What kind of cucumber seeds can be grown on the balcony at home?

There is not a single person who does not like such a dish as a cucumber salad. It is especially pleasant if the cultivation of zelents was carried out step by step on the windowsill or on the balcony with your own hands. There is a category of gardeners that is not limited to the cultivation of tasty and healthy fruits in summer cottages, balcony cucumber - the pride of any specialist.

Is it possible to dream about growing cucumbers on the windowsill or on the balcony

Cucumbers on the windowsill

It may seem impossible for many novice gardeners to grow cucumbers on the windowsill, but this is quite real. Of course, you have to work hard to get the harvest, but for those who like to show their talent in agricultural technology, this process is a real pleasure. In addition, such an activity can become a family hobby.
There are no restrictions on the timing of disembarkation. But planting is one thing, and looking after - following a step-by-step plan of events, especially in winter - is quite another. The conditions for success are the installation of a lamp with daylight near an impromptu bed from November to February, proper watering, attention to flowering, pinching and garter. Insufficient illumination negatively affects the growing season.

Due to the absence of time limits, it is possible to plant and remove fruits at any time of the year.

The best varieties to grow on a windowsill

It's easy to get confused in the abundance of varieties

The main rule of how to grow greens in a room is the correct choice of seeds. Which variety to use for planting? If you take the first variety that comes to hand for cultivation, the development of seedlings will be slowed down, which, most likely, will lead to the death of the seedling.
The following varieties are suitable for cultivating cucumbers on the windowsill.

Balcony

An unpretentious early ripe variety with a fruit ripening period of 40-42 days from the moment of germination. The yield per square meter is 8-11 kg. To successfully grow this variety and get a large harvest, the main thing is to water it correctly according to the instructions.

Buyan

The variety that does not require pollination has a long fruiting period. Zelentsy ripen 44-48 days after the first shoots appear. The average yield is 3.5-5 kg ​​per m2.

Ant

The characteristic quality of the variety is ultra early ripening, the fruits appear 37-38 days after the mass germination of seeds. Pollination is not required for the plant. 10-12 kg can be removed from 1 m2 with proper care.

Marathon

A hybrid requiring pollination is distinguished by a high yield (over 25 kg per 1 m2). Ideal for window growing due to its compact lash size and high disease resistance.

Olympiad

The plant, although it has a long whip, adapts well to the home environment. The fruits ripen 47-49 days after the seeds germinate on the surface of the soil. When grown in a greenhouse in compliance with technology, up to 45 kg are removed from 1 m2, at home it is also noted high yield - over 24 kg per 1 m2.

Basic rules for growing

Cover with a lid to protect the seedlings

The key to obtaining a good harvest of cucumbers will be the inviolable fulfillment of the basic rules of agricultural technology:

• Plant only varieties suitable for window cultivation.
• Conduct disinfection of soil and seeds.
• Observe the temperature regime typical for each stage.
• Eliminate drafts.
• Control the degree of moisture in the soil and air, as well as the level of lighting.
• Timely transplant and garter, introduce fertilizers and top dressing
• To manually pollinate flowers of those varieties that require it.
• Loosen the soil periodically to provide access to the roots of oxygen.

When to plant cucumbers at home?

Seedlings sprout and gain strength in pots

More often, the sowing of seeds for seedlings is done step by step in March. A month later, the matured seedlings are transferred to separate pots. This decision is due to the appropriate time of the year, when there will simply not be a shortage of good lighting.

What is the most suitable time for planting according to the technology?

You can start sowing in January, this is also practiced quite often. There are no strict restrictions on the timing of planting on the street; when determining the period, one should be guided by the opportunity to create favorable conditions for the growing season of the plant.

The right soil for growing early varieties in a pot

For growing cucumbers, loose fertile soil is used. A ready-made universal substrate or a self-prepared mixture of equal parts is suitable: fertile soil, humus, sand, ash, rotten sawdust. Why shouldn't you do this at home? For aesthetic reasons, you shouldn't fill your home with these scents.
To disinfect the substrate, it is necessary to warm it up in the oven. With the help of this procedure, it will be possible to get rid of various larvae and spores, which can subsequently become infected with young shoots.

Preparing seeds for planting

The preparation process for sowing on the balcony does not differ significantly from the usual procedures that are used when growing crops in the open field or in a greenhouse. In addition to disinfection, carried out in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, you need to sort out the highest quality seeds. A feature of home cultivation is the pre-germination of seeds. This must be done in order to determine the exact number of bushes that fit in the box. In the cold season, there is nowhere to transplant adult seedlings, and it is sacrilegious to throw out the developing shoots. Forcing all windows with cucumbers is not a way out, therefore it is better to sow exclusively sprouted specimens.

