Modern technologies and advances in selection make it possible to grow cucumbers all year round, not only in greenhouses, but also at home.
The article is intended for those who prefer fresh vegetables from their own garden and are ready to start exciting process growing cucumbers in your home in Russian winter conditions. Our good advice and recommendations will help you achieve success in this matter.
The development of retail chains makes it possible to consume fresh vegetables and fruits all year round. However, more and more more people prefer to eat organically clean products, grown in our own garden. After all, the harvested harvest represents a whole complex of vitamins and microelements that are important for the full functioning of the body, especially in winter time, when vitamin deficiency is not such a rare occurrence.
As a result of the work of breeders, it became possible cultivation vegetables at home even in winter: on windows, balconies and even in basements. Therefore, it is not particularly difficult to acquire a small garden bed in a city apartment. Below you will find information about the features of growing greens at home.
The winter harvest of cucumbers largely depends on the correctly selected variety.
Greens for winter growing are selected based on the following requirements:
Based on the above, we can distinguish the following most popular hybrid varieties of cucumbers for winter cultivation:
Figure 1. Cucumber varieties for winter cultivation: 1 - Tamerlan, 2 - Emelya, 3 - Kurazh As a rule, the purpose of cucumbers is indicated by the manufacturer on the bag of seeds (Figure 1). If such information is missing, the color of the spikes on the peel will help you navigate. In salad-type cucumbers, they have a whitish tint, and their peel is more delicate in color.
Winter growing of cucumbers is possible even in a city apartment.
When building a home garden, you should adhere to the following rules:
The choice of variety is also important. For home grown V winter period time, preference should be given to early ripening parthenocarpic productive hybrids, among which are varieties such as Shchedrik and Marinda, Masha F1 and Prestige F1. As containers for growing cucumber seedlings in room conditions use peat pots or small cups for seedlings, which are filled with a special substrate. It can be purchased at the store or prepared independently from ordinary garden soil with the addition of chalk, ash, rotted leaves and fertilizers.
Note: So, to prepare a nutrient mixture you will need 2/3 of a bucket of soil and 1/3 of a bucket of fertilizer. The resulting volume is supplemented with chalk, ash and leaves in the ratio of 1 cup: 2 cups: 4 cups. For the purpose of disinfection, it is recommended to spill the prepared mixture several times with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
When the seedlings grow, they are moved to deeper containers, which can be used as plastic or iron containers, plastic buckets or pans, which can hold at least 5 kg of soil (Figure 2). Holes should be made at the bottom of each container for drainage. excess water, place drainage from small pebbles, fill the remaining space with a nutrient substrate, leaving 3-4 cm to the edge. The sprouted seeds are deepened into the soil, watered and covered with film. Until germination, containers with seeds are kept in a warm (+25 degrees) dark place. Later they are transferred to permanent place, for example, on a windowsill, where it is light and a little cooler. In this case, the seedlings should be protected from hypothermia and drafts. Therefore, it is recommended to place containers with seedlings on a raised surface made of foam, boards or thick paper. Seedlings with two pairs of true leaves are transplanted into larger containers using the transshipment method, being careful not to damage the delicate roots and leaves. For the first time, the tops of the bushes are pinched at the stage of 4-5 leaves, the second - at the level of the next 5-6 leaves.
Figure 2. Cultivation of greens on the windowsill Further care consists of maintaining the necessary air humidity and optimal temperature regime, regular feeding and timely picking of fruits. It is also worth taking care of organizing holders for vines on the window, which not only support the plants, but also increase the yield. To provide cucumbers with a specific humid climate, it is necessary to spray them with a sprayer, and to obtain a bountiful harvest, carry out regular fertilizing using ready-made complex fertilizers. When caring for homemade cucumbers, remember that they are very vulnerable and delicate, so you need to handle them very carefully.
In winter, cucumbers can only be grown in a heated greenhouse, because this southern culture cannot tolerate temperature changes, is afraid of drafts, suffers from lack of light and is often infected with various diseases (Figure 3).
Based on the above, when planning the winter cultivation of cucumbers in a greenhouse, a number of preparatory work should be carried out:
If the greenhouse is used for the first time, the soil must be disinfected, fertilized and dug to a depth of 25-30 cm. It is recommended to remove the soil that was previously used and replace it with a new soil mixture made up of humus and turf soil in a 1:1 ratio. The substrate must be disinfected by spilling with a 5-7% solution copper sulfate. Seeds are planted at the rate of 2-4 bushes per 1 sq.m. or after 40-45 cm when planting in rows.
