It is possible to grow cucumbers on the windowsill at home. Plants that love light shade, they feel good on windows and balconies, actively bloom and bear fruit. This is very interesting process and even in New Year's celebration you can eat a vegetable grown on your own at home. To obtain a harvest, a number of conditions must be observed.
What cucumbers to grow on the windowsill?
Seed selection is an important ingredient in horticulture. When growing cucumbers on a windowsill, the abundance of fruiting largely depends on the variety. Self-pollinating, early ripening species are needed to get the harvest. Most famous varieties for home breeding:
How to grow cucumbers on a windowsill?
There is no timeframe for sowing seeds for growing cucumbers on a windowsill or balcony. But for rich fruiting, from November to February they provide them with additional lighting, since it is cloudy outside. Growing cucumbers at home on a windowsill goes well if they are provided with 12 hours of daylight hours. It is better to fix the lamps so that they move up and down as the seedlings grow. Plants are installed on a windowsill or balcony, it is not recommended to use northern openings for vegetable growing - the branches will stretch up and will be weak.
How to plant cucumbers at home on the windowsill?
Seeds are germinated before sowing so that shoots appear sooner. To do this, they are wrapped in gauze and periodically sprayed. At a temperature of 25-30 degrees in 2-3 days, white roots hatch on them. Planting cucumbers on the windowsill:
- For sowing seeds, you can use plastic cups... Having deepened the seed in them by 2 cm and covered with a film, it is easy to get seedlings for subsequent planting in a larger container;
- Seedlings appear after 2-3 days. After 3-4 leaves are formed on the sprouts, they can be planted in a large vessel;
- For further cultivation, you will need pots with drainage holes. Brick chips or fine gravel with a layer of 2 cm is laid out on the bottom, then the soil mixture. One plant requires 5 kg. substrate;
- The earth is well moistened a day before planting;
- Seedlings are neatly rolled into the pot along with an earthen clod;
- It is allowed to immediately place the seeds in a permanent place in large boxes or pots and cover them with foil. Cellophane is removed after shoots appear. It is better to install the box on a pallet, put two strips under it for good air circulation;
- It is important to consider that cucumbers on the windowsill do not tolerate drafts - they are destructive for them;
- Pegs 70 cm high are stuck into the ground, or ropes directed upward, then growing branches will be attached to them. The props will help increase the amount of light the plant receives. Weaving will increase productivity and beautifully decorate the window.
Growing cucumbers on a windowsill - soil
Particular attention is paid to the composition of the soil. It is easy to make it yourself. There are several options for the mixture:
- Fertile soil, peat and humus are mixed in equal parts. You can add 1 tbsp. , 1 tbsp. chalk, glass wood ash... The proportions are given for 5 kg. soil.
- Peat, sawdust(or sand), humus, fertile land are taken in equal parts. A tablespoon and a teaspoon are added.
- It is believed that with the help of this mixture, cucumbers are grown on the windowsill in winter. It allows vegetable growing without further feeding. For cooking, they take soil, small sawdust, medium-sized sand, fallen leaves, a store substrate for seedlings. Fertile soil needs 2 parts, the rest of the components - one at a time. Half a glass of chicken manure, 2 glasses of dry manure, a glass of chalk are put there, eggshell and wood ash. All ingredients are finely chopped.
How to feed the cucumbers on the windowsill?
If the substrate is not fertilized initially, then correct feeding cucumbers on the windowsill will give positive results. Several recipes:
- A teaspoon of urea is used for 3 liters of water. Apply 1-2 glasses of fertilizer under the plant twice with an interval of a week, starting from the 14th day after germination.
- The same amount of water and 2 tsp. nitrophosphate. A glass of solution is given under a bush every two weeks when the first fruits appear.
How to water cucumbers on the windowsill?
The plant is hygrophilous, the amount of water is determined empirically. Watering cucumbers on the windowsill needs daily watering, but not strong. It is better to moisturize the bush in the morning. Watering is considered normal if the soil is slightly damp but not wet. If there is not enough water, the cucumbers on the windowsill will dry out, an excess threatens with rotting of the root system. Yellow foliage is a sign of insufficient watering.
How to pinch cucumbers on the windowsill?
Covering the question of how to grow cucumbers on a windowsill in an apartment, experienced vegetable growers use Special attention to pinch plants. The first time it is carried out at the level of 3-4 leaves on the stem. This allows new lateral shoots to appear from the axils of the base of the plate on the liana, so a bush is formed. Leave 2-3 skeletal lashes, which are pinched again over the 10th leaf. Here you should observe the measure so that the stem has enough nutrients for the formation of fruits.
Diseases of cucumbers on the windowsill
If the gardener noticed that something was wrong with the bush, you need to find out the reason and treat it. Possible reasons ailments:
- watering with cool water;
- depleted soil.
