Cucumber is one of the most popular vegetables in our country. Every gardener who is engaged in its cultivation, and such a lot, knows that this is quite a capricious plant and requires a lot of attention. Therefore, we will try to tell you a few secrets about how to get a big and, most importantly, a good harvest of cucumbers.
Seed selection
First of all, in order to have a good harvest of cucumbers, you must select and prepare seeds properly. If you grow vegetables in a greenhouse , then you need to choose self-polluting hybrid varieties F1, among which are popular:
- "Pace";
- Courage;
- "Dynamite";
- "Amur".
These varieties of cucumbers are also good because they will be able to harvest not only in a greenhouse, but also on a balcony or a window sill. Growing vegetables in a traditional way, on the open ground, you need to choose other varieties:
- "Farmer";
- "True friends" and others.
Also, consider the climate of your region: if it is cold, then yield only special cold-resistant hybrids that can grow at low temperatures. These varieties are also classified as F1:
- "Balalaika";
- "Saltan";
- "Trump card".
Seed preparation
After you have decided on the grade of seeds, you need to learn how to properly prepare them. Make a solution: in one liter of warm water, stir one tablespoon of table salt. After the water has cooled, dip the largest seeds from the pack into it. For a while, leave the jar of seeds in a dark warm place so that the seeds can infuse. When you see that some of them have surfaced, you can make a selection - those that are left below are suitable for sowing. Lay them on a napkin or gauze, which in advance will be impregnated with fertilizers (one teaspoon of fertilizer per one liter of water). In this state, the seeds should be placed in the refrigerator, but away from the freezer. Leave them for 12-15 hours. During this time they must have time to germinate a little. After that they can be safely planted in the ground.
Planting seeds
A very important stage is the planting of cucumbers. So, on the open ground cucumbers must be planted in the second half of May. Note that the beds should be open to the sun, but protected from the wind. Also, cucumbers do not like to grow among weeds and debris, so the plot must be cleared in advance. It is advisable to plant seeds at a distance of 20 cm from each other. In this case, between the beds should be about 60-70 cm.
Soil loosening
If you are thinking about how to increase the yield of cucumbers, then you need to know how to properly loosen the soil. Two weeks after planting, it is necessary to make the first loosening. It should be very tidy and, of course, shallow - no deeper than 3 cm. The subsequent loosening should be done no more than once or twice a month, but do not forget to pierce the ground to a depth of 20 cm. So you can loosen the earth qualitatively, but not to touch the fragile root of cucumbers.
Watering
This process plays a very important role in the cultivation of cucumbers. As
It should also be taken into account that different watering is required during different periods of growth. So, before the flowering begins - every 4-5 days. Note: if you water abundantly, the flowering will come much later than the due date. Further, before the harvest begins and in its period the plant requires more moisture - once in 2-3 days.
Pay attention that the beds located near the walls or the fence dry up a little faster, so they should be visited more often. Do not pour water with a strong stream; so as not to injure the plant, it must be warm.
These simple rules will tell you how to grow a good harvest of cucumbers!