To accelerate germination of seedlings, it is recommended to treat the seed with a growth stimulator before sowing.

How to plant and transplant at home

Growing cucumbers on warm windowsills

Sowing is conveniently done in wooden boxes or separate pots. You can also use plastic cups, it is important that there is a hole on the bottom to release excess moisture.After germination, the seeds are buried in moist soil by 1.5 cm. Until the emergence of shoots on the surface of the soil, the container should be covered with glass or plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect. The temperature regime at this stage is at least 25 °. After 2-3 days, it will be possible to observe how little green dots make their way through the soil. After the shoots appear, you need to remove the shelter and reduce the room temperature to 20 °.
It is necessary to transplant mature seedlings with 3-4 leaves in more capacious pots, where up to 5 liters of soil can be placed. Also, some owners use boxes where 3-4 bushes are planted per 1 m2.

Shoots are transferred to a new place carefully along with the soil so that the weak root system is not damaged.

Care for the first shoots and seedlings in the apartment

Caring for seedlings is distinguished by trepidation, it is at this stage that it is important to help the shoots get stronger, which will play a positive role in further development.

Lighting in spring and summer

Cucumbers need a lot of light, therefore, it is better to choose a window sill or loggia for a garden bed on the south or southeast side. On cloudy days and in spring, you need to compensate for the lack of lighting by installing fluorescent lamps. To prevent the plant from drying out in the summer from the sun's rays in the apartment, the glass is tinted with thin tulle. Light shading will protect the whip from ultraviolet radiation.

Additional lighting can be created using mirrors, foil and other reflectors that will redirect sunlight to the bushes.

Lamp for lengthening daylight

Watering indoor cucumbers

Seedlings are moistened by spraying. For this, it is better to use a spray bottle. It should be filled only with settled heated water.

Top dressing of seedlings

After sowing, the seedlings are kept in a warmed place with a temperature of at least 23 ° for 25-28 days. During this time, it is necessary to introduce several dressings: the first time 15 days after germination and another 10 days later. It is recommended to use complex fertilizers as a nutritional composition.

Garter of grown lashes

Garter is a prerequisite for plant development

The growing lash needs help - to tie it up.

For the garter, a trellis net is used, which is easier to wrap in a semicircle. After immersing it in the ground and fixing it, you should run the stem on the formed wall. Then he himself will wrap around the net. You can correct it, but do it carefully so as not to damage the plant. Excess antennae are removed.
The garter is also organized with a cord that is fixed to a specially made frame made of slats. The sequence of the process is as follows:

• a cord is attached to the top of the frame (from natural fibers);
• the end of the cord goes down to the root zone of the bush, turns (not tight!) several times around the stem and
• returns to the top rail;
• both ends of the cord are tied together.

When and how to pinch?

To increase the yield, it is necessary to form a cucumber bush... Often, the plant lays male shoots on the stem, the so-called barren flowers. To prevent their formation, it is necessary to remove the lateral shoots from the lower part after tying the lash. Next, 6-8 sheets are passed along the stem and pinched (cut off the edge). This procedure provokes the formation of lateral branches, on which the greens are well tied.

Watering and feeding

The soil is well moistened

Only warm water is used for irrigation, the cold liquid inhibits root development and reduces the formation of ovaries in the sinuses. You need to irrigate the bushes once a week. In the summer, the intensity of hydration, if necessary, is increased up to 2-3 times a week. You can also spray the whips throughout the day using warm, clean water.
You need to introduce fertilizer into the soil regularly, about 1 time in 10 days. The first time this should be done 2 weeks after sowing.For these purposes, ready-made mixtures of minerals or organic-based solutions are used:

• mullein and water (1:10);
• bird droppings and water (1:15);
• infusion on onion peel, etc.

How to pollinate correctly

How to manually pollinate cucumbers

When choosing pollinated varieties, artificial pollination must be ensured, in open ground conditions, this function is performed by bees.
Before you carry it out, you need to learn how to distinguish between barren flowers and female flowers. The female inflorescence is formed on a green seal that looks like a mini-cucumber. The pollination process involves transferring pollen from a male flower to a fertile one. To do this, they pluck the barren flower and open the stamens as much as possible, removing all the petals. All that remains is to touch the stamens of the female flower, repeating the procedure several times (to be sure). This should be done carefully so as not to damage the delicate inflorescence.
How to successfully grow cucumbers on a windowsill? The secret lies in the systematic care of the plants, which will certainly reward them with a generous harvest.