Cucumbers on the windowsill are the main diseases:
- , it is caused by a fungus. The foliage is covered with a white bloom. The affected plates are removed, the soil is disinfected with fungicides, Topsin;
- copperhead (anthracnose), the causative agent is a fungus, it affects the leaves and fruits, they are covered brown spots... Such a plant cannot be cured; it is thrown away. The rest of the bushes are sprayed to prevent infection;
- white rot, plaque appears on the stems and leaves, then mucus. Sprinkle contaminated parts copper sulfate or lime.
To prevent diseases from developing, prevention can be carried out. Before planting in the ground, it is useful to soak the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate. This mixture is also used to moisturize the substrate itself before planting seeds or seedlings. During the growing season, the fruits can be sprayed with the drug "Fitosporin". Great importance has the creation of a good microclimate and the absence high humidity soil.
Cucumbers on the windowsill in winter are no longer a myth, but a reality that avid gardeners organize at home. But this is possible only when using special varieties of cucumbers for growing in winter in an apartment and following all the rules for caring for them.
Varieties of cucumbers for the windowsill
Thanks to the intensive work of breeders today, every gardener can purchase cucumber seeds that are able to grow and bear fruit even in indoor conditions.Such cucumbers for growing on a window in winter include:
- cucumbers "Courage"- a variety that has a fast ripening period (the shortest ripening period when grown in a greenhouse is 36 days), good fruiting and large greens (up to 15 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter);
- cucumber variety "Shchedryk" ripens within 45 days from the moment of sowing the seeds, at each node of its bush from 5 to 8 zelents are formed, the length of each of which is up to 12 cm; when grown indoors, each bush gives up to 20 greens;
- grade "Khutorok" refers to the fastest ripening, since the first fruits from it can be harvested 30 days after sowing; greens are characterized by a length of 10 cm and the presence of black thorns, as well as excellent taste;
- cucumbers of the "Khrustyk" variety ripen quite late - 50 days after sowing, however, even when grown on a windowsill, up to 40 fruits can be harvested from one bush, however, when sowing this variety, keep in mind that it is vigorous, therefore it will require a lot of space;
- grade "Masha" also early ripening - the first greens can be harvested 35-40 days after sowing; the bush at the plant is formed quite dense, on each shoot 5-7 zelents are formed about 11 cm in length;
- cucumbers "Prestige" except for its early maturity and excellent taste are characterized by a length of 8-10 cm and are distinguished by non-simultaneous ripening of fruits, due to which fruiting can last for a month.
Important! For sowing on the windowsill, you can choose other early ripening varieties of cucumbers, keep in mind that they must be parthenocarpic. It is about the ability to bear fruit without pollination and self-pollination.
Capacity for growing cucumbers at home
Cucumbers will thrive in both individual pots and large boxes, which are commonly used for planting seedlings. Consider only that there must be a hole in the boxes for excess moisture to escape. 
When sowing seeds in boxes, keep in mind that no more than 5 cucumber bushes should be placed at a distance of 70 cm. At the same time, the box should be wide enough, since this plant has a rather strong root system... This will make the plantings light enough, and will also protect young seedlings from excessive stretching.
For normal growth of cucumbers on the windowsill, the volume of the pot should be about 4 liters per plant. When preparing boxes and pots, keep in mind that they must be deep enough to lay out the drainage layer at the bottom. Since the drainage for cucumbers can be up to 3 cm thick, the container should not be too shallow.
Soil for growing cucumbers
Good growth of cucumbers can only be achieved when they are planted in loose and sufficiently fertile soil. For this purpose, you can purchase a soil substrate at a flower shop (for planting cucumbers, a universal or specially prepared soil for growing pumpkin plants is suitable).
If possible, it is better to prepare the soil mixture for cucumbers on your own, mixing in equal volumes:
- soil from the garden;
- soil from the forest;
- humus;
- sand (better coarse, then the soil will be looser and better to allow moisture to pass through);
- wood ash;
- sawdust (it is desirable that they have time to refill and turn black).
Important! Before sowing seeds, the soil should be spread out in boxes and pots a few days before the intended planting. Thanks to this, he will have time to sink, and the seeds after sowing will not deepen and the seedlings will appear faster.
Preparing cucumber seeds
Most varieties of cucumber can be sown dry directly in open ground... However, in this case, the first shoots will appear in about 2-3 days, and the crops themselves will have to be made thickened in order to plant them later.
Since there is not so much room for planting seedlings at home, it is recommended to germinate cucumber seeds first, which can be done as follows:
- Soak the seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
- We lower the seed for another 2-3 hours in water with a temperature of no more than + 35 ˚С.
- Taking out the still warm seeds, wrap them in burlap soaked in water and cover with sawdust. In this form, they must be placed in a place where the temperature regime is kept at +30 ˚С.
- Shoots appear in 1-2 days. They will be ready for planting almost immediately, since the length of the root must not be allowed to grow by more than 1 mm. It is very important to dry them a little before planting.
