overheating, you need to ventilate 1-2 hours after the poultice, that is, raise the frames. Such poultice watering must be carried out every day (from 8 to 12 days). During this time, the growth of cucumbers will increase, and they will bloom faster.

The best time to plant plants in open ground is the first week of June. Planting should be done in the afternoon, that is, in the 2nd half of the day. But if the weather worsens in the evening (for example, the temperature dropped sharply or a north wind blew), planting should be postponed for a day or arranged using newspapers, paper and other improvised means. reliable protection already planted plants.​

• ​The technology for growing cucumbers includes soil preparation, temperature control, watering and fertilizing.​
• ​Many plants require a light seeding mixture using leaf soil. This soil is humus of fallen leaves. Rake them in your summer cottage or in the forest, put them in a pile, water them regularly in the summer, cover them with black film to speed up the overheating. The leaves rot for at least two or even three years.​

​It is necessary to plant cucumber seedlings, 2 seeds per planting container, to ensure the required number of plants. After pecking the seeds and unfolding the cotyledon leaves, the weaker plant must be removed, otherwise both cucumber seedlings will be weakened due to competition for water, light and nutrients. The plant cannot be pulled out or pulled out - it can pull along the still weak roots of the remaining seedling and damage them. The easiest way is to carefully pinch or cut it off at ground level; the remaining part will gradually decompose without harming the second plant. Now the seedling will have space and will get a lot of nutrients.​

• ​Calibrated seeds need moisture and warmth to germinate. If these two conditions are not provided, even seeds that have already sprouted may die. Most often, they are wrapped in damp cloth and placed in a place with high temperature (about 30 degrees). Seeds that have formed a small root must be immediately planted in the ground.

​Cucumbers are a popular pumpkin crop, an annual herbaceous plant, successfully grown both in open ground and in protected greenhouses. Cucumbers have been successfully grown by mankind for more than 6 thousand years; they come from the foothills of the Himalayas and are even mentioned in the Bible. Despite its ancient origins, cucumber is still part of numerous national cuisines and is successfully used to prepare many tasty and healthy dishes.​

• ​Experienced vegetable growers advise making soil composition for seedlings for different cultures separately, since each vegetable has its own individual needs and preferences.​

​A typical mistake Beginner gardeners can sow seeds in ordinary soil taken from their garden. Therefore, many fail in growing vegetable seedlings at home and prefer to buy plants that are ready for planting. The secret to getting good seedlings is to properly prepare the soil for seedlings. Therefore, we will prepare it ourselves, especially since there is nothing complicated in this process.​

Soil disinfection

​1. To 10 liters of garden soil add 3 liters of humus, 1 glass of ash and one tablespoon of superphosphate. IN clay soil We recommend adding one liter of sand.​

1. ​Pickles stuffed with fish.​
2. ​Feeding should begin when the plants develop 5-6 leaves and tendrils begin to appear. Then it should be carried out after 10 or 12 days, and in the period when fruiting begins - after a week. To carry out the first fertilizing, it is necessary to dissolve ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium chloride in 10 liters of water at the rate of 10:10:5 g. When the fruiting period begins, the doses of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers should be increased by 1.5 times, potassium - by 2 times .​

​To plant seedlings, it is necessary to arrange ridges. Then, on the side of each ridge, always on the south side, you need to plant young plants to a depth almost to the very cotyledons. Then seedlings of the following vegetable crops (early cabbage, onions or root plants) should be planted on the ridges. Planting should be done simultaneously with watering. In the future, the plants should be watered after 2-3 days, using water heated in barrels. To prevent crusts from forming, after watering, humus, turf, or soil removed from the rows should be poured into the holes under the plants.​

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How to grow good cucumber seedlings at home?