Growing cucumbers on the balcony is an enjoyable and entertaining experience. If you do not have a garden plot, you can easily, following the recommendations, create a green vegetable garden on the loggia.

Basic rules for growing

Before getting down to work, you need to consider the location of the balcony, because cucumbers, like all plants, love sunlight. The north side is not suitable for planting this crop; it is better to choose the southeast or east. In addition, the shoots do not like drafts, so a glazed balcony is suitable for them.

The cultivation process begins with the selection of seeds, because not all varieties are suitable for this purpose.

You need to pay attention to the following factors:

• the size of the fruits obtained;
• shade tolerance;
• no need for pollination;
• a note on the possibility of growing in a city apartment.

For growing cucumbers at home, hybrid varieties have been bred that adapt to balcony conditions:

• F1 "Balcony Miracle";
• F1 "Courage";
• F1 "Balagan";
• F1 "Claudia";
• F1 "City Cucumber".

Sowing seeds for the summer period should be in late April - early May. If you start the germination process early, the stems can stretch out a lot due to insufficient supply of sunlight. Also, the formation of buds will occur before the establishment of warm, suitable weather, and they can dry out and fall off.

In the cold season, you need to provide plants with certain conditions.

1. Add additional light sources to increase day length, which is shorter in winter.
2. Additionally, insulate the balcony or loggia with special materials.
3. Install heaters to maintain the optimum growing temperature, and also to avoid freezing the plant at night.
4. Provide good ventilation for draft-free fresh air.

Growing technology

To get a good harvest and delicious cucumbers in an apartment, you must follow the technology of growing a vegetable step by step. It includes:

• soil preparation;
• planting seeds;
• creating conditions for the development of seedlings;
• picking seedlings and moving them into larger pots;
• mineral dressing;
• leaving until the last cucumber is picked.

Soil preparation

The soil, saturated with trace elements and nutrients, is the key to intensive, healthy growth of all sown seeds. It is prepared by mixing several ingredients in a certain proportion.

1 way

It is the most time consuming because the soil is made from 5 different components, which are taken in the same amount - half of a 10-liter bucket.

You will need:

• turf;
• compost;
• peat;
• ash;
• sawdust.

They need to be poured into a large container or into a film spread on the ground, mixed and moistened with a solution of potassium permanganate to disinfect the soil.

If it is not possible to prepare the soil yourself at home, you can purchase it in a specialized store.

2 way

This cooking method uses the same ingredients, for 1 bucket of which you need to add:

• 10 - 15 g of nitrophoska;
• 8 - 10 g of urea.

Thorough mixing contributes to an even distribution of substances throughout the entire mass of the prepared soil.

3 way

Take:

• turf and compost - half a 10-liter bucket each;
• ash - 400 g;
• lime - 50 g;
• fertilizer complex - 15 g.

Stir these ingredients until a homogeneous mass is obtained, transfer the resulting mixture to a bag and bury it at a shallow depth. After 7-10 days, the decayed mass will become crumbly and suitable for planting.

For the prevention of viral and infectious diseases affecting plants, the resulting soil should be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. You need to dilute it, following the recommendations on the package.

How to sow seeds correctly

The choice of seeds is not the main stage in the cultivation of cucumbers, it is more important to sow them correctly.

1 way - germination.

1. Place the seeds in a pinkish potassium permanganate solution and let sit for 15–20 minutes.
2. Fold the cheesecloth soaked in warm water in several layers and put the seeds in it.
3. Place the hatched specimens in prepared containers.

Method 2 - planting dry seeds.

1. Make small indentations in prepared pots (holes in elongated containers are made at a distance of 30–35 cm from each other).
2. Place 2 seeds in each one to get germination exactly.
3. Deepen the seeds by 1.5 cm.
4. Moisten the soil slightly and cover with foil.

Advice

For seedlings, it is necessary to purchase special containers that have a double bottom, which prevents the accumulation of moisture and rotting of the roots, and drainage holes. Such a container for growing cucumbers on the windowsill can be made at home on your own.

The recommended temperature is 23-25 ​​° C, at which the plant grows within normal limits. If, when planting dry seeds, 2 sprouts appeared at once, cut the weakest of them with a sharp knife.

The soil in pots should not remain dry, the surface should be regularly moistened (it is more convenient to do this with a spray bottle once a day).
After 3 full-fledged leaves appear, you can proceed to the stage of seedling hardening. It takes place in several stages.