Did you know? To increase the resistance of cucumber bushes to cold, you can harden them in the form of seeds. For this purpose, the seeds are first soaked in warm water, and then, in a swollen form, are wrapped in a cloth and placed in the refrigerator (preferably under the freezer) for 1-2 days. After that, they can be planted, and the resulting seedlings can be kept even on windowsills with a temperature of +17 ˚С.
Sowing cucumber seeds
Sowing seeds can be carried out in different terms, but it is best to do this in stages, so that fresh greens constantly ripen in the house. Sowing stages depend on the rapidity of the growth of cucumbers on the windowsill.
If the variety is early ripening, it can be sown every 20 days. However, keep in mind that during the period from November to February, the cucumber bushes will lack natural light, since the days during these months are short and the sun does not appear as often.
When planting germinated seeds, they should be immersed in the soil to a depth of no more than 1.5 cm, and it should be moist. Until a cucumber sprout appears above the ground, containers with it should be kept under a film and at a temperature not lower than +25 ˚С.
When the first shoots hatch above the ground, the film should be removed, and the box with them should be rearranged on the windowsill, where the temperature will be cooler - about +20 ˚С.
There is another nuance in sowing cucumber seeds. Many gardeners sow them for seedlings in separate small pots, so that they can then dive the seedlings into large containers.
This option is quite acceptable, however, during transplantation, small seedlings are very often damaged. To prevent this, during transplanting, it is better to transfer the soil from the glass along with the seedlings. In this case, both the roots and leaves of the plant will remain intact.
We create conditions for growing cucumbers at home
In order for the cucumbers to show good growth on the windowsill, they should be placed only on the south side, since this plant is sensitive not only to heat, but also to light. It is even better if you have a heated balcony on the south side of the house, into which light enters from three sides at once.
In such conditions, cucumber bushes will grow quite strong, and their leaves will have a dark green color, as in the beds.
Lighting
In order for the cucumbers to have enough light, they are always highlighted. To do this, you can use special biolamps, or ordinary fluorescent lamps (it is not necessary that they be turned on all day, just calculate the time of their activation so that daylight hours for cucumbers lasts up to 15-16 hours a day).
To enhance the effect of the lamps, you can install reflectors around the cucumbers - a mirror or foil. Do not forget about tying up the weaving bushes, which will allow each shoot to receive the maximum amount of light.
Temperature
As for temperature regime growing cucumbers, then from the moment the first shoots appear, the plant should be kept at a temperature of +20 ˚С. If the temperature in the apartment is higher, then the cucumbers will need to be provided with regular watering and spraying so that the moisture from the bushes does not evaporate too intensively.
Important! When growing cucumbers on a windowsill, take into account the fact that a box with plants, as well as their roots, can cool from a cold window sill. In this case, the cucumbers may start to wilt or stop growing. In order to avoid hypothermia of the roots, it is recommended to put small pieces of polystyrene under the pots and boxes with cucumbers.
Caring for cucumbers at home
Cucumbers on the windowsill, in cultivation and care, are no less demanding than when they are planted in open ground. It is very important to organize the growth of the bushes in such a way that they do not stretch out, and each of their shoots remains thick enough.
Forming and tying cucumber bushes
The question, "How to form cucumbers on the windowsill correctly?" Is very important, since the strength of the harvest will depend on this. It must be understood that even if there is a large amount of ovary on the bushes, with excessively dense growth of shoots and low light, they can completely crumble and not give fruit.
For this reason, it is important to tie up cucumbers, giving each shoot the opportunity to grow on its own individual trajectory.
Due to this, useful subject there is also a support for cucumbers on the windowsill, since it is not always convenient to carry out a garter with laces, and it is not aesthetically pleasing either.
In addition, it is important to immediately decide for yourself whether you need to pinch the cucumbers on the windowsill. In fact, it is this procedure that allows you to achieve good yields. You need to pinch the cucumber bush when 4-5 leaves appear, due to which the growth of the main shoot will stop, but the lateral ones will develop, on which the bulk of the crop is formed.
In winter, the lack of fresh vegetables and fruits. Although they can be bought on the market for exorbitant prices, the quality of the fruit is often poor. It is much more beneficial to grow vegetables at home.
We create conditions in the apartment - selection of dishes and soil
Cucumbers can be grown on an insulated loggia, glazed balcony or windowsill. It is important to equip a place for active growth of bushes with good lighting where there are no drafts. It is desirable that this is the south side. We create conditions as close as possible to natural ones.
Young plants require not only a lot of light, but also warmth. It is best to place the cucumber pots where there is heating. With sufficient light, the stems will not stretch too much, and the fruits will have an ugly shape. If you want to grow cucumbers on the windowsill, insulate the window, make additional thermal insulation, exclude drafts. To protect the root system from hypothermia, we install cucumber containers on a heat insulator.
