Varieties of cucumbers for home cultivation all year round. The best varieties of cucumbers for growing on the windowsill

In winter, there is a lack of tasty and healthy vegetables and fruits. Of course, you can buy greenhouse vegetables in the market or in stores, but a more original way out is to plant cucumbers in containers on a windowsill in an apartment or balcony. However, before starting the process, you should learn the technology of growing cucumbers at home.

Features of growing cucumbers on the windowsill

Sowing cucumber seeds on the windowsill and further growing the vegetable does not require special training or special care knowledge (everything is the same), so even novice amateur gardeners can handle growing at home.

Another thing is that you will have to create certain conditions for the growth of cucumbers in an apartment or on a balcony in order to get a decent harvest.

When can I grow cucumbers in an apartment: optimal sowing dates

Naturally, it is most convenient to sow and grow cucumbers on the windowsill with the onset of spring, in other words, when daylight hours begin to grow.

However, if you can create artificial conditions(by additional illumination), then homemade cucumbers can be grown all year round, including in winter.

What varieties are suitable for growing in an apartment

For planting and growing on a windowsill (window) in an apartment or on a balcony, they are suitable as the most common (exclusively early) parthenocarpic(in other words, not requiring pollination, hybrid - marked F1) varieties, and special balcony varieties(they either have a name that hints at growing conditions, or the instructions clearly state this).

Important! For growing in an apartment, on the windowsill should be taken only parthenocarpic varieties. And here on the balcony- this is not necessary, because there they can be pollinated by pollinating insects.

Also, a variety for growing at home should be shade-tolerant, in other words, tolerant of the lack of light (for obvious reasons). It is also very important that the variety was not vigorous, and optimally weak or medium height(with not very actively formed side shoots). If you plant a highly branched variety, then it will simply fill the entire space on your window or balcony.

The following varieties of cucumbers are distinguished for home growing on the windowsill in the apartment: Openwork, Athlete, Courage, Bush, Connie, Real Colonel, Our Masha, Mertus, Meringue, By pike command, At my will, Prestige, Premium, Talisman, Clean ponds, Pharaoh, Room, Room miracle, Miracle on the window, Balcony, City cucumber and many others.

Thus, by choosing the right varieties for growing at home, you can plant cucumbers in your apartment yourself and get a rich harvest in cold weather. winter months.

Video: especially growing cucumbers on the windowsill - seed selection, sowing and care rules

How to sow cucumber seeds in an apartment: basic rules for growing andstep-by-step instructions for direct sowing

Before you start sowing, you need to choose the right place for growing, as well as create optimal conditions(temperature and light).

Important is the choice of capacity, soil and pre-sowing preparation of cucumber seeds for direct planting.

Location: lighting and temperature conditions

Growing cucumbers in winter time quite common. For these purposes, various greenhouses are used. But if the apartment has a free window sill, and even better, an insulated balcony or a glazed loggia where you can equip a cucumber farm, then why not grow them at home.

Idea! Place the cucumber pot away from the door, in the very corner of the balcony, be sure to put at least 12-15 cm thick foam under it (the roots should be warm). Glue or place a piece of cardboard with reflective foil on the walls.

Video: growing cucumbers on the balcony - from seeds to fruits

A place to place containers or pots with cucumbers needs to be selected preferably on the south side(but not at all necessary, you still have to light up the lamps) , because the plant is sensitive not only to sunlight, but also to heat. If the window is cold, for example, you have old frames, then by all means seal all the cracks.

With normal illumination, of course, cucumbers can also be grown on the north window (balcony), especially on the west or east (you still don’t have to shade them from direct sunlight).

The winter sun is not long, and sunlight is important for cucumbers. Therefore, in a mandatory manner (especially in late autumn, winter and early spring), it is recommended to highlight seedlings special phytolamps, providing 12-16 hour daylight hours. You can also illuminate with conventional (or better full-spectrum) LED lamps.

