How to plant ground cucumbers? Planting cucumbers from seedlings

Planting seedling cucumbersmay seem like a simple matter. However, you must stick to the rules regarding the planting date, the appropriate depth, and also properly prepare the soil before planting the plants. There are also some tricks that will make growing a cucumber a lot easier afterwards! In this article you will learnhow to plant field cucumbersso that they grow he althily and yield abundantly. Everything about planting cucumbers in flower beds, raised beds, foil and supports!

Planting cucumbers from seedlings
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Where to plant cucumbers?

It is recommended to plant ground cucumbersin an area with a slight south or south-west slope. Ideally, the vegetable garden should be bordered by an orchard or forest that protects plants from cold winds from the north and east. If we do not have such a position, we cansowsunflower and corn in rows between the cucumbers. Sunflower will protect young cucumbers and corn will protect mature plants. Sow sunflower and corn seeds in 2 rows in a line across the strongest winds.

What to plant cucumbers next to?

Co-cultivation with plants favoring the yielding of cucumbers or protecting them against pests is beneficial for cucumbers.Cucumbers can be planted next to : celery, celery, red beet, onion, kohlrabi, cabbage, radish, spinach, basil, fennel, caraway, parsley, borage and coriander. Company of garlic and onions prevents the appearance of pests of cucumbers such as aphids and spider mites.Planting cucumbers next to onions should be avoided, however, if we have a problem with thrips on the plot, because onions favor their development.

What kind of forecrop for cucumbers?

Cucumber should be grown in the same position not more often than every 3-4 years. It is not sensitive to the forecrop. It can be spring-harvested autumn spinach, radish, radish, turnip or mustard, reducing the appearance of angular cucumber blotch.

Preparation of soil for cucumbers

The soil for planting cucumbersshould be permeable and rich in humus and nutrients. The recommended pH of the soil for cucumbers is 6.0 - 7.2. Therefore, it requires proper preparation.
Cucumbers respond well to the high content of green mass in the soil , so it will be beneficial to use green fertilizers plowed in the fall. A mixture of seeds for catch crops for vegetables works very well, it is best sown in August or the first half of September, and mowed at the turn of October and November.Then we dig it with the ground right away. Over the winter, this green fertilizer will decompose and enrich the soil.

It is recommendedto plant cucumbers in the first year after the manureManure is applied in autumn at the rate of 4 kg of fresh or 1 kg of granulated manure per 1 m². Granulated manure, additionally compressed and thermally processed, is now available in garden stores. These are best dosed according to the instructions attached to the fertilizer. If we sowed catch crops for green manure, spread the manure after mowing the catch.

Due tolarge nutritional needs of cucumbers , we use mineral fertilizers 2-3 weeks before planting seedlings. We use potassium fertilizers in the form of sulphate due to the high sensitivity of the cucumber to chlorides. If it is necessary to liming the soil, it should be done in the fall of the previous year.
In the amateurcucumber cultivation in home and allotment gardens , we recommend a mineral fertilizer for tomatoes and cucumbers with micronutrients. It will ensure the availability of all the nutrients necessary for cucumbers.

Preparation of cucumber seedlings for planting

Cucumber does not tolerate transplanting , therefore we grow it from potted seedlings, so that we can plant it on the flower beds together with a lump of soil removed from the pot. Peat pots, which are planted completely in the ground, without removing the plant, are ideal for the cultivation of cucumbers. This ensures that we will not damage the cucumber roots. The peat pot will quickly decompose and replenish the soil with organic matter.

To produce seedlingscucumber seeds are sown in the second half of Aprilin single pots 3/4 filled with substrate.We can sow 2-3 seeds into each of them, after which we leave the strongest plant after germination and fill the pot with the substrate up to the edge. This will improve the rooting of the seedlings. Place the pots in a sunny and warm place (20-25 ° C) and water them regularly. Harden the seedlings 14 days before planting into the ground.

We plant the cucumbers together with the lump of soil surrounding the roots
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When to plant cucumbers?

In the second half of May, when the risk of frost is over,plant the cucumber seedlings permanentlyin rows every 120-150 cm. In a row we plant plants every 20 cm. Plants can be covered with agrotextile to protect them from the cold.

How deep should I plant cucumbers?

Before planting, water the plants and plant them permanently to the depth they have grown so far. Cucumbers have a delicate root system and do not like transplanting, so we plant them with a lump of earth taken out of the pot or with a peat pot (if they were sown in such pots).

Planting cucumbers on foil

One of themethods to speed up cucumber harvestand improve fruit quality is mulching the soil with black agrotextile or black polyethylene film. Mulching increases the temperature of the soil, reduces its evaporation and suppresses weeds. Cucumber fruits, not having direct contact with the ground, are clean and rot less often.

Cucumber planted on agrotextile
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To correctlyplant cucumbers on foil or agrotextile , first make cross cuts in foil or nonwoven fabric every 30 cm and plant cucumbers in these places. There are also films and nonwovens with ready-made planting holes, which will facilitate the entire operation.

Planting cucumbers at the supports

Due to the length of shoots and strong branching, cucumbers take up a lot of space.To save space in your garden, you canuse the climbing ability of cucumbersand grow them with vertical supports. They must be strong and stable so that they can withstand the weight of a large amount of green mass.

Cucumbers planted at the supports
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