In winter, the daylight hours are short, and for the rapid growth of cucumbers it is necessary daylight... Therefore, we provide additional lighting for the seedlings, artificially increasing the length of the day to 12-14 hours. For this we use special phytolamps, fluorescent or infrared lamps including them over shrubs.
The optimum temperature for the growth of seedlings is 20 degrees above zero. If the temperature in the room is higher, we monitor the moisture content of the soil.
Seedlings can be grown in small disposable cups filled with special soil or in peat cups. We make several holes at the bottom. For cucumbers, it doesn't matter what container they are planted in:
- Large deep planters can be purchased for planting multiple seedlings.
- If space permits, plant each plant in a separate pot.
- One of the container options can be a plastic 5-liter water bottle, in which we cut upper part with a neck.
- You can do it yourself wooden boxes 60-70 cm long, planting no more than 5-6 plants in them, otherwise they will interfere with each other's growth and increase the mass.
The container should be large enough with openings at the bottom for excess moisture and ventilation. It should be remembered that cucumbers have a developed root system. We take the volume of a flowerpot or box at least 4 liters so that the cucumber sprout feels comfortable. We put drainage on the bottom: small pebbles, brick chips, crushed stone or expanded clay. You can pour a layer of sand at least 5 cm thick. Pour soil on top and cover with mulch.
Accelerated growth and ripening of fruits depend on the soil in which vegetables will grow. It should be loose, saturated with useful substances, it should be good for air and water. The shops sell ready-made soil for indoor plants and for pumpkin crops, which has the listed characteristics. It is better to prepare the soil substrate yourself by mixing the following ingredients:
- garden soil, peat;
- leafy soil;
- fertilizers: phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium 5-6 g each, lime 20-60 g;
- humus;
- wood ash;
- rotted sawdust, which has acquired a dark shade;
- coarse sand.
We disinfect the resulting soil mixture. First, we ignite in the oven, setting the temperature to +200 degrees, then spill it with a solution of potassium permanganate. So will be destroyed harmful bacteria and insects that may have been present in the soil.
Choosing seeds - which varieties grow better at home?
For planting, breeders have bred a large number of self-pollinating, fast-growing, high-yielding varieties, mostly hybrid species. They are marked with the F1 symbol, which means that the varieties are heterotic. For such crops, bees are not needed to pollinate flowers; they have the ability to form fruits on female peduncles on their own. These hybrids are called parthenocarpic.
For growing in winter on a windowsill, the following varieties of cucumbers are suitable:
- Shchedrik. The fruits ripen after planting in 1.5 months. Up to 6-8 pieces are formed in the ovary. The length of cucumbers reaches 11-12 cm, they have a rich green color dark shade. Productivity from a bush on the windowsill is up to 20 fruits.
- Khutorok. Cucumbers ripen 30 days after the first shoots appear. This is one of the super fast varieties. Cucumbers have black thorns, grow up to 10 cm in length. The peculiarity of this variety is that it requires pollination. To carry out pollination, we pluck the barren flower - this is a male flower with stamens, we transfer the pollen from it to the pistil female flower... Only thanks to this procedure will an ovary occur.
- Crisp also belongs to early ripening varieties, but the fruits, ready for consumption, ripen only after 50 days. Its advantage is that it does not require pollination, it gives high yield... Differs in tallness, can decorate a loggia or balcony, like a liana. If properly cared for, you can get up to 40 fruits per bush.
Among the varieties suitable for growing at home, you can name the Miracle on the window, Our Masha, Courage, Prestige, Room miracle, Claudia, Marinda. Cucumbers of the Nasha Masha variety ripen in 30-40 days, the Marinda variety is different high yield and the simultaneous ripening of all fruits. When choosing a variety, pay attention that it is suitable for growing in an apartment.
How to plant the seeds correctly?
Theoretically, the seeds can be planted at any time, taking into account that the plant will bear fruit in 2-2.5 months. The best time for planting, it is February, when daylight hours increase significantly, this simplifies the care of cucumbers. In spring, the sun shines brighter and warms better. Purchased seeds, when packaged, undergo appropriate processing. To test them for germination, we place them in a saline solution: dilute half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water. Seeds that have settled to the bottom are considered suitable for planting, those that have surfaced are not suitable, we throw them away.
We sow seeds either in a seedling box or in a container without subsequent transplantation. Before landing, we carry out preparatory activities... We place the seedlings in a solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes. Then we rinse and put in a saucer on a cotton cloth or cotton swabs. We put the dishes in a warm, dark place with a temperature of +25 degrees. We make sure that the fabric does not dry out. When sprouts appear with a length of 5 to 10 mm, we transplant them into a container with soil. Before planting, dry the germinated seeds a little, this contributes to the active growth of seedlings.