Advice! The lamps should be turned on in the morning and in the evening (for example, the light should be from 7-00 to 23-00) and kept at a distance of 5-10 cm from the plant.

The most best temperature for fast and active growth of cucumbers at home - +20..+23 degrees. Note that at a temperature of +16-17 degrees growth stops.

Important! The most important thing when growing cucumbers on the windowsill is lack of drafts and sudden changes in temperature (including night and day).

planting container

Naturally, for growing homemade cucumbers, you will need suitable containers. Suitable as wide containers (balcony boxes) for several plants, and single large pots.

Important! You should not grow too many plants in one container, as they will crowd each other out - they will begin to compete for food, and this will not allow them to actively develop and build mass.

Note! The roots of cucumbers do not spread deep into, but along the surface of the earth. Therefore, the wider the area around the cucumber stem, the better!

Naturally, the container must have drainage holes for the exit excess moisture. You also need to remember that a cucumber is a plant with a developed root system, which means that in order for the plant to be comfortable, the container must be large enough (at least 5 liters per plant).

Interesting! in an unusual way growing cucumbers at home is to sow them in bags. From above and below you make holes for sowing, watering and draining excess fluid (drainage), and put the bag with the earth on a tray where excess water will flow out.

A well-known gardener-blogger tells more in the following video:

Video: growing cucumbers in a bag on the window

Note! How to grow cucumbers in an apartment with a pick, and immediately in a large container. If you want to transplant, then first plant in small containers (for example, cassettes or 100 ml cups). Then, when the first true leaf appears, dive into a slightly larger container (500 ml), and after that (when 2-3 true leaves appear) into a permanent pot (1 plant per 5 liters).

Suitable soil

For high-quality growth of cucumbers, it is required that the soil be fertile and loose, well-permeable to moisture and air. Such properties are purchased soil for indoor flowers or special substrate for growing cucurbits.

But most the best soil for growing indoor cucumbers there will be a soil substrate made independently. For cooking, you will need the following components: peat, river sand or vermiculite, humus and wood ash (optional, for feeding).

Attention! After mixing, the resulting fertile substrate needs more disinfect. And purchased soil It's also best to decontaminate just in case. It should be calcined in the oven for 20-30 minutes, and then spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate or. Such preparation measures have a beneficial effect on the elimination of pathogenic bacteria and fungi hiding in the ground.

Seed preparation

Before sowing cucumber seeds into the soil, it is advisable to spend them seedbed preparation, namely sprout on a damp cloth or cotton pad. Take one wet disk, pour seeds on it, cover with another (also wet), put it in a cup and close the lid so that the moisture does not evaporate quickly. As a rule, 1-2 days are sufficient at room temperature.

Do not allow the napkin (cotton pad) to dry out or, conversely, excessive moisture (so that the seeds “bathe” in water).

Worth knowing! Hybrid seeds, as a rule, have already been decontaminated and selected (calibrated), so it makes no sense to keep them in potassium permanganate or soda / saline solution.

Direct fit

Step-by-step instruction sowing seeds of cucumbers:

In general, the procedure for sowing cucumbers is similar to sowing seeds for seedlings of any green crop, although cucumbers are usually not grown through seedlings.

Fill a small drainage layer using expanded clay or other moisture-retaining material.
Fill the planting container with soil, but not to the top (about 2/3).

This is done so that in the future it will be possible to add soil, which in turn will allow the cucumbers to further increase root system and will have a very positive effect on the strength of the growth of the bush.

Before sowing, pour the soil abundantly with water.

The procedure is necessary for subsidence of the earth. If you plant the seeds in dry and too airy soil, then when watering the seeds will go deeper than required.

Pre-prepared cucumber seeds are placed to a depth of 1.5-2 cm.

Note! It is better to sow several seeds at once, and then remove the weakest sprouts. Or grow with a pick, but remember that 1 plant should have 5 liters of land. Or sow so that the seeds are at a distance of 30-35 centimeters from each other (for example, only 2 plants in one medium balcony box 60-70 cm long).

