Step-by-step instructions for planting cucumbers in the ground

Cucumbers are grown in regions with different climatic conditions. Vegetable crops require proper care and compliance with planting rules. Errors at any stage of the growing season lead to low yields.

How to grow cucumbers correctly? At what distance are the seeds sown? In this article we will understand how to properly prepare seeds and create conditions for their growth in open ground.

Where to start growing cucumbers correctly

Before planting cucumbers, choose a place where the future crop will grow - in a greenhouse or open ground. Climatic conditions and sowing time affect the method of planting the plant in the soil - seeds or seedlings. The choice of variety depends on these indicators. Planting by seedlings, all other things being equal, speeds up harvesting by 1-2 weeks.

Open ground

The following varieties and hybrids are suitable for open ground:

1. Courage F1. The average length of the fruit reaches 12-13 cm. This hybrid is early and self-pollinating. On average, 1.5 months pass from planting to harvest. It is immune to diseases and is famous for its taste.
2. Gerda. Gardeners harvest this variety 1.5 months after planting. The fruit grows on average up to 10 cm. The plant is resistant to diseases (fungus and rot).
3. Connie F1. Early ripening hybrid. On average, fruit ripening time is 50 days. The size of the cucumbers reaches 8-9 cm. Connie is planted in a greenhouse and in open ground. Resistant to rot disease.The fruits are suitable for eating and pickling.

Growing in a greenhouse

The following varieties are suitable for growing in a polycarbonate greenhouse:

1. Zozulya. On average, agronomists grow cucumbers for 1.5 months. The length of the fruit reaches 25 cm. The variety is high-yielding. With proper care, gardeners with 1 sq. m harvest 25 kg of fruit.
2. fontanel. During the season, one bush produces up to 9 kg of cucumbers. The average fruit length is 25 cm.
3. Emelya F1 is a parthenocarpic hybrid, pollinated without insects.
4. Sarovsky - high-yielding, tolerates lack of light well.
5. Matilda F1 is a self-pollinating early-ripening hybrid.

According to the harvest, they are distinguished:

1. Early varieties. Early varieties include German, Buran, April. Gardeners harvest such cucumbers 40 days after planting. The fruits are small, reaching an average of 10 cm in length. The plant bears fruit throughout the season. It is self-pollinating.
2. Late. Ripening period – 2 months. Late hybrids include Phoenix, September, Tournament. The variety tolerates temperature changes well. The weight of the fruit reaches 210-240 g, length - 15 cm. Such seeds are planted in the ground in July or August.
3. Mid-season. Such cultures include Libella, Legend, Emerald. The average length of vegetables is 12-14 cm. The plant bears fruit throughout the season. Gardeners harvest up to 10 kg of cucumbers from a bush.
4. Cold-resistant varieties. Such seeds are suitable for growing in northern regions. Altai ripens on average 40 days.

Preparing for landing

For better results, it is recommended to change the place for growing vegetables every five years. Different types of soil are suitable for planting cucumbers. Seeds grow best in soil containing humus.

In the southern regions, soil with a flat surface is used for planting.In regions with a cool climate, the beds are made elevated. This allows you to create a sufficient air-thermal regime.

Cucumbers grow well in soils that have adequate aeration and drainage.

Reference. It is preferable to grow cucumbers in beds where potatoes, tomatoes and corn previously grew.

Preparing the site in the fall

After harvesting in the fall, gardeners prepare the land for the new season. Choose a place for planting that is warm and well-lit. The area for vegetable crops is dug up and organic fertilizers (manure or humus) are added to the soil.

The beds are irrigated with a solution of copper sulfate. Mix 1 tbsp in 10 liters of water. l. substances. Next, according to the scheme, the weeds are removed and 2 tbsp are added to the ground. l. superphosphate and a glass of ash per 1 sq. m of land. Dig up the soil and leave it until spring.

Preparing the site for spring planting

1.5 weeks before planting, peat, a bucket of manure, sawdust and a glass of wood ash are added to the soil. Fertilizers are dug up and leveled. Irrigate the ground with hot water. To saturate the soil with nutrients, use a solution of potassium permanganate (1 g of substance per 10 liters of water).

The beds are covered with film and left until planting.

The best time to plant cucumbers

Planting dates depend on climatic conditions. The best time to sow vegetables is mid or late May. Provided that by this moment the soil temperature has established itself above +15°C, and the air temperature is not lower than +14°C. The soil temperature is checked using a thermometer. If there is a risk of night frosts, the plantings are covered with film.

In the southern regions, cucumbers are sown in open ground. In the middle zone, greenhouses are used.

Some gardeners check the lunar calendar. It changes every year.Seeds are sown for seedlings only during the waxing moon or closer to the new moon. During eclipses, it is not recommended to plant crops; this will reduce the amount of harvest.

Seed selection and preparation

Seed preparation takes place step by step. Before planting, seeds are selected and empty ones are removed. To do this, add 1 tbsp to a liter container of water. l. salt. Mix the solution and add the seeds. The floating seeds are thrown away, and the rest are dried on a napkin. Large seeds are selected for planting.

Advice. For planting in open ground and greenhouses, buy 2-3-year-old seeds - they will give a high-quality harvest.

Warming up the seeds

Warming up will speed up the germination process. Warm the seeds next to heating devices for a month. If there is no such amount of time, then the seeds are heated for 3 hours at a temperature of 50°C.

