How to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse in winter: step-by-step instructions

In winter, it is difficult to find tasty fresh cucumbers in grocery stores, so some gardeners grow their own vegetables using heated greenhouses. The cultivation process is simple, but creating the conditions requires some effort in equipping the structure and a budget. The correct variety will also affect the result.

What else is taken into account when growing cucumbers in a greenhouse in winter and how to properly prepare the structure, we will tell you in the article.

What should a greenhouse be like for growing cucumbers in winter?

For winter growing cucumbers you need a greenhouse installed on a solid concrete foundation. Structures buried in the ground have proven themselves well. The soil layer plays the role of additional insulation. Due to the deepening, the structure is made less tall, without limiting the growth of the plant.

A well-thought-out heating system plays a vital role. Convectors, electric, water, infrared and wood heating are used. To preserve thermal energy, the winter greenhouse must be airtight.

Design

The best greenhouses for cucumber crops are built from polycarbonate, which is mounted on a metal frame with an anti-corrosion coating. A greenhouse is not cheap, but the costs are recouped in 2-3 years. A high-quality structure for growing cucumbers, tomatoes and other crops will bring the owners a harvest all year round.

In addition, it practically does not need repairs.Strong polycarbonate with a thickness of 100 mm will not crack under a large layer of snow and can easily withstand temperature changes. Some people use greenhouses made of tempered industrial glass, but this material is more fragile.

Heating and lighting

Most greenhouse structures heated by electric boilers or compact wood stoves. The required air temperature is maintained using biofuel made from humus and straw, spread over the beds, as well as sheets of roofing felt placed around the perimeter of the greenhouse.

The lower the temperature outside, the more advanced the heating system should be. In particularly cold regions, combined heating is used, combining several methods at once.

Most often, cucumbers are grown in the ground, but for industrial purposes, they practice rack cultivation of vegetables in 2-3 tiers. This method simplifies harvesting and significantly saves space.

During the winter season, when the days are short and solar activity is low, plants need additional lighting. To do this, install lamps of different types, observing two main parameters - illumination level and color temperature.

Culture requires light as close to daylight as possible. The lamp must have a color temperature of 5000 K. Metal halide (DNaT and DNa3), mercury (MGL) and fluorescent lamps have such lighting. During the growth stages of cucumbers, lighting devices with a color temperature of 6500 K are used, and during the flowering and fruiting period - about 4000 K. With these parameters, the crop does not stretch, remains strong and forms ovaries well.

Important! Fluorescent lamps are much inferior in light output - you will need much more of them for the same space.They heat up slightly, but are cheaper.

Specifics of caring for cucumbers in winter in a greenhouse

If the temperature regime is observed, weather conditions will not affect the plants. In addition to warmth, plants need regular watering. In addition, in the winter season, fruiting depends on the variety of cucumbers.

In general, the rules of care are universal — sufficient amount of water and fertilizers, uniform harvesting.

Preparatory stage

For growing cucumbers in a greenhouse in winter it is necessary to choose the right variety. The process of preparing soil and seed material is of no small importance. The quality and quantity of the harvest directly depends on this.

Variety selection

For a winter greenhouse, varieties that are resistant to lack of light, low temperatures, do not require pollination, and are high-yielding are suitable. For these purposes unpretentious early ripening plants acquire parthenocarpic hybrids or special varieties for greenhouses:

• hybrids are crops bred by crossing two parental varieties: in their name on the package with seeds there is the inscription F1 - this is April, Anyuta, Calendar, Zozulya, Lukhovitsky, Lilliputian, Swallowtail, Dynamite and others;
• varieties resistant to light deficiency - Relay, Rossiysky, Regatta, Iva, Domashny, Marfinsky;
• unpretentious crops - Moscow greenhouse, Surprise, Grenade, Zarya.

Non-self-pollinating varieties require artificial pollination during the flowering period.