​Scheme of a drip irrigation system for cucumbers in a greenhouse.​

Pre-calcined sand sprinkled on top of the substrate in a layer of 0.5 cm protects well from blackleg. Prepare it as follows:

Features of growing cucumber seedlings

Stretched pale seedlings are a common occurrence when growing at home. To prevent this from happening, you need to change two modes of growing cucumber seedlings - temperature and light.​

• An important question for obtaining good cucumber seedlings at home is when to plant cucumber seedlings. If this is done too early, the seedlings will overgrow, stretch out, and be pale and fragile. Such seedlings are unlikely to produce a strong and healthy actively fruiting plant. If you delay planting cucumber seedlings, the plants will be too small and weak, rooting in the soil will take a long time and the harvest will be late.
• ​Thanks to the dietary properties of this vegetable, it has many fans all over the world: it contains virtually no proteins, carbohydrates and fats, but it contains a lot of potassium, essential for heart and kidney health, vitamins, including carotene, and a high percentage of microelements. Since ancient times, cucumber has been used as a medicinal plant, as well as in cosmetics.​
• ​The soil for seedlings of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants should have the following composition:​
• ​The soil for seedlings of tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, eggplants and cucumbers should consist of the following components:​
• ​2. The mixture is made from three parts garden soil, one part manure and one part fine sawdust.​

​Required: cucumbers - 4 pcs., fish fillets - 2 pcs. (not big) onion- 1 pc., butter - 1 tbsp. l., broth - ½ cup, sour cream - 2 tbsp. l., flour - 1 tsp., pepper, herbs.​

​http://youtu.be/nQVkT_Fxf60​

​The development of cucumber plants is positively influenced by light fertilizing, which is carried out with a solution consisting of ammonium nitrate (4-5 g), superphosphate (10-11 g), potassium chloride (3-4 g) per 10 liters of water. After the fruiting process has begun, it is necessary to increase the concentration of the fertilizing solution from 25 to 50%. When caring for cucumbers, be sure to water them, loosen the soil, fertilize and lay out the vines along the grooves and ridges.​

• ​Cucumbers can be consumed fresh, in making second courses (for example, stuffing them), and in canning. Cucumber juice has also proven itself in cosmetics and folk medicine as a laxative for stomach diseases. For getting great harvest It is necessary that the technology for growing cucumbers be fully observed.​
• ​sieve and rinse any sand you have until you get clear water,​
• ​The air temperature needs to be reduced to about 15 degrees, and the seedlings need to be additionally illuminated; if there is very little light, this will have to be done around the clock.​

​The optimal time for planting cucumber seeds for seedlings is 20-25 days before the planned date of transplanting into the ground or greenhouse.​

In order to properly grow cucumber seedlings at home, you must follow a number of rules:

Choosing soil for cucumber seedlings

Add 1 part of peat and river sand to one part of turf soil. The resulting composition is thoroughly mixed, after which it is well watered with a nutrient solution consisting of 25-30 grams of superphosphate, potassium sulfate and 10 grams of urea per 10 liters of water.​

​Humus​

​Seedlings can be grown in cups or pots.​

Peeled and seeded pickles need to be filled with minced meat made from fresh fish, onions, parsley and pepper. After this, the stuffed cucumbers must be placed in a deep saucepan or frying pan, pour broth and sour cream over them and simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes. Then the cucumbers should be removed from the saucepan. Wheat flour should be fried in wheat oil and added to the remaining broth, salt, pepper and heat, stirring until boiling. The resulting sauce must be strained into a bowl and sprinkled with dill. You can serve potatoes or rice porridge as a side dish.​

• ​An earlier and higher yield of cucumbers under film coverings is obtained using the seedling method of cultivation. Seedlings should be planted in a permanent place in early May from May 5 to May 10. Cucumbers can be planted 10-12 days earlier if you combine the use of film covers with soil heating, that is, arrange manure steam beds.​
• ​Cucumber is an annual creeping plant that, with the help of tendrils, is firmly attached to supports and grows upward. In order to get an early and good harvest when growing cucumbers in protected soil, it is necessary to pinch the main shoot of the plants above the second or 3-4th leaf. Since the homeland of these vegetables is the hot tropics, they are very demanding of heat and moisture. People even distinguish the so-called “cucumber” years. During this period in the summer the weather should be warm, drizzling rains should fall every 1-2 days, and then there will be warm evaporation from the surface of the heated earth.​
• ​heat in a frying pan or heat-resistant dish until dry,​
• ​On light windows it is often enough to install side and top mirrors that will reflect sunlight onto the seedlings. Sometimes it is enough to place cups of cucumbers farther from each other, especially if they already have fairly large leaves that shade each other.​

Proper planting of seeds

​For active growth and high-quality fruiting, it is advisable to plant cucumber seeds for seedlings in soil that is similar in chemical and mechanical composition to the one in which the plant will live further. In this case, it will be easier for the roots of a young cucumber to germinate in a new environment and gain a foothold in it.​

​Soil selection.​

What to do if cucumber seedlings have stretched out?