Note: The optimal soil temperature for the full development of cucumbers is +23+25 degrees during the day and +18+20 at night. Lower temperatures increase the risk of plant damage by fungal infections.
Regular watering is also important for harvesting. On different stages During the development of cucumbers, it is produced at different rates. So, from the beginning of the emergence of seedlings until the onset of flowering, moderate watering is carried out once every 4-5 days. In the future, the water norm is increased, and the intensity is reduced to 2-3 times a week. Cucumbers consume the greatest amount of moisture during active fruiting: up to 10 liters per 1 sq.m. area. For irrigation, it is recommended to use settled water, the temperature of which is close to the soil temperature, that is, about +20 degrees. In this case, it is advisable to water the row spacing, and not the soil under the bushes, in order to prevent rotting of the root system of cucumbers.
Note: If the root system is exposed as a result of watering, it should be covered with soil or hilled up. Because the robot heating system dries out the air, it is recommended to increase the humidity inside the greenhouse using sprinkling and spraying procedures.
Figure 3. Greenhouse cultivation Solutions of complex fertilizers such as “Kemira” and “Kristallon” are used as top dressing, the concentration of which does not exceed 1.5%. The first application of fertilizers is carried out 2-4 days after planting the seedlings, the second - at the stage of mass budding, and the third coincides with the beginning of fruiting. In this case, during the first feeding, complete fertilizer is applied, during the second - nitrophoska (at the rate of 5-10 g per bucket of water), during the third and subsequent ones during fruiting - a solution rich in magnesium, potassium and phosphorus.
To grow cucumbers at home, you should arm yourself with patience, some knowledge about the biological characteristics of this crop, and familiarize yourself with growing tips. First of all, be careful when purchasing seeds (Figure 4).
Note: Preference should be given to shade-tolerant hybrids of the parthenocarpic type, which can easily tolerate temperature changes, are tolerant of lack of light, have the ability to form fruits without pollination, and are characterized by good yield. For example, the varieties Ant F1, Miracle on the Window F1, Prestige F1, etc. have such properties.
Since the roots and leaves of cucumber seedlings are very tender and vulnerable, it would be wise to sow their seeds immediately into large containers (at least 5 liters in volume) so as not to replant them later. Each container should have holes at the bottom through which excess moisture will flow out. Stagnation of water leads to rotting of the roots and death of the plant. The containers are filled with a nutrient mixture prepared from ordinary garden soil mixed with sawdust or peat. To enrich the soil, potassium, phosphorus or nitrogen fertilizers are added to it (at the rate of 2 matchboxes per 1 bucket of soil), as well as a small amount of wood ash, which lowers the acidity level.
Figure 4. You can grow quite a decent crop of vegetables on the window Containers with seedlings are placed on southern windows, since this is where they can receive the maximum amount of light and heat. At the same time the temperature environment should not fall below +20 degrees, and plants should be protected from drafts. Caring for seedlings consists of regular watering, which is carried out using settled water. room temperature, maintaining indoor temperature and humidity, as well as timely harvesting to stimulate flowering and proper regular fertilizing.
There are the following requirements for winter growing cucumbers at home:
Modern varieties of cucumbers can be grown all year round, including in winter. To do this, you don’t have to be the owner of a greenhouse. This beloved vegetable grows well in an ordinary apartment. The culture feels good both on the window and on the balcony or loggia, subject to certain care conditions. However, it is worth noting that not all varieties of cucumbers are suitable for growing in apartment conditions (Figure 5).
Based on the capabilities of the room and the climatic characteristics of the cold season, greens should be:
The best place to locate seedlings would be south, east or west windows, a warm glazed balcony, a heated loggia, or a veranda.
Seeds are sown in pre-prepared soil, purchased in a specialized store or made independently from equal parts of peat and humus with the addition of wood ash at the rate of 1 cup per bucket of soil. The resulting mixture should be disinfected, since cucumbers are very vulnerable to various types of infections and fungi. This procedure can be done by steaming the soil or heating it in the oven, pouring a hot strong solution of potassium permanganate, using special chemicals. Seeds are sown in prepared soil to a depth of about 1 cm and watered. It is best if they are already hatched. The seeded containers are covered with film or glass to maintain the humidity level. This cover is removed with the emergence of seedlings. Growing seedlings are kept in a bright, warm place at a temperature of about +25 degrees.
