Which month is best to plant autumn cucumbers?

Autumn cucumber , also known as drought cucumber, is a variety of cucumber. Its ripening season is when a large number of summer vegetables fall off the shelves and there is a shortage of vegetables. Therefore, the planting prospects are very good. So when is the best month to plant autumn cucumbers? Let’s learn more about it below.

Which month is best to plant autumn cucumbers?

The best time to plant autumn cucumbers is about one month before the beginning of autumn, which is approximately mid-July to early August. Planting during this period ensures that the autumn cucumbers have enough time to mature before the frost.

How to plant autumn cucumbers?

1. Variety selection

July to August is the time when the temperature is high and the humidity is high, and it is easy to be threatened by diseases and pests at this time. Therefore, when choosing autumn cucumber varieties, you should choose varieties that are heat-resistant, waterlogging-resistant, strong-growing and suitable for planting in the region.

2. Land preparation and fertilization

It should be planted in sandy loam which is fertile, can retain fertilizer and water, and has convenient irrigation and drainage. At the same time, after the previous crop is harvested, the soil should be deeply plowed and the land should be prepared and ridges should be made. Decomposed pig manure should be used as base fertilizer, with 2500-3000 kg applied per mu.

3. Seed treatment

Before sowing, the autumn cucumber seeds need to be soaked and germinated. That is, soak in warm water at about 55℃ for 10-20 minutes. Stir constantly during this process. Then cool down to 28℃-30℃ and soak the seeds for 5-6 hours. Germination at 28℃, usually they will emerge in 15 hours.

4. Key points for sowing

Before sowing, deep plow the soil, make it into small raised beds, and then adopt the direct seeding method. You can broadcast the seeds evenly, or you can sow them in holes, with 2-3 seeds in each hole. Be sure to sow seeds with sufficient water to increase the germination rate.

5. Field management

After the seedling acclimatization period, timely tillage and weeding, and supplementation of water and fertilizer should be carried out. At the same time, spray Zhuangguadi Ling before flowering, during the young fruit stage, and during the expansion stage to thicken the fruit stalks, increase the fruit setting rate, and promote fruit development.

6. Pest and disease control

Common diseases and pests of autumn cucumbers include cucumber downy mildew, blight, bacterial angular leaf spot , etc. It is recommended to spray 800 times diluted 64% alum wettable powder + 800 times diluted thiophanate-methyl + brassinolide regularly to prevent various diseases. For pests such as whiteflies, blind bugs, aphids, tea yellow mites, and cabbage loopers, it is recommended to use 800 times solution of cypermethrin + 500 times solution of Bacillus thuringiensis + silicone pesticide enhancer for spraying control.

In general, mastering the planting time of autumn cucumbers is the key to achieving a good harvest. Of course, we also need to do a good job of management before and after sowing based on the growth characteristics of autumn cucumbers to achieve higher planting benefits.