Cucumber planting time and method

Spring planting of cucumbers usually takes place between January and March, while summer planting takes place between June and September. To ensure that cucumber seeds can grow smoothly under suitable humidity and temperature conditions, growers can choose to transplant them after seedling cultivation, or sow them directly in the fields. Or sow directly in the field. Let’s learn about the time and method of planting cucumbers.

1. Planting time

The ideal growing temperature range for cucumbers is 10 to 30 degrees Celsius. They prefer warm and humid climatic conditions, but are not very tolerant to cold. Cucumbers have a high demand for water, so the soil should be loose, fertile and well-drained to prevent root rot caused by waterlogging.

Cucumbers can be planted in spring or autumn. Spring planting usually takes place when the temperature stabilizes at around 18 degrees Celsius, which usually means starting planting in April in northern regions, but a little earlier in southern regions. The planting time for autumn cucumbers usually begins about 70 days before the first frost, considering that the growing period of autumn cucumbers is shorter, usually only two to three months. In the case of greenhouse or protected planting, winter planting can be carried out from late December to early January of the following year.

2. Soil conditions

Cucumbers prefer moisture but are afraid of waterlogging; they like fertilizer but are easily harmed by fertilizer. Therefore, you should choose neutral and fertile soil that is rich in organic matter, retains water and fertilizer, and has good air permeability. The ideal pH range is 5.5 to 7.2, with 6.5 being the most suitable. If it is inconvenient to prepare the soil yourself, you can buy nutrient soil designed specifically for cucumber cultivation .

3. Sowing method

Cucumber sowing can be divided into two methods: direct sowing and transplanting.

Direct seeding: Keep a distance of 30 to 40 cm between the seed holes. Water the seed holes thoroughly before sowing. After the water seeps in, put 2 to 3 seeds in. Then cover with about 1 to 1.5 cm of soil and compact it lightly to reduce the effects of water evaporation and insufficient temperature on germination.

Thinning: When the cucumber seedlings grow 2 to 3 true leaves, start thinning, keeping the strongest one in each planting pit and removing the rest. The removed seedlings can be transplanted into ungerminated seed pits, ensuring that the roots are intact and watered adequately after transplanting to ensure survival.

4. Transplantation

The transplanting method is relatively simple, just plant the purchased cucumber seedlings directly into the planting pit. First fill the planting hole with water, plant the seedlings before the water has completely seeped in, and cover them with soil after the water has seeped in. Be careful not to bury them too deep to avoid burying the leaves of the seedlings, and gently compact the soil.

5. Support and vine binding

Since cucumbers are climbing plants, supports should be set up as soon as possible after planting to prevent wind damage and seedling pullout. The support can be a flower rack or a herringbone rack, about 8 to 10 cm away from the roots.

Use the figure-8 method to secure the cucumber vines to prevent them from getting injured or sagging. Tie every 2 to 3 nodes, preferably in the afternoon because the stems are easy to break in the morning. The tightness of the vine binding should be adjusted according to the growth potential of the plant. Plants with strong growth potential should be tied slightly tighter, and the height of the growth point should be kept consistent.

6. Water and fertilizer management

Different fertilization and watering strategies are adopted according to different growth stages to balance vegetative growth and reproductive growth, extend the fruit-setting period and increase yield.

Initial flowering period: After cucumbers are planted, the seedlings should be slowed down in time to promote root recovery and growth. After planting and watering, fertilizer and water management should focus on "control". If the soil is too dry after the seedlings have grown, water should be applied moderately, but water should be applied from the root side, avoiding watering directly on the seedlings to prevent excessive growth. Top dressing is generally not required at this stage.

Result stage: The management focus of this stage is "promotion". With the harvest of root melons and kidney melons, the cucumber's demand for fertilizer and water increases significantly. The principle of watering is to start small and then increase, and gradually reduce.

The specific operations are as follows:

Root melon stage: The plant growth and the number of melons are not large, so the number of waterings and the amount of water should not be too much, and the ground should be kept slightly moist.

Growing period of cashew melon: It grows vigorously and needs a lot of fertilizer and water. Water it once every 1 to 2 days, or even twice a day. It is best to water in the morning and evening, especially in the morning. Top dressing is usually applied with water, mainly nitrogen fertilizer, with appropriate amounts of phosphorus fertilizer and potassium fertilizer, and should be applied in small amounts and multiple times. Harvest in time every day to avoid affecting the fruit setting.

Growing period of top cucumber: When cucumber enters the senescence period, it is necessary to reduce fertilizer and water to delay senescence and prolong the fruiting period. Water and fertilizer management should be small and frequent, and topdressing should be done once after each watering.

7. Weeding

During the entire planting process, weeds around the planting pits should be removed regularly to avoid affecting the growth of cucumbers.

8. Pest and disease control

The main diseases include anthracnose, powdery mildew, black spot, angular spot, mosaic disease, downy mildew virus, wilt virus, etc. The main pests are root-knot nematodes, whiteflies, aphids, etc. The principle of prevention and control is early detection and early treatment to avoid affecting growth and fruiting.

9. Harvesting and storage

There is no fixed time for harvesting cucumbers. Harvesting can begin about 40 to 45 days after sowing, and the harvesting period is about 2 months. It is recommended to pick them as you eat them. Do not pick too much at one time. The remaining ones can be refrigerated and can be kept for several days. Keeps well for several days.

The above is an introduction to the planting time and methods of cucumbers. When planting cucumbers, you need to pay attention to many details to ensure high yields of cucumbers.