Seedlings of cucumbers for a greenhouse. When to plant cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse

Unfortunately, in the vastness of our country there are not so many areas that can boast of the availability of conditions for planting in a crooked way a plant such as cucumbers. Growing seedlings for a greenhouse is necessary if you want to get a crop early, because most of the Russian regions are in temperate climates. Consequently, the planting of heat-loving crops directly into the open ground is impossible. Therefore, the preparation of greenhouses and the initial sowing of cucumbers for seedlings for greenhouses in special containers is a necessary condition for obtaining a good harvest. Let's talk about when to plant seedlings of cucumbers for a greenhouse, we will stop on preparing the soil in the greenhouse, fertilizing and subtleties of care for seedlings and adult crops.

Preparing the greenhouse

Planting seedlings of cucumbers in the greenhouse is accompanied by a preliminary preparation of the soil. Experienced gardeners are advised to start it in the fall. It is necessary to remove all plant remains from previous plants and the top layer of soil 3-5 cm thick, in which pathogenic microorganisms accumulate. Conduct treatment of the greenhouse and soil overlaps with a solution of copper sulfate, and then, under the digging, 25 kg of fresh (unmutted) manure, 40 g of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers per 1 square meter. If the preparation is carried out in the spring, then instead of fresh manure add humus in the same amount. Do not forget to add spring nitrate fertilization.

Ridges in the greenhouse make a height of 20-25 cm, and arrange them as convenient to the gardener. Usually, with a width of the greenhouse of 2 m, the longitudinal arrangement of ridges with one track between them is optimal, and a width of 4 meters or more opens up various possibilities, not limiting the gardener's imagination. But basically arrange 2 paths along the ridges and plant 4 rows of plants: one on the side beds, two in the central part. This is very convenient: an unhindered approach is provided. When the seedlings of cucumbers are planted in the greenhouse, the time will come, the plants will be properly placed and will start to develop without interfering with each other.

Rules for planting seedlings

Cucumbers seedlings in the greenhouse are distributed with a minimum interval of 35 cm between the plants. Cucumbers do not just dislike thickening of plantations, they can get sick, stop the formation of ovaries or give the grower an insignificant harvest of ugly hooked greens. Therefore, it is so important to remember the first rule of planting cucumbers - to withstand the necessary distance.

Cucumber seedlings for a greenhouse

Plant the seeds in seedlings and keep them either at home or in an already prepared greenhouse with additional heating. Beginning gardeners are often concerned about the issue when sowing cucumber seedlings for a greenhouse. It is impossible to answer it unequivocally due to the length of areas and the change of climatic zones. If in the area until the end of May there is a chance of frosts, then you will not be able to plant seedlings in the greenhouse before the end of this period. Hence, seeds must be sown in late April or early May. In temperate latitudes, it is not recommended to plant cucumber seedlings in unheated hotbeds before May 12-15. Soil in the greenhouse at the time of planting should warm up to 15-18 ° C. This is a compulsory condition. And to decide when to plant cucumbers in seedlings for a greenhouse, can only the gardener, adapting to the area in which he lives. Since cucumbers are heat-loving plants, recurrent spring frosts can be disastrous for them, so it is important to plant seedlings in periods when sharp snap returns will not return or to have means for protecting and emergency heating of the crop. Very effective for such situations, modern covering materials, all kinds of heaters, stoves or even plastic bottles filled with water, heated by day, and at night giving heat to the plants between which they are located. But, since we have not reached the questions about the intricacies of planting, we will talk about the necessary arrangements for the preparation of seeds.

Choose seeds

Seedling of cucumbers for a greenhouse can be grown exclusively from seeds of self-pollinated varieties. When buying seed, you should pay attention to this. Planted in a greenhouse plant, designed for open ground, can bring a startling gardener an unpleasant surprise - a miserable crop or its complete absence. By the way, notes on the characteristics of the variety are always present on the packaging of seeds. Sowing cucumbers for seedlings for greenhouses in different areas begins at different times - from early April to early May.

We prepare the inoculum

Strong and friendly shoots provide excellent quality cucumbers. Growing seedlings for the greenhouse begins with the rejection of seeds. They are placed in slightly saline water for 20-30 minutes - they should get wet well. Empty grains will float on the surface, they are removed. And drowning sunflower seeds are quite suitable for sowing. Now they can be etched by placing for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate or biostimulant (Epin, Zircon), and then lay for 2-3 days in a moist environment for germination, previously rinsed under running water. It is very convenient for this procedure to use a container with a lid. Seeds are laid between the layers of a damp cloth or paper napkin, and the container is closed. In this case, no need to additionally wet the material, moisture condenses and, circulating in an enclosed space, returns to the fabric. To activate the growth processes under such conditions, the seeds will last two to three days. Swollen and slightly opened seeds are ready for planting, which means that the time when sowing cucumbers for seedlings for a greenhouse has come. After disinfecting the dishes for sowing seeds, we begin work.

We plant the seedlings in the greenhouse

Transplantation for cucumbers is a great test, often very poorly tolerated. Therefore, it is better to sow them not in seedlings, but immediately into separate containers. Seedling of cucumbers for a greenhouse grows well in a substrate that can be purchased in a store or made from equal shares of peat, sawdust, humus and turf. The seeds are deepened by 1.5-2 cm, poured by standing warm water. Warm watering is another rule for growing cucumbers. Throughout the season they are showered with exceptionally warm water. This significantly increases fruit formation.