Figure 5. Only certain varieties of greens can be cultivated in a city apartment An important point is the length of daylight hours. So, for cucumbers it should be from 12 to 14 hours. Various ways to compensate for short winter days lighting, as well as sheets of foil and mirrors that reflect light. Regularly water the cucumbers with settled water at room temperature and increase the humidity in the room.
Note: After the 5th true leaf appears, it is necessary to pinch the top of the plant to form a bush with 2 stems. This procedure is repeated when the next five leaves grow. The resulting side lashes are also pinched at the lower lateral nodes above the 1st, 2nd, 3rd leaf. The cucumber lashes are tied using twine using a sliding loop.
It is impossible to do without proper fertilizing when growing indoors. So, the first application of fertilizers is carried out after the appearance of two true leaves. To do this, you can use a solution of nitrophoska at the rate of 3-4 g of the substance per 1 liter of water. With the appearance of fruits, plants should be fed every week, alternating the application of organic (20% solution chicken manure) and mineral (nitrophoska) fertilizers. The resulting fruits should not be allowed to outgrow, because this delays the formation of new ovaries and leads to depletion of the plants, and also worsens the taste of the cucumbers themselves.
You can even grow cucumbers at home in winter on your balcony. To do this, he must meet certain requirements:
Not all varieties are suitable for growing on a balcony, but those specially bred for these purposes (Figure 6). They have increased shade tolerance and do not require pollination. Examples of such hybrids are varieties such as Balcony, City Cucumber, Kurazh, etc.
Figure 6. Glazed and insulated balcony - perfect place for growing vegetables The harvest of cucumbers is determined not only by growing conditions, but also by fertile soil. Therefore, it is best to use universal soil mixtures for growing vegetables, which are sold in specialized stores. Before use, it is recommended to disinfect any soil by treating it with a fungicide or steaming it in the oven. Prepared seeds are planted in containers, which can serve as any plastic or iron containers. suitable size. To do this, holes are made in the ground at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other, into which the seeds are planted to a depth of approximately 2.5 cm. The sown container is covered with film or placed under glass and left in a warm sunny place where the temperature is +25 degrees. After seed germination, containers with crops are transferred to a permanent place.
Subsequent care of seedlings includes maintaining wet state soil, fertilizing and bush formation. Water the cucumbers with settled water at room temperature. The frequency of watering depends on general level humidity in the room. Yes, when working heating devices environmental humidity decreases significantly, so it must be increased by spraying cucumbers or other by known methods. Plants with five true leaves should be pinched to form side shoots. Lianas stretching upward must have support to secure them. Therefore, it is necessary to provide for the installation of trellises or other supporting structures on the balcony. Feeding cucumbers on the balcony is done in the same way as when growing on a window. In this case, both ready-made preparations and mixtures prepared independently from potassium, magnesium, ammonium nitrate, superphosphate.
Among the premises suitable for growing cucumbers is the basement. In such conditions, the yield does not depend on the season and weather conditions, and the time to obtain finished products from the moment of germination to the moment of harvesting is significantly reduced. Of course, basement should be equipped so that it is possible to maintain optimal thermal and light conditions (Figure 7).
Note: So, the walls and floor of the basement are insulated insulating materials; install heating and lighting devices, equip a ventilation system. In addition, you should pay attention to the presence of rodents, fungus, mold, the tightness of the room and the possibility of groundwater penetrating into it.
For example, to prevent fungal diseases, it is recommended to prime the walls with a composition with antifungal additives. All these activities cause the high cost of cucumbers, which is the main disadvantage of this growing method.
Figure 7. You can only grow vegetables in the basement using a hydroponic system After arranging the basement, they move on to agrotechnical work. First of all, you need to choose a medium for growing cucumbers. Most often, the choice falls on hydroponics - a material consisting of granules with a diameter of up to 50 mm, and nutrient solution with a high content of minerals such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium. In basement conditions they are most often used seedling method growing cucumbers. The care procedures are standard: moisturizing, fertilizing, forming bushes, tying up vines, harvesting, insect control.