We plant planting material into pre-soaked earth. If planted in dry soil, the seeds will sink too low after watering. Sprouted seeds are buried in the soil by 1.5 cm.Cover the container plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect so that the seedlings grow faster. We put the containers in a well-lit place. We maintain the temperature in the room at least 20 degrees. As soon as the first shoots appear from the ground, we remove the film to prevent fungal diseases that may arise due to condensation under the film. We regularly water and feed the seedlings.
After the appearance of the first true leaves, we transplant the seedlings into large containers, making every effort not to damage the root system. If the seedlings were grown in peat cups, we plant them in the ground without removing them from the cups.
Watering and fertilizing with fertilizers - how regularly to carry out?
To successfully grow cucumbers at home, you need to follow the basic rules:
- regular watering and feeding;
- ensuring the required temperature regime, a sufficient level of humidity and illumination;
- formation of the correct bush.
Water the newly transplanted seedlings sparingly, without flooding the roots. If the roots are bare, add earth. Watering young seedlings can be done with a syringe, burying it in the ground, this will prevent the root system from washing out. Pour boiled water over the cucumbers, which should settle for at least 3 hours. We water every day, if additional lighting is installed, you may need to water it twice a day.
Watering is especially important during flowering and fruit ripening. In summer, we spray the plants on the balcony with water, this will not only humidify the air, but will also be an additional food for the cucumbers.
We regularly feed the plants:
- You can fertilize seedlings with fermented banana peel infusion, diluting it 1:10. Use once every two weeks.
- Young seedlings can be fed with urea or other mineral fertilizers with similar properties.
- When the first flowers appear, water the plants with a solution of wood ash, diluting a glass of ash in a ten-liter bucket.
- During the ripening of the fruits, we apply mineral fertilizers, diluting 12-25 g in 10 liters of water. Pour half a liter of solution under each plant.
If the plants are weak, we carry out foliar feeding from mineral fertilizers with the addition of trace elements. Prepare the solution as follows: add 10-20 g to 10 liters of water double superphosphate, 5-15 g of urea, 10 ml of a mother liquor of trace elements or 1-5 g of sulfuric magnesium. Prepare the solution 24 hours before use. After stirring, the solution is filtered through 4 layers of gauze. It is advisable to spray the bushes with the resulting mixture in the afternoon. Rinse off the remaining salt from the leaves clean water... Consideration should be given to the feeding recommendations for each variety. It is important not to overdo it with fertilizers.
We take care of cucumbers and fight pests
After the appearance of the first 4-5 leaves, we do the first pinching: we break off the upper growth point. This is necessary in order for the plant to sprout lateral shoots. We leave 3-4 lashes. When 6 leaves appear, we make a second pinch. Next, letting 11 leaves grow, pinching the main stem. In the future, we remove the lateral processes that take away the forces from the plant and interfere with the growth of fruits. Set aside one leaf at a time over the ovaries. We tie the overgrown lashes to provide sufficient lighting and support the plant. We stretch strong threads or twine, we tie shoots to them.
You can install meter props and tie bush lashes to them. We remove the excess whiskers, as they take away from the plant a lot of nutrients necessary for the growth of fruits. To form a beautiful bush, the pots should be rotated regularly so that the plants stretch evenly.
Cucumbers are very fond of moisture, so we spray the stems 2-3 times a week from a spray bottle. We spray the plants in the same way as we water them with settled water at room temperature. We regularly water, preventing the top layer of the soil from drying out. It is impossible to overmoisten the earth, since excess moisture can lead to rotting of the root system and the death of the bush. Plants placed on the windowsill may lack moisture due to dry air. To maintain the required level of humidity, place containers with water next to the cucumbers or place the pots in large containers filled with water.
For good growth plants in winter period we provide additional lighting that extends daylight hours. We turn off the lamps at night. We protect cucumber bushes from drafts and cold air. If the varieties require pollination, we do it by hand when the flowers appear.
Without proper care, the following diseases of green vegetables are possible:
- Anthracnose - fungal disease from which fruits and leaves suffer.
- Powdery mildew - the causative agent is a fungus. It is manifested by the appearance of white bloom on the leaves.
- Root rot is accompanied by complete wilting of the bush. The disease occurs due to waterlogging, the root system begins to rot.
- White rot - affects fruits, foliage and stem, they are covered with a white bloom.
It is important to identify the disease in time and fight it by spraying with special chemical means... If you do not fight, then the disease will affect the entire plant, and the bush will die. In addition to diseases, whiteflies, spider mites and aphids can harm the bushes. If there are few insects, they can be removed by hand. At a large number have to spray the bushes chemicals against pests. If control measures are applied in time, then it is easier and faster to overcome the disease and destroy pests, the main thing is to observe the reaction of the plant.
