What kind of soil is needed for growing cucumbers in a greenhouse: the best parameters, composition, methods for increasing fertility. Growing cucumber on high sphagnum peat Is it possible to grow cucumbers on peat soil

Peat pots or cups - simple, affordable and economical way to grow cucumber. Tanks are made from a mixture of peat with pressed cardboard. Shops offer products of various volumes and depths, single or combined in several pieces.

To grow cucumber seedlings in peat pots, medium-sized containers are needed. In too spacious soil quickly turns sour, small do not allow fast-growing seedlings to develop normally.

Selection rules

In order for the seedlings to be strong and of high quality, you need to choose the right peat containers. Good pots have a flat, smooth surface with no coarse fibers sticking out.

The walls of the cups should not be too thick and hard. otherwise, when transplanting, the roots of the seedlings will not be able to break through the peat walls.

Excessively soft cups will also not work, with a constant they will lose their shape. High-quality pots have a stable, even bottom, a neatly processed top, they are aligned in height.

These little things are very important. Carefully made cups will not tip over, the same height allows you to cover the plantings with glass or film, creating the microclimate necessary for seedlings.

Benefits of peat pots:

• you can fill the containers with any soil, both purchased and prepared on your own;
• cups keep their shape well;
• when transplanted to the beds, peat quickly soaks and does not interfere with the normal development of the roots;
• you can use mineral or organic.

Despite the positives, peat cups have disadvantages:

• cheap samples contain too much cardboard;
• bulky cups take up a lot of space or;
• the soil in the containers dries up quickly, constant monitoring of humidity is necessary.

How to plant cucumbers for seedlings in peat pots?

The pots are filled with soil so that at least 1 cm remains to the walls. The soil is slightly crushed. Later it will settle and backfill will be required, so part of the soil should be set aside. You can plant both dry and.

Planting cucumbers in peat pots for seedlings. If dry material is used, the seed is buried with fingers, lowering into the ground by 1.5-2 cm. The surface of the soil is slightly crushed, it is not necessary to compact it. The pots are placed in the prepared pallet so that the containers do not tip over. The soil is plentifully sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle..

When planting germinated seeds, you need to be careful. A hole is made in the soil with a depth of 2 cm, a germinated seed is carefully moved into it, sprinkled with soil and slightly crushed.

Important do not injure the tender sprout, otherwise the seedling will die.

The soil is moistened with a spray gun. You should not use a watering can, directed jets of water can erode the soil.

Landings are covered with plastic wrap or glass and placed in heat. After the emergence of seedlings (4-5 days), the mini-garden moves to a bright place: window sill of the south or southeast window. In cloudy weather, seedlings will have to be illuminated with fluorescent lamps.

Care of seedlings in peat pots

In peat containers, the soil dries out quickly. In the first days, the film retains the necessary moisture; after removing it, you need to carefully monitor the condition of the soil.

It must not dry out the soil is moistened daily or every other day. For watering newly sprouted seedlings, use a spray gun or a spoon; older plants can be watered from a watering can.

After a few days, the soil in the pot may settle. It is recommended to carefully pour the pre-prepared substrate squeezing it with your fingers. It is important to ensure that a hard crust does not form on the soil surface that interferes with the respiration of plants. For prevention, the soil is loosened at least 2 times a week, trying not to touch the roots.

The first dressing is carried out after unfolding a pair of true leaves. cucumbers can be fertilized with an aqueous solution of mineral fertilizer for seedlings or a bred mullein. It is necessary to water the pre-moistened soil with nutrient compositions; after feeding, cucumber seedlings are sprayed from a spray bottle.

Peat tablets: one hundred percent result

Peat tablets for seedlings of cucumbers - smarter growing option cucumber seedlings. They are easy to use, available and inexpensive. Planted plants do not need picking, they quickly take root in any soil.

The tablets are made from light, ecologically pure top peat, mixed with beneficial substances: growth stimulants, components with a disinfectant effect, nutritional supplements.

Landed plants do not experience a deficiency of nutrients, they develop well. The form of products is kept by a thin, but strong grid. Thanks to it, the soaked peat does not spread, and the seedling is firmly fixed.

Stores offer different options for tablets. They differ in diameter, which is chosen, focusing on the size of the future seedling. For cucumbers, the largest options are suitable, giving a final volume of 400 ml.

For the successful development of seedlings of cucumbers in peat tablets, it is better to choose products from well-known manufacturers that use high-quality peat and do not save on useful additives.

The cheapest tablets consist of low-grade fibrous raw materials; they swell poorly and do not hold their shape. Another disadvantage of cheap tablets is an overly acidic environment, which is not very useful for cucumber seedlings.

How to plant cucumbers for seedlings in peat tablets?

Before planting, peat tablets are placed in a deep container and pour warm water. As it is absorbed, it is poured. After a few hours, the tablets will turn into even columns. They are carefully moved into a deep pan.

The ideal container for pills is a plastic container or a cake box. It is also convenient to use special pallets with cassettes for fixing tablets. The only drawback of this design is the high cost.

On top of the pills there are holes for placing seeds. They can be slightly expanded with a toothpick. Dry or treated with a growth stimulator seeds are put into the resulting mini-wells. Dry seed is deepened with a toothpick.

Sprouted seeds are carefully placed in the hole, covering with a piece of peat. It is not necessary to press them, fragile sprouts are easily injured.

