There are several effective methods that can help prolong the fruiting of cucumbers. To do this, gardeners provide plants with the necessary conditions, protect against disease and use many means to maintain the health of each bush.
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Fertilizers
Timely application of organic and mineral fertilizers saturates vegetables with useful microelements and significantly improves their taste. In addition, top dressing helps to increase fruit set, which increases yields. Gardeners try to fertilize plants 4 times a season. The first fertilizer is applied on the 15th day after planting, the second time the bushes are fed during the flowering period, and the third time during the fruiting period. The purpose of the latter feeding is to extend the yield period.
Agricultural stores offer a variety of mineral fertilizers for cucumbers based on the following components:
- Potassium. The process of fruit formation is accompanied by high metabolism and increased consumption of potassium (2 times more) and nitrogen (1.5 times). To improve the quality of fruits and increase yields, during the fruiting period, cucumbers are fed with potash phosphate fertilizers with the addition of nitrogen.
- Nitrogen. It is one of the most important macronutrients for plants. Nitrogen-containing products significantly increase yields.
- Urea. The use of this fertilizer also has a positive effect. To prepare a solution, 50-60 g of urea is dissolved in a bucket of water, then the resulting mixture is poured under the root of the bush. However, it should be borne in mind that urea significantly increases the acidity of the soil. To prevent this, lime is additionally added. You can also use foliar dressing, which is made by spraying the bushes. To do this, dilute 15-20 g of urea per 10 liters of water. Spraying is started in the middle of the fruiting period and the procedure is repeated after each harvest.
Cucumbers can be fed not only with mineral, but also organic fertilizers, and it is better to alternate them.
Iodine
Prolonged weather conditions and frequent use of organic fertilizers can lead to the development of fungal infections, which can significantly reduce the yield. To prevent this process, plants are fertilized with a solution of iodine. This helps to avoid common diseases such as gray and root rot and powdery mildew.
To do this, iodine is dissolved in ordinary water in a ratio of 1/3, then the stems and affected areas of plants are treated with the resulting liquid. The procedure is repeated until the signs of the disease disappear. When treating plants, it is important to maintain concentration and treat only the affected areas, since excessive iodine can adversely affect the plants and cause burns.
Other factors affecting yield:
- Temperature. It should be borne in mind that with a decrease in temperature, the ability of the roots to absorb nutrients from the soil decreases by 15%.
- Timely harvest. It is not recommended to delay harvesting. If vegetables do not separate from the plant for too long, they not only lose their flavor, but also prevent the formation of new fruits. During harvesting, gardeners try to pick cucumbers carefully so as not to damage the shrub.
- Removing excess shoots. An excessive number of shoots deprives the plant of vitality, as a result of which the number of fruits decreases. To prevent this process, young shoots are removed before they reach a length of 4-6 cm. Care should be taken as the cucumber stems are very fragile. They are removed carefully so as not to damage the plant.
- Soil moisture. An important stage in the cultivation of cucumbers is watering, which directly affects the quality of the harvest and the taste of the fruits (if the soil moisture is not sufficiently moist, the cucumbers become bitter). The watering regime should be adjusted according to the climatic conditions.
The most flavorful and crunchy vegetables form when soil moisture is moderate. Too much moisture promotes quick and good growth of the bush, however, the fruits may become a little watery.
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