​Mix turf soil, peat and humus in equal proportions. To the resulting mixture you can add a couple of matchboxes of superphosphate and 0.5 liters of cans of ash.​

​. It is obtained from rotted manure or plants, which makes this soil the most nutritious and fertile of all existing types of soil.​

After hardening, the seeds are planted one at a time in a pot at a depth of 1.5-2 cm and covered with a dark film. Seedlings are germinated at a temperature of 25–27 °C. Shoots should appear on the fourth day, and the cotyledons should unfold on the fifth. The film is removed from five-day-old seedlings, the daytime temperature is reduced to 15–20 °C, and the night temperature to 12–18 °C. A short-term decrease in temperature prevents the subcotyledon from elongating, drooping and wilting of plants.​

​http://youtu.be/MkA0MtQOvS4​

​Table of diseases and pests of cucumbers.​

​The old soil in the greenhouse becomes compacted over time, so it should be added to it every year sawdust or chopped straw from 10 to 30%, and with them for every 10 kg of sawdust you need to add an additional 20 g of ammonium nitrate. After adding loosening agents, the soil needs to be plowed to a depth of 15-20 cm.​

If there is not enough moisture in the air, the growth of cucumber plants stops and weakens. Cucumbers are also very picky about the moisture content of the soil. Since the root system of this vegetable develops in the surface layer of soil, a change in its moisture content can have a detrimental effect on the overall development of the plants. Cucumbers need to be watered frequently, but in small doses so that the top layer of soil, 10 to 15 cm deep, is moist all the time.​

​cool, pour into a new plastic bag and use.​

If the seedlings are very elongated, they can be helped when planting in the ground. Such a plant is carefully and carefully buried down to the cotyledons or gradually sprinkled with warm and loose soil. The main condition for good survival of elongated seedlings is planting them in well-warmed, not waterlogged soil. If it had to be planted in cold soil, the ground around such a plant is covered with a dark perforated film, which accumulates solar heat and evaporates excess moisture. In this case, the part of the stem buried in the ground will not rot, but will produce additional roots and support weak, elongated seedlings. After a while it will be as strong and green a plant as all the others.​

​As soon as the first cotyledon leaves appear, the cucumber seedlings must be placed in a cooler and brighter place. This is necessary so that the section of the stem under the cotyledons does not stretch, forming weak, fragile seedlings. You need a lot of light, but direct sunlight should be avoided - they can burn tender and soft young leaves. Water the seedlings with warm water, spray only in the first half of the day in non-sunny weather or in a place protected from direct sunlight.

Growing cucumber seedlings - video

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Land for seedlings.

​Time for planting cucumbers for seedlings.​

To prepare the soil for cabbage seedlings you will need:

Preparing the land for seedlings.

​Sometimes by chance two sprouts grow in a glass. Then the weak sprout is pinched at the root. Its root decomposes without a trace, and the root system of the stronger second sprout remains intact.​

• ​Bon appetit!​
• Cucumbers are susceptible to many diseases. Most often they are affected by downy mildew, anthracnose and bacteriosis. Downy mildew appears as a white powdery coating that forms on the upper side of the leaf, and then on the underside. Anthracnose can be recognized by the formation of light brown spots on the upper side of the leaf, a pinkish bloom on the underside, and pinkish-bronze sores on the fruit. With bacteriosis, oily-angular spots appear on the leaves of affected plants, and watery spots appear on the fruits.​
• ​Mineral nutrition scheme for cucumber.​

​For growing cucumbers, the soil plays an important role, which must be prepared in the fall. It should be sufficiently moist, necessarily loose and free of weeds. For the harvest to be effective, it is necessary to apply manure, peat manure compost, and decomposed city garbage (6-8 kg per 1 m2). It is more advisable to apply fertilizers in layers: manure - in the fall, mineral fertilizers - for pre-sowing treatment in the spring.​

​For flower crops that are not affected by blackleg, one part of compost soil can be added to the above composition. Nowadays there are many ready-to-use peat-based soils with the addition of mineral fertilizers on sale. Many of them can be used to grow seedlings or added to existing mixtures.​

​Cucumber seedlings begin to bloom very quickly, even in the cups the first buds are already forming. This does not negatively affect the quality of strong, healthy seedlings, but it can take away little strength from a weakened one.

