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Cucumber is a familiar culture for us, it is thermophilic and unpretentious. This allows you to grow it almost all year round. The season for cucumbers in the garden begins in mid-spring and ends in the fall... Can cucumbers be grown in winter? Of course it is possible! Sometimes amateurs manage to do it in apartments. on the windowsill, but we advise you to create a heated greenhouse.
Winter greenhouse requirements
Before talking about the varieties that can and should be grown in winter, let's talk directly about where our crispy vegetables will grow - about greenhouses. Since the winter season involves a number of features in cultivation, certain requirements are imposed on greenhouses:
- electricity will need to be supplied to the greenhouse, its source should be located nearby;
- the area where the object will be placed must be level (if there is a slight slope, make sure that it does not face north);
- in addition, barriers are created from strong gusty winds, which are dangerous for plants in winter;
- it is necessary to create a source of irrigation water nearby;
- the best ratio of area to volume of a winter greenhouse is 1 to 2;
- the material can be polycarbonate, glass or multilayer film (only for southern regions).
Taking into account these requirements, it is possible to build several winter greenhouses... The best varieties that are resistant to these conditions will be grown in a short period.
Soil preparation
The composition of the soil is of great importance. Two types of soil are suitable for growing cucumbers in winter:
- Peat-based (at least 50% with the addition of compost in an amount of 20% or more);
- On the basis of sod soil (with a mixture of humus).
Before planting seeds, it is required to carry out treatment with copper sulfate 0.5 liters of an aqueous 7% solution per 1 m2... After three weeks, the soil is dug up and compost is applied. Enrichment is carried out either by mineral fertilizers or by wood ash.
The beds are formed in a special way from north to south. This will increase your plant's resistance to disease and grow the best fruit you've ever seen.
Selection of varieties
For cucumbers to grow well in the winter and give an excellent harvest, it is not enough to build a solid greenhouse. Variety selection is the most important step for growing cucumbers in winter. The choice is influenced by the following nuances:
- lack of moisture during this period;
- lack of insects;
- small amount of light.
All this suggests that for growing in a greenhouse in winter, a cucumber variety must be resistant, fruitful, self-pollinated. Fortunately, these types of cucumbers are widely available on the market today.
Classification
We will immediately determine those varieties that are suitable for growing in greenhouses in winter. Let's divide them into groups:
- self-pollinated cucumber variety;
- unpretentious variety;
- shade-tolerant varieties of cucumbers.
Below is a table with the names of varieties for these categories. These are the best varieties to date.
Group | Varieties |
|---|---|
Self-pollinated | Cheetah F1, Courage F1, Dynamite F1, Orpheus F1, Calendar, April, Swallowtail, Lilliput, Zozulya F1, Anyuta F1, Hummingbird, salad Hercules |
Unpretentious | Zarya, Pomegranate, Surprise 66 |
Shade tolerant | Russian, Manul F1, Iva, Danila F1, Arina F1, Home, Olympics F1, Moscow evenings F1 |
The selection is really great, and these are only popular varieties, the best of the best.You can plant cucumbers in the ground at any time of the year. The owner of a winter greenhouse can get fresh fruits both by the New Year and by the beginning of spring.
To achieve a good harvest, it is necessary not only to choose the right seeds, but also to follow the cultivation technology precisely. We will talk about it later. Let's consider several varieties of cucumbers in more detail.
Description of some varieties
We present to your attention three of the most popular varieties of cucumbers that can be grown in a greenhouse in winter. These are Kurazh, Danila and Zozulya varieties.
"Courage"
Differs in high productivity, many gardeners know it. The characteristics are shown in the table.
Group | hybrid |
|---|---|
Benefits | early maturity, high yield |
Pollination method | parthenocarpic |
Sustainability | resistant to many diseases |
Description of the fetus | fruit weight averages 130 grams, oval-cylindrical shape, length 15-16 centimeters |
Growing technology | seeds are sown to a depth of 3-4 centimeters according to the 50x50 scheme |
Plant | medium-sized, has 2-5 ovaries, fruiting no later than 44 days |
Yield | 6-8 kilograms |
"Zozulya"
It is early maturing and also has a high yield.
Group | high yielding hybrid |
|---|---|
Benefits | early maturing with high yield |
Pollination method | parthenocarpic |
Sustainability | resistant to most cucumber diseases |
Description of the fetus | large cucumbers up to 200 grams inclusive of cylindrical shape with sparse tubercles |
Growing technology | seeds are sown to a depth of 1.5-2 centimeters according to the 50x30 scheme |
Plant | medium-sized with low climbing ability, requires good watering and fertilization |
Yield | up to 16 kilograms per 1 m2 |
"Danila"
A bee-pollinated hybrid variety. Even in the winter months, it produces an excellent crop in greenhouses. Please note that this variety is pollinated by bees. Self-pollination is a long and complex process.
Group | high yielding hybrid |
|---|---|
Benefits | medium early with high yield |
Pollination method | bee-pollinated |
Sustainability | to downy mildew and cladosporium |
Description of the fetus | cylindrical shape weighing up to 110 grams without bitterness and with large tubercles |
Growing technology | seeds are sown to a depth of 3-4 centimeters according to the 50x30 scheme |
Plant | a powerful green bush, begins to bear fruit no later than 60 days |
Yield | from 370 centners per hectare |
Growing technology
Observance of the technology of growing cucumber from seeds is of great importance for the yield of the plant. Remember that cucumbers love fertile, fertilized soils. Even when grown in greenhouses, it will need to be calibrated and decontaminated in advance. The seeds are very often planted first at home while the soil is being prepared in the greenhouses.
In addition, the best fruits grow when the soil is properly heated. It should reach 22 degrees, no less. Each variety described above requires this rule to be followed.
Below is a video with tips for beginners on growing cucumbers in winter in greenhouses. Regardless of which variety is chosen, please note that two-year-old seeds give greater yields.
A month after the emergence of seedlings, the cucumbers are transplanted into the beds, after watering them. Planting plants too close to each other will disrupt the ventilation in the room. Remember that heating in greenhouses, whatever it is, dries the air. It will be necessary to create additional sources of moisture so that the cucumbers feel comfortable in the beds.
The varieties described above are resistant, however, do not forget that cucumber is a thermophilic culture. Even in winter, it is necessary to create favorable growing conditions in the greenhouse. This is the key to getting a rich harvest.