1. Removing the film for several hours.
2. Sunbathing near the open window in the pre-lunch hours.
3. Carrying out to the balcony after the end of frost.

Top dressing of seedlings is done twice before transplanting:

• 14 days after germination;
• 7-10 days after 1 treatment.

The soil is completely moistened with a mineral solution after the appearance of 2-3 leaves, 1 glass of diluted fertilizer is spent on 1 plant.

Transplanting seedlings

At this stage of growing cucumbers at home, you need to purchase long plastic containers measuring 60 × 30 × 20. The prepared soil is poured into each of them with a 7-centimeter layer.

If the sprouts have sprouted in peat pots, then the seedlings should be placed in a box without removing them from them. Cover with soil, lightly tamp and moisten the surface.

Seedlings, sown in plastic cells, are transplanted with an earthy clod. To do this, fill the plant with warm water, push a clod of earth through the drainage hole with your index finger and carefully pull out the sprout. Distribute seedlings on the container at a distance of 35–40 cm from each other.

A long stage begins when proper care for cucumbers allows you to harvest a rich harvest.

Leaving means:

1. pinching to form a cucumber lash;
2. antennae removal once every 10 days;
3. maintaining optimal humidity by spraying dried soil;
4. loosening the soil around the plant;
5. systematic feeding with potash and phosphorus fertilizers (once every 2 weeks);
6. foliar processing of shoots for the prevention of diseases and pests (once every 2 weeks);
7. a lash tie to prevent brittleness.

Growing cucumbers in the cold season

Many consider the cultivation of cucumbers in winter almost a miracle, but the technology for germinating and planting seeds is the same for any time of the year. The differences are only in the conditions of detention.

• Indoor plants need additional moisture during the heating period. Growing cucumbers on a windowsill involves daily watering. To humidify the air around the cucumbers, place a container of water next to it.
• Provide additional lighting because cloudy days predominate and plants lack light.
• In the absence of frost, you can open the window to ventilate the room.

How to grow cucumbers in plastic bottles

This option is recognized as the most economical, since no one has a shortage of plastic containers. You can sow seedlings in one and a half liter and five liter bottles. For such purposes there are special varieties - F1 "Khrustyk" and F1 "Shchedryk", which ripen quickly and are distinguished by high yields.

The 1.5 liter containers take up less space and provide optimal moisture for the sprout.

1. Cut the bottle in half.
2. Pour soil into the upper part without closing the neck with a lid.
3. Plant a seed.
4. Pour water into the bottom.
5. Insert half of the earth into the water tank so that the water covers the neck.

With this method, the water is changed daily.

In 5-liter plastic bottles, pre-cut in half lengthwise, holes are made to drain excess liquid when watering.

Window-grown cucumber seedlings are caring for a familiar pattern.

Growing cucumbers on the windowsill and on the loggia is not a bit of a hassle, but the result is worth it. You can plant vegetables both in winter and in summer, observing the conditions of detention, because indoor cucumbers require additional lighting and moisture.

For planting, flower pots and containers are used, and cucumbers can also grow in plastic bottles and wooden boxes equipped with good drainage.

Vitamins on the windowsill? Why not? Contrary to the assurances of skeptics, in order to grow several useful root crops on your balcony, very little is required: a little knowledge, a little patience and a handful of hard work.

Cucumbers on the balcony - growing step by step

The best varieties for growing on the balcony

To harvest a good harvest from the windowsill and enjoy delicious cucumbers without any additives and nitrates, you need to be extremely responsible in the choice of seeds. The optimal choice is hybrid varieties that are resistant to sharp and extensive temperature changes, which are far from uncommon in spring.

The optimal choice of cucumbers for growing on the balcony - hybrid varieties

In addition, the following characteristics of the cucumbers must be indicated on the label:

• developed root system;
• early maturity;
• shade tolerance;
• small size (no more than 7-8 cm) of fruits;
• drought resistance;
• medium-sized or medium-sized leaves;
• short internodes and shoots with a large amount of ovary;
• self-pollination, which does not require insect participation.

Based on the requirements listed above, hybrid gherkins will be the ideal choice for a small garden on the balcony. One of the indisputable advantages of such varieties is their fixed length - the fruits will not outgrow, even if they are not picked in time. And fast ripening creates favorable conditions for long-term cultivation, up to the very frost.

Breeders have already bred more than half a dozen varieties for balcony cultivation

The fact that breeders have already bred more than half a dozen varieties for balcony cultivation will also be pleasant for gourmets.

