You can do vegetable growing all year round(and in winter) and not only in the garden - many city apartment owners grow cucumbers directly on the windowsill. The crop is planted at the end of February or at the beginning of March; it can be done earlier if additional lighting is provided for the plantings. The main thing is to choose correctly, prepare them in accordance with the instructions, buy nutritious soil and provide your home mini-garden with proper care. For growing on a windowsill in an apartment, hybrid varieties are usually used - with a minimum ripening period, medium-sized fruits, and unpretentious care. More details below.
Cucumbers on the windowsill are practical and beautiful. In addition, you will know exactly what you fertilized the plantings with, and therefore you will be able to prepare fresh vegetable salads inexpensively and without pesticides. Basic rules for growing cucumbers on a windowsill:
When growing cucumbers on a windowsill, they need additional lighting.
If you want to prepare a vegetable salad from your own cucumbers for the New Year, you need to plant the crop in early November.
It is advisable to give preference to the best parthenocarpic. The soil must be of high quality and nutritious - it is best to use a soil substrate at the rate of 5 liters per adult plant (in this case, the root system of the crop will receive the necessary nutrients). Do soil mixture you can do it yourself - from the usual garden soil, sawdust, humus, sand and ash in equal proportions. Before planting, it must be disinfected, otherwise you can plant fragile crops in contaminated soil, and all your efforts will go down the drain. Frozen, contaminated soils are also dangerous, since negative temperatures do not always have a detrimental effect on insects.
He will tell you about feeding cucumbers.
Different kinds soils
Today there is a whole range of varieties specifically for growing at home on a windowsill. Each of them has certain features that need to be taken into account when choosing. To make your home vegetable greenhouse delight you appearance and bears fruit perfectly, pay attention to the following points:
Beginners are recommended to plant shade-loving varieties that are resistant to temperature changes, since they are the most unpretentious. For early sowings optimal choice are cucumbers with smooth skin, for late ones - early ripening varieties. It is imperative to follow the rules for preparing seeds, otherwise they may not sprout.
When growing cucumbers on a windowsill, you should carefully select seeds.
To grow on a windowsill, choose varieties that do not require additional pollination.
Let's consider the most popular varieties cucumbers for winter growing on a windowsill:
Cucumber variety "Khutorok F1"
Read about self-pollinating varieties of cucumbers for greenhouses.
Cucumber variety “F1 Khrustik”
Hybrid cucumber variety “Emelya F1”
Cucumber variety Masha F1
Manual pollination is carried out as follows - male flowers are picked and the stamens are carried along the female pistils. It is also convenient to use a soft brush for these purposes.
The growing conditions for the listed hybrids are practically the same. You will harvest from the bushes as the fruits ripen. Of course, it’s better not to count on tens of kilograms from the windowsill, but you will always have a couple of cucumbers for lunch. Read how to store cucumbers fresh.
In this review, we looked at the features of growing indoor cucumbers (which one to grow) on a windowsill in winter and named the most popular varieties. Among them there are parthenocarpic and hybrids that require pollination - the first option is more practical and easy to care for, the second requires regular hand pollination. Please note that most varieties require additional lighting; cucumbers generally do not like drafts. At home, unlike greenhouses and open ground, crops practically do not get sick, the main thing is not to plant them in already contaminated soils.
Growing cucumbers on a windowsill and reaping a good harvest is quite possible. Caring for a plant in winter will take more time and effort than in summer - a heat-loving crop requires certain conditions. But if you correctly follow all the recommendations and tips for growing cucumbers at home, you can get ripe and juicy fruits for the dinner table.
Typically, cucumbers do not tolerate extreme heat and love water and sun. But plant care requirements may vary depending on the variety, indoor microclimate and soil composition.
Cucumber is a plant belonging to the pumpkin family.
The roots of cucumber vines are located near the surface. The soil for the windowsill should be mulched in the same way as for plants outside.