Fall asleep with soil.
Watering again.
The container is covered with glass or covered with a film.

This is necessary to create greenhouse (greenhouse) conditions for rapid germination and the emergence of young shoots.

The container is placed in a dark and warm place (the temperature for germination is at least +25 degrees, and even +27 is better).
After the first sprouts appear, the film should be immediately removed and the container should be moved to a bright, slightly less warm place, i.e. the temperature drops to + 20 ... + 23 degrees.

Video: technology for growing cucumbers on a balcony at home

How to care for cucumbers on a windowsill or balcony

Caring for indoor cucumbers is similar to what you do when caring for plants in the open field or greenhouse.

Watering

Water only in the morning so that the soil can dry out a little by evening. Remember that wet soil cools more.

Undoubtedly, watering should be carried out as the soil dries.

Cucumbers are very fond of moisture, which means that they should be sprayed periodically (only in the morning). Moreover, it is important to do this in an apartment, especially in winter, when the air is dry due to batteries.

By the way! While the sprouts are still small, it is better to moisten them through a syringe so as not to provoke washing out of the roots.

Irrigation itself is carried out only with settled water at room temperature.

top dressing

For feeding cucumbers on the windowsill, it is optimal to use complex mineral fertilizers, for example, Fertik(1/2 tablespoon per 10 liters - apply with each watering) or Agricola-Forward.

If you are a supporter of organic dressings, then you can use chicken manure(prepare the solution according to the instructions).

Or you can apply Biohumus, which is created on the basis of the vital activity of earthworms (sold both in bottles and in bags). Again, you need to prepare a liquid selection (according to the instructions).

As a rule, it is worth feeding "apartment" cucumbers a little more often than street cucumbers, because. at home, they are more malnourished.

The feeding scheme is standard (as well as):

for a set of green mass (before flowering) - nitrogen fertilizers;
during flowering - nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus (more potassium);
fruiting - potassium-phosphorus (more potassium).

In general, you can use any suitable fertilizers, and how to water under the root (more often), and spray on the leaf, making foliar top dressing(less often).

Shaping (stepping) and garter

Common varieties of cucumbers (not parthenocarpic) pinch along the main stem, in the region of 5-6 leaves, thus forming a lush bush.

But this cannot be done with parthenocarpic varieties, since they have flower ovaries along the main stem. As a rule, it is better to form them into 1 stem, and when it grows to the ceiling, then pinch the top.

Don't forget as you grow quickly cut off the mustache. They have the ability to stretch a large number of nutrients (they take all the juice), preventing the plant from fully developing and pouring fruits.

Yes, it is convenient for cucumbers to cling to their mustaches, but it will be much more effective if you tie them up manually.

It is imperative to carry out garter of lashes (so that the plant does not collapse). Each whip must be carefully directed and tied to a trellis or stretched rope.

By the way! If you want to get more early harvest , then it follows remove upper ovaries, leaving only the lowest ones. Wherein the less there are, the earlier the fruits will ripen.

In addition, it should be borne in mind that all lower ovaries up to 5 leaves also need to be removed.

Well, do not forget to destroy the empty flowers (male flowers).

However, it is worth considering that when you let all the very first cucumbers start and ripen, it often turns out that all subsequent ovaries turn yellow and fall off. This is because, due to early fruiting, the growth of the root system has stopped and the plant simply does not have enough nutrition. Therefore, if you want to get good and long harvests, then all the first flowers must be cut off, preventing the cucumbers from tying. And when your bushes develop a powerful root system, as well as the above-ground mass (the lashes stretch high), then the ovaries will go along the entire length of the vines.

Pollination

Since for growing in an apartment it is recommended to sow exactly parthenocarpic varieties that do not require pollination, then, as a rule, there should be no problems. If the ovary falls off without being pollinated, then you can quite simply do it manually: you need to take an empty flower (male flower), tear off its petals, take out the stamen and touch (pollinate) it to female flower(there is a small pickle on the back).