The best varieties of cucumbers for growing on the balcony

Given the specifics of balcony gardening, the limited space and features of the microclimate of the room, the following varieties are best suited:

• Masha;
• Stella;
• Debut;
• April;
• Zozulya;
• Stresa;
• Barnaulets;
• Courage;
• Turquoise;
• Dubrovsky;
• The matrix;
• Sail;
• Balcony miracle, etc.

Cucumber hybrids grow well on the balcony

Hybrids of different ripening periods can also be a good choice:

• Claudia F1;
• Marinda F1;
• Bianca;
• Cucaracha;
• Hercules;
• Gladiator.

It is important to remember that depending on the variety chosen, the size, shape and color of the cucumbers may vary. In addition, some breeding species have a specific bitterness.

Site selection and preparation

Ideal conditions for growing crispy cucumbers can be created on balconies located on the southeast, south or east side. In this case, the plant will receive a sufficient amount of heat and light, and in order to protect the seedlings from wind and drafts, the loggia must be glazed and insulated. If there are often sharp temperature changes on the balcony, then it makes sense to think about additional heating, and in case of poor lighting, about an artificial light source that prolongs daylight hours and stimulates the growth and development of seedlings.

Ideal side for growing cucumbers - southeast, south or east

Important! Having decided to plant cucumbers on the balcony, you should think over the climate control system in detail, otherwise, with the very first night frosts, all the seedlings may die.

For the convenience of location and space saving, ordinary containers for balcony flowers are suitable. Their indisputable advantage, in addition to compactness, is a wide range of sizes: such a container can be up to 85 cm long, and the minimum width is only 15 cm.

Growing cucumbers in containers for balcony flowers

An important nuance in preparing a place for seedlings will be drainage holes, necessary to prevent decay of rhizomes, and a stand for the container itself, designed to collect excess moisture. As a drainage, gardeners recommend using expanded clay, fine crushed stone or special mixtures sold in flower shops. There you can also purchase ready-made mineralized soil; it is allowed to use the land brought from summer cottages.

Planting soil composition

The composition and quality of the land is an important condition for obtaining a good harvest. That is why peat and vermiculite are important components of an ideal soil. In addition, you can use the following recipe for preparing planting material:

• peat (1 part);
• fatty humus (1 part);
• small sawdust (1 part);
• turf (1 part).

The composition and quality of the land is an important condition for obtaining a good harvest.

For a whole bucket of such a component mixture, you need to add a teaspoon of urea and a tablespoon of nitrophosphate. You can also sprinkle 50 g of ash and the same amount of organic fertilizers (potash, nitrogen, phosphorus).

Seed preparation

You need to start arranging a place for seedlings in early April in order to have time to plant the shoots in the ground by the middle of the month. Many varieties of balcony hybrids are early ripening, but on average, it takes 2-2.5 months from sowing to ripening of young cucumbers.

Cucumber seedlings are a delicate and fragile culture, but, as practice shows, planting seeds directly into containers without prior germination does not give the desired results.

You need to start arranging a place for seedlings in early April.

For sowing and preliminary growing of seedlings you will need:

• disposable plastic cups or juice boxes;
• potassium permanganate;
• a piece of gauze;
• scissors;
• seeds.

At the bottom of each cup, two or three drainage holes need to be made with an awl, and they themselves can be compactly placed on an old kitchen rack.

There must be holes at the bottom of the cup

Sowing can start in March or even February.However, it should be noted that this stage does not include the maintenance of sprouts on the balcony - future seedlings feel great only on a warm windowsill, provided there is sufficient illumination.

1. Cucumber seeds must be carefully poured out of the bags.
2. Prepare a weak solution of potassium permanganate in a glass and dip the seeds there.
3. After 15-20 minutes, they should be taken out and laid out one by one on a damp piece of gauze, located in a deep saucer and moistened with hot (about 55-65 C °) water.
4. It takes no more than 2-3 days to germinate seeds, all this time it is important to ensure that the gauze does not dry out.
5. As soon as the first shoots become visible to the eye, you can safely transplant the material into prepared cups, trying not to damage the young shoots.

Sprouted cucumber seeds

When transferring seeds to cups, you need to adhere to several rules:

• only one sprout should be located in one glass;
• plant seeds to a depth of strictly 1.5-2 cm;
• in the first week, young seedlings should be in a room with a temperature of at least 24 ° C.

It should be understood that the calendar sowing time of seeds depends to a greater extent on the region. In hot southern regions, you can start sowing in March, in the middle lane - not earlier than mid-April.