Landings are covered with a film and installed in a warm bright place. The optimum temperature for seed germination is 25-28 ° C. When the shoots appear, the covering material is removed and the air temperature in the room is reduced to 20 ° C. This will help avoid stretching the seedling. If there is a shortage of daylight (if very cloudy), additional lighting should be provided. The best option in this regard - fluorescent lights, located at a height of 8-10 cm above the sprouts. Care of seedlings is the timely watering, one-two-fold podsypanie soil in pots with sprouts and feeding. A good fertilizer is a group of special fertilizing "Agricola for seedlings." It is not bad to improve the soil in pots with a spray of peat-humic fertilizers. In addition, the plants must be protected from drafts.

Planting seedlings of cucumbers in the greenhouse on the ridges is carried out when 3-4 real leaves appeared on the bush, a strong root system developed and a weekly hardening was performed, for which the temperature was lowered to 16-18 ° C, and at night - to 13-15 ° C. If possible, seedlings are put on the balcony, somewhat shading from bright sunlight.

When to plant cucumbers on seedlings for a greenhouse

Sprouts, from the moment of germination of which passed 23-28 days, are usually ready for transplantation into the greenhouse. Now it's worth thinking about when to plant cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse.

Terms vary depending on the territorial features of the climatic zone, so we will not name certain dates. The main criterion for planting seedlings in a greenhouse is a stable temperature of the soil. Planting seedlings of cucumbers in the greenhouse is carried out when the temperature of the soil in the greenhouse is not lower than 15-18 ° C.

Landing technology

Seedling of cucumbers for the greenhouse is planted in prepared wells, previously spilled with a warm solution of manganese or phytosporin. Thus, the possibility of infection of the seedling is excluded. In the holes make a little compost or well reparted manure and mix with the ground. Plant seedlings with extreme caution, because cucumbers do not tolerate transplants, the structure of the plant is fragile, the roots also break from a careless touch. Seedlings before sowing are lowered into a bucket of water along with a pot. The clod of the earth gets wet, slips well out of the tank, without crumbling at the same time, and the seedling painlessly endures the stressful situation. The subclavial knee is left above the soil surface, since it is prone to radical decay and does not tolerate contact with the ground. After planting the bushes once again watered and mulched the soil. Many things are said about the need for this procedure, we will repeat only that mulch creates a microclimate that is excellent for a young plant, inhibits the growth of weeds, keeps moisture and sweeps away the loosening of the soil under the plants. Once again, do not thicken the planting. The distance between the bushes should not be less than 35 cm, and between the rows - 85-90 cm. Each bush needs its support, so a rope stretches from the root of the plant to the top of the greenhouse, which serves as support for the climbing plant. At an altitude of 1.7-2.0 meters, several ropes are stretched along and across the greenhouse, interweaving them among themselves, or a special mesh.

Shrubs of cucumbers form in one whip. After planting, after a few days, the seedling is tied to the trellis, and as the stem grows, the stem is wound around the support through each internode. When the height of the stem grows the length of the support by 20-30 cm, the crown is plucked. Side shoots (sometimes called patches) are also pricked according to a certain pattern: the lower shoots and flowers up to 3-4 leaves are completely removed, since the ovaries down below are usually unproductive and only draw the food on themselves. In the next 4-6 sinuses, lateral lower shoots are plucked so that on each of them one fruit remains, in the middle part of the stem - 2 fetuses, and in the upper - 3 cucumbers.

Necessary fertilizing

The growth of cucumbers is accompanied by the extraction of nutrients from the earth. These strong plants significantly impoverish the soil. Therefore, they need to be fed constantly. More quick-acting are foliar top dressings. Sprayed with nutrient solution the leaves begin to be used immediately. While the plant is increasing the green mass, periodic fertilizing with carbamide or ammonium nitrate is mandatory . Excellent effect on the development of cucumbers dissolved in water for irrigation complex mineral fertilizers, in particular, "Kemira-lux" (5 g / 1 liter). It is important to remember that foliar application can not be performed in sunny weather - there is a danger of burns of leaves, as the solution in the sun evaporates instantaneously, and the active substance remains on the foliage. But do not neglect and the introduction of fertilizers into the soil, which traditionally help both during growth and during the formation of ovaries.

We increase fructification

Increasing the yield of cucumbers is very conducive to the correct maintenance of them in the greenhouse. The following conditions must be observed:

• Never allow drafts. Cucumbers are afraid of them. If the temperature in the greenhouse exceeds 30 ° C, then it should be opened only on one side. In the presence of ventilation windows, they can also be opened alternately on one side or the other side of the greenhouse.

• Avoid too rapid temperature changes. They dramatically inhibit the development of plants and can even provoke disease.

• Planting seedlings of cucumbers in the greenhouse is done with keeping the distance. To ensure the seedlings, no more than 4 plants per square meter are planted with sufficient nutrition. This will allow them not to oppress each other, to develop normally, excluding the possibility of developing diseases, often resulting from excessive thickening.

• Avoid excessive soil moisture. The optimum watering rate is 10-20 liters per m ² . During the flowering period, it is reduced by a third, and when the first ovaries and fruits are formed, the amount of water is restored to its original level.

• In the midst of fruiting regularly, once a day or two, you need to remove the greens, as the unhooked fruits significantly inhibit the formation of new ovaries and reduce the quality of future cucumbers.

• It is necessary to form the whips correctly. At the beginning of development in the sinuses of the lower 4 leaves, shoots and ovaries are completely removed. Above the 4th sheet, the ovaries are left pinching the lateral shoots.

• Cucumbers - gourmets, like timely fertilizing.

We listed the main stages of cultivation of the crop - from the time when planting cucumber seedlings for the greenhouse, to the period of active growth and plant formation.