Peat columns are placed in prepared pallets and covered with glass. Plantings are placed in heat until germination. After germination, the mini-garden is placed on the windowsill and protected from drafts.

For successful growth of young plants need heat and high humidity. Peat columns are sprayed with warm water once every 2 days.

Tablets contain all essential nutrients, cucumber seedlings do not need additional feeding.

If the mesh holding the peat breaks, the seedlings will have to be transplanted into any suitable container, after removing the remnants of the mesh and adding fresh soil.

Before moving to the beds, the mesh from the plant is carefully cut. It does not dissolve in the soil, which can inhibit root growth.

Peat tablets and cups are a convenient, simple and modern way to grow cucumber seedlings that you must try. It is not suitable for industrial cultivation, but most amateur gardeners consider peat containers ideal for growing cucumbers.

Useful video

Personal experience of growing cucumbers in peat tablets in 2 parts.

Part 1 - planting seeds:

Part 2 - transplanting sprouted shoots:

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

Over time, any soil is depleted and requires systematic fertilization, otherwise growing cultivated plants on it becomes difficult. In this case, gardeners resort to feeding the substrate with organic substances.

One of these is peat - a natural fertilizer formed from particles of dead marsh plants. Peat, as a mineral, is mined in swamps, riverbeds or watersheds.

This type of raw material has been used for a long time as the basis of fertilizers for the land and in other areas of activity. The substance consists of decomposed plants and synthesis products - humus, mineral particles and water. The composition also contains a small amount of mineral and chemical elements.

Peat deposits are used in many areas. Mainly as a fuel in power plants, in animal husbandry, for cleaning drains, in the development of medicines for medicine. In the construction industry, peat-insulating materials are used.

A large proportion of peatlands is used by gardeners and gardeners to improve soil fertility. Peat deposits are used to make fertilizers that stimulate plant growth, pots for seedlings and covering biomaterial for the winter.

Many products of photosynthesis and carbon are accumulated in the peat material, which, when introduced into the soil improves its permeability to moisture and air, makes loose, and also changes the microbiological composition.

Substance improves the structure of the earth, reduces the content of nitrates, reduces the effect of pesticides, suppresses harmful bacteria and fungi, increases acidity. The humic and amino acids which are a part improve development of plant cultures. That is why peat, as a fertilizer, is so often used for vegetable gardens.

There are the following types of peat:

1. Lowland. This species is formed from particles of tree species, mosses, sedges and reeds in swampy areas. The decomposition of plants occurs without access to oxygen with the help of microorganisms in the lowland layer. This variety is characterized by high humidity and density. The peat layer consists of low-lying undecomposed plants: alder, fern, birch, spruce, willow, etc. It occurs in floodplains and deep ravines.
2. Horse. From its name it indicates that it is formed in the upper layer of wetlands from grass and plants. Oxygen is involved in the formation. It has a light and loose structure, consists of the remains of plants of the upper type: larch, pine, marsh sedge, etc.
3. transitional. It is an integral part of high and low peat.

Lowland peat: application and properties of raw materials

This type of raw material is characterized by a high concentration of minerals and rapid decomposition. Mostly black.

Neutral or slightly acidic composition (pH 4–6) is saturated with humic acid, strongly absorbs water, so the humidity reaches 70%. Due to moisture, it is prone to the formation of clods, caking and silting.

Before use lowland peat ventilate for several days outdoors, pouring into small piles. Used in combination with compost and the addition of mineral fertilizers to enrich the soil or retain moisture in clay or sandy soils.

Lowland peat evenly laid out on the surface of the earth and dig up the soil to a depth of no more than 10 cm. The optimal rate is considered to be from 20 to 30 liters / m². If the land on the site is new and has not been fertilized before, then they contribute from 50 to 60 liters / m².

The introduction of peat raw materials makes the soil structure granular, due to the fact that the particles of the earth are fastened into small lumps. The soil freely passes air, is well saturated and retains moisture, which has a beneficial effect on the root system of plants.

Lowland peat is often used for mulching lawn surfaces in spring. Before that, the lawn is combed out, fertilizers from nitrogen are added and a thin layer of peat no more than 3-5 mm is distributed on the surface.

Mulching with low-lying peat is resorted to in the case of sandy and clay soils, so that moisture is retained during irrigation longer. To do this, weeds are removed, watered and fertilized, then the peat cover is distributed. thin layer on the surface(2-5 cm), trying not to affect the area around the stems.

Horse peat: characteristics and uses in horticulture

High-moor peat is characterized by porosity and a high ability to retain moisture. Long time does not give in to biological decomposition.

Due to the long fibers of the structure, it retains mineral substances in the composition for a long time. The soil saturated with long-staple high-moor peat is light, has thermal insulation qualities and does not shrink when growing plants.

Unfortunately, horse peat little rich in nutrients. High-moor peat deposits have an acid pH of 2.5–3.1. and are often used to acidify the soil.

Some plants require just such an environment for development. For example, for potatoes, strawberries, hydrangeas, sorrel, violets, heather. In this case, ventilated peat is added in proportions of 1: 1 for loamy and sandy soils.

In order not to inhibit plant cultures with high acidity, high-moor peat compost in pits or heaps until complete decomposition of organic residues.

On the basis of raw materials, substrates are prepared for growing seedlings of vegetables and flowers, and are also used in the greenhouse as the main material. Before that stuff stir and ventilate, add mineral fertilizer and dolomite flour.