Care of young seedlings

Young cucumber sprouts are afraid of cold and low temperatures

3-4 days after sowing the seeds in cups, you can safely transfer them to the windowsill - there is enough warmth and light for the growth and development of seedlings.

Important! Young seedlings are afraid of cold and low temperatures, so you should take them to another room while airing or cover them with a towel.

Light

The use of artificial lighting lamps for cucumber seedlings

If the room in which the seedlings are located is not light enough, then artificial lighting lamps can be safely used to "extend" the day. But they need to be positioned so that the green shoots are not in the immediate vicinity of the device.

It is also important that direct sunlight should also not fall on the plant.

Watering

You need to water the seedlings once a day using settled water at room temperature. When using additional lighting devices, it is allowed to water the seedlings twice a day.

Seedlings are watered once a day.

Important! If excess moisture flows through the drainage hole of the glasses, you should reduce watering or use less water.

Top dressing

In order for the shoots to gain strength and start well on the balcony, you need to keep the seedlings on the windowsill for at least 4 weeks. In the first month, the plant is actively developing, so gardeners strongly advise to spend two or three additional fertilizing during this time.

In the first month, two or three feedings are carried out.

The simplest fertilizer is urea. It is used at the rate of 1 tablespoon per three liters of water and ½ cup of ready-made solution for one shoot.

A compound feed mixture of the following components (based on 8 liters of water) may also be a good option:

• ammonium nitrate (4 g);
• magnesium sulfate (4 g);
• superphosphate (25 g);
• potassium nitrate (12 g).

It should be remembered that with overly active feeding, the opposite result can be achieved, therefore, it should not be carried out more often than once every 10 days.

Transferring seedlings to containers

A month after sowing and no later than a week after the last feeding, the shoots must be planted in prepared containers, and an hour before planting, the soil must be watered with hot water.

The shoot, together with a lump of earth, without affecting or injuring the rhizomes, is carefully removed from the glass. A recess is made in the soil with the help of a garden scoop, into which a young seedling is placed.

Cucumbers should not stand in the sun and draft

It is important to remember that when placing containers on the balcony, you should also take into account that the seedlings should not stand in the sun and in a draft.The ideal location is near the end walls and in the corners.

Caring for cucumbers on the balcony

Gardeners advise the first week after transferring plants from cups to boxes to limit themselves to one watering, and after ten days, you can feed a little more and start tying.

To determine whether the cucumbers need support, it is enough to count the leaves on one shoot, if there are more than four of them, you can safely proceed to the procedure. This will require:

• wire;
• a skein of thin twine;
• scissors.

Parallel to the boxes and at a height of about 1.5 m, you need to pull the wire, if there are clotheslines on the balcony, then you can tie the shoots directly to them. Having cut off a twine about one and a half meters long from the skein, you need to retreat from the roots about 2-2.5 cm and carefully fix one end of it on the stem, and tie the other to a wire or rope, twisting a green cucumber stalk around the twine.

Tying cucumbers

After tying up (about once a week), the soil must be loosened, saturating its upper layers with oxygen, remove weeds and debris, and also remove antennae.

As soon as each shoot reaches the wire, pinch the top of its head, removing all excess leaves and leaving only one.

You need to water an adult plant as needed, focusing on the temperature outside the window and the length of the shoots, you can also spray the leaves with a spray bottle.

Towards the end of summer, containers should be covered overnight with an old blanket or burlap, as large roots that have already sprouted into the drain can freeze.

Pest control

Cucumbers love warmth and moisture, but similar conditions are favorable for various insects. To protect your crop, you need to regularly treat mail and shoots with special solutions.

In the fight against whitefly, tobacco broth can

In the fight against spider mites, a head of garlic infused with one and a half liters of boiling water helps well. Aphid and whitefly are afraid of tobacco broth, which can be obtained from a pack of ordinary cigarettes by boiling the cigarette filling in a liter of water.

It is important to remember that in no case should the solutions get on the roots and ground! Only ground parts are processed.

Growing cucumbers on the balcony in winter

It is also possible to get a harvest in the winter season, but for this, the balcony or loggia must be insulated and heated. In addition, it is important to maintain a certain level of humidity, which is achieved by frequent spraying or placing a wet towel on the battery. Do not forget that additional lighting should be used for at least four hours a day to form a strong and strong ovary on the shoots.

Video - Cucumbers in 50 days on the northern balcony

Today, not everyone has the opportunity to purchase a plot of land in the immediate vicinity of the house in order to do what they love - growing various garden and ornamental crops. However, a solution can also be found from this situation - if you have a balcony in your apartment, then you can easily turn it into a full-fledged vegetable garden.