Video: caring for cucumbers on the balcony - watering, fertilizing, pinching and pollination

Problems that arise when growing cucumbers at home

If seedlings stretched out, it means that she lacks light, and you need to pour a little soil mixture. It is recommended to pour 2-3 times a month.
If you have dry bottom leaves, then this is probably due to too high temperature and low humidity in the room.
If a lower leaves turn yellow, then cucumber seedlings need top dressing potassium, phosphorus and magnesium.
If wound up mite, then to combat it it is better to use biological products (fitoverm, bitoxibacillin). Spray generously on both sides of the leaf, and remove the oldest and most affected leaves.
If you notice the appearance powdery mildew - spill the ground and spray the leaves.
If cucumbers began to bitter, this means that a lot of cucurbitacin has been produced in the fruits, which occurs when adverse factors cultivation: sharp drops temperatures, severe cooling or, conversely, heat, lack of watering.

Advice! Plant those varieties of cucumbers that have the phrase "genetically without bitterness" in the description. Such cucumbers will never (under any circumstances) be bitter.

Terms of germination and harvesting of domestic cucumbers

The timing of seedlings depends on each variety separately. In most cases, seedlings appear within 3-5 days after sowing, if you have previously germinated the seeds. Or after 5-7 days if you sowed them dry.

The duration of ripening is already determined by a specific variety (its ripening time). Some are able to give the first full-fledged harvest in 40-55 days.

Attention! For harvesting, you need to focus on the volume of cucumbers. If the size of the fruit reaches 8-10 cm, then it can already be plucked. Promptly harvesting and preventing it from overgrowing, you can get another (repeated) harvest.

Many varieties grown during the winter months are suitable not only for eating live, but also for pickling. But, of course, you should not count on harvests from the windowsill to successfully make seams during the winter 🙂

Advice! Be sure to watch the next video, in which the author shows photos of all stages of cucumber growth in the apartment.

Video: cucumbers for 50 days on the windowsill

If you are too lazy to watch a long enough video, then you can limit yourself to a shorter video:

Thus, do not miss the opportunity to sow cucumbers in your apartment on the window and get in the middle of winter fresh vegetables. Of course, for successful cultivation you have to work hard to ensure good care and abundance of light. But if you try (set a goal and go towards it), then even novice home amateur gardeners will be able to grow cucumbers at home, on the windowsill.

Video: planting and growing cucumbers on the windowsill in 3 parts

In contact with

We can not enjoy cucumbers for long, as their season ends quickly, especially if the summer was dry. Therefore, many people who like to eat this vegetable in winter try to get cucumbers on the windowsill. fresh. The lifespan of cucumbers grown in this way is about two months after the first harvest - this is quite enough to enjoy the vegetable to its fullest.

It is known that the cucumber reproduces only by seeds, since it cannot be obtained by cuttings. They absolutely cannot stand dry air and lack of moisture - this is worth remembering when growing cucumbers on the balcony. As soon as such homemade cucumbers bloom, the ground should always be moderately moist. Under the pots you will need to put saucers with water, which will help to avoid drying out of the earth. Also indoor cucumbers in addition to watering, they require spraying, at least twice a day. And when flowering begins, then the bush once a day for better pollination need to be shaken.

Growing cucumbers on the window, do not forget about pinching, which is done after the appearance of 3-5 leaves - this will add splendor and density to the plant. Pinching the shoots not only reduces the length by half, but also makes the bush twice as magnificent - that is, instead of one lash, two short ones are obtained. Before the pinching point, the ovary is removed, and only the one that is above the pinching point is left.

In order for the cucumbers on the windowsill to please you with their harvest for as long as possible, it is better to collect the fruits as they ripen and not wait until all the cucumbers become large - this contributes to less depletion of the bush and saves the loss of excess juices from the plant.