DIY soil for seedlings

​Cucumbers love moist air, but do not tolerate “going out” into the night with wet leaves - in such a situation, the plants are quickly affected by fungal diseases.​

​Light mode.​

​Mix humus (compost), leaf soil and river sand 1:2:1. For a bucket of this mixture, it would not be superfluous to add 1 cup (200g) of ash, 0.5 cups of fluff lime, 1 matchbox of potassium sulfate and 3 matchboxes of superphosphate. If it is not possible to use mineral fertilizers, then they can be replaced with ash in the amount of 3 cups.​

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Seedlings, planting and growing cucumbers

​. An integral component of any soil mixture for seedlings. It ensures the flow required quantity humidity to the plant. It also helps create good soil looseness.​

Plants are watered with settled water heated to +24 degrees.

​Cucumber is one of the favorite treats on the holiday table, both as an ingredient in salads and in pickled form. In times of crisis, most gardeners try to grow this vegetable on their personal plots and even on window sills. Cucumber is demanding in care and in terms of growing conditions, so to obtain a bountiful harvest it is important to own complete information according to his agricultural technology.​

Brief cultivation technology

​To combat downy mildew, spray with a weak solution copper sulfate(5 g per 10 l of water), and for adult plants use a more concentrated solution (10 g per 10 l of water). Good results in the fight against powdery mildew, anthracnose and bacteriosis of cucumbers are obtained by spraying with 0.08% carotane, morestan or 0.5% copper oxychloride solution.​

Plants must be placed in single rows, with a distance between rows of 120 cm, in a row - 30-35 cm. Next, holes should be made, the depth of which is 8-9 cm. When planting seedlings, you need to remember that the stem should not be covered with soil. To better illuminate the plants, the distance between the holes must be different: from the side glazing and from the central aisle (between their centers) - 30 cm, and in the center of the row - 35 cm.​

​Scheme of planting cucumbers in a greenhouse.​

How to steam soil for seedlings

​For such seedlings, it will be better to remove the first flowers and give the plant the opportunity to take root well in the soil, improve its health and form a strong bush. This plant will begin to bear fruit a little later than the others, but will quickly make up for lost time and be equal in yield to the rest of the seedlings. Weak or elongated seedlings planted with buds or flowers will suffer for a long time, may drop buds and even ovaries, and as a result will produce much less fruit.​

Cucumber seedlings

​Temperature disturbances such as excessive heat and prolonged hypothermia of seedlings, especially in combination with high humidity air and soil lead to blackleg disease. With this form of root rot, a black area appears at the base of the plant stem, near the ground, causing cell death and the death of the entire green part. It will not be possible to save the affected plant; it must be urgently removed and destroyed along with the soil - it is the source of the disease. The remaining seedlings must be treated with fungicides.

​Temperature conditions.​

The soil for seedlings of cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, and watermelons is prepared in the following composition:

​Baking powders​

​The seedlings are grown for about a month. During this period, it needs to be fed twice. For the first time, fifteen-day-old seedlings are fed. As a fertilizer, it is better to use a solution of mullein (in a ratio of 1:10) or bird droppings (in a ratio of 1:20). Use no more than 50 ml per plant. The timing of sowing cucumbers depends on further growing conditions. In the first ten days of April, cucumber seeds are sown for further planting of seedlings in greenhouses and film greenhouses, and no later than May 10 - for planting in open ground.

Planting seedlings in open ground

​Cucumbers stewed in sour cream.​

3 days after planting, the plants should be tied up. To do this, over each ridge at a height of about 2 m, you need to pull 2 ​​rows of wire or cord so that the distance between them is 20 cm. The cucumber plants are tied in a checkerboard pattern with a loose knot. Caring for planted cucumber plants should consist of watering, which should be moderate and only on warm days, with ventilation provided during sunny hours.