Soil preparation

The soil is enriched with organic and mineral fertilizers. When preparing the soil in new greenhouses, manure, potassium sulfate and superphosphate are added to the soil.

The finished substrate is infused for two weeks. Before planting plants in a permanent place, ammonium nitrate is added to the soil during loosening.To improve the quality of the soil, this event is carried out annually.

Interesting. California worms are capable of converting soil into vermicompost.

Seed preparation

To perform calibration They are placed in a saline solution for 15-20 minutes (1 teaspoon of salt per 1 glass). The seeds that float to the surface are removed - they will not sprout. The seeds that have fallen to the bottom are washed and dried.

Further carry out disinfection. The seeds are placed for 20-30 minutes in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate or 3% hydrogen peroxide, then washed. The procedure is carried out to increase the culture’s immunity to infectious diseases.

For hardening seeds they are wrapped in damp cotton cloth, placed on a saucer and placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for two days. Recommended temperature – from 0 to +2°С. This procedure is carried out to accelerate the emergence of seedlings and activate the immune system.

To stimulate crop growth use special preparations, for example, “Zircon” or “Epin”. The traditional method is also used: seeds are placed on an aloe leaf cut lengthwise overnight and planted in the morning without washing.

How to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse in winter

The technology for growing cucumbers in a greenhouse in winter is practically no different from that in summer.. However, it must be remembered that the air in a heated greenhouse is quite dry. For a moisture-loving cucumber, it can be destructive.

Growing seedlings and planting

Seedlings are painful to transplantTherefore, seeds are most often planted in peat cups or tablets. Young plants are transplanted into the ground along with this container. This way the integrity of the root system is not compromised. The peat product becomes limp over time and dissolves in the soil.

To reduce the risk of seedling infection due to rot, it is transplanted from other containers so that the root collar remains above the ground. Plants are planted in a permanent location at 25-30 days of age, when the bushes have 3-4 true leaves.

Planting density depends on the selected variety (hybrid). For 1 sq. m on average 2-4 bushes are planted. When planting in rows, 40-45 cm are left between plants. After planting, wire trellises are immediately installed. A special mesh or twine is tied to them.

Watering

The soil under the plants should be moderately moist. This is achieved by drip irrigation or regular moistening of plants at the root. The crop is watered settled water with a temperature of +25-27°C. The soil is moistened to a depth of 10 cm, the soil is mulched with straw, sawdust or peat.

Water for irrigation is softened by adding a little organic matter to it. (5-10 ml of mullein infusion or bird droppings per 10 liters of water). With such moisture, the plants will not require organic fertilizers. The crop will receive nutrition from irrigation, and soft water will be better absorbed by the roots.

Fertilizers

When sowing seeds, the first fertilizer is applied in the three-leaf phase.. When planting seedlings, fertilizing is carried out after 2-4 days. For this purpose, fertilizer solutions are used, for example, “Nitrophoska”, “Kristallon” or “Kemira”. The concentration of drugs should not exceed 1-1.5%.

The second time the crop is fed during the period of mass formation of buds. For this, use “Nitrophoska” (5-10 g per 10 liters of water).

The third fertilizer is carried out at the beginning of fruiting. During this period, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium are added. To prepare a solution, stir a glass of ash in 3-4 liters of warm water and leave for two days, then filter.Next, add water-soluble superphosphate and 1 teaspoon of potassium nitrate to the mixture, bring the solution to 10 liters and water along the furrows.

The same solution is used for foliar fertilization.by adding microelements to it. During fruiting, the crop is fed at intervals of 10-14 days with a filtered infusion of ash or a phosphorus-potassium composition. Also, a solution of nitrophoska is well suited as a fertilizer - 1.5 tbsp. l. on a bucket of water.

Garter and bush formation

A trellis is installed in the greenhouse, to which it is tied as the crop grows. the ends of a strong rope or twine that serves as a support for the whips.

