Corn does not interfere with the normal development of cucumbers, so they can be planted in beds nearby. Experienced gardeners claim that, on the contrary, such a neighborhood has a beneficial effect on the growth of both vegetable crops. To get a good harvest, you need to know the features of growing corn and cucumbers.
Helpful neighborhood
Plants planted next to each other undoubtedly influence each other. But this neighborhood is not always successful. Therefore, you need to know which vegetables get along with each other and how to place them correctly in the garden.
If you properly position a vegetable crop, you can increase productivity, reduce the risk of disease development and prevent pest attacks.Mutually beneficial proximity allows not only to avoid soil depletion, but also to enrich it with certain microelements.
When planting cucumbers in the same bed with other crops, several conditions must be taken into account:
- there is enough space on the plot of land allocated for vegetable crops;
- good access to sunlight, without shading;
- be sure to take into account neighbors in the root system;
- even before planting, they decide on the method of cultivation: on trellises or simply the vines will spread along the ground;
- take into account the ripening time of neighboring vegetables.
It is not recommended to plant cucumbers in the same place every year. A good option is to plant in the place where tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and cabbage used to grow. An undesirable precursor is beans. For compatibility, choose a vegetable crop that needs watering and warmth. Predecessors:
- You can grow greens at the same time as corn. It increases productivity and serves as a support for long vines of cucumbers. Powerful trunks of corn cover the leaves of cucumbers from the scorching sun.
- You can plant cucumbers next to sunflowers. It also serves as a support and is able to release into the soil useful microelements necessary for the growth and development of cucumbers.
- Peas and beans planted next to cucumbers will enrich the soil with nitrogen.
- In the next bed you can plant cabbage, onions, and beets.
- Some flowers, such as calendula or herbs, will help protect against pests.
Corn also gets along well with all these crops. Therefore, you can safely plant other successful neighbors around vegetable crops. “I planted cucumbers and corn several times. Peas were sown around them. We managed to reap good harvests from all crops.” It is not advisable to plant cucumbers and corn together with radishes, radishes, tomatoes, and potatoes.
Neighborhood with corn
It has been noticed that when planting corn together with cucumbers in open ground, the growth and development of vegetable crops is activated. During the formation of tendrils on cucumber vines, it is recommended to direct their growth towards the corn. It will act as a support and there will be no need to install additional support for tying.
In addition, cucumbers grown with corn bear fruit longer. The risk of developing fungal diseases is reduced. Climbing up the corn stalk, the cucumber stalks free up space, and light and air flow freely to all parts of the plant. Cucumbers spend less energy for evaporation, photosynthesis improves, and most of the energy is spent on fruit formation.
Corn roots penetrate to a depth of 1.5 meters. Root system of cucumbers is closer to the surface. The roots go deep no more than 30 cm. Therefore, the root branches do not intertwine and do not interfere with each other.
The only condition is to apply fertilizers on time, and it is also recommended to mulch the soil. You can use mown grass and straw as mulch.
The main, numerous harvest can be collected from greens; the cobs are only an additional harvest.
Features of planting vegetable crops
Corn and cucumbers are considered heat-loving crops. Planting cucumbers and corn in open ground should begin only when the threat of night frosts has passed. Usually this time coincides with the last days of May.
Having made holes in the garden bed (the distance between them is about 30 cm), sow three cucumber seeds and the same number of corn kernels. The distance between the beds should be at least a meter.
Before planting, seeds are disinfected and germinated to speed up germination. A weak solution of potassium permanganate can be used as a disinfectant. For soaking, the seeds are distributed on two layers of bandage, tied and placed in water with growth-stimulating drugs. Leave it in this state for two days.
Corn seeds After several months of storage, they dry out greatly and when sowing dry planting material, sprouts appear slowly. Sometimes they may not even germinate at all. Therefore, the grains must be soaked.
To ensure that cucumbers are prepared for bad weather conditions, it is useful to carry out a hardening procedure. To do this, the prepared seeds are placed in the refrigerator for 1–2 days.
After the first shoots appear, the soil is fertilized with humus and mulched with grass. The mulch layer should be at least 10 cm. The procedure will help enrich the soil with essential nutrients, suppress the growth of weeds and reduce the need for frequent watering.
It is imperative to carry out a thinning procedure; leave two strong and healthy sprouts in each hole. It is recommended to pinch the main cucumber vine above the fifth leaf.
It’s good if the corn grows a little faster than the cucumbers. Then she will have time to gain strength, and the trunk will be powerful. To do this, you can plant it in the garden a little earlier.
How to plant vegetables?
Corn can be immediately planted in open ground with seeds, but it is better to first grow cucumbers at home in peat pots.
From the experience of vegetable growers: “I have been growing corn and cucumbers for several years in a row. The result pleases with a tasty and plentiful harvest. It is best to plant corn in four rows, so it will be protected from strong winds.And next to each corn bush, plant both one cucumber bush and three cucumber sprouts. You need to allocate at least 1 square meter for this type of planting. meter".
Can sow corn at a distance between the rows of about 50 cm and plant the cucumbers in the middle. The tendrils of cucumbers are directed towards powerful stems, so the main green mass will be between the bushes, without shading the lower part.
A planting scheme is possible when on a meter-long bed in the center corn grows, and cucumber sprouts are planted on both sides. As it grows, the vines will curl freely through the corn stalks.
