Cucumber Nutrition - From Seedlings To Harvest

2023 Author: Ava Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 07:13

Cucumber is perhaps the most popular crop among our gardeners. Many consider it an unpretentious plant, but this is a controversial issue, because the harvest of beautiful, even fruits, untouched by the disease, depends on many factors. Good quality seed, healthy soil, balanced nutrition, weather conditions and, of course, care are essential. In this article, we'll talk about how to avoid many mistakes when growing this vegetable using the Cucumber Nutrition System from the Buyskie Fertilizers company.

"Power system" for cucumber

Before getting to our table, cucumbers go through the difficult path from preparing the seeds for sowing to the release of the harvest. And in each growing season, the plant needs a certain set of nutrients. The company "Buyskie Fertilizers" offers to use a complex of dressings called "Food System for Cucumber".

A set, consisting of several types of fertilizers in personal packaging, will help you not to make a mistake when choosing the necessary nutrients for each stage, and the instruction will serve as an excellent cheat sheet for the timing, quantity and methods of application.

The system includes:

• "Aquamix" - a complex of microelements;
• "OMU Rost" - organic fertilizer for seedlings;
• "WMD for cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini and squash";
• "Aquarin" for seedlings;
• "Calcium nitrate";
• "Aquarin Universal";
• "Magnesium sulfate";
• “Aquarine for fruiting.

Step 1 - seed treatment before planting

As with growing any seedlings, the seeds of cucumbers must be processed before sowing. Seeds purchased in the store, as a rule, are already disinfected, and dredged or inlaid, in general, are completely prepared for sowing, and you do not need to do anything with them. Typically, this information can be found on the packaging.

If the seeds are your own, native, or bought on the market, for a start it is advisable to calibrate them - to select the largest and fullest. Selected seeds are immersed in salted water, mixed well and those that will sink to the bottom, and selected for sowing.

To increase the germination of cucumber seeds, the specialists of the Buy Fertilizers company advise to soak them in the Aquamix plant vitamins solution for 8-12 hours. This complex contains an optimal balance of microelements, which will not only accelerate seed germination, but also contribute to an increase in seedlings' resistance to diseases and bad weather conditions.

"Aquamix" contains easily accessible chelates for plants Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ca, Mo, B. Seedlings, having received all the necessary substances at the start, in the future better absorb food from the soil, grow well and develop correctly, set fruits well and delight excellent harvest.

Step 2 - soil preparation and sowing

Cucumbers love loose, fertile soil, so you need to sow seeds in a high-quality substrate. If there is no opportunity or desire to engage in soil preparation, you can use a ready-made soil, such as the "Magic Garden". A full complement of nutrients and free of pathogens - an ideal growing environment for seedlings.

Many experienced gardeners do not trust purchased soils and prepare the mixture on their own. As a rule, for this they take peat, humus, garden and leaf land. To impart nutritional value to such a soil, various trace elements are added. To simplify the task and avoid mistakes when making up the mixture, use the complex organic fertilizer "OMU-growth", which is also included in the "Cucumber Nutrition System".

This is a granular complex of long-acting microelements. The basis of the preparation is low-lying peat, enriched with humic substances, macro- and microelements. Organomineral granule of OMU is a kind of pantry of microelements for nutrition, where plants assimilate up to 80-90% of nutrients, while the percentage of assimilation from mineral fertilizers is only 25-30.

When preparing the soil to 5-7 liters of soil mixture add 1 sachet (50 g) "OMU-growth" and mix well. Cucumbers do not tolerate transplanting and picking is clearly not for them, therefore, it is better to sow in peat or soft plastic cups, from which it will be possible to remove sprouts without damaging the roots. We fill the cups with soil, in each we make 2-3 holes about 1.5 cm deep, lay out the seeds and sprinkle with soil. If there are few seeds and they are very valuable, put one seed per cup, lightly press the surface and water.

It is very important to maintain a temperature of + 25 ° C before germination. When growing seedlings, the optimum temperature is + 22 … + 25 ° C during the day and + 18 … + 20 ° C at night. A difference of a few degrees between daytime and nighttime temperatures will ensure proper development of both tops and roots.

Step 3 - feeding for cucumber seedlings

During growth and fruiting, cucumbers consume a lot of nutrients, therefore, providing them with proper nutrition is task number 1 for the gardener. Experienced farmers have their own feeding schemes that have been verified over the years, which they follow rigorously, so they usually do not remain without a harvest.

And what about the "young and inexperienced"? After all, everyone understands that underfeeding is just as harmful as overfeeding - both those and other shortcomings will lead to a deterioration in the taste and appearance of the fruits, or even leave them without a crop.

