2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Many of us are not averse to eating fresh cucumbers, especially in winter, when the temperature outside the window is freezing, and the lack of vitamins does not affect the body for the better. In supermarkets, their prices bite, and the taste is delicious. But there is a solution - even a person who does not understand garden cultures is quite capable of growing cucumbers at home, for example, on a windowsill. If you follow certain rules and advice in this matter, then success is guaranteed
Landing site and preparation
For seedlings, you should choose windows facing east, southeast or south. This will make it possible to make optimal use of sunlight for plant nutrition during the day. Cucumbers are very light-loving plants - in the first three weeks of growth, they require the maximum amount of lighting per day, and the winter months, as you know, are characterized by short days. At the same time, direct sunlight is contraindicated for a long time - enough diffused light with moderate shading.
If it is not possible to arrange the seedlings in the desired directions, then be prepared to use additional lighting. For this, spectral lamps or conventional fluorescent lamps are used. The former can be purchased in specialized stores for gardeners, and it should be noted that there are selection varieties of cucumbers that are resistant to lack of lighting.
You will need to pay maximum attention to the insulation of the windows - there should not be any gaps. If it is necessary to ventilate the room, the seedlings are closed with a special non-woven cloth, which can be purchased and obtained from shops for gardeners. Also, seedlings must be protected from heat flows created by heating systems, usually located under windows - batteries dry out the air in the planting area, which is unacceptable for their development. Usually, a foam sheet is used for this, which is laid overlapping on the windowsill - it will protect against overheating and loss of moisture.
Selecting varieties of cucumbers and creating conditions for growth
You need to choose the right seeds for planting. Under normal conditions, in most summer cottages, female flowers are pollinated by bees. Of course, you can choose these types of cucumbers, but then you yourself will act as bees. Actually, this is not difficult - with a soft brush, pollen is transferred from male (barren flowers) pistils to female stamens. For growing at home, special varieties of cucumbers with self-pollination have been created, which usually have increased early maturity and compactness. The latter is important - cucumbers do not like crowding, which is very important for a small window sill and window area.
At each stage of cucumber development, from seed cultivation to fruiting, it is necessary to create and maintain different temperature regimes. It should be remembered - regardless of the stage of growth, it is unacceptable for a long time to lower the temperature below 10 degrees. To obtain a high-quality harvest, the temperature range should be within 18-25 degrees. Watering should be done daily in the morning or in the evening. Despite the fact that cucumbers love moisture, you should not be zealous, otherwise the root system will begin to rot and die. Stable temperature and humidity play a decisive role in the growth, development and achievement of the final result - a high and healthy harvest of cucumbers.
Also, an important point for growing healthy and tasty cucumbers is proper nutrition of the seedlings, that is, the soil must have a certain composition. As they grow, they will take up the substances necessary for nutrition and therefore they will need artificial feeding - mineral fertilizers. You can buy soil and fertilizing, as well as get advice on this issue, all in the same place - in stores for gardeners and gardeners.
Cucumber seedlings can be planted in anything - there are no specific rules. Wooden trays, plastic buckets, ordinary pots - everything will do, but their volume should be at least 3 liters and the containers should have a drainage system to allow air to reach the roots and remove excess moisture.
Following these simple recommendations, you can get not only a good harvest of winter cucumbers, but also feel proud of yourself. And psychological satisfaction in life is an important thing.
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