You can surprise guests and please loved ones on the eve of the New Year holidays in an original way - for example, grow a cucumber on the balcony. Of course, this vegetable can also be bought in the store, but the one you are personally involved in the appearance of will always be better, tastier and more aromatic. Therefore - for the cause.
Choose seeds
Since the goal is to harvest, the seeds should be chosen carefully. In open ground conditions, insects carry pollen from one flower to another, resulting in the formation of an ovary from which a cucumber grows. On the balcony, especially in the cold season, this sequence is not possible, therefore only self-pollinating varieties are suitable for cultivation. If it was not possible to find them on sale, you can take a chance and sow the usual ones, but then you will have to “work as a bee” yourself - with the help of a thin soft brush or cotton wool wound around a match. An equally important point is the ripening period. Try to pick one so that both you and the plant have enough time before the holidays. Also, after the purchase, the seeds are calibrated - that is, the most he althy-looking, full and large ones are selected. They have more chanceturn into a green bush and bring delicious fruit.
Sowing - rules and features
Seeds that have lain for several years, and not very old, are recommended to be soaked in warm water - this procedure accelerates the emergence of seedlings, and subsequently has a positive effect on plant growth. You can achieve a stronger effect if you add a little biogrowth stimulant to it. The main thing is to make sure that the planting material was not processed during packaging before proceeding with the "cucumber on the balcony" operation. Even if the packaging is modestly silent about these facts, the clue will be the unnatural color of the seeds - orange, green, blue … In this case, the sowing is done dry, spilling the ground with the seeds already lying in it with water so that the fertilizers dissolve (they are the reason for the exotic color) have not lost their properties. As a primer, you can use light purchased mixtures or steamed garden soil with the addition of sand and vermiculite. Containers with a future cucumber plantation should be kept in a bright and warm place, otherwise they may become moldy and nothing will come of the idea of \u200b\u200bgrowing cucumbers at home.
Caring for it right
Two things that can almost instantly ruin the result of your efforts are drafts and overflows. A cucumber on a balcony (and even on a glazed one) to some extent feels like a fighter in a minefield - the slightest oversight with an open window, and the plant is already signaling poor he alth with drooping leaves. SimilarCold water also works on it. And if it falls on the ground often, pests and diseases will not hesitate to attack a weakened bush. But to ensure complete comfort for the cucumber, it needs to be fed. It is advisable not to exceed the dosage, but to adhere to the one indicated on the package. It is also necessary to let the plant trail - for this you can buy a ready-made pergola or make a homemade one. As you can see, there is nothing wrong with arranging a small garden on the balcony. So be sure to try planting something else over time, like cherry tomatoes or hot peppers.
