How to grow cucumbers to get high yield?

Cucumber is a common melon and fruit vegetable in summer. In the process of growing cucumbers, some people grow high yields, while others grow low yields. Those who master the correct planting methods can harvest abundant cucumbers. Let’s learn together how to grow cucumbers to achieve high yields.

1. Determine the appropriate sowing time

Cucumbers prefer warm environments and cannot tolerate cold. The minimum temperature for seed germination is 12℃, while the most suitable temperature range for growth is 20-28℃. Temperatures that are too low or too high can cause poor growth of cucumbers. Cucumbers can be grown in greenhouses or in the open air. For open-air cultivation, it is recommended to sow when the daily average temperature is stable above 15°C. During the Grain Rain season, as the temperature rises and rainfall increases, the temperature in most areas becomes suitable, making it a good time to sow cucumbers. Of course, you can also build a small shed to raise seedlings in advance and advance the sowing time.

2. Cultivate strong seedlings

Cucumbers can be sown directly or raised as seedlings before transplanting. Seedling transplanting helps to cultivate strong seedlings and is very beneficial to increasing cucumber yields.

The key to cultivating strong seedlings lies in the preparation of nutritious soil. You can use fertile garden soil, well-rotted farmyard manure and an appropriate amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer , mix them thoroughly and then sow them. After sowing, cover with 1 to 3 cm of soil and water thoroughly. If the temperature is low, you can cover the plants with straw to maintain moisture and remove the covering after the seedlings emerge.

In order to speed up the germination, it is recommended to germinate the cucumber seeds before sowing. Soak the seeds in warm water for 3 to 5 hours, then wrap them with wet gauze and germinate them in a warm environment of 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. When 70% of the seeds turn white, they can be sown.

3. Avoid field closure

Cucumbers like moisture but are afraid of waterlogging, so they should be planted in soil with deep soil layer, rich organic matter and good drainage. Combined with land preparation, apply fully decomposed farmyard manure and triple compound fertilizer as base fertilizer. After land preparation, make ridges 1.2 meters wide and 15 centimeters high, plant two rows in each ridge, with a row spacing of 80 centimeters and a plant spacing of 40 centimeters, and plant two plants in each hole. Avoid over-dense planting to prevent flower and fruit drop and high incidence of diseases and insect pests.

4. Reasonable fertilization

Cucumbers require less fertilizer during the seedling stage, but more fertilizer during the flowering and fruiting stage. Fertilization should follow the principle of "light application in the seedling stage and heavy application in the flowering and fruiting stage". During the seedling stage, you can apply decomposed manure or urea to promote seedling growth. Be careful not to apply excessive nitrogen fertilizer, as this may worsen pests and diseases and cause excessive growth of stems and leaves.

After flowering and fruiting, the fertilizer requirement increases, and triple compound fertilizer can be applied. During the peak flowering and fruiting period, spray 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate foliar fertilizer once every 7 to 10 days for 2 to 3 times in a row, which will help prevent premature aging and increase yield.

5. Water properly

Cucumbers like moisture, but watering should follow the principle of "control water before the cucumbers set, and water frequently with small amounts of water after the cucumbers set." Do not water too much during the seedling stage to promote root development. The plant requires a lot of water during the flowering and fruiting period, so sufficient water supply should be maintained.

6. Pruning and pinching

When the cucumbers grow to 30 cm in height, you can set up a trellis to guide the vines and carry out pruning and pinching. Remove side branches that do not produce fruit, and pinch the tips of the main vine and side vines that produce fruit when they are over 2 meters long to promote reproductive growth and increase the number of flowers and fruit.

During the pruning process, old leaves, diseased leaves and diseased fruits at the bottom should be removed in time to reduce nutrient waste and improve field ventilation and light transmission. Cucumbers are susceptible to diseases and pests. To reduce pesticide residues , it is recommended to soak cucumbers in salt water or baking soda water for 10 minutes before eating them raw, and then wash them with clean water to reduce pesticide residues.

In short, through measures such as timely sowing, cultivating strong seedlings, reasonable density planting, scientific fertilization, reasonable watering, and pruning and pinching, the yield and quality of cucumbers can be effectively improved and a good harvest can be achieved.