Be sure to measure the acidity, since the pH level of 5.5–6.5 is considered optimal for plants. The prepared base is kept for 1.5–2 weeks, periodically stirring, after which the plants are planted.

To use useful raw materials in gardening, you should know some rules. Before use, peat fertilizer is “dissolved” and aired for about two weeks.

It is best to sift the material additionally through a special mesh. Ventilation is performed in order to reduce toxicity. Then the raw materials are piled up and kept for up to two or three months, periodically shoveled.

Peat fertilizer has shown itself well in growing flowers. Airy and porous soil contributes to rapid restoration of flowers after transplants. Peonies are especially favorable to the peat substrate. Flowers develop quickly and delight with bright colors, while exuding more intense smells.

Gardeners often use instead of manure peat compost. The only drawback of this method is the longer decomposition of peat in the soil than manure. In addition, high-moor peat has an increased acidity, which requires aging before use. But with proper preparation, peat compost is in no way inferior to manure.

Composting is done from early spring to late autumn. In compost heaps, various materials are added to peat, which serves as an excellent complement to beneficial microorganisms.

Most often, these are fallen leaves, plant waste, tops, weeds, food debris and sawdust. Compost is prepared for about one to a year and a half. During this time, it is considered ready if the mixture has turned into a homogeneous mass.

The use of peat in a summer cottage leads to positive results. Natural substance is used for the following purposes:

How should peat be applied? The method is ineffective if you simply scatter raw materials on the surface of the soil. To achieve maximum effect, peat material is mixed with turf, humus and other components, then bring 2-3 buckets to an area of ​​1 m². Such top dressing can be performed every year, which will increase the level of soil fertility by 1%.

Simple rules should be taken into account when applying peat top dressing at their summer cottage:

• The amount of peat matter in the soil composition should not exceed 70%.
• Before use, be sure to mix with humus and sand.
• Apply additional mineral fertilizers.
• Use low-lying peat deposits.
• Apply on loam and sandy soils.

The result of top dressing is affected by the degree of decomposition of peat raw materials, which should not be less than 30–40%. If a lowland type of material is used, then it must be ventilate and grind. At the same time, it is impossible to overdry the material, the optimum humidity should be 50-70%.

Peat for the garden: the benefits and harms of raw materials

Gardeners use peat raw materials to give looseness to earthen coma and create the correct structure of sod-podzolic soils, where sand and clay predominate. As you know, sand weakly retains water, and clay is airtight.

Therefore, the best option for such soil cannot be found. How to choose peat for the garden? You can choose depending on the degree of decomposition of the substance. There are three categories:

• Lowland type. More than 40% degree of decomposition. Due to the neutral composition, it is best suited for the garden.
• transitional type. The degree of decomposition is from 25 to 40%. Used as a material for composting.
• Riding type. The minimum degree of decomposition, which is 20%. It is not recommended to apply in its pure form to the soil due to its high acidity, it requires pre-treatment.

The main benefits and harms of peat on a garden plot. Let's determine what the beneficial effects of the peat composition are:

1. Allows you to increase productivity by improving the soil, is minimal in cost.
2. Increases the humus layer of the earth, thereby improving fertility.
3. Increases porosity, air and water permeability of the substrate, improving the functioning of the root system of plants.
4. Fights pathogenic microflora, fungi, bacteria, is a good antiseptic.
5. With a low acidity of the substrate, this indicator can be normalized if you choose the right type of peat.
6. It quickly warms the earth, is able to retain useful substances and stop their leaching.
7. Possesses hygroscopicity. Increases the moisture content of the soil.

What disadvantages and harm can bring:

1. Peat is only harmful if it is misused or combined with poor quality fertilizers. Then the plants slow down development, and in some cases even death is possible.
2. The substance is able to increase the acidity of the soil, which adversely affects the growth of the crop. To avoid acidification of the soil, peat material is limed - 4–6 kg of lime is added per 100 kg.
3. Peat will not bring any benefit if the land is fertile and loose. The content of trace elements in the substance is minimal and will be absorbed only by 5%. This should be taken into account.

Peat as a fertilizer for vegetable crops

Almost all crops give a good harvest when using peat. Tomatoes, sorrel, potatoes, strawberries, strawberries and blueberries react especially favorably to the beneficial substance.

Top dressing is carried out in the spring, simultaneously with the planting of potatoes. Peat material mixed with manure thrown right into the hole, which allows nutrients to better penetrate to the seeds.

Peat also works well on the growth of strawberries. The fruits ripen faster, and the harvest becomes richer. Planting material has an equally good effect on tomatoes. Top dressing is carried out once every 14 days root or foliar method.

Soil condition is one of the main conditions for the development and yield of cucumber. The culture begins to bear fruit early, therefore, by the time of planting, the soil must contain a complex of all the mineral and nutrients necessary for fruit set. Otherwise, it is impossible to achieve a high yield.

Not only fertility is important, but also the structure of the soil. The weak root system of the cucumber does not tolerate heavy soils. It should be taken into account: everything that is introduced into the soil lingers in it for a long time, so the process requires the right approach.

The main requirements of the culture for the mechanical composition of the soil are high air permeability and moisture capacity, therefore cucumbers are recommended to be planted on light and medium loams, which are distinguished by good aeration of the root system, evenly distribute and retain moisture.

For good development, the cucumber needs mineral and organic nutrition, which comes from the soil immediately after planting, so the soil must be high in humus and have an optimal ratio of macronutrients.