Cucumbers on the windowsill - what do you need?

Initially, you need to start choosing seeds - these should be self-pollinating hybrids, from which it is better to choose early-ripening varieties. Give preference to bush varieties if you are going to grow cucumbers in an apartment. In general, you need to prepare:

special seeds;
biohumus and coconut substrate;
pots of 3-4 liters, depending on the number of seeds;
sprayer for daily plant refreshment;
lamp to create additional light.

So, how to grow cucumbers on the windowsill and where to start? Prepare a good substrate of biohumus and coconut fibers: mix one part of biohumus with two parts of coconut fiber. Filling containers can be standard three-liter pots. You can plant seeds both immediately in permanent containers, and with the help of a pick, transplanting the plants later into large pots. Everyone chooses individually how to grow cucumbers on a windowsill, but with the help of a pick, you can transplant stronger and more tenacious plants into pots, thus providing yourself with a reliable harvest.

Seeds of hybrid cucumbers need to be well prepared for planting, for which they are dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate at room temperature for a couple of hours, and then removed. It is worth paying attention that those seeds that have sunk to the bottom are good, and those that have surfaced are better thrown away, since their germination is low. Let the seeds drain, and later you can plant them (dry only).

When planting with a pick, they are initially planted in small cups with a capacity of 100 ml, filled with a special earthen mixture. You need to lay out 5 seeds in a glass, and then, after tamping the ground, water it. After a week or two, shoots can be observed, which must be thinned out, leaving two of the most powerful plants each. A week later, the final thinning is carried out, and one strong sprout remains in the cup.

A few secrets of a good harvest

When transplanting plants into large pots with a capacity of 3-4 liters, the earth is not filled to the brim by about 4 cm. Transplantation is done 3 or 4 weeks after germination. The seedling in the cup is turned over on the palm, gently passing it between the fingers. A sprout with a lump of soil is inserted into a prepared permanent pot, sprinkled with soil on top to the cotyledon leaves.

In large pots, pickled sprouts require constant watering. In the first month of life, cucumbers at home are watered constantly, but moderately. At the initial stage, it is important not to overwater the seedlings, as they may start to hurt. In winter, there is little sun and heat, so there is not much moisture required for plants. From the end of March, more moisture is required if the cucumbers are still able to bear fruit.
The cucumber also needs a support, which can be in the form of a grid or any other support.
Such a procedure would also be useful: once a day, turn the pot with seedlings around its axis by 180 degrees so that the plants receive light and heat not only from one side.
And for a long life of the entire bush, you can feed once every two weeks: add a teaspoon of agrolife to the top layer of the earth or pour fresh biohumus into the pot once a month.
They require cucumbers and the proper amount of light - at least 12 hours, which can be provided with artificial lighting.

If you are thinking about how to grow cucumbers at home in winter without picking, then plant the seeds in large pots without filling the ground 5 cm to the edge. After laying out the seeds, pour a layer of 1.5 cm of earth, and add the remaining soil in about a month - this will replace the dive.

Proper pollination of hybrid cucumbers

How to grow cucumbers at home, because there is no one to carry out pollination, unless, of course, you breed flying insects at home? Without proper pollination, the ovaries will simply fall off. Try on the role of a bee!

In order for the fruits to set for sure, you need to separate the female and male flowers. Females have a pistil, consisting of an ovary and a stigma, while males do not have a pistil.

It is desirable to carry out pollination in the morning, when the pollen is sticky - pick the male flower, cut off the corolla, and put it in the female one so that the pollen gets on the stigma. This is how bees pollinate plants. But it is better to use self-pollinated varieties, they do not require pollination at all.

Having grown cucumbers correctly, you can collect up to 15 medium-sized fruits from a bush. At the same time, they will have a real taste, incomparable to store ones. The windows or balcony on which the plants are located should be warm, and it is desirable that they face south or southeast.

Protect homemade cucumbers from drafts and enjoy their crispy fruits!