From the video you will learn how to grow cucumbers at home in winter.
If you have a great desire to grow cucumbers yourself, but don’t have your own dacha or at least a small one garden territory, don't despair. This is not yet a reason to abandon your plans. Modern breeders are well aware of this common problem and have offered a variety of varieties of indoor cucumbers that produce an excellent harvest.
You can even cultivate this vegetable crop yourself on a windowsill. The main thing is to choose the right variety.
It is also worth considering that such plants can be unpollinated or self-pollinated.
The second option is simpler and easier to grow. Popular self-pollinating varieties of cucumbers for windowsills are represented by several varieties.
These include hybrids:
This category also includes the varieties Mashenka, Karapuz, Balalaika, Legend, Lada, Claudia, Ant, Korolek, Stella, Prestige, Klinskie, Tournament. An attractive feature that distinguishes self-pollinating cucumbers on the windowsill is that they do not need to be pollinated manually, which gardeners so often have to do at home. These hybrid forms are also quite unpretentious and are not afraid of a small amount of sunlight.
Among all the variety of this kind of varieties, the April F1 cucumber on the windowsill has proven itself to be excellent, which also belongs to the category of self-pollinating vegetable crops. This plant rightly belongs to the category of early ripening varieties. The hybrid variety is also considered a salad variety. However, its fruits are tasty not only fresh. They are perfect for salting, marinating and preparing a variety of culinary masterpieces.
Positive reviews about the April F1 cucumber on the windowsill exist for another reason. The fruits of this vegetable crop are medium-tubercular, ribbed, and cylindrical in shape. They are quite large. Their weight varies from 160 to 300 g. The length of greens varies from 15 to 25 cm. They have thin and tender skin, and the flesh is juicy, crispy, and sweetish. There are no voids or even a hint of bitterness in it. At the same time, the hybrid variety, which can be grown at home, is very productive. Harvesting will be required 2-3 times a week.
There are other self-pollinating varieties popular for windowsills that even a novice gardener can successfully cultivate. These varieties include the varieties City Cucumber, Balagan, Kolibri, Balkonny, Machaon and Calendar. All these options are balcony type. They are recommended to be grown in hanging planters. The volume of baskets must be at least 5 liters.
Non-pollinated varieties are no less popular and productive. indoor cucumbers, which, subject to certain rules of agricultural technology, will allow you to get tasty and juicy fruits.
The categories of such vegetable crops include: 
It should be noted right away that by non-pollinated we mean varieties that cannot pollinate on their own. To carry out this procedure, the gardener will have to manually pick the barren flowers that have just bloomed. This is the male flower, from which it is then recommended to tear off the leaves. Then, with the stamen, you need to delicately and carefully touch the female varieties of flowers, which have also just opened.
With one barren flower, gardeners will be able to pollinate about two or three female “individuals.” To achieve the growth of a larger number of male flowers, experienced gardeners recommend sowing pollination-oriented hybrids. These include the Hercules, Ermine and Gladiator versions.
Not only in the spring-summer season you can get it at home bountiful harvest, it is worth mentioning the best varieties of cucumbers for the windowsill in winter, which are characterized by productivity and high yield. Growing them is quite simple. Agricultural technology for such vegetable crops is considered standard; it involves systematic watering, loosening the soil, and applying fertilizers.
So, what cucumbers should I plant on the windowsill, including in winter? These varieties include the hybrid variety Ant. This vegetable crop does not require pollination, which attracts numerous gardeners. Even a novice gardener can cope with growing Ant F1 cucumbers. As a result of simple manipulations, you can get compact fruits, the length of which does not exceed 11 cm. Fresh vegetables are very juicy, tasty, sweet and crunchy. Okroshka or salad with them will turn out very appetizing.
What other cucumbers can be grown on a windowsill in winter and summer? Universal variety is the Miracle on the F1 window. This is a hybrid variety that belongs to the category of early ripening vegetable crops. From the moment of emergence of seedlings to harvest, only 40 days pass. Another advantage of this domestic variety cucumbers - their intensive fruiting. Greens of this variety also attract with their rich taste and juiciness.
When naming cucumber varieties for growing on a windowsill, one cannot ignore the hybrid form of the Prestige variety. This indoor vegetable crop is characterized by long-term fruiting. Having decided to plant this variety at home, you can enjoy fresh and delicious cucumbers. This is a parthenocarpic variety. It produces small fruits, the length of which usually does not exceed 12 cm.