Important Minerals:

• Nitrogen. With its lack, the growth of the aerial part, the development of roots, slows down.
• Potassium. Mineral deficiency weakens plants, reduces resistance to disease and cold.
• Phosphorus. With a shortage, plant growth and fruit formation slow down.
• Magnesium. The leaves turn yellow, become brittle, fall off. Plant growth and fruit development slow down.

The culture is demanding on the reaction of the soil solution and does not tolerate acidification. The optimal level of acidity is pH 6.2-6.8.

Cucumbers love warm soil. Planting seedlings and planting seeds is possible only after the soil has warmed up to t 18 ° C. With a decrease in t to 14-15 ° C for 3-5 days, the roots of the cucumber stop developing.

This can lead to the death of plants. Surviving cucumbers will be weak and prone to disease. Yields will be greatly reduced.

Cucumbers develop best if the soil is 2-3°C warmer than the air. The average daily air t for cucumber is 16-32°C. These indicators are also guided for control over the soil.

Soil moisture should be 75-85%. In the future, to control soil moisture, a handful of earth is taken from the root layer and tightly squeezed in a fist. If water comes out, the humidity level is over 80%. If the lump retains fingerprints, then the humidity is more than 70%. The lump crumbles - less than 60%.

Definition and structuring of different soil types

Before proceeding with the basic preparation of the soil for cucumbers, it is necessary to put in order its mechanical composition and physical properties. To create an optimal basis, into which fertilizers will subsequently be applied according to the requirements of cucumbers. The task is especially relevant when developing a new site.

Determination of the mechanical composition of the soil

To determine the type of soil, you can use a simple method that does not require special equipment. To do this, take a handful of earth and lightly moisten it with water so that it does not wring out. Knead and form a lump. Then roll a lace with a diameter of 3 mm in your palms and roll it into a solid ring.

Depending on the condition of the cord, you can determine the type of soil:

1. quickly disintegrates - sandy loam;
2. crushed during rolling - light loam;
3. solid, but when folded into a ring, it breaks up - medium loam;
4. solid, but small cracks form on the ring - heavy loam;
5. solid, solid ring - alumina.

Light and medium loams

The most optimal soil types for growing cucumbers. The mechanical composition of light loams does not need to be structured. Since autumn, manure is introduced into medium loams at a rate of 5-6 kg per 1 sq. m.

sandy loam

This type of soil warms up quickly, is characterized by intense aeration and high water permeability. In addition, sandy loam is easy to process, and the conversion of organic matter into humus in them occurs in an accelerated mode.

The disadvantages of soil for growing cucumbers are rapid cooling at night and leaching of minerals from the root layer. This can be corrected by introducing fresh manure or compost from autumn at 10 kg per 1 sq. m.

Alumina and heavy loam

These types of soil are unsuitable for growing cucumbers. They do not warm up well and practically do not let air and moisture through. This is detrimental to culture.

With limited oxygen access to the roots, cucumbers begin to shed their ovaries, practically do not develop and gradually dry out. Heavy soils must be loosened.

The best option is to apply fresh straw manure. This should be done in the fall so that it has time to decompose and turn into humus. In uncultivated soils, 10-15 kg of manure is applied per square meter. m. When re-applying (recommended every 3-4 years), 5-6 kg per square meter is enough. m.

Manure close up superficially. With deep incorporation, it does not decompose and partially turns into peat, in which the bacteria necessary for plants do not develop.

Sandstones

This type of soil is unsuitable for growing cucumbers. It does not retain moisture, and minerals are quickly washed out of the root layer. It warms up quickly, but also cools down during the nighttime temperature drop.

To improve the soil per 1 sq. m. contribute:

• semi-rotted manure or compost 1.5 -2 buckets;
• peat 1 bucket.

A labor-intensive, costly, but very effective method is claying the soil. To do this, in each sq. m. contribute 1-2 buckets of powdered clay. It is combined with manure or compost. After making any baking powder, the area is dug up. Activities are carried out over 2-3 years.

Peaty swampy

In Russia, this type of soil is found in the West Siberian Plain and in its natural form is unsuitable for growing cucumbers. It is excessively moist and fibrous, there are no conditions for the decomposition of plant residues, so peat becomes very sour. Peaty-boggy soil is characterized by a light brown color.

First you need to dry the area. To do this, in the spring, grooves are dug around the perimeter of the site so that water is drained outside the garden. By the end of summer, the site will dry out, you can begin to improve the soil.

For 1 sq. m. contribute:

• powder clay 1 bucket;
• river sand 0.5 buckets;
• lime from 0.3 to 1.4 kg depending on acidity.

The site is dug up to a depth of 20 cm. They introduce rotted manure, humus or bird droppings 1 kg per square meter. m. More organic matter is not required.

There are a lot of organic substances in peat, and manure in this case is used only to start the processes of its decomposition.

Work on the introduction of these components are constantly from year to year. Until the soil acquires optimal physical properties that are comfortable for plants. In addition to the main fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), copper and boron are annually introduced.

Acidity regulation

Acidic soil is typical for low-lying areas with stagnant spring water. Acidity can also rise after seasons with high rainfall, which leach out calcium and magnesium. Hydrogen ions begin to predominate in soil particles, increasing its acidity.