How tempting 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, a container, land and your desire. And you can get the necessary knowledge from this article.

If you want to receive good harvest in an apartment, pay attention to the following seeds and hybrids of cucumbers. Their main advantage is that they are parthenocarpic. Simply put, they do not need pollination, as they have a female type of flowering. It is better that the plants are bushy or medium-sized, 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;
Rytova;
Marfinsky;
Bianca.

Terms of sowing cucumbers at home

If you want to have home-grown gherkins on the 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 fruiting, an average of 45-50 days pass.

In both cases - when sowing cucumbers at home in autumn or winter, the whips must be provided with additional lighting and the plants should be placed on the southern or eastern window, where there is no draft and the temperature is within +17 - +22 ° degrees at night and +22 - + 26 ° during the day.

In summer, growing cucumbers at home is even easier 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 illuminated. By mid-April, they can be placed on glazed loggia, where there is enough final light and heat.

Growing indoor cucumbers: preparing and planting seeds

After you have decided when you want to receive crops, prepare the seeds at the indicated time. This procedure will not take you much time. Please note that if the seeds are in the shell, then they are planted dry in prepared containers. If not covered with a colored shell, disinfect them in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for 15–20 minutes, rinse. Prepare small containers. You can take special seedling cups or use containers from yogurt, ice cream, sour cream. They should be 6-8 centimeters in diameter. The root system of cucumbers is superficial, so low containers are suitable.

Poke 3 holes at the bottom of each cup with a knife or scissors. Pour into 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, nutrient-rich earth mix that's rich in rotted organic matter. The best way- buy a ready-made soil mixture 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. Put in a warm place, make sure that the material is moist 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 the glass in high pallet or a jellied container so that its edges are higher than these vessels. To prevent moisture from evaporating, cover the soil with foil or a transparent cake lid.

cucumbers grow

Sprouts will appear pretty soon, so put the tray with pots immediately in a warm, bright place. When shoots appear on the surface of the soil, remove the film. If you grow cucumbers in an apartment during a short daylight period, then the first 5 days you need to do this at a low positive 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 the 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, grow squat and strong.

Transplanting homemade cucumbers

When the plants acquire three true leaves, they must be transplanted. It is necessary to prepare large containers, which will include a sufficient amount of land. These can be balcony boxes 15 × 20 cm high. Large flower pots with a diameter of 25 cm or more are suitable. 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. Buckets are also suitable for this purpose, no more than one cucumber can be planted in each.

At the same time, try to act very carefully so as not to injure the root system, otherwise the seedlings may not take root. This event should be carried out on a cloudy day, placing pots on the floor in a room or loggia, or shading them for 2-3 days.

Caring for homemade cucumbers: watering, feeding, shaping, garter

When ovaries begin to form in the axils of the leaves, feed the plants. To do this, place 100 grams of ash in a liter hot water, stir, insist during the day. Pre-water the plants with water, and then fertilize.

If lateral processes appear on the central lash, pinch them at the base. One cucumber should have no more than two lashes. They need to be tied up. This can be done in several ways. Pull a transparent mesh (for example, construction mesh) with large cells onto the window glass frame 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 end 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 a 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 home-made small ladder is lowered into the bucket, its second 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 warm water, the temperature of which is +27 - +30 °. After tying cucumbers, plants are watered 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 it can lead to bitter fruit. Collect greens, not letting them outgrow. Then the next fruits will form and grow faster.

In the middle of spring, sow lettuce, radish, dill on the loggia. Then you can pick a cucumber, fresh herbs at the moment and enjoy a vitamin dish, the ingredients for which you have grown with your own hands, with love, without the use of chemicals.

Video with tips for growing cucumbers in an apartment on a balcony with north-facing windows:

Is it possible to grow cucumbers on the windowsill all year round? Alas, a break will have to be made, but only if there is no desire to bother with fluorescent or helium lighting. last numbers February, when daylight hours begin to gradually increase - it's time to plant cucumbers.