Before sowing, it is necessary to select healthy seeds. To do this, they need to be selected in a 3% saline solution according to specific gravity, after which they should be dried, heated at a temperature of 50-60°C for about 3 hours, and then germinated. When to sow cucumbers depends on many reasons: for example, where the plot is located, how the plants will be protected from frost, etc.​

​January04 and February most the right time to purchase soil for seedlings. Before sowing, place a closed bag of soil in a bucket with very hot soil (at least 60 - 70 degrees), cover with a lid and leave it until it cools completely. Such steaming of the soil will disinfect it from pathogenic microflora and pest larvae that may well be there. When filling the pots for sowing, lightly “salt” the top of the soil with the dust fraction of the AVA fertilizer. Then the seedlings do not need to be fed with anything during their growth period.

Growing in a greenhouse

Cucumber seedlings planted in open ground or in a greenhouse are much more demanding of air humidity than other crops, but they cannot tolerate it at all if even a drop of water remains on the leaves overnight. In this case, the seedlings quickly become ill with powdery mildew, which can kill the entire plantation or the “population” of the greenhouse.​

​Optimal soil composition for cucumber seedlings:​

​Planting cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse.​

​Mix one bucket of leaf soil with the same amount of humus. 1 glass (200 g) of ash is poured into the resulting mixture, up to 10 g. potassium sulfate, and also add about 20 g. superphosphate. Everything is thoroughly mixed.​

​. In addition to peat, the soil for seedlings acquires good porosity after adding coarse river sand. It is this component that creates Better conditions for growing garden plants in seedlings. River sand and peat can replace sawdust, but before using them they must be treated with boiling water.​

Technology of cucumbers in greenhouses

For planting, you can use seeds purchased in the store or obtained from your own cucumbers. Plants grown from seeds 3-4 years old have high yields. The worst harvest will be from plants grown from last year's seeds. It is also not recommended to take seeds from hybrid varieties, since the chances of obtaining plants with identical properties are low.​

​Required: 200 g cucumbers, 20 g sour cream, 40 g butter, 75 g broth, 10 g tomato paste, greens.​

​The first foliar feeding should be given to the plants immediately after they are planted in a permanent place in the greenhouse, that is, in the phase of 5-6 leaves, at the rate of 10 g of urea per 10 liters of water. Then fertilizing should be done every time after prolonged cloudy weather. For 10 liters of water you need to add 5 g of ammonium nitrate, 5 g of double superphosphate and 5 g of potassium nitrate. The solution should be used depending on the age and development of the plants, that is, 10-20 liters per 50 m2. All foliar feeding should be carried out in the 2nd half of the day.

​Seedlings must be grown in paper cups or peat pots for 20-25 days. A mixture of 3 parts low-lying peat, 1 part sawdust and 0.5 parts mullein, diluted in half with water, should be poured into the container. For 1 m3 of this mixture you need to add nitrogen (0.08 kg), phosphorus (2.9 kg) and potassium (0.48 kg). Depending on the acidity of the peat, a certain amount of lime must be added to the mixture.​

​You can prepare your own soil from a mixture of peat, sand and ash. For a bucket of peat you should take half a bucket of sand and a liter jar of ash. Instead of ash, it is fashionable to take a 0.5 liter jar of chalk or a glass of lime or dolomite. Peat is sold in gardening stores, and sand and chalk in construction departments. Instead of peat, you can use coconut substrate (1 briquette per bucket of water). For swelling, it is better to pour a briquette of coconut substrate with boiling water (again for disinfection), and then cover with a lid until it cools completely.​

​Therefore, water the cucumbers in the morning with warm water, trying not to leave the leaves wet until the evening. If necessary, the plants are sprayed, but so that they have time to dry by night.

​Sod or humus soil.​

​Properly grown and prepared for planting, cucumber seedlings should have at least a couple of true leaves, a strong short stem, a rich, juicy green color, and a well-developed root system (if the container for seedlings is transparent, it should be visible that the entire lump of earth is covered with roots).​

Diseases and the fight against them

​I would like to warn vegetable growers against excessive use of fertilizers when preparing the soil for vegetable seedlings, if the base soil used is nutritious in itself. This is due to the fact that at the initial stage of seed germination the plant does not require many microelements. The need for them arises only when the first true leaves appear. Therefore, additional nutrition is usually applied through liquid fertilizers a few weeks after germination.​