In such areas grow rapidly: plantain, wild rosemary, horsetail, speedwell and sorrel. When digging the soil at a depth of 10-15 cm, you can find a layer of light color, reminiscent of ash.

The easiest and cheapest way to determine soil acidity is to use litmus paper. It can be purchased at any garden store and pharmacies.

To determine the acidity of the soil, a semi-liquid solution of soil and distilled water is mixed, a strip of litmus paper is immersed in it for 2-3 seconds. To calculate acidity values, it is compared with the attached color scale.

Calcium carbonate is used to reduce soil acidity. It is found in ground limestone, chalk, cement dust, wood ash, dolomite and bone meal.

For the primary regulation of acidity, it is better to use ground limestone. Norms of its introduction per 1 sq. m. for various types of soil (pH< 4,5/ pH 4,6-6,0):

• sandy 400/100 g;
• sandy loam 600/150 g;
• loamy 800/350 g;
• alumina 1100/500 g;
• peat-marshy 1400/300

Cucumbers are very sensitive to liming, so measures to reduce soil acidity are best carried out under the previous crop. Last resort - in the fall.

In the future, to maintain acidity at the required level, wood ash is used, which also serves as a good fertilizer.

How to prepare the soil for planting cucumbers

Soil preparation and arrangement of beds for greenhouses and open ground is the same. The difference is only in the preparatory work.

Greenhouse processing

Most gardeners do not have the opportunity to observe crop rotation in the greenhouse, therefore, after harvesting, the depleted soil with manure that has rotted over the summer is completely taken out of the room and distributed in place of future beds. An exception is the planting of pumpkin crops.

If for some reason a complete replacement of the soil is not possible, it must be disinfected.

Options:

• Spilling the soil with boiling water and covering the surface of the bed with a film for a day. After that, the earth is dug up and harrowed. The procedure is repeated after 3 days. Spend in the spring.
• The use of biofungicides. Spraying on the soil solutions of preparations: Trichodermin, Fitosporin M, Phytocide, Bordeaux mixture, Pentafog. Processed in autumn and spring.
• The introduction of bleach 200 g per 1 sq. m. and digging the soil. Apply 6 months before planting cucumbers.
• Spilling the soil with a 2% formalin solution (40%), the surface is covered with a film for 3 days. The soil is dug up and harrowed. The event is held 2-4 weeks before planting.

Since autumn, all plant residues are collected and burned. The inner surfaces of the greenhouse are washed with a 2% formalin solution (40%). It is desirable to fumigate the greenhouse with sulfur.

open ground

In open ground, you need to constantly change the place for growing cucumbers, returning the culture back only after 3-4 years. The best predecessors are tomatoes, cabbage, peas. Do not plant after pumpkin crops.

A place for a bed is selected well-lit, protected from drafts and cold northern winds. In autumn, the site is dug up, removing all plant waste.

When siderates are needed

In the greenhouse and in the open field, when there is no soil replacement, green manure plants can be sown. The best option is white mustard. It should be sown immediately after harvesting cucumber plants. After 3-4 weeks, a sufficient vegetative mass is formed, which is embedded in the soil to the depth of a spade bayonet.

The mustard will break down and remove most of the cucumber root exudates accumulated over the season from the soil.

In addition, a kind of compost is obtained in the soil, rich in proteins and minerals. A system of root tubules is created in the soil, which improves its mechanical properties.

Dead mustard roots attract worms and microbes, which in the process of life form nitrogen. Additionally, the soil is protected from erosion and swelling.

In the video, the author shows his way of preparing the soil and beds for sowing cucumbers.

Arrangement of the beds

Cucumber is one of the few plants that can and is even recommended to be grown on fresh manure. When laying manure, it must be taken into account that the root layer of plants reaches a depth of 20 cm. Therefore, there should be a 25-30 cm layer of fertile soil on the surface of the manure.

In such a bed, a heat-loving crop is not afraid of cooling the roots with a strong decrease in air temperature at night or insufficient warming of the soil during early planting in greenhouses.

To arrange the beds in the selected area, its borders are marked. The width should be such that the gardener can freely reach the plants with both hands. You can’t even lean on the boards spread on top of the beds. Cucumber does not tolerate the slightest compaction of the soil.

A trench 50-60 cm deep is dug over the area of ​​the beds. In the spring, two weeks before planting, it is filled with fresh manure. From above they fall asleep with garden soil and fertilize.

If it is very cold, the bed is covered with a film for intensive heating. Such a measure is mainly needed only in unheated greenhouses and regions with a late onset of summer.

The introduction of minerals

Fertilizers for cucumbers begin to be applied two weeks before transplanting seedlings or planting seeds.

For 1 sq. m. cucumber ridges are made:

• rotted manure 25 kg or compost 10 kg;
• superphosphate 40 g;
• potassium sulfate 40 g;
• magnesium sulfate 15 g or potassium magnesia 60 g.

Fertilizers are evenly scattered on the soil surface, the ridge is dug up. After that, shed with water at a rate of 10 liters per 1 sq. m.

A week later, 30 g of ammonium nitrate per 1 sq. m. The bed is dug up again and spilled with water. After that, we can assume that the soil is completely ready for planting cucumbers.

Preparation of soil mixture for seedlings

The strength of the seedlings to a greater extent depends on the quality of the soil. The simplest option is to purchase ready-made soil adapted to the requirements of pumpkin crops.