When choosing a seed variety, it is better to choose those that are intended specifically for our purpose. To grow cucumbers on a windowsill in winter, planting material must be seasonal, unpretentious and disease resistant. Can be used . They are resistant to weather changes and do not require much maintenance.
It is advisable to choose a medium or short ripening period. For this reason, they often take it. Preference should be given to self-pollinating or parthenocarpic - plants that do not require pollination. You can take bee-pollinated ones, but you will have to tinker with them additionally.
For growing in room conditions The cucumber seeds described in this article are suitable.
The varieties most suitable for planting in winter are:
Cucumber variety “F1 Ekaterina”
Cucumber variety “F1 Khrustik”
If you cannot make a choice yourself, consult a salesperson in a specialized store. Note that you need a variety suitable for growing on a windowsill during the cold season.
There are no specific dates for planting cucumbers on the windowsill. From November to February, the plant will in any case require additional lighting; growing the crop is not dependent on the weather or daylength.
Be guided in this matter only by your own needs and desires. If you want to serve fresh homemade cucumbers on the New Year's table, you need to sow the seeds in the last days of October. If you plan to harvest the crop in early spring, you need to start cultivating the plant from January 1-5.
The time for planting cucumbers depends on your needs and desires.
The room in which you plan to place pots of cucumbers should be warm and bright. No drafts or significant temperature changes. It will be better if the room's windows face south. It is ideal to place plants on a windowsill in the kitchen or next to the bathroom. The humidity there is higher, the air is not overdried by heating devices.
When growing cucumbers in an apartment, you need to select a place with high humidity and not dry air.
To protect seedlings from winter cold, place foam or wooden blocks under the pots.
To plant each plant, you will need a 5-liter container with holes for water. The same goes for . It is filled with moist soil, depressions of about 1.5 cm are made in the ground and seeds are placed there - pre-sprouted or not. Before germination, it is better to cover the pot with film and place it in a room where the temperature does not drop below 25°. As soon as the first sprouts appear, the covering material is removed and the container is moved to the windowsill.
To begin with, the seeds can also be sown in small pots or cups and then replanted. But in this case, you will have to wait until the seedlings take root and hope that none of them die.
Initially, you can grow cucumbers in small cups, but later the plant will need to be replanted
The easiest way to plant cucumbers is to buy ready-made soil - universal or designed specifically for pumpkin soil. If there is none, the soil is prepared as follows:
Different types of soils
Read more about fertilizers and feeding cucumbers.
Homemade soil must be disinfected so that the seedlings do not get sick and are not eaten by flies. To do this, the soil is warmed up high temperatures- in the oven or on the stove.
Before planting seeds, pour 2-3 centimeters of drainage from coarse sand, small pebbles or broken bricks, and soil is laid on top. The day before sowing, the soil needs to be watered.
Read how to prepare the soil for planting cucumbers in greenhouse conditions.
You should buy seeds for growing cucumbers on the windowsill at least a month before planting. Then they are placed in a warm, dry place so that they dry out within 30 days. Afterwards, the planting material is sorted out, darkened or damaged seeds are discarded, and good ones are disinfected. This is done using a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate: the grains are wrapped in gauze and soaked in the liquid for 15-20 minutes. You can also put the seeds overnight in an ash solution, aloe juice, or in growth stimulants according to the instructions.
If you plan to use the planting material immediately, it needs to be dried again for 1-2 hours. But it is best to germinate the seeds in advance for winter cultivation. To do this, they are placed on a cotton pad or napkin soaked in water and left in a warm place for 2-3 days, moisturizing as necessary. As soon as the sprouts hatch, the cucumbers are planted.
Seeds must be germinated before planting
Seeds in a shell do not require germination or disinfection. Keep in mind that they germinate a little later than usual. If you want to grow cucumbers for a specific event, sow them a week earlier.
A plant on a windowsill in the cold season is deprived sunlight, moisture and temperatures that contribute to the development and formation of cucumbers in the garden. Caring for home seedlings involves recreating these same conditions.