Leaf ground

Three days before planting, the seedlings are fertilized again. To do this, use a complex nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, in which phosphorus and potassium predominate.​

Cucumber Recipes

Seeds should be stored at a temperature of +16°C and humidity - 50-60%. Then they will not lose their qualities for 10 years.​

Peeled and sliced ​​cucumbers should be rolled in flour, to which salt and pepper have been added, and fried in oil. Then the fried cucumbers should be placed in a deep frying pan, pour meat broth, add sour cream, tomato paste. After this, close the lid and simmer over low heat until the cucumbers become soft enough. The finished dish must be served by pouring sauce over it, sprinkling dill on top and covering it with white bread croutons. Wheat or rice porridge is a good side dish.​

​First, the greenhouses must be cleared of snow and ice, then filled to the lining with manure, which must be spread evenly and slightly compacted. After 4 days, the manure gives sediment, so it should be further compacted, Special attention paying attention to places near the harness. If a stable and favorable thermal regime has been created in the greenhouse, then in the 2nd half of March (March 15-20) you can start growing cucumbers.​

​After sowing, it is necessary to maintain air humidity at 70-75%. It is better to remove late-appearing plants, as they will produce little yield in the future. As a rule, until the seedlings are planted in the ground, there is no need to water them, since the humidity in the pots is kept within 72%. If it decreases, then it is necessary to start watering. A few days before planting the seedlings, they should be accustomed to the outside air. The day before planting, you need to feed with mineral fertilizers: ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfate, superphosphate at the rate of 10:30:40 g per 10 liters of water, which is enough to treat 1 m2. To avoid burns on plants after feeding, you need to wash off the fertilizers with clean water.​

​It should be remembered that the soil for seedlings with your own hands does not contain anything, so when preparing them you need to add any complex mineral fertilizer (3 tablespoons per bucket of peat, and the fertilizer must be thoroughly mixed with the soil).​

​Cucumbers are one of the most rewarding garden crops, which, with minimal care and attention, will thank their owners with a bountiful and tasty harvest.​

​To grow cucumber seedlings for a greenhouse, it is necessary to select so-called parthenocarpic, or self-pollinating varieties that do not require the help of bees and other insects. If the seedlings are intended for open ground, bee-pollinated varieties of this vegetable are also suitable.

​This process is necessary to remove pathogens from the soil. You can disinfect soil mixture for home seedlings different ways, one of which is its freezing. But, if this is not possible, then you can use watering with disinfectants or steam treatment.​

​. A distinctive feature of this type of soil is its high looseness, but the low nutrient content does not allow it to be used as the main soil for seedlings. Therefore, its use is possible only after combining with other types of soil. Leaf soil is most often collected in forest belts where deciduous trees grow. Vegetable growers do not recommend using soil collected under willow, oak or chestnut, since it will not produce good quality soil for seedlings: it is too saturated with tannins.​

Within a month, the seedlings take on the appearance of squat bushes, with a well-developed root system and 1-2 dark green leaves. It is planted in soil insulated from below at a depth of 5 cm with manure or other organic substances.​

Homemade seeds are prepared for sowing. First, the seeds are discarded. To do this, they are placed in a saline solution (3 g of salt per glass of water). Empty seeds will float, and viable ones will end up at the bottom.​

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Secrets of strong cucumber seedlings | House in the village

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Sow cucumbers for seedlings

​For the development of the root system, it is necessary that the soil layer be sufficient, so along the greenhouse (in its middle) you need to make a groove, the width of which is 25-30 cm and the depth of 12-15 cm. It is necessary to pour into it a soil mixture, which consists of 2 parts of turf soil and 1 part of humus. As a result, the groove should have a total layer of at least 23-25 ​​cm. A ridge will form above the groove (on both sides), onto which fresh garden soil or old greenhouse soil should be poured.​

Pre-sowing seed preparation

​Good cucumber seedlings should be dark green in color, have 1 true leaf, and a thick stem.​

​The seedlings will have to be constantly watered not with water, but with a weak solution of such fertilizer (a teaspoon per 3 liters of water). You can use liquid fertilizer. Complex fertilizers usually contain not only nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, but also microelements.​

​Read about growing cucumbers in a greenhouse in our next article.​

​Sand.​

​Seeds offered for sale come in different qualities - regular, processed and granulated.​

Which soil is better?