In the starting period of development and before flowering, cucumbers will need a relatively large amount of phosphorus, and it is this element that is emphasized in the complex fertilizer "Aquarin" for seedlings. For foliar and root dressings, 10-20 g of powder is diluted in 10 liters of water. Top dressing is carried out every 10-14 days, alternating spraying and watering.

Trace elements in the form of chelates will fully provide plants with all the necessary substances, which will affect the increase in resistance to diseases and weather conditions, as well as improve flowering and fruiting.

Step 4 - main soil application

"WMD for cucumbers, pumpkins, squash and squash" - a complex organic fertilizer in the form of granules, which is part of the "Nutrition system", will provide cucumbers with all the necessary elements. It can be used throughout the growing season.

When preparing the beds for planting, the drug is scattered at the rate of 30 g per 1 m², and then dug up. You can apply fertilizer directly into the hole when planting - 20 g of granules are enough for one hole. After planting the seedlings in the ground, 1-3 fertilizing is carried out with an interval of 20 days. In this case, the drug is scattered around the plant (10-30 g), loosened and watered. In addition to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in a ratio of 7: 10: 5, the preparation contains magnesium, sulfur, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, boron and humic compounds. The readily available form of nutrients and the prolonged action of the drug exclude the possibility of overabundance, and the rich composition will provide plants with a complete diet.

Step 5 - dressing before flowering

Flowering is a very important period in the life of cucumbers. It is he who will show what the harvest will be. And here a lot depends on proper care and balanced feeding.

Calcium plays an important role in plant life, and a deficiency of this element cannot be allowed. Calcium helps plants develop root systems, resist disease and withstand heat shock, and elevated temperatures, especially in greenhouses, often lead to yellowing and drying of the ovaries.

Calcium improves the absorption of nutrients, including nitrogen, which is necessary, first of all, for the growth of green mass of the plant and the process of photosynthesis.

And both of these substances - nitrogen and calcium - are contained in Calcium Saltpeter. Root feeding is carried out at intervals of 15-20 days, using a solution of 20 g of the drug per 10 l of water. Calcium cannot be mixed with most fertilizers, therefore, fertilizing with Calcium Saltpeter is carried out in between the use of other preparations.

With the beginning of flowering, feeding with this agent is better to stop, at this time phosphorus-potassium fertilizers become more relevant for cucumbers.

"Aquarin Universal" is a complex mineral fertilizer in a water-soluble form that will provide cucumbers with everything they need during flowering and fruit setting. Trace elements of the preparation are contained in the form of complex organic salts - chelates, which allows plants to assimilate nutrients most fully.

A solution of the drug 20 g per 10 l of water is watered or sprayed on plants once a week. "Aquarin Universal" can be used in combination with protective equipment, which significantly saves time and effort.

Step 6 - feeding while fruit setting

During fruit setting, in addition to Aquarium "Universal", which is indispensable in this period, you can feed the cucumbers with "Magnesium sulfate". This preparation, which is part of the Cucumber Nutrition System, will come in handy when signs of chlorosis appear and will help restore the photosynthetic ability of the leaves. Magnesium is part of chlorophyll and is a vital element for plants. Magnesium deficiency disrupts many processes, including photosynthesis and respiratory metabolism.

"Magnesium sulfate", in addition to magnesium itself, contains sulfur, which is part of proteins and amino acids, as well as some enzymes involved in the respiratory process. Therefore, sulfur deficiency negatively affects metabolism and energy production. “Magnesium sulphate can be used as root and foliar dressing, as well as in spring when preparing the soil for planting (7-10 g per 1 m²).

Step 7 - fertilizing for fruiting

And here it is, that very pleasant moment when you can already taste the result of your labors! But our cucumbers continue to grow, only the consumption of nutrients is now used for the formation of fruits. This means that the losses need to be replenished so that the first wave of crispy greens does not turn out to be the last.

During this period, the next drug "Cucumber Nutrition Systems" - "Aquarin for fruiting" will help. This remedy, in addition to the necessary set of micro- and macroelements, is distinguished by a high content of potassium - the main driving force of plant juices. Potassium is responsible for the growth of the lashes and for the fruit filling. For root and foliar dressing, 20 g of powder is dissolved in 10 liters of water. When spraying, the product can be combined with plant protection products.

Dear Readers! A set of fertilizers "Food system for cucumber" is packed in a convenient plastic container and is designed for 10 m² of planting area. Competent instructions from the company's professionals will help you to make the necessary preparations correctly and on time. Have a nice harvest!