Ready soils consist of a mixture of different types of peat, soddy soil, river sand, biohumus with the addition of all the necessary minerals. They are fully processed and disinfected, they do not contain weed seeds, pest larvae and fungal spores.

Finished soils:

• "Live Earth" soil No. 2;
• "Humimax";
• "Peter Peat" primer for cucumbers;
• "Bioud-Grunt" No. 2;
• "Hera";
• "Fasco".

For growing seedlings, you should not purchase peat soils. They are poorer in composition, suitable only for filling planting containers or adding mature plants to the trunk circle.

In order to independently prepare the soil mixture, it is necessary to harvest and store components in the summer season.

Several soil options:

• humus, lowland peat 1:1;
• soddy soil, decomposed peat, manure humus, river sand 3:3:3:1;
• lowland peat, humus, rotted sawdust 3:1:1;
• garden soil, manure humus, peat, rotted sawdust 2:1:1:1.

For 10 liters - a bucket - any of these mixtures add 4 tbsp. l. wood ash, 20 g superphosphate, 1 tsp. urea and potassium sulfate.

Home soil mixture must be disinfected. To do this, it is shed with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate or treated with biological fungicides. Recommended drugs: "Fitosporin", "Trichodermin", "Planriz", "Extrasol".

soil for growing cucumbers

In boxes and barrels

The limited space of boxes, barrels or other containers requires a slightly different approach to the composition and preparation of the soil.

When using drums and other tall containers:

• a layer of pebbles, broken bricks, strong branches for 1/3 of the container is laid out at the bottom;
• hay, sawdust and tops are placed on top, sprinkled with humus or rotted manure - after laying this layer, 40 cm remains to the edge of the container;
• shed with EM preparations for better overheating;
• mix leafy soil and humus (1:1) or peat and humus (1:1);
• fall asleep 20 cm layer.

The container is covered with a film and left to overheat for two weeks. Fill up with fertile soil so that 15 cm remains to the edges of the sides of the container. Two weeks before planting, the soil is fertilized for cucumbers.

On balconies and window sills

On balconies and window sills, cucumbers are grown in containers with a volume of at least 5-7 liters (depending on the variety). At the bottom of the pots, there must be holes for water drainage and a drainage layer 5 cm high. A layer of fertile soil is at least 20 cm.

For growing cucumbers in containers, ready-made and home-made soils recommended for seedlings are well suited. They contain a large amount of nutrients, which is especially important when the environment for the roots is limited.

Cultivated plants, including cucumbers, take out almost all the nutrients from the soil during the season. She is exhausted. Salinity, increased acidity and severe drought dramatically reduce the level of soil bacteria, and hence the formation of humus, so the soil must be constantly monitored, not limited to seasonal fertilization.

High yields can be obtained by growing cucumber on peat alone; for this, it is necessary to properly lime it and apply the necessary doses of fertilizers during the growing season of plants. Of course, growing plants on pure peat is an expensive pleasure, so this article is intended primarily to learn how to determine the type of peat, how to properly lime it and fill it with fertilizers. Peat is mainly used as a component for seedling mixtures and potting soils.

Peat is formed from plants as a result of their incomplete decomposition under conditions of excessive humidity and lack of air (peat formation of water bodies and swamping of land). There are riding, lowland and transitional peat. High-moss peat (moss sphagnum, fuchsum peat, cottonseed, pine-sphagnum, etc.) is the most acidic (pH salt 2.8-3.5), characterized by the lowest ash content and almost no nutrients. Lowland peat (moss, grass, wood) has low acidity (pH salt 4.8-5.8), high ash content and increased (compared to other types of peat) content of nutrients. Transitional peat (pH salt 3.6-4.8) occupies an intermediate position in terms of its properties.

Various peat deposits differ in physical and chemical properties. Therefore, for each batch of peat, an agrochemical analysis must be carried out.

Peat contains little potassium and phosphorus and more nitrogen, however, it is in the form of complex organic compounds and is inaccessible to plants. Peat is characterized by high moisture capacity and low thermal conductivity. Due to its low bulk density, high absorption capacity and good porosity, peat is widely used in greenhouse vegetable growing. One of the best as a substrate is a light high-moor sphagnum peat with a low degree of decomposition.

There are peat with low (up to 20%), medium (20-45%), and high (more than 45%) degree of decomposition (Table 1). The degree of decomposition of various deposits of lowland peat varies within 26-51%, high-moor - within 18-46%, transitional - within 29-30%. In greenhouses, it is not recommended to use peat with a degree of decomposition of more than 40% and an ash content of more than 12-20%, containing calcium carbonates (pH salt more than 6.0) and more than 5% of gross iron, because. such peat will worsen the physicochemical parameters of the root environment. Peat with a high degree of decomposition can only be used as a component of greenhouse soil, adding loosening materials (sawdust, straw, etc.) to it.

Table 1

Eye measurement of the degree of decomposition of peat (Efimov, Donskikh, Kuznetsova et al., 1987)

When growing cucumber on peat, the reaction of the medium should be slightly acidic (pH salt 5.0-6.0). If peat is not limed in advance, limestone or dolomite flour, ground chalk are used to neutralize the excess acidity of peat. Unsuitable for neutralization fluff lime, burnt ground lime, dolomite flour from burnt or semi-burnt dolomites.

