To get a good crop of cucumbers, it is necessary to provide them with all the elements necessary for the full growth of seedlings and the formation of fruits. What are the top dressings, when and how to organize the process, how to understand what cucumbers are missing and a lot of other useful information - further.
What are the top dressings for greenhouse cucumbers?
During the entire growth period, cucumbers growing in the greenhouse are provided with top dressing. At the same time, they use not only mineral fertilizers, but also organics, as well as folk and store products.
Mineral fertilizers
Such top dressing consists mainly of potassium, nitrogen or phosphorus, and can also be complex. 5 groups of mineral fertilizers for cucumbers are conventionally distinguished:
- Nitrogen. Nitrogen is considered the main element necessary for the full growth and development of cucumbers at all stages. Apply:
- ammonium nitrate;
- urea (urea).
- Phosphoric. Phosphorus is responsible for the normal development of the root system, so they are absolutely necessary for feeding. Use:
- phosphorite flour;
- superphosphate;
- calcium monohydrogen phosphate (precipitate).
- Potash. They increase the immunity of the plant. Apply for cucumbers:
- potassium chloride;
- potassium salt;
- potassium sulfate.
- Potassium phosphorus. Combined top dressing, potassium phosphate is used for cucumbers.
- Complex fertilizers. Contain two or more useful components. Apply:
- nitroammofosku;
- ammofosku;
- nitrophosco.
Mineral fertilizers for cucumbers are used during the first feeding after planting in a greenhouse, when seedlings give 3-4 leaves. One of the most popular mineral formulations is as follows:
- 20 g of double superphosphate;
- 15-20 g of potassium sulfate;
- 10-15 g of ammonium nitrate.
This amount is enough for 10-15 sprouts.
Among other useful mineral compositions for cucumbers, use:
- 1 tbsp. l urea and 60 g of superphosphate per 10 l of water;
- 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 10 g of potassium salt and 10 g of superphosphate per 10 l of water;
- 15-20 g of potassium nitrate per 10 l of water;
- 50 g of urea per 10 liters of water.
Organic
The main varieties of organics used to fertilize cucumbers include:
- Compost. The product is formed as a result of overheating of organic residues, it is enriched with various nutrients. Mandatory for the preparation of soil substrate during the formation of beds for cucumbers.
- Manure. Enriched with nitrogen, iron, copper and potassium. In fresh form, it is used in the formation of warm ridges for cucumbers, in the overripe - for digging.
- Bird droppings. Contains potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. Makes the soil loose and fruitful.
They are used in different ways, the main ways:
- compost is diluted in water (1: 5), 4-5 liters of solution per 1 cubic meter are introduced. m beds;
- a barrel with a solution of fresh cow manure is kept in a greenhouse to accelerate the growth of ovaries and increase the yield;
- For irrigation use chicken manure diluted in water (1:15), manure (1: 6), slurry (1: 8).
Folk remedies
To feed cucumbers in the greenhouse, they also use proven folk remedies. They activate the development of cucumber lashes and stimulate fruiting. Apply:
- Yeast infusion. 100 g of fresh yeast is stirred in 10 l of warm water, insisted for a day, after which the yeast is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 5 and introduced per liter of fertilizer per bush. Fertilizing stimulates plant growth, enriches with amino acids, iron and proteins.
- A solution of ash. 100 g of ash are diluted in 10 l of water, a mixture of 250 ml is poured under each bush. Fertilizer enriches the soil with calcium and potassium.
- Onion husk infusion. For 10 liters of water, take 1 cup of onion peel. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and wrap with a towel. They insist in this form for several hours. Filter and with the help of a watering can water the aerial part of the bushes. Such a procedure will help get rid of yellowing of leaves and enrich plants and soil with essential nutrients.
- Infusion of brown bread crusts. The crust of brown bread is poured into a 10-liter container, filling it by 2/3. Pour to the top with water, put on top a load that will not allow the bread to float. Insist a week. After that, dilute another 2 liters of water. Top dressing is used once a week during the appearance of flowers, pouring under the root.
- Nettle infusion. Use fresh nettle leaf. It is placed in a volumetric container, filled with water and left for a week. Before watering, dilute the infusion with water in a ratio of 1: 7. Water at 0.5 l only under weakened bushes.
Shop Facilities
The most popular and effective store-based remedies for feeding cucumbers in a greenhouse are:
- The fontanel. Mineral fertilizer in granules. Does not contain chlorine, increases the number of ovaries. It can also be used for squash, squash and pumpkin. 50 g are diluted in 50 l of water.
- "Agricola". Available in powder form. Enriched with trace elements. It is used at the rate of 25 g per 10 liters of water.
- "Vegetable." Mineral powder fertilizer. Contains trace elements and humic acids. They are used for feeding cucumbers, pumpkins, squash and squash, at the rate of 20 g per 10 l of water for irrigation.