Cucumber - Enough shade plant, but on the windowsill there will still be not enough light for him, especially in the spring-autumn period. Therefore, you need to grow cucumbers only on the southern or southeastern windows. The plant does not like drafts, make sure that in window frames there were no cracks.

It makes sense to grow cucumbers on the windowsill only if the temperature in the apartment does not drop below 20 degrees. This heat-loving plant stops growing at temperatures below 16 degrees.

Cucumber loves high humidity air, in winter it will not be very easy to provide him with such conditions, you will have to cover the home heating batteries with wet towels. Simply spraying the leaves in this case will not help.

If you can arrange for a plant suitable conditions, then you may well grow cucumbers at home on the windowsill. From one bush, on average, it will be possible to collect from 10 to 15 good medium size cucumbers.

Varieties and seed preparation

In order to grow cucumbers on the windowsill, you need parthenocarpic hybrids or. Unless, of course, you want to pollinate them yourself. If you choose the wrong variety, the unpollinated ovaries of cucumbers will turn yellow and fall off. Recommended varieties: F1 Window-balcony, F1 Gift of the East, F1 Ekaterina, F1 Marathon, F1 Faust and many others.

If you are going to grow cucumbers for the first time, then it is best to purchase seeds of varieties that are shade-tolerant and not afraid of temperature changes.

To germinate seeds, you will need a cloth or cotton pads. We moisten them and place them on a saucer, spread the seeds of cucumbers on top. Don't let the fabric dry out. After just a couple of days, the seeds will hatch. Everything, they can be planted in previously prepared soil about a centimeter deep.

What is the best way to grow cucumbers on the windowsill

Cucumbers are quite freedom-loving, so the pot for growing them should be large enough. For one plant you will need a five-liter vessel. It can be a simple flower pot, even better - homemade box, in which several bushes will perfectly fit at once. The most economical way is to take five-liter water bottles and cut off upper part along with the neck. As an option - double plastic bags. Just do not forget that no matter what container you choose, be sure to make holes in its bottom to drain excess water.

In what soil should cucumbers be grown on the windowsill

It will be easier for beginner gardeners to purchase ready-made soil in the store. For those who have a desire to cook it yourself, you can offer several options:

Mix 4 parts of garden soil, 1 part of humus and 1 part of peat. For 5 liters of the mixture, add 100 grams of ash, a teaspoon of magnesium sulfate and a tablespoon of "full" fertilizer.

Mix 2 parts of garden soil, humus, peat and one part of sawdust. For 5 liters of soil, add 100 grams of ash, a teaspoon of magnesium sulfate and a tablespoon of “full” fertilizer.

Mix biohumus and garden soil in equal proportions, add 5 tablespoons of wood ash for every 5 liters of land.

In principle, you can grow cucumbers on the windowsill in any soil, no one will be left without a crop, just in the right soil, the crop, which is quite natural, will be much higher. Well, you still have to fertilize the unprepared soil.

How to plant cucumbers on the windowsill

In addition to soil and containers for planting, you will need twine for future support of cucumbers and glass or plastic caps for sheltering seedlings.

We fill the pot with soil below the edges by 3-4 cm. We spread germinated (if not, then dry or wetted) seeds in the amount of 3 pieces at a distance of about two cm from each other. We sprinkle them with earth.

Water the seedlings well, let the water soak in.

To create a greenhouse effect, we cover the seedlings with a plastic or glass container. We remove the pots in the warmest place in the apartment. Most often this is the top of cabinets in the kitchen. After the appearance of sprouts, the "greenhouses" are removed, and the pots are placed permanently on the southern or southeastern window sills.

When real leaves are formed, we choose the most powerful and beautiful plant, the rest are removed.

How to grow cucumbers on a windowsill

Prepare in advance a support for cucumbers. It can be either twine or a thick nylon thread, or a long peg to which cucumber lashes will need to be tied. In the case of a peg, all mustaches that appear on the cucumber must be removed.