Large batches of peat are limed 1.5 months before planting on special sites with a hard surface that is not heated by surface water runoff with thorough mixing of the substrate in concrete mixers or mixers of peat-humus mass. Liming must be completed 20 days before planting (sowing) the cucumber in order to exclude the simultaneous application of lime and nitrogen fertilizers, as well as pre-determine the acidity of peat, and, if necessary, re-correct liming. During the liming period, the temperature of the peat must be at least +15°C. With significant volumes of peat, you can first carry out a trial liming of a small amount of peat, and only then - the entire batch.

For a better course of the neutralization reaction, peat is first mixed with lime material in a finely ground state, mixed and then spilled with water. Neutralization begins within the first 30 minutes after the mixture is formed. Depending on the ambient temperature, the resulting acidity is determined 8-12 days after liming. The required amount of lime material to be introduced into peat is presented in tables 2 and 3:

table 2

Approximate doses of lime (СаСО 3) for peat neutralization, kg/t of peat

Table 3

Approximate norms of limestone flour (at least 85% CaCO 3) for peat neutralization, kg / t (Efimov, Donskikh, Kuznetsova et al., 1987)

In the tables, the doses of lime materials vary depending on the humidity of the peat: the higher the humidity, the less dry matter per unit mass and, consequently, the smaller the dose of lime. To achieve the same pH value, salt of dolomite flour is required 1.5-1.6 times more than chalk or limestone flour.

When liming red high-moor (sphagnum) peat, table 4 is used, showing how much lime must be added to shift the pH of the salt by 0.5. For example, we have dry high-moor peat with a density of 80 g/l and an acidity of pH 3.5. It is necessary to lower the acidity to pH 6.0 salt, i.e. change the acidity by 2.5 pH units. According to the table, we find the 6th line from the top (80 g / l) and see that for such a shift in pH salt, it is required to add 6.0 kg of lime per 1 m 3 of high-moor peat (6th column of the table).

Table 4

Norms of lime material (CaCO 3) for neutralizing excess acidity of high-moor peat, kg / m 3 (according to O.B. Olsen, 1968)

On average, to neutralize 1 m 3 of high-moor sphagnum peat with a degree of decomposition of 10%, 6-8 kg of limestone flour or 4-5 kg ​​of good grinding chalk are needed. Cucumbers are grown on high-moor peat with a degree of decomposition not higher than 15-20%, with an ash content of 3-5%.

In addition to calcium, dolomite flour contains a significant amount of magnesium (up to 42% MgCO 3), which is an antagonist of calcium and potassium, and in high doses will block the entry of these elements into the plant. Therefore, it is recommended to use dolomite flour together with chalk or lime for neutralization and take into account the amount of magnesium introduced with dolomite flour, reducing the dose of magnesium fertilizers applied later by an equivalent amount.

After liming, fertilizers are applied to the peat. As a rule, fertilizers are applied to peat fractionally: in the form of the main dressing before the start of the crop, and as top dressing during the growing season. For high-moor peat, the doses of the main fertilizer are presented in Table 5:

Table 5

Application rates for high-moor peat in the main dressing of mineral macro- and microfertilizers for cucumber cultivation, mg/l of peat (according to Nollendorf, 1979, as amended)

Macrofertilizers are applied in dry form, microfertilizers - in liquid form. Boric acid is dissolved in hot water.

Subsequently, a systematic agrochemical analysis of peat is carried out (starting 3-4 weeks after planting the seedlings and then at least 2 times a month), bringing the content of nutrients to the norm with top dressing (Table 6):

Table 6

Optimal content of basic nutrients in high-moor peat, mg/l (according to: Vendilo, Mikanaev, Petrichenko, Skarzhinsky, 1986)

Less often, a different regime of mineral nutrition is used when growing cucumber on high-moor peat: a partial main dressing of peat is carried out and then it is periodically shed with one of the nutrient solutions (Table 7) 1-2 times in 7-10 days. Here it is also desirable to carry out an agrochemical survey of peat 1-2 times a month in terms of the content of basic macroelements, acidity and total salt content (specific electrical conductivity). According to N.V. Borisov (TSHA), they add to the main dressing (g / m 2 ridges): ammonium nitrate 40-45, potassium nitrate 150-170, simple superphosphate 100-120, magnesium sulfate 40-45, borax 13.8, copper sulfate 25, 2, ferrous sulfate 41.4, manganese sulfate 16.8, zinc sulfate 16.8, sodium molybdate 2.8, iron chelate 41.4. A mixture of trace elements is added in liquid form, or mixed in dry form with river sand in a ratio of 1:10 and evenly scattered over the peat surface.

Table 7

Nutrient solutions for feeding cucumbers in greenhouses, mg/l of water

If during dry application to peat you did not have the necessary mineral salts, you can take a complex fertilizer, if necessary, adding magnesium sulfate, iron sulfate, trace elements, and wood ash to it. For example, you have chosen the main dressing of high-moor peat according to Nollendorf - the minimum amounts of fertilizer before planting seedlings (see Table 5, right column). You have a nitroammophoska containing 17% N, 17% P 2 O 5 and 17% K 2 O. Using the table for converting fertilizers into oxides and vice versa (see appendices), we compile an auxiliary table for calculating the replacement of an equivalent amount of ammonium nitrate, potassium sulphate and simple superphosphate for nitroammophoska (Table 8).

