Cucumbers are a fairly common vegetable that almost every vegetable grower grows. In order for cucumbers to fully develop, it is necessary to ensure a regular supply of useful elements to the soil. This is precisely why foliar feeding of cucumbers is carried out, with the help of which you can not only provide the plants with minerals, but also protect them from many pests and diseases.
Foliar feeding of cucumbers is carried out by spraying the bushes. This procedure should be carried out regularly while growing cucumbers.
Basic recommendations
Feeding cucumbers in open ground should be done correctly, so it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the basic tips for carrying out this procedure:
- You need to feed the bushes very carefully, since initially only a small amount of fertilizer can have a positive effect on them. If there are too many nutrients, the inflorescences will begin to fall off and the leaves will turn yellow. The amount of foliar feeding should be increased gradually.
- Feeding cucumbers during fruiting should be done only in the evening or early morning, so that there is not too much sunlight outside. In some cases, due to sunlight, serious burns begin to appear on the leaves. Also, the procedure should be carried out when there is no strong wind or rain outside.
- Sometimes it is difficult to independently determine which substances cucumbers lack. In such cases, it is recommended to test different fertilizers on several bushes in advance. If after this their condition begins to improve, then it will be possible to start feeding the remaining bushes. You can also use complex fertilizers, which are universal and suitable in any case.
- Spraying should be carried out only for prevention. High concentrations of fertilizers can harm young plants.
- You cannot fertilize on hot sunny days.
When to fertilize
Before applying foliar fertilizers to the ground, it is necessary to determine the period when this should be done. It is recommended to fertilize at each stage of bush development:
- before the flowers begin to appear;
- before the start of fruiting;
- during the harvesting period of ripe cucumbers.
Fertilizer methods
During foliar feeding of cucumbers in the greenhouse, various solutions are used that contain a large amount of useful substances. Before you start applying fertilizers, you need to familiarize yourself with exactly what solutions are used for this.
Urea
Urea is a fairly popular fertilizer that is sold in many stores in the form of small granules. It is used in cases where the bushes lack nitrogen, which is necessary for their rapid development. This substance is also used in the fight against various pests. It helps protect bushes from aphids or weevils.
To determine nitrogen deficiency, you should pay attention to the appearance of the plant. Its leaves begin to lose their color and gradually turn yellow.
It is necessary to start fertilizing cucumbers with urea during the growing season. Therefore, the first fertilizing is carried out immediately after the young seedlings have been planted in the soil. The second feeding is carried out after a few weeks.
When fertilizing plants with urea, you need to decide on the amount of substance used. To process cucumbers, add at least 15 grams of the substance to 10 liters of water.
Boric acid
This substance is used to protect bushes from various diseases and increase the amount of harvest obtained. After use boric acid cucumbers receive more oxygen, which has a positive effect on their taste.
It is recommended to use boric acid if the following symptoms appear:
- fruit drop;
- a small number of ovaries;
- the appearance of small yellow spots on the leaves.
The first time the treatment is carried out before the plant begins to bloom.The next time the procedure is repeated during the formation of the first ovaries.
To use boric acid, you need to prepare a special mixture. To do this, the substance is dissolved in heated water and poured into a small container. Then the mixture is stirred and several liters of cold water are added to it.
Calcium nitrate
Calcium nitrate is a highly soluble fertilizer that is often used when feeding cucumbers. It contains a lot of calcium nitrate, which is well absorbed by vegetables. The main advantage of this fertilizer is that it can be used even in conditions of high humidity or low temperature.
Regular use of calcium nitrate leads to:
- improving the taste of cucumbers and increasing yield;
- the emergence of immunity to many diseases;
- improving enzyme performance;
- increasing the shelf life of collected fruits.
To prepare a calcium solution, you need to add 2-3 grams of the substance to a liter of water. Then everything is thoroughly mixed and infused for several minutes. The resulting mixture can be used after the third leaf has formed on the bush. After this, it is necessary to fertilize the bushes with calcium nitrate every week.
Iodine
It is no secret that young seedlings are exposed to various diseases during flowering. In order to protect plants from them, it is recommended to use a solution that contains iodine. This solution must be used after the fourth leaf appears on the bushes. To prepare a mixture of iodine, you need to add 45 drops of the substance and a liter of milk to 10 liters of water.
Some gardeners add soap to it, thanks to which the solution will stay on the leaves longer.
When signs of disease begin to appear on the bushes, you will have to create a more concentrated solution. To do this, you will have to mix water with iodine in a ratio of two to one. Even if this mixture doesn't help save cucumbers from disease, then the bushes will have to be removed and burned.
Yeast
Some vegetable growers use dry yeast for foliar feeding. They contain a considerable amount of minerals, vitamins and proteins that young bushes need. Therefore, the use of a yeast solution has a positive effect on plant development.
Making your own yeast mixture is quite simple. To do this, fresh yeast is added to the water in a ratio of one to five. Then the solution is mixed and infused for several hours. After this, another five parts of warm water must be added to the container with the mixture.
There is another method for preparing the solution. To create it, add 2-4 liters of water to a small saucepan. Then it should be heated to 40 degrees, after which 20 g of yeast and 100 g of sugar are added to the pan. Before using this mixture, it must be infused for 10-15 hours.
Yeast must be used every 7-10 days. In this case, no more than a liter of yeast mixture is consumed per bush.
Conclusion
When growing cucumbers, do not forget about periodic application of mineral fertilizers. If you periodically add manure and other fertilizers to the soil, the cucumbers will grow and develop much better.