The lashes are tied up after the appearance of 6-8 leaves. To do this, one end of the lace is tied around the plant above the third or second leaf. Do not tighten the loop tightly, because the stem becomes thicker over time. The second end of the rope is tied to the trellis wire. Subsequently, the whip is periodically twisted around a vertically stretched cord (twine).

As the crop grows, bushes form – pinching all side shoots so that they do not grow to the sides. This is done after 8-9 true leaves appear. New branches are removed at the lower 3-4 nodes, then at 4-5 nodes. In this case, one leaf or fruit is left. Above the fifth node, side lashes 20 cm long are left. The higher up the main stem, the longer the lashes are left.

Closer to the trellis, the length of the shoots should be approximately 50 cm; they are fixed on a support. When the top of the plant reaches the trellis, a lash of the main stem is wrapped around it and the top is pinched above the 2-3 leaves from the last fruit.

Disease and pest control

Growing cucumber crops in a greenhouse is becoming increasingly easier, since new hybrids with high resistance to diseases and pests appear every year. But still, a small risk of plant disease remains.

1. Downy mildew - appears on the foliage as yellow or green oily spots, which darken over time, acquiring a brown tint. When a disease appears, watering and fertilizing are stopped. The disease is treated with a solution of polycarbacin or copper oxychloride. Spraying with systemic fungicides also helps effectively. After using the products, the greenhouse is ventilated. In case of peronosporosis, the air temperature during the day is maintained at no lower than +20°C, and at night at least +18°C.
2. Powdery mildew - most often occurs during warming. A powdery coating appears on the leaves. The disease quickly destroys plants. Powdery mildew is eliminated using sulfaride, potassium permanganate or the preparations “Quadris 250 SC”, “Impact 25%”.

Cultures are often attacked aphids, which greatly complicates plant care. Small insects cause great harm to cucumbers. Damaged bushes have leaves wither and turn yellow, and buds and ovaries die.

Pests multiply quickly and can destroy an entire garden bed in a short period of time.. To combat aphids, use a soap-ash solution. Add 2 tbsp to 1 liter of water. l. ash and laundry soap diluted in hot water. The leaves and stems of cucumbers are washed with this product. After five days, the procedure is repeated.

For your information. The soil under the bushes is sprinkled with ash. This repels pests and feeds weak plants when watering.

Harvesting

Ripe cucumbers are harvested regularlyso that they do not slow down the growth and appearance of new fruits.The crop is harvested in the morning or evening after watering.

Productivity of cucumbers in winter in a greenhouse

As for the yield of cucumbers in winter, in heated rooms with 1 sq. m vegetable growers collect about 12-14 kg of fruits, and in unheated greenhouses - 8-10 kg.

Growing cucumbers in winter as a business

Cultivating cucumbers in a greenhouse as a business has many advantages:

• heated structures allow you to harvest vegetables all year round;
• there are many varieties and hybrids that self-pollinate and are resistant to temperature changes and lack of light;
• the product is in great demand in stores and catering establishments;
• cucumbers are stored for a long time and do not spoil during transportation
• the price of this product rises significantly in winter, and there are fewer competitors.

Having decided to engage in industrial vegetable growing in greenhouses, take into account the peculiarities of such a business:

• the construction and equipment of greenhouses requires large initial investments;
• heating in winter is expensive;
• To successfully grow cucumbers, you need a flat area with running water to organize an irrigation system;
• Cultivation of cucumbers requires fertilizer costs.

The profitability of a greenhouse for growing cucumbers for sale is 50-70%. In a good year it can exceed 100%. The greenhouse will pay for itself in about two years. As the area of ​​the structure increases, the payback period shortens.

Conclusion

Cultivating cucumbers in a greenhouse in winter is not an easy task. This requires skill, time and financial investment. The most difficult thing is to equip a winter greenhouse: install heating equipment and lighting. Otherwise, growing cucumber crops does not differ from traditional vegetable farming techniques.A gift for your efforts will be healthy, crispy, environmentally friendly cucumbers, which will bring in income from sale.