Of course, for this you will have to show a certain restraint, get theoretical knowledge about the basics of growing flowers or other ornamental plants. If this is your desire, then you will even be able to pick delicious cucumbers from your home garden.

The nuances of the process of growing cucumbers on the balcony

If you have long been overcome by the desire to turn a loggia or balcony into a place where you could cultivate cucumbers, then it will not be so easy to translate this idea into reality. After all, not everyone knows how to grow cucumbers on the balcony.

At first, it does not hurt to get acquainted with the peculiarities of this culture. Balcony cucumbers of early varieties very demanding for heat, therefore, the slightest drafts can affect the future harvest.

Therefore, in order to create favorable conditions for growing balcony cucumbers, it is necessary to make certain changes to the layout of the premises. To do this, you need create additional lighting, ventilation and heating.

Thanks to these innovations, you will provide cucumber plants with the required length of daylight hours, which will positively affect the growth of seedlings. Particular attention should be paid to the correct installation of ventilation and heating, since the quality of climate control on the balcony depends on this.

In addition, you should familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of growing balcony cucumbers. Briefly describing this process, then it can be presented in the form of the following stages:

1. Sowing seeds.
2. Soil preparation.
3. Seed care.
4. Transplanting.
5. Top dressing.
6. Formation of a cucumber lash.
7. Plant care.

Further, you can familiarize yourself with the detailed instructions for growing cucumbers step by step, adhering to which you can enjoy not only beautiful flowers, but also delicious greens.

Seed planting stages

One of the important points when growing cucumbers is sowing seeds, which involves carrying out several stages... It all starts with preparing the seeds, then choosing the right time for sowing, as well as the time when you want to get the harvest.

Those who want to feast on crispy cucumbers in early spring will have to start sowing seeds in winter.

If you are exactly adhere to recommendations gardeners, then surely at the beginning of March you will be able to enjoy the first results of your efforts.

To prepare the seeds for sowing, you need to carry out the following activities:

• Soak. For this, a weak solution of potassium permanganate is used, in which the seeds are placed for 20 minutes.
• Drying. After processing in a solution of potassium permanganate, the seeds must be removed and laid out on a damp gauze cloth, which must first be folded in several layers.
• Sowing. The favorable moment for this comes after the appearance of signs of seed germination. The sowing itself is carried out in small flower pots or dark plastic cups.

Tanks for disembarkation

If you are going to grow cucumbers in pots, then be aware that excess moisture can lead to rotting of the root system. To avoid this, it is recommended to use double bottom containers.

Cucumbers respond well to an abundance of moisture, so you need to satisfy this need in full. To do this, you need to create drainage holes in the upper bottom that will allow excess moisture to drain into the lower pan.

If you do not have a suitable container for planting, then a dark plastic container can be adapted for these purposes. You can also use and homemade containershaving a double bottom.

Using plastic bottles is a good option. Make sure that the container has sufficient area for plant development. Containers are considered suitable if there are 2.5 liters of volume per plant.

Soil preparation process

Do not assume that by planting early varieties of cucumbers in containers filled with ordinary soil, they will be able to give you a good harvest. To do this, you need to use special soil formulations, which will provide the seedlings with the necessary microelements and prevent the soil from drying out.

When choosing a composition, you can use various options.

First composition... All components are taken in equal proportions and mixed until smooth:

• compost;
• sod land;
• peat;
• sawdust of wood;
• wood ash.

It is quite simple to acquire such a composition since it is offered in any shop for the gardener.

Second composition... To prepare it, you need to take one bucket of the above-described composition, adding additionally urea (10 g) and nitrophosphate (15 g). After that, all components must be mixed well, and then you can proceed to sowing seeds.

Third composition... This mixture is the most preferable not only in terms of quality, but also in terms of economy. For it, the components available in the garden are used.

To prepare the composition, you need to take half the type of sod land and compost, add 2 glasses of wood ash, 50 grams of lime, 5 grams of each of the following types of fertilizers: potash, nitrogen and phosphorus.

Further, all components must be mixed well and placed in a plastic bag and carefully tamped. After that, you need to dig a deep hole, put a bag of potting soil in it, and then bury it. It will take some time for the mixture to rot, turning into a loose composition.

Even before sowing seeds, the soil must be watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Thanks to this treatment, the plants will be protected from damage by various diseases.

If you decide to take the time and prepare high-quality soil, then cucumbers will give you large and beautiful fruits at the end of the season.