Picking vegetables is a reward for your efforts
The timing of ripening and harvesting of fruits depends on the variety of cucumbers. Basically, the sprouts appear 1-2 days after planting. The duration of the growth of the bush is different for each type of cucumber. The earliest ripening varieties give the first fruits in a month, for others it takes 40-50 days before the first harvest appears. Determine that the cucumber can be picked by size. If the fruit has reached a length of 10 cm, we pluck it. We collect the fruits every day to remove the load from the bush, which has to supply food to the ripe fruit. If picking cucumbers in time, the plant can begin to bloom again and bring additional harvest.
Some varieties for growing on a windowsill are not only suitable for fresh consumption, but also suitable for salting. But on bountiful harvest you should not count on from the windowsill to make a reserve of preservation for the winter. Making efforts to care for green vegetables is better and healthier for the sake of getting fresh vegetables.
How tempting it is to go to your window and pick a couple of cucumbers that grow in the room for breakfast. To grow them, you need little: seeds, capacity, soil and your desire. And you can learn the necessary knowledge from this article.
If you want to get good harvest in an apartment, pay attention to the following seeds and cucumber hybrids. Their main advantage is that they are parthenocarpic. Simply put, they don't need pollination as they have a female flowering type. It is better that the plants are bushy or medium-growing, then they have enough space on the windowsill or balcony. Pay attention to the following hybrids and varieties:
- Masha;
- Claudia F1;
- Room;
- Marinda F1;
- Home;
- Rytov;
- Marfinsky;
- Bianca.
Sowing dates for cucumbers at home
If you want do-it-yourself gherkins on your New Year's table, then you need to plant cucumber seeds at the end of October. If you want to get the first greens in March, plant the seeds in January. From germination to the beginning of fruiting, on average, 45-50 days pass.
In both cases - for autumn or winter sowing of cucumbers at home, the lashes must be provided additional lighting and place the plants on the south or east window, where there is no draft and the temperature is within +17 - + 22 ° degrees at night and +22 - + 26 ° during the day.
It's even easier to grow cucumbers at home in summer than in winter., it is enough to start preparing and planting seeds in early April. At this time, the day is already noticeably increasing and the seedlings do not need to be supplemented. By mid-April they can be placed on glazed loggia where the final light and warmth will suffice.
Growing indoor cucumbers: preparing and planting seeds
After you have decided when you want to receive crops, prepare the seeds on time. This procedure will not take much of your time. Please note that if the seeds are in a shell, then they are planted dry in prepared containers. If not colored, disinfect them in pink potassium permanganate solution for 15–20 minutes, rinse. Prepare small containers. You can take special seedling cups or use containers for yogurt, ice cream, sour cream. They should be 6 x 8 centimeters in diameter. The root system of cucumbers is superficial, so low capacities are suitable.
Make 3 holes at the bottom of each cup using a knife or scissors. Pour on the bottom of the containers broken brick, coarse sand or expanded clay. Then moisture will not linger at the bottom of the pot, and the roots of the plant will not rot. Fill cups with a light, nutritious earthy mixture that's rich in rotted organic matter. The best way- buy ready-made potting soil for growing cucumber seedlings at home.
Water the ground hot water, let it cool to a warm state, put cucumber seeds on the surface of the soil. Cover them with a cloth or bandage folded in half. Place in a warm place, keep the material damp all the time.
After 3–4 days, small roots will appear. Then in the center of each container, make a hole 2 cm deep, lower the seed into it with the root down, cover it with soil. Put a glass in high pallet or a container for jellied meat so that its edges are higher than these vessels. To prevent moisture from evaporating, cover the soil with plastic wrap or a transparent cake lid.
Cucumbers grow
The sprouts will appear pretty soon, so put the tray with the pots in a warm, bright place right away. When seedlings appear on the surface of the soil, remove the film. If you grow cucumbers in an apartment during a short daylight hours, then the first 5 days you need to do this at a low above-zero temperature. During the day it should be +15 - + 17 °, and at night +13 - + 15 °. Then the seedlings will not stretch.
If you grow them from the second half of spring on a glazed balcony, make sure that the temperature there is not higher than +25 degrees. Otherwise, this can also lead to stretching of seedlings. To avoid this trouble, you can hang a light tulle on the glass, which will scatter the bright sun. This should be especially remembered in hot summer, otherwise the plants will suffer from overheating.
While the cucumber seedlings are still small, do not water them too often. Do this only when the soil is dry. Then the seedlings will not stretch, they will grow squat and strong.
Transplanting home cucumbers
When the plants have three true leaves, they need to be transplanted. It is necessary to prepare large containers where a sufficient amount of earth will enter. These can be balcony boxes with a height of 15 × 20 cm. Large flower pots with a diameter of 25 cm. One plant is planted in them. You can plant 2 × 3 in a box, the main thing is that the distance between them is at least 25 × 30 cm. For this purpose, buckets are also suitable, in each you can plant no more than one cucumber.
At the same time, try to act very carefully so as not to injure the root system, otherwise the seedlings may not take root. You need to hold this event on a cloudy day, putting the pots on the floor in a room or loggia, or shading them for 2? 3 days.