Like garden varieties, cucumbers on the windowsill love water. Immediately after planting, the seeds are watered approximately every two days. This is done as necessary - the soil should be slightly moist, not dry and not too flooded.
Already developed plants are watered more often. If lamps are installed above the seedlings, the soil is gradually moistened twice a day. If there is no additional light, once a day is enough. Water is used for irrigation room temperature, preferably filtered or at least settled.
Depending on the variety, cucumbers are watered from 2 times a day to 4 times a week.
To make it easier to care for cucumber lashes, stretch ropes over the container every 7-12 centimeters. So climbing plant will receive more light, and the fruits and ovaries will not be damaged.
The optimal temperature for growing cucumbers on a windowsill is above 18° and below 26°. It needs to be maintained at approximately the same level. To do this, the windows are insulated as much as possible and all cracks are closed - a winter draft can deprive the harvest or postpone fruiting to a later date, even in a warm room. 
In order for the plant to develop properly, it requires 10 hours of daylight. In winter, the window sill will have to be equipped with additional lamps - special phyto- or fluorescent. They are placed above the containers at a distance of 15-20 centimeters with the ability to raise them a little higher when the lashes stretch out.
When growing cucumbers at home, they need additional lighting with fluorescent lamps
You can also attach foil to the plants on the side of the room. It will reflect light and increase the illuminated area.
Too much watering can cause blackleg disease. To prevent this from happening, it is better to add water a little at a time and maintain high humidity around the plant. The optimal level is 85-90%. Can be used to humidify the air special devices or sprayers, in the old fashioned way, place a saucer of water next to the cucumbers or place a wet towel on the radiator under the windowsill.
How to properly water cucumbers is described.
Cucumber seedlings on the windowsill are fertilized twice. The first fertilizing is carried out approximately 2 weeks after seed germination. Ready-made ingredients are used as additives. mineral fertilizers for cucumbers or mix it yourself from superphosphate, ammonium nitrate and magnesium sulfate. Take 5 grams of each ingredient and dissolve in 5 liters of water. The liquid is watered over the roots of the plant. 1 glass should be divided into 5 seedlings.
To obtain a large yield, add mineral and organic fertilizers to the soil
The second feeding of homemade cucumbers is carried out 7-10 days after the first. For watering, use the same mixture, distributing a glass of fertilizer over 2 plants. If you do not want to use mineral fertilizers, you can use organic matter for the second feeding. To do this, take the peels of 5 bananas, add a liter of water and leave for a week. The resulting concentrate is diluted with another 2 liters of water and used for root watering.
Try not to “hoard” the harvest. Remove the cucumbers as soon as they reach 8-10 centimeters. The more often you pick, the longer and more abundantly the plant will bear fruit.
To prevent cucumbers from getting sick, it is important to follow care recommendations, disinfect the soil and seeds, and use bactericidal solutions against pests. 
Tobacco decoction helps against aphids and whiteflies. 30 grams of tobacco are poured into a liter of water and boiled for 8-10 minutes. The cooled liquid is diluted with another liter of water and the plant is sprayed with it. The most common cucumber aphid is found on cucumbers in greenhouses, and read how to fight it.
There is a gardener and gardener in every person. With the arrival of the first warmth of spring, everyone is drawn to the dacha, to the village, to the garden. It’s nice to dig into fresh soil, breathe in its aroma and throw the first seeds into the garden bed. But not everyone is lucky enough to welcome spring on their own piece of land. Many city dwellers do not have time to go to the garden or have their own garden bed. This can be fixed. If it is not possible to go to the garden, then you can build it at home on the balcony or. In small homemade beds you can grow, green onions, tomatoes cucumbers. The last vegetable requires special attention and worries. To get a rich harvest, you need to know what to do on the windowsill and balcony and not harm the plant. Due to inexperience, its tender sprouts can be destroyed within a few hours. But if you choose the right soil mixture, container, variety, stick to temperature regime, then the green vine will thank you with tender, crispy cucumbers.