- "Good power." Use as protection against diseases. Available in liquid form, apply 20 ml per 1.5 liters of water. Do not use on newly planted plants!
Types of feeding
According to the method of administration, root and foliar top dressing for cucumbers is isolated.
Root
This type of feeding is practiced when adverse conditions occur, for example, lowering temperatures. Primary and secondary are distinguished:
- Primary Produce after the appearance of the 3rd sheet. For 1 square. 3-8 g of potassium chloride and 10-15 g of superphosphate are dissolved in 10 l of water and added to the grooves with a depth of 3-5 cm. The grooves are made, retreating from the plant by 7 cm.
- Secondary It is carried out with the same composition in a month, but the grooves are already made with a depth of 10-12 cm, and they retreat from the plant by 10-15 cm.
Foliar
Foliar top dressing consists in spraying the leaves with useful compounds. To do this, use:
- 10 g of superphosphate, 1 g of boric acid, 30 g of potassium nitric, 0.4 g of sulfuric manganese, 0.1 g of zinc sulfate;
- 1 part boric acid, 10-12 crystals of potassium permanganate per 1 liter of water.
Although foliar top dressing has a quick effect, it cannot fully provide the plant with everything necessary.
When and how to feed cucumbers?
For abundant fruiting, cucumbers feed at different stages of development, and feeding is different from each other.
Fertilizing seedlings and fertilizing the soil before planting
The stage of growing seedlings is very important, during this period the plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium. To enrich these elements, according to the instructions, use complex preparations designed specifically for seedlings.
Before planting, seedlings fertilize the soil, this is done about a week before the intended planting. Dig the soil in the greenhouse and make:
- 20-30 g of ammonium nitrate;
- 20-30 g of superphosphate;
- 20 g of potassium sulfate.
After planting seedlings
After 2 weeks, after transplanting seedlings to a constant place of growth, fertilizing is carried out with the following composition:
- 15 g of potassium chloride;
- 15 g of urea;
- 20-25 g of double superphosphate;
- 15-20 g of potassium sulfide.
All components in a bucket of water are diluted and the solution is injected under the root, this amount is enough for 10-15 seedling bushes.
Watch the video on how to feed cucumbers after planting in the ground, during flowering and fruiting:
Fertilizing bushes during flowering
About 2 weeks after transplanting the seedlings, the plants begin to bloom. At this time, carry out the following dressing. Fertilizers of this period are based on organics. Apply:
- 500 ml mullein;
- 1 tbsp. nitrofoski;
- 100 g of wood ash;
- 0.5 g of boric acid;
- 0.3 g of manganese sulfate;
- 50 g of potassium sulfate.
Components are bred in a bucket of water.
Minerals are also used, for example, ammofoska or azofoska (at the rate of 1 tbsp. Per 10 liters of water).
Fertilizers during fruiting
During fruiting, cucumbers are fed with one of the following compositions:
- per 10 l of water 25-30 g of potassium nitrate;
- 10 g of water 50 g of urea;
- Mullein or ash, diluted in water in a ratio of 1: 5.
For 1 square. m. leaves 7-8 liters of the composition.
Do I need to apply fertilizer after harvesting?
In autumn, after harvesting, it is also necessary to disinfect and feed the soil. To begin with, all plant residues are taken out of the greenhouse. Then, 300 g of bleach are diluted in 10 l of water, insisted for 4 hours. The solution is sprayed on all the internal planes of the greenhouse and the soil.
After that, rotted manure is scattered on the soil surface. They also use loose compost or humus soil. Per sq. m area used bucket of organics.
How to understand what cucumbers lack?
Cucumbers react quite quickly to the lack of a particular nutrient, which affects their appearance. If the plant lags behind in development, the fruits are poorly tied and develop, the leaves turn yellow - then something is missing for the cucumbers.
Everyone who grows cucumbers has come across yellowing of leaves of cucumbers. Watch the video on why the leaves of cucumbers turn yellow:
Next, we consider deficient conditions, their manifestations and correction methods.
Potassium deficiency
Fast potash often occurs due to excessive application of potash fertilizers. Potassium deficiency is manifested by some characteristic features:
- excessive growth and development of lashes and leaves;
- darkening of the leaves, they become bright green;
- the fruits are disproportionately narrowed to the peduncle;
- burns of old leaves - yellow edges appear, with time they twist;
- the taste of the fruit becomes neutral, the sweetness and characteristic aroma disappear.
To compensate for the lack of potassium, an aqueous solution of potassium sulfate or wood ash is used.
Nitrogen deficiency
Cucumbers experience a special need for this element in the spring, during the period when the green part is formed. Unfilled deficiency can affect the fruits.
