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Attempt grow cucumbers in a greenhouse for beginners can be unsuccessful. A familiar culture in greenhouses is capable of being capricious, not producing fruit, or getting sick and dying. This is due to the lack of ultraviolet rays in the early planting dates, too high temperatures in the summer, as well as an elementary mistake of a novice gardener in the selection of seeds. Proper care of plants also includes such an important event as the formation of a whip.
Preparing for planting cucumbers in the greenhouse
If the greenhouse has already been used for growing plants, then its preparation must begin in the fall. Processing must be done taking into account the type of the previous culture. When growing melons, watermelons, zucchini and similar plants from the pumpkin family, it is best to completely remove the soil, thoroughly clean the equipment parts and treat the greenhouse with antifungal agents (smoke bombs such as "FAS" with sulfur, 7% copper sulfate solution). This will prevent the disease of cucumbers with root and gray rot, powdery mildew, etc.
Crops unrelated to cucumbers have practically no common diseases with them, therefore, preparing the greenhouse for winter can be done according to the usual rules:
- remove the remains of plants, shed the ridges with a solution of copper sulfate;
- fumigate or spray the inside of the greenhouse with disinfectants and antifungal drugs;
- if early spring planting is planned, prepare the ridges by removing all the soil from them.
The excavation must be done in order to facilitate the work of forming ridges for the cucumbers planted in early spring. In an unheated greenhouse, the soil will freeze, making it difficult to cultivate it before the start of the season.
Spring preparation of beds in the greenhouse
So that delicate seedlings do not freeze when the outside temperature drops below 0°C, with early planting (early April), even in greenhouses, it is necessary to use the technology of "warm beds". Its essence lies in the fact that fresh manure is loaded into a box or pit made at the site of the future ridge in the greenhouse. With a slight compaction, this substance begins to decompose with an intense heat release, which has been used by gardeners since time immemorial.
The manure needs to be leveled and compacted a little.
It should not be tamped vigorously, as this prevents oxygen from entering the biofuel layer and makes heating impossible.
If the lumps of manure are frozen, then after loading and compaction, it is necessary to water the ridge well with very hot water (boiling water) at the rate of 10 liters per 1-2 m². After that, close its surface with polyethylene or covering material and leave for 2-3 days. During this period, microorganisms that cause rotting begin to vigorously operate in the manure. The bed becomes very hot to the touch and a slight haze of fumes may appear over it.
The finished biofuel layer must be covered with fertile soil. The thickness of this layer should be 25-30 cm. Arches should be installed on top of the ridge right in the greenhouse and the covering material or film should be stretched. After the soil temperature is close to +20°C, you can start sowing seeds or planting cucumber seedlings.
Selecting and planting cucumbers in the greenhouse
Not all cucumber varieties are suitable for indoor cultivation. Some of them belong to bee-pollinated, that is, insects should carry pollen. These plants are intended only for outdoor use, in a greenhouse it is impossible to get a crop from them.
Modern greenhouse hybrids are usually labeled as "indoor". In the description of the variety, you can read the incomprehensible word "parthenocarpic". This means that this variety is capable of producing fruits without the participation of insects. These are the cucumbers that are needed for those who want to grow an early vegetable in a greenhouse.
Hybrids created for cultivation in the northern regions and in Siberia are very undemanding to lighting. Among them are varieties "Brawler", "Ant", "Twixie", "Halley" and many others. Multiple varieties may be more whimsical. "True Friends", "Merry Family" and the like, which give several ovaries per knot. Long-fruited hybrids are very good for early plantings. "Malachite", "Biryusa", "Stella".
Before planting, the selected seeds should be soaked for 20-30 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate (pink) for disinfection. After that, wrap wet in a wet cloth and leave for 12-24 hours in a warm place (+ 30 ... +35°FROM). During this time, many seeds will hatch, they will have a root. Such planting material should be selected for sowing.
Sowing cucumbers in the ridge
This stage is very responsible. At the time of sowing, it is important not to break off the tips of the roots, so it must be done very carefully. You can make a hole for a seed with your finger, its depth should not exceed 1.5 cm. The distance between the holes is 70-90 cm. If there are a lot of seeds, you can put 2 seeds in each hole. Water the crops with a small amount of water (0.5 cups per well) and again close the ridge with covering material.
After 3-5 days, the seeds will germinate and plants with two rounded cotyledonous leaves will be visible in the garden. After the seedlings rise above the soil surface, you need to select and leave a stronger plant, and remove the excess. Young cucumbers, carefully removed from the soil, can be transplanted to another place, if necessary. Caring for plants at this time consists in timely watering with warm water (as soon as the soil surface dries up).
Forming a whip in a greenhouse
To effectively use the area allocated for planting cucumbers, it is customary to tie them to a trellis and pinch the side shoots according to the scheme.
To do this, stretch a horizontal rope or wire over each row of cucumbers. From it down to each bush, lower a thin twine and fix it at the base of the stem. Until the lash reaches a length of 15-20 cm (4 true sheets), it is enough to wrap it around the twine once.
At this level (zero zone), all ovaries and lateral shoots must be removed, leaving only the main stem. Pinching should be done immediately, as soon as the bud of the shoot has become noticeable. This does not injure the plant at all. Further, the formation of the whip is done as follows:
- Leave a shoot rudiment near the 5th leaf (first zone), allowing it to grow to 1-2 leaves and leave 1 ovary. Pinch the shoot and do the same until 8 leaves on the main stem.
- In the next 3-4 nodes (second zone), you can leave 3 leaves and 2 ovaries each.
- After 11-12 leaves (third zone) and up to the trellis itself, 3-4 leaves and 3 cucumbers are left on the side shoots.
- When the main stem outgrows the height of the trellis, it must be bent over it, lowering it down. Formation to produce in one stem.
As the stem grows in length and new leaves are formed, the cucumber whip begins to lose the lower leaves. They become lethargic and turn yellow. Starting from the first tiers, they must be removed as they die off, avoiding rotting or drying out. So, in the lower levels, a constant air exchange will be maintained, which will prevent fungal diseases. This is especially true in cool, rainy weather.
Taking care of cucumbers in the greenhouse as a whole is not particularly difficult, even for beginners. The main requirement of this culture is an abundance of moisture. Water the cucumbers daily, in the morning, with warm water. They also love watering over the leaves, which increases the humidity of the air.
In hot weather, when the temperature can rise to 30°C, the greenhouse must be ventilated without the formation of drafts. Exceeding this mark slows down the formation of fruits, and the already formed ovaries can fall off. To reduce the temperature, you can shade the greenhouse during the hottest midday hours, constantly watching the thermometer. The optimal readings are considered to be + 20 ... + 25°FROM.