How to grow cucumbers on a windowsill in an ordinary city apartment, recommendations for beginning gardeners.
Only parthenocarpic hybrids are suitable for growing cucumbers on a windowsill in winter. early date ripening with small lashes. Bush cucumbers are also unacceptable, since they require a large feeding area, which cannot be provided on the windowsill.
Parthenocarpics have a predominantly female or only female type of flowering and do not require pollination. Bee-pollinated cucumbers are categorically unsuitable for winter cultivation, and self-pollinating varieties require pollen to somehow get onto the pistil. Since there are no insects or wind on the windowsill in winter, when growing such cucumbers it is necessary to carry out artificial pollination of each flower.
Long-climbing cucumbers are also not suitable for growing on windowsills. Their lashes are 3 meters or more, and they will have nowhere to develop. In addition, long-climbing cucumbers, as a rule, grow longer and begin to bear fruit later. When growing at home in winter, it is necessary to get a harvest of greens as quickly as possible. This saves a lot of time and money.
Cucumbers, with proper care, can be grown all year round. The cultivation of crops in greenhouses is based on this feature. You can grow cucumbers in winter and on the windowsill in an ordinary apartment.
In winter, cucumbers can be grown on the windowsill in 3 periods.
But in reality the best option The months for sowing are January and February. In December for normal development cucumbers do not have enough light, and they will grow only with prolonged illumination.
At home, you can plant cucumbers in September-October, but with decreasing daylight hours you will get good harvest Zelentsov is impossible.
To obtain an extra-early harvest, cucumbers are planted on the windowsill in March-April, but this method is suitable for those who do not have summer cottage, as well as those who grow early cucumbers for sale. At this time, everyone else’s window sills are occupied by other seedlings and there is no time for cucumbers.
Cucumbers in the apartment are grown only without seedlings. Seeds are sown in prepared containers. Root system the culture is rather weak, but when planted in a common seedling box, each plant needs a feeding area of at least 100 cm 2 and a depth of at least 15 cm.
Therefore, it is better to grow cucumbers at home in individual containers. Large plastic cups with a volume of at least 1 liter are suitable for this. plastic bottles, flower pots. A drainage hole must be made at the bottom of the container to drain excess water.
For cucumbers initial period Peat pots are suitable for growth. When the plants grow, they are placed together with the pot in a larger container and covered with soil. With this method, the roots of the crop develop evenly, do not entwine the earthen ball, and, therefore, do not suffer from a lack of nutrition and moisture.
To grow cucumbers, you need highly fertile, loose, water- and air-permeable soil mixtures with a medium reaction of 5.5-6.5. Plants can grow well in slightly acidic soils with a pH of 5.1-5.4, but the yield in this case is reduced, although only slightly.
Peat soil mixture is ideally suited for planting cucumbers, provided that such soil has low acidity and sufficient humus content. In winter, if the land has not been prepared since the fall, cucumbers are grown on purchased soil mixtures with a peat content of no more than 50%.
If possible, you can prepare the soil yourself. The soil mixture is prepared from peat, humus and fine-grained river sand in a ratio of 3:3:1. Sand can be replaced with coconut shavings.
Coconut chips have a neutral reaction (pH 7.0), retain moisture very well, perfectly loosen the soil and allow air to pass through. To prepare the soil, coconut shavings are poured with water according to the instructions. After 1-2 minutes, the chips will begin to absorb moisture and swell greatly. After 30-40 minutes, the soil will be ready and can be added to the soil mixture.
Cucumbers can be grown in clean coconut soil, but it is necessary to slightly acidify it before sowing the seeds. To do this, the shavings are soaked in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate.
To remove disease spores and wintering pests, the soil is frozen. Freezing is preferable to calcination, since at high temperatures the fertilizers added to the soil mixture decompose, and at low temperatures they are preserved. The soil is taken outside or into a room with sub-zero temperatures and left for 5-7 days, then brought into the house. The earth must completely thaw and warm up, then it is taken out into the cold again. The procedure is repeated 3-4 times.
Fertilizers are added to any self-prepared soil:
Can be applied liquid or solid complex fertilizers according to instructions.