Disinfection of cucumber seeds

For disinfection, use a strong infusion of potassium permanganate. The seeds are immersed in water for 15-20 minutes and then washed.

Pre-planting seed feeding

To pre-feed the seeds, they are wrapped in gauze and soaked for 12 hours in a nitrophoska solution. The solution is prepared as follows: stir 1 tsp in a liter of water. substances.

After feeding, the seeds are washed and placed in a dry and warm (at least 25°C) place for swelling. Two days later, roots 2 mm in size appear.

Preliminary stratification of cucumber seeds

During stratification, the seeds are placed in the cold to awaken them before planting. To do this, they are put in the refrigerator for a day. Now the crop is ready for planting.

Planting cucumbers for seedlings

The seedling growing method allows you to get the harvest two weeks earlier.

To plant seeds, use a container 11-12 cm high. Plastic cups are suitable.

The soil is fed with 1 part sawdust, 2 parts humus and a solution (10 liters of water, 1.5 tablespoons of nitrophoska and 2 tablespoons of ash). Sprouted seeds, one at a time, are sown in each container and watered. Place it on the windowsill.

When the plant has a second true leaf, do the first feeding (3 liters of warm water and 3 teaspoons of nitrophoska). Until planting in the ground, seedlings are irrigated once a week.

Methods for planting cucumbers in open ground

Vegetables are planted in open ground in two ways - seedlings and using seeds. Planting density per 1 sq. m is 1-2 bushes.

Reference. In the southern regions, cucumbers are planted in two passes. Salad varieties are sown at the beginning of spring, and pickling varieties are sown at the beginning of summer.

Using seeds

Before sowing, the bed is irrigated with warm water. Make even furrows 20-30 mm deep. The soil is crushed so that there are no lumps. The seeds are placed at the same distance so that the sprout looks straight up. Sprinkle with earth.

After sowing, mulch the soil with 1.5 cm of humus. This method prevents the appearance of a crust on the ground.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Seedlings are planted in the ground 25 days after planting the seeds. In regions with a warm climate, these actions are carried out at the end of May, in the temperate zone - in early June. Before planting, the soil is disinfected with potassium permanganate. Add 1 g of potassium permanganate to 10 liters of water.

Young plants are planted in the ground using two methods: horizontal and vertical.

Horizontal

Horizontal methods include:

1. Wide row method. Seedlings are planted in rows at a distance of 30 cm from each other. Leave 100 cm between rows.
2. The usual method. Plants are planted in the ground, leaving 60 cm between rows.

Vertical

The vertical method includes the belt method. This planting method is suitable for long areas. The distance between plants is left 70-90 cm.

The photo below shows all planting methods.

Cucumber planting schemes

When planting seeds in the ground, two methods are used:

1. Single line sowing. When planting cucumbers, the distance between the holes is 16-17 cm. Cucumbers grow in one row.
2. Two-line sowing. With double-row sowing, the crop grows in two rows. The distance between rows for early ripening varieties is 60 cm, for the rest - 80 cm. The distance between holes is 16-17 cm.

Soil fertilization

The soil is fertilized not only in autumn and spring, but also after planting cucumbers in the ground. For this purpose, mineral and organic fertilizers are used. 14 days after planting the seedlings in the beds, the cucumbers are fed with a solution of manure. With the seed planting method, this activity is carried out when the plant has two true leaves.

When fruits form on the plant, gardeners feed it with nitrogen, magnesium and potassium. Fertilize the vegetable crop with a solution of ammonium nitrate or potassium salt. During flowering, plants are fed with a solution of manure. It is diluted with water 1:5. They insist for 14 days. Dilute in water in a ratio of 1:2 and generously watered roots.

Reference. Chicken droppings are rich in nitrogen, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. These substances have a positive effect on plant immunity.

Care instructions

After planting a vegetable crop in the ground, gardeners follow a number of rules that increase yields:

1. Once every 10 days cucumbers feed. Fertilize the plants with manure, urea, superphosphate and potassium salt. Feed the crop in the evening along with watering.
2. During the period of leaf development, the soil is fertilized with nitrogen.When flowering - phosphorus. Potassium is added when the plant bears fruit.
3. Adults plants are watered every day or every other day with warm water. The liquid is settled and heated in barrels in the sun. Water temperature – at least 20°C.
4. Cucumbers are not watered at the root. This erodes the soil. Moisture stagnates at the roots and mold occurs. Use a watering can with a nozzle or the drip method. For this, a plastic bottle without a bottom is suitable, which is placed near the bush with the neck down; through the holes in the lid, water gradually flows to the roots of the plant.
5. For proper growth, cucumbers are tied in the greenhouse with synthetic twine or hemp. The twine is wrapped around the plant.
6. Cucumbers are not planted next to tomatoes, since these crops require different growing conditions and watering.

Conclusion

In the southern regions, cucumbers are planted in the ground at the end of May, and in the middle zone - at the beginning of June. Depending on the climatic conditions and method of cultivation, varieties are selected: early, late, mid-season and cold-resistant varieties.

Cucumbers are planted in the ground in two ways: by seeds or through seedlings. Before planting, the seeds are disinfected, heated and hardened. The soil for cucumbers is fertilized in autumn and spring. Add organic feeding: peat, ash, manure.

Seeds and seedlings are planted only in heated soil, the temperature of which is not lower than +15°C, and at an air temperature above +14°C.