Method one. Pour the prepared fertile mixture well with a solution of potassium permanganate (3 g per 10 liters of water), and then carry out additional treatment with antifungal drugs.

​Preparing the soil for seedlings is not too complex process, but still, it requires some effort and free time from the vegetable grower. Therefore, many people prefer not to bother and purchase a ready-made soil mixture. However, not all manufacturers of such products are conscientious, and there is a possibility of purchasing peat soil with an acidic environment. Even if you add mineral fertilizers to it, you may not get good germination of seeds and strong seedlings.​

​After the last feeding, they try not to water the seedlings so that the earthen ball with roots dries out a little. When transplanting, the soil in the hole is disinfected with a one percent solution of potassium permanganate. The bottom of the cup is cut off with a knife, and the plant is carefully pushed out of the cup. With this method of transplantation, the risk of damage to the roots is minimal. The plant is planted in a hole, sprinkled with wet soil, and then dry. During the first week, plants should be shaded with branches, cardboard or boxes to improve survival rate.

Good seeds are treated against fungal diseases in a one percent manganese solution, washed and dried. It should be noted that store-bought seeds do not need to be discarded and disinfected.​

​Cucumbers with milk sauce.​

​Next, in the middle of the greenhouse, transverse oblong holes should be made, the depth of which is 10-12 cm. These holes must first be watered with warm water, then the seedlings should be planted in pairs so that they are in an inclined position and face the pots towards the center. To speed up the appearance of side shoots, you need to pinch the apical bud above the 3-4th leaf. Early ripening varieties do not need to be pinched.

Watering, fertilizing

​If you are late in planting it, this can lead to pampering, stretching of the plants and poor survival after planting. It is best to start planting seedlings in the ground in the first half of June after the danger of frost has passed. In the case where it is possible to cover it with film, planting can be postponed to the first half of May.​

​Cucumbers are part of the most common vegetable crops. Everyone loves them, so this vegetable can be found in any summer cottage and garden.​

​The soil for growing seedlings and sowing seeds may have various compositions, but under one non-applicable condition - it must be fresh, that is, not previously used. Old soil for seedlings can only be used after steaming. At home, this can be done in the oven. kitchen stove. Pour the soil into a basin or pan, moisten it, close the lid and place in the oven at 80 - 85 degrees for two hours. At a higher temperature, the organic part of the mixture (peat, humus) begins to burn out.

​Drainage (added to the bottom of the planting container to remove excess moisture). Expanded clay, vermiculite, sunflower husks and other adsorbent materials can be used as drainage.​

Landing in the ground

​Ordinary seeds must be calibrated and rejected before planting: those that are known to be crippled and small are immediately selected, and the remaining ones are immersed in a strong solution of table salt - the seeds that float up are unusable, and the good ones will sink to the bottom. They are selected, washed thoroughly with fresh water and dried or immediately processed for sowing.​

Method two. The soil for seedlings is placed in a fabric bag or in a perforated container and left to steam for 45 minutes. You can, of course, calcine the earth in the oven, but along with the pathogenic microbes, the necessary nutrients also disappear.​

For this reason, experienced summer residents prepare the soil for seedlings of tomatoes, cabbage, peppers and eggplants with their own hands. It is best to start this process in the fall, and by spring the soil for seedlings will settle and settle. If you leave it for storage in the barn, then it will also freeze well, which will only benefit it.​

Technology for growing cucumbers on sphagnum peat, methods for growing cucumbers in a greenhouse, growing cucumbers on substrates, about cucumbers.