If you choose the right varieties of cucumbers, then on your windowsill you can get a harvest that is much richer than what your neighbor will grow in his dacha. Fans of home gardening should pay attention to the F1 group hybrids:
The last variety can safely be called a cucumber masterpiece of Moldavian breeders. For several decades, it has successfully pleased its owners with generous fruiting and resistance to diseases.
From the usual varieties for indoor growing cucumbers are suitable:
They are photophilous and require cross-pollination, but have high yields and resistance to diseases in closed spaces.
Parthenocarpic hybrids are the best varieties of cucumbers for planting on a windowsill, as they set fruit regardless of weather, temperature fluctuations, sun rays, have big amount female self-pollinating inflorescences are not required special conditions content.
The key to a rich harvest. In order for the seeds to germinate quickly, you must follow several important rules:
After the first true leaf appears, the seedlings can be fed with liquid. It is important to ensure that water and liquid with microelements do not get on the sheet in daytime. A drop of moisture may cause a burn.
To grow cucumbers on a windowsill, you need to choose the right container. Then the plant will feel comfortable all season. Cucumber roots are located shallow from the soil surface and love to be warmed by the sun and irrigated by warm rain. A five-liter plastic bucket or pot will be enough for one plant. It is good if its width prevails over its height.
Even inexperienced gardeners can follow the rules for caring for cucumbers on the windowsill. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions and not rely on “maybe”:
It seems that the plants in the room are protected from all diseases and pests, but often gardeners are faced with problems against which even the best ones are powerless. effective drugs. In most cases, this is a violation of the rules of agricultural technology or a lack of microelements.
The most common question for many beginning gardeners is: why do the leaves of cucumbers on the windowsill turn yellow?
There are several reasons, but if there are no signs of powdery mildew infection, then it may be untimely watering, stagnation of moisture in the soil (appears bad smell black flies from the pot and shallows) or lack of nitrogen.
When you do everything correctly and follow the advice of experienced colleagues, it is difficult to understand why cucumbers start growing but don’t grow. Similar situation observed when the temperature drops below +16 or in extreme heat. Then the plant drops the fruits or slows down their growth in order to conserve strength.
Anyone can grow cucumbers on a windowsill. The main thing: do not be afraid to make mistakes and love the work you do. And the reward for your efforts will be new knowledge and crispy cucumbers for lunch.
It should be:
Preference is given to parthenocarpic hybrids F1. These self-pollinating plants have only female flowers. For growing cucumbers at home, the most popular are early and ultra-early:
Of the mid-early cucumber varieties for growing at home, the following are preferred:
IMPORTANT! Late ripening cucumber hybrids for home grown unsuitable.
Bee-pollinated cucumber hybrids, when grown indoors or in greenhouses, require hand pollination.
The process requires certain skills and additional time.
But despite this, vegetable growers grow at home bee-pollinated cucumber hybrids:
Grow and bee-pollinated cucumber varieties:
Advice! Hand pollination of cucumbers is carried out in the morning. Using a cotton swab or soft brush, transfer pollen from the male barren flower to flowers with an ovary (female). You can touch a male flower with torn petals to the pistil of a female one.
Female single flowers grow separately. The males form groups in the leaf axils.
Pollination of cucumbers continues throughout the flowering period, right up to the appearance of the first ovaries. To increase the yield of cucumbers experienced lovers advise pollinating female flowers with pollen different varieties .
It is better to grow cucumbers in an apartment on warm, bright balconies, loggias, verandas, windows oriented to the south, east, west.
The north side is not suitable for growing. There should be no drafts in the room.
There are many options: hanging baskets, buckets, containers, boxes, flower pots, tubs. The main thing is that the volume of the container is at least 5 liters. Drainage is laid out at the bottom - small pebbles, pieces of expanded clay, large sawdust. Make holes to remove excess water.
Advice! To save money, cut off large plastic bottles and use double cellophane garbage bags.
