Cucumber planting time and method

Cucumber generally refers to the tenderer cucumbers, which are particularly commonly grown in rural areas. They can be eaten raw and are also suitable for cooking. It contains a lot of water and rich vitamins, making it a popular common crop. Cucumber cultivation is very common in China, both in greenhouses and in open air environments. Let’s learn about the time and method of planting cucumbers.

1. Soil preparation

Choose land with a pH value between 5.8 and 7.8, preferably sandy loam that is rich in organic matter, well-drained and irrigated, and has strong water and fertilizer retention capabilities. Avoid continuous cropping with melon crops, it is better if the previous crop is rice field. When preparing the land, use high ridges and deep furrows. The ridge width is about 1 to 2 meters (including the furrows), the ridge height is at least 25 centimeters, and it is best to run from north to south. It is suitable for double-row planting, and the plant spacing should be kept above 25 centimeters.

2. Planting time

Cucumber planting is usually divided into two seasons: spring (January to March) and summer (June to September). The seeds grow in suitable humidity and temperature and can be transplanted from seedlings or sown directly.

3. Sowing and germination

The commonly used method is to soak the seeds in warm water (50 to 60 degrees) for 10 minutes to disinfect them, stirring constantly to prevent burns. Then soak it in warm water at about 30 degrees for 4 to 6 hours, wash and drain the water, keep it moisturized and germinate in an incubator at 25 to 30 degrees, and it will germinate after about 18 hours. When raising seedlings in a greenhouse in early spring, the seedlings can be transplanted after they are 15 to 20 days old and have grown two true leaves. Pay attention to protecting the root system and transplant them with soil.

4. Seedling raising and transplanting

The row spacing of cucumber seedlings is about 30 to 40 cm, and the plant spacing is about 35 cm. When the seedlings grow to 40 cm, they begin to spin silk and climb, and a trellis is needed. Use 1.5 to 2 meter small tree branches or bamboo poles to build a herringbone frame with the seedling as the center, secure it with ropes, and insert the bottom of the bamboo poles into the soil to prevent wind.

5. Pruning and trellising

When the cucumber tendrils begin to form, start setting up racks to guide the vines, and guide the vines every 3 to 4 days to keep the plants evenly distributed. When the vine grows to 60 cm, remove the horizontal bud forks. In its heyday, when the number of leaves on the main trunk reaches more than 30, the top is removed to ensure that nutrients are delivered to the fruit, thereby improving the fruit setting rate and quality.

6. Scientific fertilization

Base fertilizer is essential for cucumber growth. When preparing the land, deep plowing should be done and organic fertilizer should be applied, about 2,000 to 3,000 kilograms per mu, about 50 kilograms of gross fertilizer, and 30 kilograms of superphosphate. Start applying top dressing when the plant has 2 to 3 true leaves, applying 5 to 6 kg of urea every 5 to 8 days. When tendrils appear, combine tillage, weeding, soil building and fertilization. After the first harvest, soil building and fertilization should be carried out again. Use 30 to 40 kg of peanut bran, 60 kg of compound fertilizer and 20 kg of potassium fertilizer per mu. The temperature is high in summer and autumn, the growth is fast, and the fertilizer and water are lost a lot, so top dressing is needed in time. Pay attention to water during the spring cucumber seedling stage. The water requirement increases during the flowering and fruiting period. Water once a day on sunny days and once every 3 to 5 days during droughts.

The above is an introduction to all the contents of cucumber planting. In fact, as long as everyone masters the methods and combines them with local actual conditions, it is no problem to achieve high yields.