Growing on sphagnum peat

Weakly decomposed sphagnum peat is widely used in Latvia as a soil substitute in greenhouses and greenhouses (Taranov, 1977). Such peat, neutralized and enriched with mineral fertilizers, serves as a good substrate for growing vegetable crops.
Technology based on sphagnum peat has a number of advantages:
the use of peat culture does not require specially equipped greenhouses, therefore there is no need to construct concrete, waterproof tanks, as is provided for hydroionic or gravel culture;
the work of workers is made easier, its productivity increases, since the density of peat is 3-5 times less than that of soil, and there is no need for weeding;
harvesting peat costs approximately 1.5-2 times less than harvesting topsoil or compost.
The disadvantage of peat substrate is that it mineralizes relatively quickly (after 1-2 years), as a result of which its air and moisture capacity, and consequently the productivity of cultivated crops, decreases, so it has to be changed.
As many years of experience and production testing have shown, growing on sphagnum peat provides an average improvement of 10-20% compared to growing on soil. The best for these purposes is sphagnum (moss) peat from drained high-moor peatlands, which has the greatest moisture capacity.
Peat is harvested with a degree of decomposition of no more than 20%. It has a high water absorption capacity, mineralizes more slowly, and can be used longer in greenhouses.
The greenhouse complex "Riga" acquires (for 4.8 hectares winter greenhouses) milled sphagnum peat with a degree of decomposition of 5-10%, pH 3.5-4. Peat is delivered to the plant by the end of the growing season of vegetable crops in greenhouses - in September - December.
In greenhouses, where they are cultivated in 4 rotations throughout the year, peat quickly mineralizes with such intensive use, so it has to be changed annually. For these purposes, waste peat is removed from greenhouses with a bulldozer, and fresh peat is brought in by dump trucks in return.
Freshly harvested peat is limed, reducing the acidity to close to neutral (dolomite flour, calcareous tuff, burnt lime or chalk are added). Before liming all the peat, test liming of a small amount is carried out to establish the required doses of lime material.
The peat brought into the ground greenhouse is leveled with a layer of 25-30 cm, and then lime material is added superficially according to the calculated rate. To mix peat with lime, use an FS0-7 electric mill, driving over the laid peat in two tracks.
Limed peat is poured onto the shelves or soil of the greenhouse in a layer of 20-22 cm. The optimal acidity is established within the pH range of 5.8-6.0, for cucumbers - 6-6.5. At the Riga state farm, to neutralize sphagnum peat, which has a pH of 3.5-4, 8-11 kg of dolomite flour (CaO50%) per 1 m3 of peat is consumed. To better neutralize peat when mixing with lime, watering is used.
Sphagnum torus contains very few nutrients, approximately 1% total nitrogen, 0.03% phosphorus, 0.05% potassium and 0.20% calcium of total dry matter. At the same time, most of the nitrogen is in a form that is difficult for plants to access. Therefore for normal height and the development of plants cultivated on sphagnum peat are introduced.
At the Latvian Research Institute of Agricultural Sciences (Taranov, 1977), research was carried out to develop a technology for the production of vegetables on sphagnum peat with nutrient solutions of mineral fertilizers.
A recipe has been compiled for a complete fertilizer of the “U” brand, which contains macro- and microelements in the following quantities (%): nitrogen 7.5-7.8; phosphorus 2.6-2.8; potassium 13.0-13.5; magnesium 0.5-0.8; iron 0.15; copper 0.15; manganese 0.05; zinc 0.04; boron 0.02; molybdenum 0.005; cobalt 0.005.
For sphagnum peat, a one-time application of the specified fertilizer in dry or dissolved form is sufficient - for cucumbers and tomatoes, 3 kg per 1 m3 of peat.
Seedlings are grown in peat pots with a diameter of 10-12 cm at the same time as on soil. After planting the seedlings in a permanent place, vegetable crops are grown with the application of solutions of mineral fertilizers (Table 48).
Photo (table 48):

A nutrient solution is applied to cucumbers 1-2 times a week, depending on the presence of nutrients in the peat, the time of year and the condition of the plants.
In greenhouses, before planting or sowing vegetable crops in a permanent place, peat is first filled with mineral fertilizers in dry form (Table 49), and after the plants take root or seedlings emerge, they are fertilized with nutrient solutions, adjusting their composition based on agrochemical analysis data.
Photo (table 49):

The optimal concentrations of nutrients for cucumbers on peat have been determined. The best total concentration of salts (in active ingredients) for cucumbers is 0.8 - 1 g, for tomatoes 1 -1.5 g per 1 liter of air-dry peat.
It has been experimentally established that when growing vegetables on peat, it is enough to apply only mineral fertilizers. Otherwise, the agricultural technology of vegetable crops on sphagnum peat is the same as on soil.
“Suburban vegetable growing” 1981 - Publishing house “Kolos” Pantielev Y. Kh.

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