Home cucumber care: watering, feeding, shaping, garter
When ovaries begin to form in the leaf axils, feed the plants. To do this, place 100 grams of ash in a liter hot water, stir, insist for a day. Pre-water the plants with water, and then feed them.
If lateral processes appear on the central lash, pinch them at the base. There should be no more than two lashes on one cucumber. They need to be tied up. This can be done in several ways. Pull a transparent mesh (for example, construction) with large cells over the frame of a window glass or loggia. Then the vine will cling to them with its antennae. You can tie one end of the rope to the bottom of the cucumber lash, and the other to the top of the window or to the ceiling on the loggia. Then the vine will tenaciously hold on to such a support.
Some home gardeners use very interesting way... They put a stool near the window or glass of the loggia, on it - a bucket with a plant. One edge of a homemade small ladder is lowered into the bucket, the other edge is raised up. Gradually, the cucumber vine wraps around the stairs and feels very comfortable with such a support.
It is very important to irrigate with warm water, the temperature of which is +27 - + 30 °. After setting the cucumbers, water the plants when the top layer of the earth dries up in the evening or early in the morning. An excess of moisture can lead to root rot, and a lack of moisture can lead to fruit bitterness. Collect greens without letting them outgrow. Then the next fruits will form and grow faster.
In the middle of spring, sow lettuce, radish, dill on the loggias. Then you can pick a cucumber, fresh herbs at the moment and enjoy a vitamin dish, the ingredients for which were grown with your own hands, with love, without the use of chemicals.
Video with tips for growing cucumbers in an apartment on a north-facing balcony:
Greetings to all readers!
I am happy to tell you about growing cucumbers on the windowsill. Recently I planted several tomatoes on the window, which I talked about in the article "". I also wanted to please myself with cucumbers in winter. I tell you
How to grow cucumbers at home in winter
Cucumbers have been grown at home and on balconies for a long time and with success. And if you have a heated loggia or a glassed-in balcony, then cucumbers and much more will grow well. Many varieties are specially adapted for home fruiting. These are mainly hybrids that do not need bee pollination. Parthenocarpic hybrid - this scary word that you can break your tongue about is called female-type cucumbers, which set fruits without pollination.
Varieties
- Hybrid Shchedryk- early ripening (45 days before fruit). Cucumbers grow in a bouquet of 5-8 pieces. Dark green greens up to 12 cm long. On the windowsill, you can collect up to 20 cucumbers from it.
- Khutorok- super fast (first cucumbers in 30 days!) Bee-pollinated hybrid mainly with female flowers. Small green cucumbers 10 cm with black thorns. At home, it can be manually pollinated. We pluck the male flower (barren flower) and gently touch the stamens on the female flowers (with ovaries) with the pistil. You can transfer pollen with a soft brush.
- Khrustyk- just fast (fruits 50 days after germination). Self-pollinated hybrid. Cucumbers grow in a bouquet of up to 7 pieces. Highly productive variety... At good care at home you can collect up to 40 fruits from a plant. Vigorous, it can be put in a vine along the window!
All these varieties can then be sown both in open ground and in a greenhouse. There are many more suitable varieties cucumbers. It is better to choose parthenocarpic self-pollinated F1 hybrids for the windowsill.
From germination to the beginning of fruiting takes about 45-50 days, the period of fruiting of one plant is about a month and a half. This means that one-time sowing of cucumbers is not enough. If you want to have fresh fruits for 4–5 months, you will have to deal with plant seedlings at least four times. The gap between crops is a month and a half. As soon as the first wave ceases to bear fruit, the fruiting of the "second stage" begins, and so on. You can sow cucumbers every 2-3 weeks.
The temperature in the room during the day should be within + 21–24 ° С, at night + 18–19 ° С. In most apartments, this is the temperature that is maintained during the winter. If not, the plants need to be slightly warmed up with any devices, including incandescent lamps. They will illuminate and warm at the same time.
As far as energy losses are concerned, there are no problems here. Less energy is always required to heat a window sill with cucumbers than for the entire room. Of course, it is advisable to place the plants on the south side.
Daylight hours for cucumbers should last at least 14-15 hours; in winter, artificial lighting is indispensable.
Choose a light place for cucumbers. The southern sill is the most suitable one. You can increase the illumination of the plant by installing mirrors, foil, reflective materials on the windowsill.
Cucumbers love loose, fertile soil. For domestic plants, you need at least 5 liters of soil per plant, no less. So that they develop well, and the roots have enough nutrition. The composition of the soil can be made independently by mixing in equal parts:
- Ogorodnaya
- Or forest land
- Humus
- Sand
- Ripe sawdust (black)
The mixture must be heated in the oven for disinfection. Because young seedlings love different flies that are present in the ground. And the houses always thaw out, even if the soil is brought in from the frost.
