When and how to properly plant cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse or greenhouse

A polycarbonate greenhouse has become a common sight at a summer cottage: the premises guarantee a harvest in any weather. The first cucumbers in early June will be ensured by planting cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse in early May.

Autumn preparation of the greenhouse

Greenhouse owners in the fall need to prepare for the new season. It is necessary to start cleaning the greenhouse immediately after collecting the last fruits: remove weeds, remnants of stems and roots of vegetable crops, remove stakes and garter material.

Greenhouse treatment

When using a polycarbonate greenhouse, the walls become dusty and transmit light less well. Harmful microorganisms accumulate in the soil and on structural elements. In the fall, the greenhouse needs to be treated:

• wash;
• remove top layer of soil;
• disinfect.

Wash with water and 72% laundry soap, use a rag or soft sponge. The top layer of soil must be removed, because after the summer season the following can live there:

• pathogens of tomatoes;
• vegetable pests;
• insect larvae.

At least once every 2 years, you need to remove the top layer of soil in the greenhouse (5 - 10 cm) and take it to the garden for restoration.

Disinfection of a greenhouse using a sulfur bomb destroys fungal spores, viruses, and bacteria. Treatment must be carried out no later than October. To achieve the effect, follow the conditions:

• the air temperature in the greenhouse is not lower than 10 °C;
• metal structural elements are coated with paint;
• the soil has been dug up;
• doors and windows are hermetically sealed.

Soil preparation

Intensive use of a greenhouse depletes the soil. To restore fertility, you need to annually add organic matter (humus, compost), ash and mineral fertilizers.

Add organic matter, superphosphate, potassium nitrate and ash for digging in the fall. Apply urea in the spring, two weeks before planting cucumber seedlings in the greenhouse.

After autumn treatment with a sulfur bomb, the biological product Baikal EM1 will help restore the balance of beneficial microorganisms in the soil.

7 days before planting seedlings, water the soil with a biological product.When can you use it and what conditions to follow:

• soil temperature - not lower than 15 °C;
• solution temperature - 25 °C.

Arrangement of beds

In the summer, the hot season begins for gardeners, both literally and figuratively. On a sunny day, the air temperature in the greenhouse can be above 35 °C. It is easier and faster to work in a well-equipped greenhouse.

It is necessary to plant cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse on properly prepared beds. You should adhere to the following rules:

• dig up the soil using the bayonet of a shovel;
• outline the ridges based on the size (width) of the greenhouse;
• form ridges 25–35 cm high;
• bed width - 60 cm;
• row spacing - 70 - 80 cm.

Make sides of the beds from wood, slate, galvanized iron or plastic.

The advantages of a fenced ridge are tangible:

• neat ridges - a beautiful greenhouse;
• the earth does not fall into the paths;
• water does not flow from the ridges;
• it is easier to fertilize - the aqueous solution of fertilizers does not spread around the perimeter of the greenhouse.

In addition to the ridge, you need to build a trellis at the same time. To tie the twine, you can use either thick steel wire with a cross-section of 2–3 mm or thin bars of 25*40 mm.

Manure - fertilizer and heating

If you have the opportunity to buy cattle manure, buy it and use it to create comfortable conditions for cucumber seedlings in the greenhouse. To do this, you need to dig a trench in the center of the ridge: depth 50 - 60 cm, width - 30 cm.

Lay fresh manure 30–35 cm thick down and cover it with soil from the ridge. The layer of soil above the manure is 25 cm. Fresh, compacted manure will begin to “burn” in 5–7 days, release heat and warm the earth.

In the summer, as it decomposes, mullein will supply nitrogen to greenhouse plants. Planting cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse in the presence of biofuel (manure) is the most economical and easy-to-implement way to produce early greens.Let's learn how to replant cucumbers grown from seeds.

Planting seeds for seedlings

You can significantly speed up the time of harvesting greens if you plant seedlings with seeds in April. The choice of variety plays a big role. To obtain early production, you need to choose ultra-early hybrids or varieties for greenhouses.

Late and mid-late cucumbers for canning purposes are ideal for winter preparations.

The best varieties for greenhouses

Of the many varieties of cucumbers, consider only two groups:

• self-pollinating;
• unpollinated (parthenocarpic).

