Good afternoon, my reader. Cucumbers are considered one of the most popular garden crops. They are grown in greenhouses, greenhouses, but most often in open ground. Their fruits are juicy and noticeably different in taste from those sold in the store. In care, they are relatively unpretentious, and experienced gardeners can give quite a decent harvest. But even if the summer resident does not have experience in growing cucumbers, following some recommendations for cultivating this crop, he will be able to get a rich harvest.
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1. Variety selection
It must be adapted for growing in the desired climatic zone, characterized by resistance to diseases and adverse weather conditions, high vitality and long-term fruiting. It is also necessary to determine how the zelents will be used. Some of their varieties are considered salad, others are well suited for salting, and others are universal.
2. Proper watering
This is the most important stage in the care of cucumbers, since the culture is hygrophilous. Lack of moisture can affect the fruit - they will taste bitter. The frequency of watering depends on the weather conditions: in dry summers or just in the heat, they need to be watered every day using warm water - for example, drawn from a garden barrel heated in the sun. When the temperature drops, the frequency of watering should be reduced.
3. Artificial pollination
It should be used in case of insufficient natural pollination of plants. This can be done with a soft brush, with the help of which pollen from male flowers is transferred to female ones. It is easy to distinguish them: male plants have stamens on which pollen is formed, and female pistils - an ovary is formed on them.
4. Removing stepchildren
Plants spend a lot of energy on the growth of extra shoots, but there is no return from them, they do not give fruit. Therefore, it is advisable to remove them at the initial stage of development, without allowing them to grow. This operation should be carried out carefully, since the stems of cucumbers are delicate and can be easily broken. You can play them with your hands or with scissors.
5. Top dressing
It is carried out several times during the season:
- 2 weeks after planting;
- at the beginning of flowering plants;
- during active fruiting (2 times).
It is possible to feed plants with mineral fertilizers and organic matter, as well as alternating them.
It is important that the cucumbers receive more nitrogen, which contributes to their normal development.
You can feed the plants with pelleted bird droppings or grass mash. The latter is prepared as follows: 1 kg of cut grass or compost substrate is poured with 20 liters of water and infused for several days. Water the cucumber beds with this infusion, spending about 10 liters per 1 sq. m of cultivated area.
Granulated poultry droppings are infused longer - up to a week. First, the infusion itself is prepared, where the droppings and water are taken in a ratio of 1:10. And when it is infused for the allotted time, it is additionally diluted (1 liter of infusion per 10 liters of water). Watering cucumbers with them, you need to try so that it does not fall on the leaves.
6. Increase the carbon dioxide content of the greenhouse
For better growth of greenhouse cucumbers, you can raise the level of carbon dioxide concentration in the greenhouse. This is easily accomplished by simply placing a barrel of mullein in it. A similar result will be if the soil is mulched with fresh manure in a layer of 3-5 cm.
7. Mulching
In addition to fresh manure, plants can also be mulched with peat, humus, straw, sawdust. This mulch will enrich the soil with nutrients and help to retain moisture in it longer, which will allow you to water your cucumbers less often.
8. Loosening the soil
The roots of cucumbers must breathe, so after rain or watering, when the soil begins to dry out with a crust on the surface, it must be loosened or at least pierced with a garden pitchfork 3-4 cm.
9. Dairy feeding
Not all summer residents know, but such feeding quite effectively stimulates the growth of cucumbers. To do this, add milk to the water every 2 weeks. The approximate proportion is a liter of milk per bucket of water.
Do you know how to increase the yield of cucumbers?
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