Brought to us from India cucumber has become the most popular vegetable around the world. He is loved by both adults and children. Not a single summer salad, not a single winter feast can do without it. So what should every self-respecting gardener know about the technology of growing cucumbers in a greenhouse?
Which greenhouse is better?
Spring is an unpredictable season: today the sun is shining, but tomorrow it may snow. And for young fragile plants, stability is so important! Greenhouses help to achieve this. How to choose the material for covering the greenhouse? Glass and cellular polycarbonate are at the peak of popularity. In terms of price, they almost do not differ, but in terms of quality they differ greatly.
Glass greenhouse will let in direct sunlight, and polycarbonate creates a soft diffused light that will not be able to destroy the cucumbers. Accordingly, the cost of cultivation will not be lost. Cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse will be safe even in winter, as this material is very durable and able to withstand snowdrifts. It should be noted that heatinga glass greenhouse will take 10 times more energy than heating a polycarbonate greenhouse of the same size.
Varieties or hybrids
Most varieties grown in greenhouses are hybrids (marked as F1 on seed packaging). For greenhouses, it is advisable to choose self-pollinating plants, since bees and other insects are reluctant to fly into such a building.
Since greenhouse lighting for growing cucumbers in winter is very important, but often not enough, breeders have bred a sufficient number of early hybrids. They will not suffer from lack of sunlight and sudden temperature changes in winter. Let's list the main ones: "Arina", "Ladoga", "Danila", "Russian", "Northern Lights" and others.
The following varieties and hybrids, loved by summer residents, are suitable for growing cucumbers in the summer: "Emelya", "Hercules", "Pomegranate", "Manul".
Optimal temperature
The conditions for growing cucumbers in a greenhouse should be close to the climate of their homeland. For good growth and fruiting, it is desirable to use a temperature range of 24 to 27 degrees during the day. Maximum daytime temperatures of 30 to 35 degrees are acceptable, but their long periods can adversely affect the quality of cucumbers.
Night temperatures of at least 18 degrees provoke rapid growth and earlier ripening of cucumbers. At 12 degrees, they will grow slower and the harvest will be late.
When growing cucumbers in a greenhouse in winter, one cannot do without a large number of sources of artificial heat and lighting. In this case, lamps for greenhouses, ground heaters are used. To protect cucumbers from cold gusts of wind and snowstorms, the insulation of the walls of the greenhouse with polystyrene foam or other materials intended for this will help. A small extension in front of the entrance to the greenhouse will help to keep warm and avoid a sharp ingress of cold air inside when opening the door.
Soil is important
Good soil for greenhouse cucumbers should be well-drained, at least 48 cm deep. The soil should be used with a low content of soluble s alts and without diseases. Sandy loam is preferable to sand or clay.
If the greenhouse soil for growing cucumbers in a greenhouse does not meet these criteria, several types of soil mixtures and systems can be successfully used. These include various types of hydroponics, peat-lit (a mixture of sphagnum peat and vermiculite or perlite) and sawmill waste (mixtures of bark, wood chips and sawdust). Hydroponic systems are capable of growing good crops of cucumbers in greenhouses, but they are more expensive and do not offer much advantage in terms of yield or fruit quality.
Landing
For planting, pre-grown seedlings with 3-5 leaves are used, when the sprout is approximately 26 days old. The timing of planting cucumbers depends on the type of greenhouse. Seedlings are planted in greenhouses without heating in early spring,when the soil is fully warmed up. This usually happens in late April or early May. Cultivation of cucumbers in greenhouses with biological heating should be carried out from 2 to 8 April.
Planting is carried out in rows. The best distance between them in the garden is 55 cm, and between the ribbons - from 75 to 85 cm. Seedlings are planted at a distance of 22 cm from each other. Mineral or organic fertilizer is applied to each hole, and then water is poured. Peat pots with seedlings are lowered into the holes and covered with soil. Then the beds are well watered, and the seedlings are mulched. If it was grown in containers that do not decompose, then it is removed from them and planted in the hole.
Planting in winter
Despite the fact that the cucumber is hard to tolerate frost, it is possible to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse in winter. In this case, they are usually cultivated in two rotations. The first rotation involves planting seedlings from January to March (depending on the variety of cucumber), and harvesting takes place in July. The second rotation of planting is carried out in early August, and the harvest is harvested in autumn - in September-October. Still, it should be noted that it is not advisable to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse in winter due to the high material costs of maintaining the required temperature.