Bees and other insects pollinate plants growing in open ground. In a greenhouse, crops have to be pollinated artificially or the right varieties have to be chosen that do not require pollination with female flowers.

Choosing varieties

For the new season, beginning gardeners can recommend a proven hybrid from Holland - Herman F1. Having chosen it, people will definitely not be left without cucumbers. The variety is characterized by a stable yield. Timely transplanting of seedlings into a greenhouse or greenhouse in April-May - and the greens can be eaten after 36 days. Commercial cucumbers with light thorns are an excellent raw material for winter preparations. In summer they are used to prepare delicious, crispy lightly salted cucumbers.

We need to take note of another productive hybrid from Holland - Courage. Its fertility - 25 kg per bush - will not leave anyone indifferent, and its resistance to diseases and pests is beyond competition. The fruits are good in any form. Courage is usually propagated by seedlings to obtain early production, and by seeds for harvesting and autumn consumption.

Container and soil for sowing seeds

Cucumbers do not like transplanting. A separate container for planting in the form of peat cups will solve this problem. The volume of the container must be at least 400 - 500 ml.This size is enough to obtain full-fledged seedlings.

In the lower part of the container it is worth making holes with a diameter of 3 - 4 mm, which are needed for the outflow of excess water and ventilation of the roots. Place the containers in a plastic tray 3–4 cm high.

The soil can be prepared in the fall. Take 1 part at a time:

• forest or garden land;
• peat;
• humus;
• rotted sawdust.

Mix all ingredients well and add 1 tbsp. l. ash and any complex fertilizer according to the norm. Before planting the seeds (14 days before), water the mixture prepared in the fall with the biological product “Baikal EM1”. In the absence of this, you can limit yourself to a disinfectant solution of potassium permanganate. It’s simple to prepare: take a few crystals and stir in settled water until a rich pink color is obtained.

The biological product stimulates the development of beneficial microorganisms, while potassium permanganate kills harmful microbes and fungi.

To plant seedlings on time in the spring:

• containers can be filled with soil in the fall;
• put in a greenhouse for the winter;
• cover with snow.

When the time for sowing the seeds approaches, bring them into a warm room to thaw and warm the soil.

We deal with seeds

Did you buy the seeds and check the year of collection or expiration date? Read the instructions on the bag. If it says that the seeds have been treated, we assume that they are ready for planting.

It is necessary to carry out preparations if there is no such information and the seeds are white, without any hint of processing. Of course, you can plant them straight from the bag, but it’s better not to risk it. If the seeds are infected, treatment will take longer.

Do not take seeds that have expired: they remain viable for no more than 2 years.

We prepare as follows:

• warm up the seeds on the radiator;
• inspect visually, discard seeds with mechanical damage;
• lower the selected seeds into salt water - discard those that float;
• drain the water, dry the seeds and use for planting.

Sow the seeds

If the soil is dry, moisten the soil. Make indentations in the center of the glass with your finger or marker. Place the seeds in them. Sprinkle with soil with a layer of 1.5 cm. Cover the trays with seedlings with cellophane and place them near the radiator.

After 5–7 days, if the air temperature is 25 °C or higher, the cotyledon leaves will hatch. The film can be removed. Place the trays on a window or shelf with lighting.

Seedling care

Seedlings that can be transplanted have 3 to 5 leaves and are 25 days old. To grow it, you don't need to be clever. The rules of care are simple:

• watering the seedlings if the soil is dry;
• fertilize at least once with liquid complex fertilizer;
• highlight the seedlings by placing a fluorescent lamp above the plants;
• at the age of 20 days, harden (take out onto the balcony, street);
• monitor the health of the seedlings.

All that remains is to plant the seedlings. The main thing is to know exactly when to plant.

Landing dates

First, we determine the deadlines. The criterion will be the temperature of the top layer of soil in a polycarbonate greenhouse. To determine this, you can buy a special thermometer.

Temperature must be measured correctly by placing the measuring device in the shade and not in the sun. A stable temperature of 14 - 15 °C indicates that it is time to plant cucumbers in the greenhouse. Usually in an unheated polycarbonate greenhouse this is done in May, and in the presence of biofuel (manure) - in the last ten days of April.