Seed growing conditions

Although it may seem that it is rather difficult to grow early varieties of cucumbers on a loggia or balcony, however, if you follow some rules and tips, then you can cope with this task even without having special skills.

To get a good harvest, you need to create the most favorable conditions for the normal development of cucumber plants.

First of all, attention should be paid to temperature. The recommended mode is at least 20-25 degrees. If the air temperature below the recommended prevails on your balcony, then the cucumber seedlings will grow slowly.

Even before you start sowing seeds in the ground, you need to carry out container handlingusing a solution of potassium permanganate. So, you will provide the seedlings with protection from damage by harmful diseases.

During sowing, the seeds are buried in the soil by 2-3 cm. Then the containers with the seedlings are taken out to the balcony, where favorable conditions are created for growing cucumbers. This refers to the presence of good thermal insulation, additional lighting and ventilation.

The appearance of the first shoots can be expected 25-28 days after sowing. When you see the first shoots, you can plan feeding: the first time the soil is fertilized after 2 weeks, and the second time after another 10 days.

The quality of the crop largely depends on the watering of the plants. To determine the rate of water consumption, it is necessary to focus on soil moisture. It is best when watering is carried out every day with water at room temperature.

Planting cucumber seedlings

The moment you see the first shoots, you can consider the first stage of growing cucumbers completed. Next, you can do the next step - transplanting seedlings.

To carry it out, you need double bottom boxes that you can buy at the store. You can also use homemade containers for this purpose, for example, plastic bottles.

You can solve the problem of drying out the soil if you use containers with the following characteristics: height - 20 cm, width - 30 cm, length - 60 cm.

When you prepare the transplant containers, fill them with the prepared potting soil. It should take up no more than a third of the volume, after which it is spilled well for the weak potassium permanganate solution room temperature.

Further, it is allowed to soak for 20 minutes, after which the seedlings are transferred together with the earth into a box, and covered with a substrate on top. Using this transplant technology, you can avoid damage to the root system. To ensure the normal growth of seedlings, it should be water every day.

If the windows on the balcony are constantly open, then it is recommended to place containers with sowing where gusts of wind will least disturb them.

After finishing the work on transplanting seedlings, you need to wait 30-40 days, which is enough for the transformation of young seedlings into adult plants.

What to feed, when and how

If you have taken good care of creating favorable conditions for the growth of early domestic cucumbers, then you should not expect that by meeting their water needs, you will get a good harvest.

Already 2 weeks after the formation of the first shoots, you it is necessary to feed... There are also some nuances here.

For the first time, cucumbers are fed with a mixture of fertilizers, which must be diluted in 10 liters of water:

1. Ammonium nitrate - 5 g.
2. Potassium nitrate - 15 g.
3. Superphosphate - 30 g.
4. Magnesium sulfate - 5 g.

The second time the plants are fed 10 days after the first feeding. The fertilizers below are designed for 10 liters of water:

• dilute well-rotted bird droppings in water (1:20);
• superphosphate -20 g;
• potassium sulfate 15 g.

Formation of a cucumber lash

If you decide to start growing varieties that require pollination, then you will definitely have to pinch them... To select the most appropriate moment for this operation, it is necessary to wait for the formation of the third leaf - in this place it is necessary to remove the shoot along with the growth point.

After 5 days, lateral shoots will begin to form from the axillary buds, which are located under the first and second leaves. Subsequently, the main cucumber whips will form from them.

Once again, the pinching is performed when new two sheets are formed. Thus, if you are going to grow cucumbers on the balcony, then you must pinching is necessary, otherwise you can not count on getting a good harvest indoors.

It should not be forgotten that in the process of development, the shoots of early varieties of cucumbers begin to curl, so at a certain moment it is necessary to perform cucumber garter... For this, a place is marked at a level of 1.5 m from the surface of the earth, where you will have to pull the wire.

Thickened threads are drawn from it, which are fixed to the stem. Next, the stem is worn around the thread. Carrying out such a garter avoids damage to the stem and provides it with good support for further growth.

Expert advice

Growing cucumbers in a city apartment is a solvable task. Every owner can cope with it, the main thing is to first get theoretical training about the features of cucumbers on the balcony.

Growing early varieties of cucumbers requires creating an enabling environment for normal development. Therefore, you will have to spend some time and money on insulation, lighting and ventilation.

In addition, you need timing correctly for sowing seeds, since a certain time must pass before the first greens appear.

Do not forget that in the process of growth, cucumbers form long lashes, therefore, for plants it is necessary to create supports... If you consider these points, then you will be well rewarded for the time and effort spent.

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