Bag Method
Very convenient is the method of growing cucumbers in a greenhouse from seeds, not from seedlings. Not only ordinary people, but also professional agronomists choose this method. With this landing technique, ordinary plastic bags with a volume of 70 liters are used, which are filled with a nutrient medium for futureplants. Bags must first be punched with drainage holes. Composted and leached material is preferable to fresh material, as it rots when watered and releases carbon dioxide, which cucumbers need.
You can also use the following plant debris: mixtures of branches, roots, bark, sawdust, etc. Sod or leafy soil is laid on top. From one to three seeds or one seedling are planted in one bag. It is noteworthy that this method can be used not only in the greenhouse!
Fertilizers
Cucumbers in a greenhouse grow quickly, so they should never suffer from lack of water or nutrients. Care and cultivation of cucumbers in a greenhouse involve fertilization. The nutrient intake level of greenhouse cucumbers is very high. One study shows that 8,000 plants may require 11 kg of nitrogen, 2 kg of phosphorus, and 16 kg of potassium per week during peak fruit ripening. Therefore, fertilization must be systematic in order to achieve good yields.
Animal manure used as fertilizer can supply some of the nutrients needed. However, only about a third of their nitrogen and phosphorus become available to plants during the growing season. Excessive use of such a fertilizer will increase soil salinity and slow down the growth of cucumbers. Soils that are acidic due to fertilizer use or natural soil conditions may require limestone to be incorporated.before boarding.
Important item
Nitrogen is the most important element in growing crops. It doesn't matter if cucumber is grown in winter greenhouses or in summer, it must be supplied to the irrigation water at each spraying, from soluble fertilizers - potassium, calcium or ammonium nitrate. The most efficient method of introducing water and nitrogen into the soil layers or sand culture is through a drip or jet irrigation system.
Nutrient solution is used in bag planting method via spray or drip irrigation tube. The frequency of application will depend on plant size and greenhouse temperature, but will vary from once or twice a day immediately after transplanting to several times a day on warm days at harvest time.
Harvesting and storage
Harvest the fruits after they reach the same diameter along the entire length, but before the yellowing appears on the plants. Cucumber yield depends mainly on the length of the harvest period, as well as plant spacing, pruning, available light, prevailing temperature, variety, and good nutrition. Timely pest control also affects it. But it is worth clarifying that a cucumber grown in a greenhouse in winter in compliance with the requirements for all these points will not differ from its summer relatives!
After harvest, the thin-skinned fruit is very susceptible to softening due to moisture loss. As soon as possible after picking, the cucumbers shouldbe placed in conditions that prolong their shelf life. The best temperature is 12 degrees, with a relative humidity of 80 to 90 percent. Storing at lower temperatures results in poor flavor and reduced shelf life.
Diseases
Agricultural technology for growing cucumber in a greenhouse will be useless if the pest is not identified in time and started to fight it! Aphids (disease causing insects) come from other susceptible crops and weeds outside the greenhouse. It is important to install greenhouses as far away from susceptible field crops as possible and to keep weed growth under control.
Powdery mildew (powdery mold) can seriously affect plant growth and cucumber quality. Resistant cucumber varieties are available for greenhouse cultivation and should be used where this disease is a problem. Control measures should be applied when the first spots of mold are noticed. Powdery mold looks like small white dusty spots of small diameter. They usually appear first on the upper side of the lower leaves.
Gray mold occurs when the humidity of growing cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse is not properly controlled. Fortunately, this disease can be completely prevented if adequate air circulation in the room is ensured in time.
Fungal infection can also be a serious problem for young cucumbers. Symptoms are softening and yellowing of stem tissues on the soil line,and then their withering. Young plants are very susceptible for a few days after transplanting, but the disease can also stunt growth if infection occurs on ripening fruit. Good sanitation practices and sterilization of the growing medium before planting will prevent this disease.
Fruit curvature
A serious physiological disorder that leads to a decrease in yield and quality of greenhouse cucumbers. The curvature of the fruit is already noticeable at an early stage of ripening and cannot be corrected.
It is known that the thrips insect feeding on one side of the young fruit leads to the curvature of the cucumber. Growing in a greenhouse in winter can be accompanied by unfavorable temperatures, excessive soil moisture and poor nutrition. These factors also deform the fruit.
Insects
The list of the main pests of greenhouse cucumbers includes white fly, two-winged mites, leafworms, greenhouse thrips.
Greenhouse environments are attractive to these pests, so gardeners must constantly monitor the development of their populations. Insects enter the greenhouse housing through vents, open doors, even through small holes in the walls or roof. They can also stick to clothes or tools. Regular inspections of plants for lesions will ensure that he althy cucumbers appear in the greenhouse. Growing using the recommendations of this article will bring a rich harvest and the opportunity to try yourself in a new business!