How to plant seedlings correctly

Let's figure out how to plant cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse. The root system of young seedlings is delicate and can be easily damaged. Many gardeners place a pot of young seedlings in water - this makes replanting easier.

A lump of earth with roots is easily separated from the walls of the container. The soil moisture is optimal. The roots are not subjected to mechanical stress. You can watch the video on how to plant seedlings correctly - the videos show the process clearly. Let's figure out how to plant.

To prevent the subcotyledon from suffering from all possible rot, it is not buried in the soil. The plant, together with a lump of earth, is placed in a dug hole, covered with soil and watered.

Gardeners advise not to neglect mulch (peat, humus, dry grass mowed on the lawn) when sowing. A mulching layer of 5–10 cm is capable of:

• improve the microclimate;
• inhibits the growth of weeds;
• maintains the level of soil moisture necessary for cucumbers;
• protects roots from cold and overheating;
• Saves time and effort on loosening the soil around the cucumbers in the greenhouse.

You can replant cucumbers correctly if you follow the planting scheme indicated in the leaflet included with the seeds. The distance between two seedlings depends on the variety. Densely planted plants are more likely to suffer from fungal infections, aphids, and powdery mildew.

If you are in doubt about how to plant young cucumbers correctly, place all the holes at a distance of 35 cm from each other, leaving wide row spacing of 60 - 75 cm.

Cucumber is a vine that needs support:

• for the full development of cucumbers in the greenhouse;
• increasing the illumination of grown bushes;
• good ventilation;
• protecting the crop from infection in the soil.

How to make a trellis for cucumbers in a greenhouse was described above. Note that natural twine serves well during the season. The photo of the cucumbers after planting in the greenhouse shows how they are attached to the trellis.

We organize proper care

Planting cucumbers in a greenhouse does not take much time from the gardener.Transplantation of cucumbers ends in June and basic care for greenhouse plants begins:

• bush formation;
• fertilizing (root, foliar);
• watering;
• maintaining optimal air and soil temperatures;
• disease prevention and control;
• protection of cucumbers in the greenhouse from pests;
• lash garter;
• collection of greens.

Formation

We figured out how to plant cucumbers, now we need to understand how to shape them. Before transplanting the cucumbers, a trellis was built and a rope (string) was tied opposite each hole. About 5 days after transplanting, the lashes need to be attached to the trellis.

As they grow, they need to be wrapped around twine. Do this in the internode area. The central shoot, which has reached the top of the trellis, needs to be thrown over the top wire (bar), and the crown should be pinched when it drops down 40 cm. This completes the formation of the central shoot.

Side shoots grow throughout the growing season. Remove all shoots from the lower 4 axils. Side shoots (braids) are not needed in this part of the stem, because they will slow down the growth of the central shoot and pull all the nutrients onto themselves.

Sinuses 4, 5, 6 are partially blinded, leaving 1 ovary (bundle) each. Leave 2 ovaries in the next 3 or 4 axils, and 3 ovaries above. Thanks to this scheme, you can get a good cucumber bush formed into one stem.

Watering

Cucumbers love moisture. Even something as simple as watering has its own peculiarities. For example, the quality and temperature of water for irrigation, which affects not only the general condition of the plants, but also the quality of the crop.

Water for irrigation needs to be warm (23 – 25 °C) and settled. Watering with cold water provokes rot, delayed development of the root system, and contributes to the accumulation of bitterness in the fruits.

In the heat, the soil in the greenhouse dries out quickly.You will have to water frequently - every 3 days. Avoid excessive watering; water should not stagnate on the ridge. The approximate volume per 1 m² in the flowering phase is 5 l, in the fruiting phase - 10 l. These standards are approximate. In fact, it all depends on the weather, temperature and humidity, the method and frequency of ventilation of the greenhouse.

Feeding

If you want a good harvest, use fertilizers. If you don’t like “chemistry”, use organic. Fertilizers not only contribute to the harvest, but also strengthen the immune system and extend the fruiting period until the middle or even the end of September. This allows you to use the greenhouse to its full capacity.

There are two types of fertilizing: foliar and root.

Typically, root feeding is timed to coincide with watering. Moist soil does not allow the roots to get burned when they come into contact with an aqueous solution of fertilizers.