If it's easier for you to buy ready-made soil in the store, then take a universal one or for pumpkin plants. You can grow cucumbers in boxes or separate pots. In the box, you can plant a little more plants and then put them on the southern windowsill. In a month or two you will have an openwork green curtain on the window.
In a box for seedlings 60-70 cm long, you can plant 5-6 bushes. The dishes must have holes and drainage. So that excess moisture can drain freely. We fill the earth in the container in advance, let it settle and water it abundantly a day before sowing the seeds.
Seed preparation
One way to organize a vertical garter Dry seeds of cucumbers sprout in 2-3 days, but since in winter we cannot plant a lot of surplus at home, we can germinate seeds and sow them in the ground already by count. For disinfection, you can hold it a little in pink potassium permanganate.
You can use small cups or sow directly into the box. Sprouted or dry seeds are placed in a 1.5 cm depression in moist soil and covered with moist soil. Before germination, close the containers with foil or glass and put in warm place+ 25 ° C, at least. Here shoots have appeared, then we remove the film and move it to a light windowsill cooler, about 20 ° C.
If you sowed seeds in small containers, then transplant them carefully, the leaves of cucumbers are fragile. Water the container well before transplanting, wrinkle it on all sides and the young cucumber will calmly fall out with the ground and intact roots. He will endure such a transshipment calmly. Next, you need to form plants for harvesting on the windowsill.
Formation of "home" cucumbers
Pinching the top of a cucumber After the fourth or fifth leaf, we pinch the growth point of our seedlings. Let the side lashes grow on which there are always more zelents. Leave 2-3 lashes, which are pinched over the 10th sheet. They will begin to grow their lashes from the axils of the leaves. Form further the plant without overloading. After all, we have little land.
You need to organize a garter for the cucumber lashes so that they get more sunlight. During all these operations, do not damage the leaves, they must be protected. Leaves are necessary for a plant to proper nutrition... Excess antennae can be trimmed neatly.
Watering
Soil moisture has a significant impact not only on yield, but also on plant health. Not enough moisture - there are few cucumbers and appearance wishes for the best. A lot of moisture, and even at insufficient temperatures, will certainly lead to decay of the horse system and the death of cucumbers. The plant should be watered in a timely manner, but without excessive fanaticism.
It should also be borne in mind that on the windowsills, the earth quickly loses moisture, for cucumbers this is unacceptable. Experienced growers strongly recommend sprinkling the leaves with clean, warm water daily. And so that the roots do not rot, all containers must have an effective drainage system.
When the vegetation speed slows down slightly, the watering intensity should be reduced. During this period, you need to use the rule: it is better to underfill than to pour. Of course, underfilling should not cause the plant to die.
With the appearance of flowers, watering increases slightly, and the appearance of an ovary becomes a signal for a sharp increase in the amount of moisture. Fruits significantly increase water consumption, its lack of water has Negative influence on their development, appearance and quantity.
In extreme cases, the ovary may crumble, experienced gardeners never bring cucumbers to such a sad state.
It is advisable to put foam or a board under the box so that the roots do not freeze. Remember that cucumbers are a very thermophilic plant. Also, in all possible ways, you need to increase the humidity around the cucumbers. Place a container of water next to it, spray it or even cover it with foil for high humidity creatures!
It is clear that without them, a home harvest in winter will not work. Use organic fertilizer... In winter, you can water with fermented banana peel infusion. It is diluted with water ten times. Need to water frequently warm water, but you can not fill in.
2 weeks after germination of the seed, the cucumber must be fertilized. To do this, you can use a mixture of ammonium nitrate, sodium sulfate and double superphosphate. You can also use ready-made mixtures for feeding cucumbers or organics. After 2 weeks after the first feeding and at the entire fruiting stage of cucumbers, the feeding should be repeated.
Harvesting
And a little about the most pleasant moment - the harvest. You need to do this every day, let the plant grow new cucumbers and not waste energy on ripe ones. Weight positive emotions is waiting for everyone who decides to grow cucumbers on the windowsill in winter!
Diseases and pests. Growing problems
Growing cucumbers at home is not a guarantee that the plant will not be attacked by various pests, and not following the rules of keeping can lead to disease.
With stagnation of moisture in the soil, rotting of the root system can occur and, as a result, the death of the entire plant.
When exposed to sudden changes in temperature or a draft, the plant may begin to wither and shed its leaves, the formation and development of ovaries will be slowed down, and over time, the vine may die.
Leaves can be attacked by aphids, whiteflies, or spider mites. At home, the use of insecticides is dangerous to the health of households. Better to use folk remedies for the destruction of pests.
- Aphids and whiteflies die when plants are treated with strong tobacco infusion.
- To fight spider mite apply a tincture of garlic with the addition of antibacterial soap.
Why do cucumber leaves turn yellow on the windowsill?
Why do the leaves of indoor cucumbers turn yellow and dry?
In most cases, this is the occurrence of illness or improper care.