If you want to grow a decent crop of cucumbers in your area, you should provide proper care for the plants: fertilizing , hilling, loosening the soil, as well as protection from weeds and diseases. And one of the most necessary elements of care is watering, especially if cucumbers are grown not in a greenhouse. Let's find out how to water cucumbers in the open ground.
How to water cucumbers in the country?
Cucumbers are very responsive to soil moisture, because during the growing season this plant has a large green mass, and the leaves of cucumbers are not at all protected from the evaporation of moisture from their surface. Therefore, this culture requires a lot of water for proper development. It should be borne in mind that the root system of cucumbers is located in the upper layer of the soil, and as a result, it simply can not constantly supply the plant with moisture.
Sown seeds in the garden immediately need watering. To do this, it is better to take a watering can, and the water temperature should be approximately + 20 ° C. Watering with water less than + 10 ° C is not recommended. When sprouting occurs, care should be taken to ensure that the soil does not dry out. But excess moisture can cause disease sprouting. After each watering it is desirable to gently loosen the soil under the plants. It can be covered with dry earth or peat: this helps to keep moisture in the soil longer, and a dense crust will not form on the surface of the earth.
As soon as the fruit began to be tied, the frequency of watering should be increased to the point that watering the plants every day. Also, many gardeners are interested in the question of whether to water the cucumber on the leaves. It is known that the main watering of cucumbers should be made only under the root. However, on especially hot days, when the temperature rises above + 25 ° С, it is necessary to carry out sprinkling. This method will help to lower the temperature of flowers and leaves and will prevent ovary failure. Do not use sprinkling at temperatures below + 25 ° C, otherwise it can lead to the development of fungal diseases.
When is it better to water cucumbers?
It is best to water the cucumber either early in the morning, until the sun has not yet appeared above the horizon, or late in the evening, after its setting. The same applies to sprinkling, which is carried out at one time with the main watering: in the morning or in the evening. Sprinkling, carried out under the bright rays of the sun, can cause burns on the leaves, and sometimes even the death of the plant.
To water cucumbers is necessary only from a watering can: the bucket and a hose here are not recommended, as under pressure of water the roots of a plant can be bare. This can provoke a decrease in yield and a deterioration in its quality. If you notice that the roots, with careless watering, are still bare, be sure to dip this plant.
The onset of the fructification phase of cucumbers indicates that the watering of plants should become even more abundant. Remember that the amount of water that cucumbers get with each watering depends on the duration of their fruiting.
If the summer turned out to be rainy, then, probably, the cucumber should be protected from excessive moisture and lay special drainage grooves, as stagnant water from the roots can cause them to rot. Therefore, the best indicator that cucumbers need watering will be the drying of the soil beneath them.
Watering cucumbers depends on the composition of the soil. So, on sandy loamy lands, cucumbers can be watered not very abundantly, as water can penetrate deep into the soil. Abundant should be watering plants on clayey heavy soil. And, if the earth is very dry, it is best to water 2-3 times with small intervals, so that the water soaks it well. Some gardeners even make punctures in the ground with garden pitchforks to force out air.