The following can be used as mineral fertilizers for cucumbers grown in a greenhouse:

1. Superphosphate.
2. Urea or ammonium nitrate.
3. Borofosku.
4. Potassium nitrate.

Before flowering and during flowering, the percentage of nitrogen in the aqueous solution of fertilizers should exceed the phosphorus content. During fruiting, the plant's need for potassium and phosphorus increases.

Do not use urea and ammonium nitrate in the second half of summer. Nitrogen leads to an increase in green mass and delayed fruiting.

You can use one of the popular fertilizers for fertilizing:

1. Potassium humate.
2. Agricola Vegeta.
3. Ideal.

Fertilizers are poured at the roots. If they get on leaves or fruits, they can cause burns. An important point: adherence to the dosage indicated in the instructions. Excess fertilizer in fruits can cause harm to health instead of the expected benefit.

How to control the temperature

There are two periods of the season when real problems with the temperature in the greenhouse can arise. This is spring and nighttime drops in temperature and sultry summer with midday heat.

If frosts are expected in the spring, and young seedlings are already sitting in the garden bed, but not yet tied to the trellis, covering material will save them. In this case, everything is simple: throw it on, preferably rolling it in 2 layers, and remove it in the morning after sunrise.

Another simple trick is plastic bottles with cut bottoms. If you put such a structure on a seedling, it will suffer less from the drop in temperature. If there is a source of electricity near the greenhouse, you can turn on an infrared heater or heat gun at night.

Heat is no less a problem for plants than cold. At noon, the thermometer can reach 38°, or even higher. Cucumbers absolutely do not like drafts, which becomes a big problem in hot weather. The greenhouse can be shaded from the sun by whitewashing the top or stretching white fabric under the ceiling. Watering paths and installing containers with cold water reduces the temperature.

Diseases and pests

Rarely does a summer resident manage to avoid cucumber diseases or pest infestations. There are years when, even with proper care, weather conditions (heat, rain) and the invasion of the flying form of aphids turn beautiful green plants into sick ones.

In wet weather, root rot is dangerous. In the initial stage, ash mixed with fluff lime can help. Proportion 3:1. You need to powder the affected stems with this mixture and rake the soil to them.

If aphids appear on the back of the leaf, ash will also help. You need to take 1 tbsp per bucket of water, the water should be hot. After a day, add grated laundry soap to the infusion.Wash the plants with this solution or spray them with a sprayer.

You can't control aphids with just one treatment. The procedure will have to be repeated at least once a week. Afterwards, the ground under the bushes can be sprinkled with sifted ash.

Iodine helps strengthen the immune system. You need to add it to milk (35 drops per 1 liter) and spray all the plants in the greenhouse in the evening. In just a couple of days the vines will become prettier and green with fresh foliage.

Gardener mistakes

Let's look at the mistakes gardeners make that inhibit fruit growth. If a seemingly healthy plant has few flowers and ovaries, check the variety. Most likely, the variety planted in a greenhouse needs pollination by bees.

The problem can be solved: you just need to lure the main pollinators - bees - into the greenhouse. They will be attracted by sweet water, which needs to be sprinkled on the cucumber ridge. Artificial pollination also helps. It is carried out by touching the male flower to the center of the female flower.

Barren flower is another problem that a gardener may encounter when growing in cucumber greenhouse. There may be several reasons that caused it:

1. Water the plants with cold water.
2. The weather is cool, abundant watering, the soil is excessively moist.
3. Plants are planted too often and people forget to shape them.
4. Excess nitrogen in the soil.

You can solve the problem with a barrel, grass and water. You need to fill the container with water, add herbs there, or you can throw in a loaf of old bread for sourdough. The gas released during fermentation of grass stimulates fruit formation.

Collection of greens

When there is a wave of fruiting, the gardener cannot relax. At least 2–3 times a week, the plantings need to be inspected and harvested for the production of winter preparations, and larger cucumbers for salads and pickling.

The shelf life of fruits is different for each variety.Labels indicating the variety will help you determine where each variety grows and how it can be used. Many people make the mistake of planting salad and canned hybrids next to each other: salad cucumbers in the marinade spoil its quality.

Conclusion

If you stick to correct technology, growing cucumbers in a greenhouse will be a pleasant experience. The yield and duration of fruiting in protected soil conditions are higher, which will quickly recoup the cost of the greenhouse.