The soil must be warmed up before sowing. If the ground temperature is below 17°C, the seeds will not germinate. To warm up, the soil in bags or boxes is placed on a radiator and kept for several days.
2-3 before sowing, the soil is disinfected by spilling with a warm pink solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin. Instead of Fitosporin, you can add Trichodermin to the soil, but they cannot be used together, since this different types microflora, and they will only mutually destroy each other. If the soil is purchased and biological products have already been added to it, then there is no need to further disinfect it.
Cucumbers are usually heated before sowing. This is done to increase the production of female flowers. However, all modern hybrids have a predominantly female type of flowering; a small number of male flowers are formed or they do not appear at all. Therefore, there is no need to warm up such seeds.
Before sowing, the seeds are soaked 1-2 days. If they are old, then growth stimulants (Gibbersib, Gibberellin, Zircon) are added to the water. Although it is written on the packets of hybrid seeds that they are sown without pre-treatment, experience shows that then their germination rate is much worse.
To prevent blackleg, seed material is immersed for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The skin of cucumbers is sensitive and if the solution is too strong, they can be burned. Seed material is always processed, even though it has already been processed. The protective effect of fungicides lasts several months and by the time of sowing, as a rule, it will already be over.
1-2 days after soaking, the seed is dried, without waiting for it to peck, and sown.
After soaking, there is no need to wait for the seeds to bite. After a maximum of 48 hours, they are dried and sown. Sprouted cucumber seeds (and pumpkin seeds in general) do not germinate well, since the emerging root (and it is this root that germinates) breaks off very easily when covered with soil. Damage to the root of the seedling means the death of the seed. It will be better if the seeds swell but do not germinate yet.
Cucumbers are sown immediately in the container in which they will grow. Prepared warm earth water well and sow 3-4 seeds in each pot. Sprinkle them with a layer of 1.5-2 cm of dry soil. After sowing, the soil is not moistened, otherwise the seeds will go deep into the soil. The pots are covered with film and placed on a radiator until shoots appear.
As a rule, 1-2 cucumbers sprout in one pot. But even if they all germinate, you can choose the most powerful one and cut off the rest near the ground.
As soon as the plants have sprouted, they are placed on the windowsill, where the temperature is at least 20°C. The culture tolerates partial shading well, and in the southern regions, where there are enough sunny days in January-February, cucumbers can be grown on an eastern and even north-eastern windowsill. In the northern regions, with sufficient lighting, the eastern side is suitable, but the southern and western windows are more suitable for growing.
Immediately after germination, the temperature cannot be lowered, since at this stage it is very sensitive to cold. Until 2-3 true leaves appear, the plants are kept on a warm windowsill (temperature at least 20°C, preferably 23-25°C). And only after several true leaves have appeared can the temperature be reduced. But this is extremely undesirable, since in order to bear fruit the plant needs to accumulate the sum of active temperatures. In winter, this can only be done with artificial heating.
If it is cold on the windowsill, the plants are additionally heated, otherwise there will be no harvest. In winter, cooling of the soil often occurs on the window. Cucumbers stop growing. To warm up, boxes with containers are placed on a radiator for several hours, and to retain heat in the future, each pot is lined with foam plastic.
In winter, plants must be illuminated. Cucumbers need at least 13-15 hours of daylight to grow. But in winter, when there is not enough light, the lighting should be more intense. Therefore, before the formation of lashes begins, they are illuminated for at least 17-18 hours in December-early January, and 15 hours in February-March. To increase illumination, reflective materials are placed on the windowsill: foil, mirrors.
To begin flowering and fruiting, cucumbers require shorter daylight hours. Therefore, as soon as the lashes are formed, additional lighting is reduced. If the crop bears fruit in December, then additional lighting should be at least 16 hours. This is due to the fact that in December it is almost always cloudy, and the sun lamps still cannot be completely replaced. If December is sunny, then the cucumbers are illuminated for 15 hours.
In January-February, plants are illuminated for 12 hours to form buds.
Water cucumbers only with settled warm water(not lower than 20°C). Cold water in winter, especially with a lack of heat, can cause roots to die.
Cucumbers are very demanding of moisture. Watering is carried out as the soil dries. If the soil is wet to the touch, but does not leave marks on your hands, you need to water it; if your hands get dirty, watering is not required. Drying out has a detrimental effect on plants.
