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Autumn is harvest time, for some crops the last of the year. But you want to eat fresh vegetables not only in summer. If everything is done correctly, then until the very cold, crispy green cucumbers will delight the whole family, recalling the past summer.
TO growing cucumbers in a greenhouse in the fall, it is appropriate to start preparing at the end of summer. Temperature air with the arrival of autumn coolness often no longer allows seedlings to develop in the open field. Already in September, everything should be ready for planting seeds, from which young shoots of cucumbers should soon grow. The first step is to prepare the greenhouse.
If some vegetables grew in the greenhouse during the summer period, then the ground must be cleared of the remnants of leaves, shoots and roots.
The greenhouse frame can be made of wood or metal. In any case, the material of the frame must be treated before planting seedlings: wood - with a solution of bleach or water-based paint, metal - with copper sulfate. This is done in order to protect future shoots from pests, rust and mold that can settle on the frame of the greenhouse.
The main materials used in greenhouses are film, glass or polycarbonate. Film is the simplest, but not the most durable type of coating. It is used more often for temporary summer greenhouse options. If planned plant cucumbers in such a greenhouse, then you need to carefully check the integrity of the coating and provide for the protection of young shoots from cold condensation, which always forms on the film in the morning. Plants can freeze and die because of it.
A polycarbonate greenhouse is the most durable and reliable option, but such a construction costs a lot of money.
Therefore, you should not install it because of 3-5 kg of cucumbers. But if growing cucumbers in a greenhouse is a profitable business, then you should not skimp on a good polycarbonate greenhouse with heating, lighting and air ventilation.
Preparing seedlings and planting cucumbers in the ground
In September, the soil temperature in Central Russia still allows you to plant seeds in the greenhouse directly into the ground.
If there are fears that it will be cooler at night, the seeds can be planted in special pots that are installed in the greenhouse before the shoots germinate.
When planting cucumbers in the open ground of a greenhouse, you need to pre-treat the soil in order to get rid of harmful bacteria, rot and weedsthat can harm the future harvest, and places for the beds should also be formed. Preliminary preparation of the soil before planting includes several stages:
- The soil in the greenhouse is removed by 5-10 cm in order to remove unnecessary elements from the soil left over from previous plantings.
- The land should be treated with diluted lime and fertilizers, organic and mineral. If we are talking about compost and not rotted manure, then small depressions are made to place them, into which you need to lay out the selected type of fertilizer at the rate of 20 kg per 1 m2.
- The beds can be positioned in the greenhouse as it is convenient for its owner. But if you plan to combine the cultivation of cucumbers with other types of vegetables, then the side for planting cucumber seedlings should be sunny. The height of the beds can be from 20 to 30 cm.
- Before planting cucumbers, holes are made in the beds at a distance of at least 30 cm. This is necessary so that the bushes do not interfere with each other as they grow.Planting cucumbers too closely reduces their yield and fruit quality. Before planting seedlings, you need to water the hole. Then gently stick in the root of the shoot and sprinkle it with earth. Watering the seedlings immediately after planting is not required.
- Planting ready-made seedlings is carried out when the height of the stem reaches 15-25 cm. It is worth taking care of the preparation of the trellises in advance, to which the growing shoots will need to be tied up.
A feature of planting cucumbers in a greenhouse in the fall is that during this period of time it is not necessary to apply nitrogen fertilizers. It is enough to treat the soil from pests and enrich it with manure. Especially suitable for these purposes chicken droppingspre-soaked in water. Fertilizers with nitrogen content are applied only in spring.
Greenhouse cucumber care
Cucumbers are plants that love moisture. The humidity level in the greenhouse must be at least 80%. But this does not negate the regular watering of vegetables. It is enough to carry it out every other day. If the fall is sunny and hot, you can water the cucumbers daily. Watering cucumbers should be done with water at room temperature, strictly under the bush, trying to prevent splashes from falling on the leaves.
For this, it is better to use a watering can with a special nozzle. It is necessary to ensure that the water pressure during irrigation is not too strong.
After all, it can damage the young root system of vegetables. Don't use too much water. Excess moisture will lead to rot and death of plants. In the middle of autumn, at lower temperatures, you can water the cucumbers less often, about 1 time in 10 days. Water consumption per 1 m2 should be approximately 8-9 liters.
As the air temperature decreases, the soil gradually cools down. If the greenhouse is not additionally heated, then young cucumbers in the fall cannot receive all the necessary nutrients from the soil and need additional feeding. The best option would be a water-soluble fertilizer that can be sprayed on the bushes. But their use must be carried out in strict accordance with the instructions on the package.
How to care for shoots
The growing shoots of cucumbers need to be pinched from the moment they reach a length of 50 cm.This is done as follows:
- The lower side shoots are removed with a secateurs.
- It is customary to pinch lateral shoots over the first leaf.
- The upper part of the main shoot and the upper shoots are fixed above the second leaf.
All unnecessary antennae, dead ovaries, dry leaves and parts of side stems must be removed in a timely manner so that they do not interfere with the development of the main fruiting shoot. In order for the harvest to be large, and the fruits of cucumbers to grow to an average size, it is necessary not only to maintain the level of humidity, fertilize and water the plantings. It is important to ensure that fresh air is supplied to the greenhouse. Airing is recommended 1-2 times a week. However, strong autumn drafts can harm young plants, so this should be done very carefully, covering the stems with foil if necessary.
These include hybrid varieties of vegetables. They are resistant to small temperature extremes, pests, while giving a high yield even in adverse conditions. Subject to all the rules for caring for cucumbers, the crop can be removed 1-2 times a week.
