Every novice gardener who starts growing cucumbers in a greenhouse will sooner or later face the problem of their correct placement. So that the plants do not interfere with each other and do not interfere with the owner's care, you need to master such a skill as the formation of cucumbers in a greenhouse.

Conditions for growing cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse

Polycarbonate greenhouse and cucumber seem to be made for each other. Polycarbonate is able not only to protect plants from the cold, but also prevent sunburn and drying out. The microclimate in such a greenhouse allows you to grow cucumbers at a much earlier date than is possible in the open field.

Even if the outside temperature corresponds to the required one, a cucumber bush in the open field will lag far behind in growth and development from a bush in a greenhouse, planted at the same time. The greenhouse allows you to maintain not only the air temperature from +25 to +28 degrees, but also the air humidity of about 80%, these conditions are the most optimal for cucumbers. To maintain such parameters, it is necessary to equip the greenhouse with vents for ventilation, thermometers to control the temperature of the air and soil. If the air is too dry, plastic is watered from a hose, open containers with water are placed inside the greenhouse.

Attention! Air humidity above 90% can adversely affect plants, and too high a temperature will prevent pollination. If the permissible values ​​of temperature and humidity are exceeded, urgent ventilation or forced ventilation is required.

Temperatures below the required temperature also negatively affect the development of plants. If the greenhouse cools down to +10 degrees, the root system can be severely damaged, so those who want to grow early cucumbers should equip the greenhouse with heating devices.

Growing

The moisture content of the soil in the greenhouse should be within 60%, when the seedlings dry out, they will not receive the necessary moisture and nutrition, and if the moisture norm is exceeded, the roots will rot.

Cucumbers also need adequate lighting. The greenhouse should be installed in a place well lit by the sun. If the cucumbers are planted at a time when the daylight hours still do not exceed 10 hours, then it is recommended to use artificial lighting.

Attention! In order to ensure fire safety, it is necessary to reliably protect all electrical appliances from moisture penetration into them.

Forming cucumbers in the greenhouse

Eggplants in a polycarbonate greenhouse: planting and care, bush formation

If you do not pay enough attention to the formation of a cucumber bush, a number of problems will surely appear, namely:

  • Thickened plants will interfere with the penetration of sunlight, which is necessary for normal growth and development.
  • The thickening creates a favorable environment for diseases and pests.
  • All strength and nutrition will go to extra shoots, not fruits.
  • Dense plantings make care difficult.
  • If bee-pollinated varieties are planted, overgrown shoots will make it difficult for insects to access.

The formation of cucumbers includes such procedures as removing stepchildren, tying, and distributing shoots in the desired direction.

Stepsons are lateral branches that grow above the leaf stem. They take up a lot of nutrients and strongly obstruct the flow of light, so removing stepchildren increases yields. Due to the excess number of lateral shoots, the number of ovaries decreases.

How to form cucumbers correctly

Soil for cucumbers in the greenhouse

Cucumbers are bush and tall, while the same norms for the formation of cucumbers for all varieties and hybrids do not exist. The formation of cucumbers in one, two, three or more stems differs.

How to shape cucumbers in a greenhouse? Usually tall varieties are grown with stems up to two meters long. Such plants need a garter. Usually, the trellises are arranged at a height of one and a half meters; hanging ropes must be tied to them, along which cucumber whips will curl. These ropes are twisted around the stem clockwise, when 4-5 leaves have appeared on the bushes.

Forming cucumbers in the greenhouse

Step-by-step instructions for shaping cucumbers into one stem

  • In the axils of four to five lower leaves, lateral shoots (stepsons) and flowers are removed;
  • when the lash increases by another 4-5 leaves, the flowers and ovaries are left, and the stepsons are removed. It is impossible to allow the outgrowth of stepchildren to 20 or more centimeters, when their removal can lead to dropping of the ovaries.
  • after the appearance of five more leaves in this area, the stepsons leave, but pinch their tops after the appearance of the first leaves;
  • then they act according to the same principle: they leave two leaves on the first side shoot, three leaves above, and so on in ascending order, pinching off their tops;
  • on the side shoots, stepchildren will also begin to grow, they should be removed immediately;
  • the top of the main stem is pinched at the height where it hangs over the wire stretched from above and it can be thrown two or three times.

If this is a parthenocarpic hybrid, in which all the flowers are female, then you do not need to pinch the main stem, and the lateral ones are shortened already above the second leaf.

What is a parthenocarpic hybrid

This is a species obtained as a result of breeding work with desired properties. Any hybrid is not capable of reproduction, therefore, each time you plant it, you need to re-acquire seeds.

Important! Such hybrids do not need insect pollination, therefore they grow well in greenhouses and greenhouses.

The most common hybrids in our country are Zozulya, Courage, Carousel, Real Colonel and others.

How to form bunch cucumber bushes

Such varieties are increasingly used in our gardens. They are distinguished by a large number of fruits in each leaf sinus. On the side shoots, they form a bountiful harvest, but this can quickly deplete the bush, so it is advised to form them into one stem:

  • After harvesting from the lower section of the stem, all stepchildren should be removed.
  • When the main stem grows to a trellis, it is thrown over and cut off when the top is 20-30 cm from the ground. All fruits will form on the main stem.

You can make the formation of a beam bush and according to a different scheme:

  • Immediately pinch off all the side shoots to the trellis, shortening the main stem at this level.
  • On the upper section, leave one or two stepsons, throw them over the wire, lower and pinch after the second sheet at a height of 20 - 30 cm from the ground.

Bushes of bunch cucumbers

In this case, the crop will ripen first on the main stem, and then on the side branches.

Forming cucumbers in the open field without tying

If it is a bee-pollinated variety, only male flowers - barren flowers, will appear on the main stem, and women - on the lateral lashes, therefore, the central stem is pinched over the fourth leaf, and the lateral shoots are left. You can do without pinching at all, because in the garden it is in the dense thickets that more carbon dioxide is released. In addition, under the foliage, the fruits are protected from sunburn and drying out.

But if the main stem is too long, it is still better to shorten it.

Further care

Cucumber is a very demanding crop for watering. Drying out of the soil under the cucumbers must not be allowed! If there are jumps in the level of humidity, shedding of the ovaries, bitter taste of fruits, curling of fruits, death of leaves, and a decrease in yield are possible.

Diseases of cucumbers in the greenhouse

Water for irrigation should not be cold, water should not be poured directly under the root, so as not to expose the roots. An effective procedure is mulching, it does not allow the soil to dry out, prevents the formation of a soil crust, maintains a constant soil temperature.

Throughout the growing season, cucumbers need nutrients, sunlight and carbon dioxide. Therefore, it is advisable to place a barrel with fresh manure or poultry droppings in the greenhouse. During fermentation, manure will emit carbon dioxide, and after fermentation it is used for fertilizing.

In addition to organic dressings, it is recommended to use mineral fertilizers, alternating them.

Important! Fertilize cucumbers at least five times during the growing period.

Foliar dressing with microelements by spraying on a leaf has proven to be good.

Diseases and pests can bring irreparable harm to cucumbers in the greenhouse, this should be remembered especially for novice gardeners. The reasons leading to the occurrence of diseases of cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse:

  • thickening of crowns;
  • lack of ventilation;
  • excessive or insufficient watering;
  • wrong predecessors;
  • unsuitable temperature.

For diseases, spraying with copper-containing preparations is recommended, and for insects - pests during fruiting, it is advised to process plantings with infusion of red pepper.

Advice! An excellent preventive measure is to disinfect the seeds before planting.

Following these simple rules will help you enjoy your work and get a rich harvest!