When growing cucumbers on a windowsill in winter, water them in the morning or in the afternoon, but not in the evening. The crop evaporates the largest amount of moisture in the morning. Therefore, when watering in the evening, there will be droplets of moisture on the leaves and the window in the morning, since the plants, saturated with water, begin to release water. Such intense evaporation in the dry air of an apartment is extremely undesirable and does not occur when watering in the morning and afternoon. Wet leaves and damp soil are sources of fungal infections.
Water the cucumbers only at the roots.
The crop requires air humidity of 80-85% for normal growth. In winter, the humidity in the rooms is 40-50%, which is bad for cucumbers. When humidity is low, plants begin to turn yellow and dry out. lower leaves, the stem gradually becomes bare. Seedlings on the windowsill may dry out without producing true leaves.
Therefore, immediately after emergence, cucumbers are sprayed at least once every 2-3 days. Containers with water are placed on the radiators under the windowsills.
If the soil was filled with fertilizers during sowing, then fertilizing begins only when the first true leaf appears. They are carried out throughout the growing season with an interval of 5-6 days.
When growing cucumbers in winter, they need to be fed more intensively than in summer. They love fresh manure (except pig manure). But when grown on a windowsill due to persistent unpleasant odor this method is excluded. Those who keep birds in cages (or chickens in the yard) are in a more advantageous position. Cell bedding soaked in hot water for 20-30 minutes until the droppings are soaked, then filter. The resulting solution is diluted 1:10 and the cucumbers are fed. Bird lovers are usually not so sensitive to foreign odors in the room.
Plant remains from indoor plants(broken twigs, wilted and fallen leaves, potato peelings, banana skins) are suitable for preparing herbal infusion. Plant remains are placed in a saucepan, filled with water and left to steep for several days. Then the solution is filtered, diluted 1:3 with water and the cucumbers are fed.
Ash infusion. Ash is now sold in garden stores, so even in winter it is easy to find. Prepare the infusion according to the instructions on the package. Ready solution diluted with water and fertilized.
Humates and liquid fertilizers for cucumbers used only if there are no others organic fertilizers. 1 cap (5 ml) is diluted in 10 liters of water, and the resulting solution is fed to cucumbers.
Complex mineral fertilizers This is the worst option for feeding. But when growing cucumbers in winter, due to the lack of other fertilizers, it is necessary to use it. For cucumbers, those fertilizers that contain a sufficient amount of nitrogen and the dose of potassium exceed the dose of phosphorus are suitable. But on some mineral fertilizers Growing cucumbers in winter is impossible. During the growing season there must be at least 4 organic fertilizers.
It must be remembered that organic matter improves soil fertility, while mineral water has an effect on plants. Cucumbers need not so much nutrition as high soil fertility.
When fertilizing, you should not overuse nitrogen. Zelentsy easily accumulate it and become dangerous to humans.
But a lack of nitrogen leads to a decrease in yield.
After the first week of fruiting, cucumbers, if they were previously fed with mineral water, need intensive organic feeding, since during this time they consume all the substances added to the soil before.
Strongly climbing cucumbers always lead to one stem. It is impossible to feed several stems on a windowsill in winter; Neither the plant nor the owner will tolerate this. Cucumbers definitely need a trellis to climb. On a bare windowsill the lashes will be too cold and dry. All emerging side shoots are pinched.
Weakly climbing varieties can be carried out in 2-4 stems. A small whip is unable to produce a large number of cucumbers, especially when grown in winter. The main stem is pinched after 3-4 leaves. From the 2nd order lashes that appear, choose the 2-3 strongest ones, which are let along the trellis or tied up. When grown in winter, the plant cannot feed more than 3 short vines. To prevent the lashes from getting tangled, they are directed to different sides. Each lash must have its own support.
After the first cucumbers are picked in winter, the lower leaves of the crop begin to dry out very quickly. This is a normal process. The plant cannot feed all the leaves, flowers and greens at the same time, so it gets rid of extra “freeloaders”. If the lower leaves turn yellow, they are removed.
Early varieties of cucumbers (and others are not grown on a windowsill in winter) begin to bear fruit 40 days after germination. At this time, the plants have not yet matured. Therefore, the first fruits to set are picked at the ovary stage.