After the appearance of 5-6 internodes, the cucumber must be pinched. side shoots also pinch over the second sheet.

Growing cucumbers on the windowsill without top dressing is a waste of time. Once every two weeks, and when cucumbers appear, and once every 10 days, it is necessary to feed. 1 tsp can be added to the topsoil. "Agrolife" or watered with a cap of "Rosta" diluted in two liters of water. You can just add fresh biohumus once a month.

Tip 3: How to get the first, early cucumber on the windowsill

Today, cucumbers are sold in stores all year round, but still, a grown cucumber in your window will bring more pleasure. These cucumbers have a pronounced cucumber aroma and amazing taste. They are more nutritious compared to their purchased brothers. The quality of lettuce made from grown cucumber will pleasantly surprise your family.

Instruction

For the cultivation of cucumber on the windowsill, we choose self-pollinated seeds (parthenocarpic), otherwise you will have to pollinate the flower stigmas manually, and this is difficult and not always of high quality. For cultivation in room conditions suitable varieties such as: Claudia, Marinda, Mashenka, Zozulya, April. To begin with, the seeds are pickled in a Zircon solution and placed in a container with a damp cloth, where the seeds will germinate. Seeds hatch at a germination temperature of 25 to 30 degrees.

It is difficult to prepare the soil mixture for cucumbers; it is better to use purchased soil. But if you decide to independent production substrate, then it is prepared taking into account high fertility: equal parts of manure humus, soddy land, high-moor peat, rotted sawdust.
We mix the whole mixture thoroughly and heat it wet in the oven for 15-20 minutes at a temperature of 180ºС. We add 1 glass of wood ash, 1 tablespoon of nitroammophoska to a bucket of cooled soil.

We choose a container for sowing with a depth of 15-20 centimeters with holes for draining excess water, fill it with soil to 1/2 the depth of the container. In the future, during the growing season, you will have to pour soil into the container more than once. Having filled the container with soil, pour abundantly the entire soil layer with hot (40 - 50ºС) water. In the center we make a shallow hole and put the germinated cucumber seed into it, fall asleep with loose, moist soil. Without watering the plantings, we build a greenhouse and install, until sprouts appear, in a warm room, where the temperature should be kept within 23-25ºС. When the seedlings appear, we place the container on a bright, warm windowsill, avoiding drafts. The air temperature when growing cucumbers should fluctuate in the aisles: daytime - 20-22ºС and nighttime - 15-16ºС.

Cucumbers are very thermophilic and photophilous; for the cultivation of this crop, windows of the southern, southwestern and southeastern directions are chosen. If the sowing of cucumber crops fell on more than early dates, it is necessary to additionally illuminate fluorescent lamps. Illumination is carried out from the moment of germination, including the lamp not 8-10 hours from 7-8 o'clock in the morning. Water daily with fertilizing every 12 days.

Timely garter and correct formation crops will bear a considerable amount of fruit. The formation is carried out in one stem, all the forming mustaches are cut out as unnecessary. The lateral shoots coming from the axils of the leaves of the first order are plucked, with the shoots of the second order they do the same. The shoot of the third and fourth order is broken out at a height above the appeared ovary with a leaf. Further, the shoot of the fifth and sixth order is broken out above the second leaf that has appeared and the second ovary. And so they do with the following shoots, gradually increasing the length of the shoot by one leaf and one stuck. At a height of 1.5 m from the container, the crown of the main stem is broken out. During the fruiting period, the cucumber is fed every 6-8 days with a solution of "Ideal", "Gumat" or. Do not forget to arrange a shower from a spray bottle, the cucumber loves high humidity, but does not like a draft. As the plant grows and develops, roots begin to appear on the surface, they must be covered. Adding soil, additional roots begin to form at the stem, and this is an additional supply of nutrition for the plant. Do not forget to rotate the seedlings 180 degrees, for a uniform increase in mass.