You can grow cucumbers not only on street or greenhouse beds, but also in an apartment. Breeders have bred many varieties of this crop that are suitable for just such a cultivation. Today I will tell you about the best varieties of cucumbers for the windowsill and the technique of growing them.
Suitable varieties of cucumbers and sowing dates
For growing pimply greens at home, not all varieties are suitable. Parthenocarpic hybrids are the best for this purpose. They tolerate a small shade well, and for the formation of ovaries they do not need the participation of insect pollinators:
- Miracle at the f1 window;
- Window-balcony f1;
- Masha f1
- Brownie Kuzya f1.
Hybrids are distinguished by good yields, shade tolerance, undemanding care, marketable appearance and high immunity to most diseases.
Regarding the timing of planting, keep in mind that the ripening period for indoor cucumbers lasts approximately 40-50 days. Therefore, when choosing a sowing date, be guided by this data.
In addition, when choosing the timing, keep in mind that from December to February the plants will have to be supplemented. Therefore, if you do not have the opportunity to organize artificial supplementary lighting, it is necessary to plant a crop not earlier than the end of February.
Growing technology
Even people who have never taken a vegetable garden will be able to cope with growing cucumbers on the windowsill. Just follow the sequence of processes that I describe below.
Planting containers
I use plastic cups for planting seedlings. Also, many take containers from dairy products. For sowing, boxes or buckets are also suitable.
Soil preparation
For growing greenery in winter, I usually use a store-bought soil mixture, for example, "Universal", "Krepysh" or for pumpkin plants. Such soil has already been disinfected and equipped with all the necessary nutrients.
Many gardeners I know prepare seed mixtures on their own. To do this, you need to mix peat and humus in equal parts. Add 1 cup of wood ash to 10 liters of the mixture. After that, the substrate must be calcined in the oven or spilled with a pink manganese solution for disinfection. Disinfection is carried out several days before the intended planting, so that the beneficial soil bacteria have time to recover.
All these activities are inconvenient to perform in winter, so I use purchased soil.
Seed preparation
High-quality planting material grows well without additional processing. To speed up germination, I soak the seeds in a warm growth stimulant solution. For example, it can be "Epin" or "Zircon".
I keep the seeds in water for a day.
Landing options
Cucumbers can be planted in two ways:
- Without picking into a container in which they will continue to grow. I lay out several prepared seeds on the substrate and sprinkle with a layer of earth of 1.5 cm. So that the seedlings appear faster, I cover the container with glass to create a kind of greenhouse. When the first leaves appear, I remove the glass.
- With a dive into different containers. I plant the seeds to a depth of 2 cm. I cover the cups with glass or foil. When 2-3 leaves are formed, I transplant the seedlings in containers with a volume of 5 liters using the transfer method.
Caring for plants during growth
Successful harvesting of a good harvest depends on the implementation of basic maintenance activities.
Watering
I water the plants only with settled water at room temperature in moderation. Watering frequency is every other day. I also spray the bushes 2 times a day from a spray bottle.
Top dressing
For a good harvest, cucumbers must be fertilized. After the appearance of three true leaves, I feed them with urea or nitroammophos. To do this, I dilute 10 g of the substance in 3 liters of water. Under each bush during the growing season, you need to pour 250 ml of solution. During the fruiting period, I increase the volume to 1 liter. I feed it every 2 weeks.
Shrub formation and garter
When the plant forms 4 true leaves, I pinch off the top so that it releases side shoots. When forming 10 leaves on the stem, I repeat the procedure. So I get a lush and fruitful bush.
I tie the growing branches to the supports. It is convenient to use ready-made trellises for home flowers as supports.
Problems and their causes
When growing cucumbers at home, sometimes problems can arise:
- Leaves curl and dry. This is usually due to excessively dry air. You can increase the humidity in the room by using containers with water placed near the battery.
- Many barren flowers. At home, cucumbers form mainly male flowers. This happens when there is a phosphorus deficiency. You can make up for the deficiency with superphosphate.
It is important when growing indoor cucumbers to harvest every day. In this case, the plants will live much longer.
It is quite easy to harvest cucumbers grown on a windowsill. To do this, you need to try to create summer weather in the room. It is also important to correctly approach the selection and preparation of planting material. With the right conditions, you can harvest fresh cucumbers in the middle of the winter cold.
Read also: Let's figure out whether it is worth leaving the polycarbonate greenhouse open in winter or not.
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