Signs of nitrogen deficiency:
- lower leaves turn pale green, turn yellow and dry over time;
- the lashes become thinner and lignified;
- the flowers fade, and the ovaries crumble;
- the fruits become hook-shaped, acquire a light color.
Even if nitrogen-containing fertilizing was applied in sufficient quantity, there may have been insufficient watering, so plants may also be deficient in nitrogen. To normalize the situation, greenhouse cucumbers are fed with a solution of ammonium sulfate or urea (10-15 g per 10 l), in a foliar way.
Magnesium is required
The lack of magnesium is judged by the following signs:
- light green spots on the leaves;
- chlorosis appears;
- the flowers fall;
- the fruits ripen ahead of time and are very small.
The problem can be solved by constant foliar dressing with magnesium nitrate (100 g per 10 l of water).
Not enough boron
Boron deficiency is characterized by the death of roots and growth points in cucumber culture. Other signs are:
- deformation of the fruit;
- fragility of leaves;
- flowers crumble;
- dwarf shrubs due to slow development.
They feed the plants with a solution of boron (0.3 mg per 1 liter of water) or make foliar application with Kelkat boron (50 g per 100 liters of water).
Calcium deficiency
Calcium in the right amount provides the correct growth of cucumber culture. If it is not enough, it is observed:
- the appearance of narrow light bands on the leaves, which leads to brittleness, weakness, wilting and, ultimately, to withering away;
- rot on the inflorescences;
- bending the edges down;
- the leaves become domed and even claw-shaped.
They solve the problem by conducting foliar feeding with chelated calcium (3%).
Phosphorus deficiency
A lack of phosphorus is indicated by:
- small size of young leaves, compared with old;
- leaf veins turn purple;
- slow growth of lashes;
- leaves turn dark, acquiring a bluish tint;
- the edges of the leaves are pointed and bent up.
They solve the problem with a solution of ammophos and diammophos (1 tbsp. Per 10 liters of water) or superphosphate (1 tbsp. Per 10 liters of water), they spray the bushes.
Molybdenum deficiency
Deficiency of this element is experienced by cucumbers growing on acidic soils. Contributes to the lack of molybdenum, an excess of heavy metals and ammonia nitrogen.
First of all, molybdenum starvation is indicated by a color change - the color of the leaves becomes less intense. Also, the edges of the leaves are twisted into tubules and chlorosis appears.
A molybdenum deficiency is “treated” by the application of phosphorus fertilizers.
Iron deficiency
The lack of this element is characterized by:
- the appearance of chlorosis on all young foliage;
- slow growth of bushes;
- light green, lemon and even white color of the leaves, this is due to the fact that it is the lack of iron that inhibits the formation of chlorophyll;
- growth points do not develop;
- clarification of the tops of the fruit.
To eliminate, apply root dressing with 5% solution of iron sulfate.
Copper, Zinc and Manganese Deficiency
The lack of these elements inhibits the development of plants and reduces fruiting. So, with a lack of copper, the leaves fade, and the shoots become weak, the flowers quickly fall off, the edges of the leaves twist into a tube.
In order to avoid a problem, in the spring the place where the cucumbers will grow is treated with a 1% aqueous solution of copper sulfate.
Lack of zinc is fraught with asymmetry in the shape of the leaves, their darkening and death. To compensate for the deficiency, zinc sulfate is used. Contribute to the soil 1 g per 10 square meters. m
Manganese starvation is manifested by the appearance of bright dot spots on the upper leaves and marble plaque. To eliminate the problem, root dressings are carried out with a solution of manganese (0.3 mg per 1 liter of water).
What to feed if cucumber bushes grow poorly?
Slowing the growth of the bush may be due to a lack of one or another element. If it was not possible to detect by the signs listed above what exactly the plant lacks, then complex preparations are added.
To begin with, they will be tested on several problematic bushes, plants are observed for several days. If the growth is getting better, then apply fertilizer to all the bushes.
How to feed cucumbers in a greenhouse in winter?
In the winter, greenhouse cucumbers feed every 2 weeks. Mineral fertilizers and organic matter alternate. Apply the same means as in the spring.
For winter dressing suitable cow or bird manure, wood ash. The introduction of complex fertilizers will not be superfluous.
How to understand and what to do if too much fertilizer is applied?
Plants suffer not only from a lack of nutrients, but also from their excess. Sometimes gardeners are so addicted to fertilizer that they destroy plants "in the vine." Especially dangerous is a large amount of chemical fertilizers.
If too much fertilizer is applied, the plant is watered with plenty of water. If the bush is still small, then transplant it to another place.
When growing cucumbers in a greenhouse, the feeding procedure is especially necessary, since there is no way to completely replace the soil annually. Timely application of the necessary fertilizing can save you from many troubles and not only significantly increase productivity, but also improve the taste and appearance of the fruit.