The first greens are the most difficult to cultivate. A plant that is not yet fully formed gives them all its strength, which slows down its growth and further development. Having thus allowed the lashes to get stronger, in the future they collect much more bigger harvest than if you raise your firstborns to a normal, full-fledged state.
Zelentsy are removed every 2-3 days. On the windowsill, borage can be viewed every day and full fruits can be removed. If the harvest is not harvested in time, the growth of further ovaries and the formation of new fruits is noticeably inhibited. One overgrown cucumber in winter stops the growth of the entire vine. If this is allowed, then winter conditions On the windowsill, the plant can generally finish its development.
In winter, cucumbers do not grow to the same state as in the greenhouse. In winter conditions, with a lack of all growth factors, such a fruit is overgrown and inhibits further fruiting. This especially applies to growing cucumbers in December-January. Zelentsy are harvested in smaller sizes in winter than in summer.
When growing cucumbers at home in winter, they are not threatened by any insects, most of which have a dormant period at this time. But in indoor conditions in spring and late autumn, fungus gnats are active. They are omnivores and will not leave cucumbers unattended either.
Fungus gnat and these are the same indoor midges that are so annoying in the fall and spring, when supplies of vegetables appear in the house. The midges themselves, apart from aesthetic discomfort, are not harmful. Plants are attacked by their larvae, which live in damp soil. They eat away the roots. Even minor damage is dangerous for cucumbers. They mainly attack plants in October and mid-March.
Midges and their larvae cannot tolerate dry air and insufficiently moist soil. But when growing cucumbers on a windowsill, you can neither reduce the intensity of watering nor reduce air humidity. Therefore, the only way out is to water the plants with insecticides: Fly eater, Zemlin, Aktara, Bazudin.
There are also few diseases in cucumbers on the windowsill. Indoors, despite all efforts, the air is quite dry, so pathogens practically do not develop. The only thing that can seriously threaten cucumbers when grown in winter is blackleg. It can appear at any stage of development, but most often it affects seedlings and young plants with 1-2 true leaves.
If the stem becomes thinner near the ground and a constriction forms, the plant is removed and the rest are watered with a solution of potassium permanganate.
All of them are associated with the inability to create favorable conditions for plants on the windowsill.
U early varieties Fruiting ends 30-35 days after the first cucumbers appear. Further feeding and others favorable conditions unable to change the situation. The plants have given everything they could and their potential is exhausted.
Growing cucumbers at home in winter is extremely troublesome.
If you have the opportunity and desire to get fresh cucumbers for the holiday, you can try growing them. Unlike tomatoes and peppers, they are easier to care for, but the culture takes much more time.
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Winter is a time of sleep and rest for all plants, but gardeners have learned to deceive nature even today. If you want to enjoy green and crisp cucumbers all winter, you need to carry out sowing work in several stages. To get the fruits of your own production New Year's table, seeds must be sown in early October. Then at the beginning of January the peak of fruiting will occur. If you sow cucumbers at the beginning of December, then at the end of February you can already harvest the first fruits. By March 8, the greens planted in early January will be ripe.
on the windowsill in winter is a simple science and even a novice gardener can master it. In order to avoid important mistakes that will lead to loss of harvest, you must follow the recommendations and tips that will tell you how to grow cucumbers at home in winter and get a rich harvest.
The right approach to growing cucumbers in winter will help experienced and novice gardeners get a rich harvest of juicy and crunchy fruits. And so that all efforts do not go down the drain, it is also necessary to choose the right variety suitable for growing indoors in winter.
To get a good harvest, you need to choose the right cucumber varieties for growing on a windowsill in winter.
It is best to sow self-pollinating hybrids that set fruit on their own.
Among the great abundance, one should highlight such hybrids as “Marinda F1”, “Masha F1”, “Legend F1”, “Moscow Greenhouse F1”, “Romance F1”. These plants are characterized by high productivity, are undemanding to living conditions and are resistant to diseases.
When choosing a variety, you need to focus on the type of flowering, the growth capacity of the vine and the time of entry into fruiting. At indoor growing Early ripening bush hybrids of cucumbers with a female type of flowering have proven themselves well.
Among the varieties with two types of flowering, cucumbers of the “Boy with Thumb” variety are best suited for balconies and windowsills. Whatever variety you prefer, you should understand that without care and maintenance, the cucumber vine will not bring the desired result.
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