Table 8

An example of replacing simple mineral fertilizers with complex mineral fertilizers

As we can see, to replace ammonium nitrate, 1382 mg of nitroammophoska per 1 liter of peat will be required, to replace potassium sulfate - 2712 mg of nitroammophoska, and to replace simple superphosphate - 2352 mg of nitroammophoska per 1 liter of peat. Fertilizers are always changed according to the minimum required nutrient - in this case, nitrogen (ammonium nitrate: 1382 mg), otherwise an excess of the minimum required nutrient will be applied. The dose of applied nitroammophoska can be increased by calculating it according to the maximum allowable amount of ammonium nitrate according to Nollendorf's recommendations (950 mg / l - see Table 5). In this case, 1923 mg of nitroammophoska will be required; in addition, you will need to add another 134 mg K 2 O and 73 mg P 2 O 5 (789 mg of nitroammophoska contains 134 mg K 2 O and 430 mg - 73 mg P 2 O 5). Add ash (depending on the origin, the ash contains 2-7% P 2 O 5 and 4-35% K 2 O). Suppose we have wood ash containing an average of 3% P 2 O 5 and 8% K 2 O. This means that we need to add 2433 mg of ash per 1 liter of peat in terms of phosphorus, or 1675 mg of ash per 1 liter peat in terms of potassium. We introduce 1675 mg of ash per 1 liter, and we introduce the missing amount of phosphorus in the form of top dressing 2 weeks after planting the seedlings. The calculation when replacing simple fertilizers with complex ones is greatly simplified if complex fertilizers are used with the necessary ratio between nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

In top dressing, in the absence of simple fertilizers for the recommended nutrient solutions, you can also use complex fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, at a concentration of 2-3 g / l of water. Magnesium is added to top dressing once a month. It is advisable to combine root top dressings with foliar top dressings (containing, first of all, microelements). The concentration of solutions for foliar top dressing should not exceed 0.25-0.3%. We emphasize once again that it is easier to adjust the ratio between nutrients in top dressings with simple fertilizers compared to complex fertilizers.

Peat is actively used in greenhouses for 2-3 years. In the future, its physical properties deteriorate as a result of mineralization (decomposition), which leads to the need for the annual addition of loosening materials: sawdust (7-10 kg / m 2), sand or straw cutting (7-8 kg / m 2), straw manure (10-12 kg / m 2) or fresh, undecomposed peat. The mineralization of peat is significantly enhanced by its steam disinfection. With the constant use of steam disinfection, it is necessary to add 15-20% of peat annually from its original volume. To slow down the processes of mineralization in peat, it is recommended to add pine bark crushed to a powder state (1% per dry matter).

As a rule, peat soils in greenhouses are operated for no more than 5-6 years, then it is desirable to completely replace them. Spent peat is used as fertilizer.

The best soil for cucumber is loose, light, well aerated (containing a lot of air in the soil capillaries), a powerful root system develops in it and cucumber lashes grow very quickly. Cultivated soils with a high content of organic matter (rotted manure, peat, compost) are most suitable for cucumber. Suitable for cucumber and sandy soils however, they are weak in holding water and batteries. They need to be watered frequently and fed with small doses of fertilizer.

Undeveloped soils must be cultivated before planting cucumbers.

Soddy-podzolic soils- the main ones in the Central Non-Chernozem zone of Russia, concentrated mainly to the north of the Moscow region. They are characterized by low fertility, low content of humus and nutrients available to plants, acid reaction of the soil solution (pH 4-5). Soddy-podzolic soils without gleying are more suitable for cucumber. Organic fertilizers (manure, compost, peat) should be applied to them at the rate of 5-10 kg per 1 sq. m, loosening materials, lime.

gray forest soils, located south of the Moscow region, in terms of water-physical properties are close to sod-podzolic. They differ from them in a high content of humus (up to 3-5%). These are acidic or slightly acidic soils. The main measures to improve the fertility of such soils are liming, the application of organic and mineral (mainly nitrogen and phosphorus) fertilizers.

Peatlands(except lowlands) have a high acidity, are characterized by a low content of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, trace elements. Nitrogen is in a form that is difficult for plants to access. Peat soils warm up slowly in spring and cool quickly in autumn. To reduce the impact of unfavorable temperature conditions on plants in peatlands, cucumbers are usually grown on simple or fallow ridges, using plastic wrap.

Compost has a very beneficial effect on the growth and yield of cucumber. Therefore, if there is compost on the site, in the spring, before sowing or planting, they dig a trench across the entire width of the ridge to the depth of a shovel bayonet and fill it with last year's compost. The rotted compost is no longer capable of self-heating, and it can not be covered from above with a large layer of fertile soil. The temperature of non-rotted or semi-rotted compost rises as a result of microbiological decomposition, therefore, such composts, when preparing a ridge,

mixed with earth (2:1-1:1). You can cover the compost from above with fertile soil or limed peat with a layer of 10-20 cm.

In the middle lane and more southern regions of Russia, where there is a lot of fertile land and large reserves of peat, black soil, humus, wide beds with narrow row spacing have an advantage over narrow beds with wide row spacing. The fact is that with the same distance between the rows of adjacent ridges (100-110 cm), with narrow row spacings, the soil is less trampled down and the root system of the cucumber is less damaged. The roots of cucumber plants are located superficially, but they spread far from the stem - up to 2 m in diameter. During the period of the beginning of fruiting on loose ridges, one can see how active white roots literally penetrate the entire surface of the ridge and aisle. Some vegetable growers, in order to reduce the trampling of the soil in the aisles along the entire length, lay boards in them, but slugs can accumulate under them.