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Almost all gardeners love to grow cucumbers. The culture is quite whimsical to the conditions, but the unsurpassed taste of the vegetable overrides the effort. Gherkins are especially popular - small-fruited varieties of cucumbers, the main difference of which is miniature fruits.
The average length of the cucumbers reaches 6-10 cm in length, the skin is thin, the flesh is dense without voids, and the seeds are small. They have an excellent taste, a pleasant crunch, which is appreciated by all lovers of lightly salted vegetables. Often gherkins are replaced with ordinary varieties, picking unripe small fruits. However, the taste of common varieties of cucumbers is noticeably inferior to babies - gherkins.
Small-fruited cucumbers are grown both in the open field and in greenhouses. The second option allows you to get an earlier harvest, as well as to prevent vegetables from temperature extremes, irregular moisture.
Features of growing small-fruited varieties of cucumbers
Gherkin cucumbers are whimsical to agricultural technology... To get a good harvest you need:
- carefully dose mineral fertilizers;
- maintain optimal watering and lighting;
- keep the cucumber beds clean;
- often, but gently loosen the soil;
- delete in time weeds;
- regularly carry out measures against pests and diseases of cucumbers.
The main difference and a guarantee of success in growing gherkins is the need for daily collection of fruits. This makes it possible for the bush to intensify fruiting. Cucumbers do not outgrow, retain their taste and nutritional value. Fruit growth stops at a length of 10 -11 cm, then intensive thickening begins. Overgrowths do not allow the rest of the cucumbers to fill, the yield decreases.
For small-fruited gherkin varieties, it is not recommended to use diffuse irrigation. Cucumber does not tolerate moisture on the leaves, it is better to moisten the soil in the root zone. The plant immediately signals a lack of moisture by wilting of the leaves, therefore regular watering is an important condition for a large harvest of gherkins in greenhouse and soil cultivation.
To get the desired result, you must adhere to the basic recommendations for caring for gherkins. Open field has its own specific features. A greenhouse requires, in addition to knowledge of agrotechnical measures, to study the rules for operating greenhouses. This will make it possible to get an early and high quality harvest of cucumbers. But, the result will justify all the efforts expended.
Useful tips for growing cucumbers in a greenhouse
Many people opt for the method of growing cucumbers in a greenhouse. This allows not only to shorten the period of fruit ripening, but also to create more comfortable conditions for plants. First of all, you should take care of the cleanliness and ventilation of the greenhouse. Wooden structures of greenhouses are disinfected, metal structures are painted. Before planting seedlings of gherkins in the greenhouse, all measures are taken to disinfect the soil, remove plant residues, and arrange the beds.
Such actions are performed in the fall after harvesting. The main activities in greenhouses that will have to be performed during the cultivation of cucumbers remain:
- watering;
- top dressing;
- protection of cucumbers from diseases and pests.
Also, the yield directly depends on the choice of gherkin seeds.
In this case, there is no need for artificial pollination and pinching of gherkin lashes. All self-pollinating varieties of cucumbers, when grown in a greenhouse, have to be formed in order to prevent strong thickening.
This is the reason for the decrease in yield, the appearance of common diseases on cucumbers - powdery mildew, stem rot. To avoid this, you need to cut off the ends of the lashes after the second leaf on the side shoots.
Key recommendations
Even a novice gardener can get a good harvest of gherkins in a greenhouse. We follow certain rules and enjoy crispy cucumbers. Be sure to provide the plants with sufficient nutrients, light and moisture.
Preparing fertile soil
If any vegetables have already been grown in the greenhouse, then the preparation of the soil for the next harvest should be done in advance. Cucumbers love a quality mixture, so the soil in the greenhouse should be fertile. The optimal combination would be fresh humus with sod soil. A mixture of field soil, taken in an amount of 20% of the total volume, with the addition of 50% peat and 30% humus, has proven well. It is not difficult to prepare the soil for the greenhouse. After harvesting and all plant residues, the soil is disinfected. Dig up all the greenhouse beds to the depth of a shovel bayonet (20 cm) and treat the ground with a solution of copper sulfate (7%). After a month, prepare a soil mixture for cucumbers with the ratio of components described above. They add nutrients and lay them in the greenhouse ridges. For one cubic meter of volume, 2 kg is enough potassium sulfate, 3 kg of superphosphate, 0.4 kg of ammonium nitrate.
If the soil is being prepared in the spring, then manure that has been well rotted and has passed biothermal disinfection should be introduced. The ridges are made after covering the greenhouse with a film when the soil is ready. They are located either along or across the shelter. It depends on the size of the greenhouse.
During the cultivation of cucumbers in the greenhouse, it is necessary to monitor the compaction of the soil. Loosening is carried out regularly and carefully so as not to damage the root system of gherkins, which is close to the surface.
We carry out competent watering in the greenhouse
To obtain a stable harvest of cucumbers, it is necessary to control soil moisture. Waterlogging is just as undesirable as moisture deficiency. In addition, regular watering is an important factor. With sharp fluctuations in soil moisture, root cracking and the appearance of root rot occur. On hot days, gherkins are watered daily, on cloudy and cool days - as needed. The best time to water in a greenhouse is in the evening when the water is warm enough. Cold water is very harmful to the root system of cucumbers. In order not to strongly compact the soil, a conventional sprinkler is put on the end of the hose or the spout of the watering can. Water is poured carefully, trying not to get on the leaves of the gherkins. After each watering, shallow loosening of the soil is carried out. If the roots of the cucumbers come to the surface, it is necessary to sprinkle the nutrient mixture with a layer of no more than one and a half centimeters.
Regular ventilation against disease
The film coating of the greenhouse does not allow water vapor to pass through, therefore, it is necessary to air it every day. To do this, open only the upper vents, protecting the gherkins from drafts. Dry air creates favorable conditions for pests of cucumbers (spider mites) in the greenhouse. It is very beneficial for cucumbers to carry out daily moisture control to avoid large fluctuations.
Correct feeding is half the battle
The ability to feed gherkins competently helps not only preserve, but also significantly increase the yield.For the whole season, it is enough to spend four to five dressings of cucumbers, the main thing is to do it on time. There are two groups - organic and mineral fertilizers. They can be applied by root and foliar method. A cucumber signals a lack of any element in a certain way. Basic requirements for fertilization:
- Normalization. Any overdose is harmful, but nutritional deficiencies are just as harmful. In the greenhouse, you must adhere to one more rule. The ideal option is to feed the gherkins in small doses, following the recipe recommendations.
- Qualitative composition. For cucumbers, minerals are needed - nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, as well as organic - mullein, chicken droppings.
- Application time. The first greenhouse feeding is carried out before the gherkins bloom. The next ones can be carried out no earlier than 14 days after the first. During the season, the optimal amount for cucumbers is three or four times.
- Fertilizer type. Nitrogen is necessary for the full development of deciduous mass, but reduces the quality of the fruit. Therefore, it is better to use fertilizers in the greenhouse without nitrate nitrogen. Phosphorus stimulates flowering and ovary of cucumber fruits, and also nourishes the root mass. Potassium is indispensable during the fruiting period. It helps the movement of nutrients from the roots to all the aerial parts of the cucumber.
Another important condition will be the selection of gherkin seeds for the greenhouse, as well as the protection of plants from pests and diseases. The appearance of diseases can be foreseen and preventive measures taken. The main thing is to remove such factors as high humidity, temperature differences, dry air in the greenhouse. Now you can get ready to harvest a rich harvest of cucumbers.