Deadlines depend on the selected cucumber variety, growing conditions. They take into account the area of the room, the ability to provide optimal temperature and light conditions, air humidity, and climate zone.
TO New Year's table The cucumbers planted at the end of October will ripen. Plantings in January begin to be harvested in March. The average time for fruiting to begin from the appearance of the first shoots is 40-50 days. TO May holidays February seedlings are ripening.
Prepare yourself according to proven recipes:
The earth is disinfected in one of the following ways:
Advice! To eliminate the danger of overcooling the root system of cucumbers, place a sheet of foam plastic, drywall, or thick plywood under the containers with plantings.
It is impossible to grow cucumbers at home in winter without lighting.. Daylight hours should last 12-14 hours. from December to February, additional illumination is carried out from 16 to 20 hours.
Lighting devices for additional illumination (energy-saving, fluorescent, LED) are mounted at a distance of 30-40 cm.
To enhance the effect, install sheets of foil and mirrors that reflect light.
Until the plants form lashes, the temperature is maintained not higher than +16°С. After the formation of lashes, the temperature on sunny days is maintained at + 24-26 ° C, in cloudy weather and at night + 18-20 ° C.
Watered in sunny weather daily, on cloudy days - every other day. The water must be settled and brought to room temperature. Water several times a season with a weak pinkish solution of potassium permanganate.
It is useful to spray the plants twice a day, but the leaves should dry out by night. Watering cucumbers is carried out at the root or water is poured into trays.
Advice! To increase the humidity in the room, cover heating batteries wet towels. Place a bowl of water next to the cucumber bushes. Humidifiers are turned on.
Home-grown lashes reach a height of up to two meters and require a garter. The garter is made using a sliding loop. Use twine or nylon cord.
After the fifth true leaf appears, pinch the top to form a bush with two stems. When the next five leaves grow, the procedure is repeated.
Pinching of the side lashes is carried out in the lower lateral nodes above the 1-2-3 leaf.
The first is carried out after two true leaves appear. Feed with a solution of 3-4 g of nitrophoska per liter of water. The consumption rate per plant is a glass.
Can be used a solution of one teaspoon of urea in 5 liters of water. Feed once every 2 weeks.
With the appearance of greens, the plant is fed every week, alternating mineral and organic fertilizers. 20% solutions are used as organic additives chicken manure or superphosphate. For minerals, dissolve 30-40 g of nitrophoska in a bucket of water, add a teaspoon of Agrolife or 2 caps of the drug Rost along with watering.
Alternatively, after a week feeding cucumbers with vermicomposts. Spray the bushes twice with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Advice! An excellent organic solution is a solution of fermented crushed banana peels and rye bread.
Cucumbers grown in apartments also suffer from whiteflies. Spraying with a soap solution helps; using insecticides in an apartment is dangerous.
Zelentsy collected every day, preventing them from overgrowing. This promotes the formation of new ovaries, eases the load on the vines, prevents depletion of the plant and deterioration in the taste of cucumbers.
The agricultural technology is no different from growing cucumbers in an apartment. However, villagers and cottage owners have more opportunities for successful cultivation cucumbers in heated greenhouses all year round.
In an equipped basement, up to 200 kg of cucumbers are harvested from 1 m².
The main costs are to ensure optimal light and thermal regime.
Hydroponics is more effective for basement gardening. Use quartz, granite granules with a diameter of 50-20 mm and a nutrient solution with a high content of nitrogen, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. You can purchase a nutrient solution at the store or prepare it yourself.
The undoubted advantages include high yield, obtaining cucumbers regardless of the season, weather conditions
. Reduced period from the emergence of cucumber shoots to harvest. Already two months after planting the seedlings, the first greens ripen.
The main disadvantage is the high cost of cucumbers.
Is it possible to grow cucumbers at home in winter? If you wish, you can grow cucumbers all year round. Enthusiasts get 35-40 cucumbers from a bush grown at home.
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