When to plant greenhouse cucumbers?

The greenhouse cultivation model has developed to this day and has involved many types of vegetables and fruits . Greenhouse cucumber cultivation is a relatively common one. So when should greenhouse cucumbers be planted?

When to plant greenhouse cucumbers?

The planting time of greenhouse cucumbers is mainly divided into two seasons: spring and autumn:

1. Spring planting

The sowing period of early spring greenhouse cucumbers is generally in mid- or late January, and it is suitable to grow seedlings in a heated greenhouse or energy-saving solar greenhouse.

2. Autumn planting

The sowing period of greenhouse cucumbers is delayed in autumn. Generally, it is from late July to early August in the northern region, and can be delayed by 30-40 days in the southern region.

Greenhouse cucumber planting technology

1. Select seeds

According to local climate and soil conditions, select cucumber varieties that are resistant to low temperatures, high temperatures, have strong disease resistance, vigorous growth and high yield.

2. Seedbed preparation

The nutrient soil for the seedbed should be a mixture of 6 parts of garden soil that has not been used to grow melon crops, 3 parts of fully decomposed and sifted organic fertilizer , and 1 part of biological fertilizer, and should be sifted. To prevent damping-off and blight at the seedling stage, appropriate amounts of pesticides can be added.

3. Seed treatment and germination

Dry the seeds 1-3 days before sowing, then scald them in warm water at 55-60℃ for 5-10 minutes, stirring continuously until the water temperature drops to 30-35℃. Wash off the mucus on the surface of the seeds and soak them for 3-4 hours. You can choose to use 1000 times carbendazim or methyl thiophanate solution to soak the seeds for 1 hour, then rinse with clean water and continue soaking for 4 hours. After washing and drying, wrap them with a wet cloth and germinate them in an environment of 28-32℃ for 1-2 days. When 70% of the seeds turn white, they can be sown.

4. Seedling management

After the cotyledons unfold, transplant the seedlings in time. The seedlings should be turned over 2-3 times during the seedling stage, and variable temperature management should be implemented to adapt to the temperature requirements of different growth stages. Spray fertilizer on the leaves twice, control water reasonably, increase light, and weed and prevent diseases and pests in time. Control moisture, lower temperature, and increase ventilation before planting to harden the seedlings. When the seedlings grow 5-6 true leaves and are 55-60 days old, they are ready for transplanting.

5. Land preparation

The roots of cucumber seedlings have high water content and are relatively brittle, and are intolerant to both waterlogging and drought. Therefore, when preparing the land, it is necessary to ensure that the ground is flat and has appropriate slope to facilitate drainage and irrigation, and that the soil has no large lumps and is rich in organic matter.

6. Cleaning and tillage

Clear the remaining crops in the greenhouse and carry out plowing and drying in advance. Apply sufficient base fertilizer before planting, mainly long-acting organic fertilizer, combined with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and other medium and trace element fertilizers.

7. Soil conditioning

Cucumbers prefer nitrate nitrogen. If only ammonium nitrogen is provided, the leaves will become smaller and grow slowly, affecting the absorption of calcium and magnesium, which may cause physiological disorders such as calcium deficiency and reduce yield. Low magnesium content in the soil and excessive potassium and nitrogen fertilizers can also hinder the absorption of magnesium, especially in greenhouse cultivation. Sufficient magnesium-containing fertilizer should be applied before planting.

8. Soil improvement

For soils with insufficient fertility, biostimulants can be applied along with base fertilizer to improve the soil environment and balance nutrition.

9. Ridging and covering

After land preparation, ridges are made in the north-south direction, and the crops are cultivated in large and small rows and small raised ridges using plastic film covering. Water is irrigated under the film or by drip irrigation. The large row spacing is 80 cm, the small row spacing is 40 cm, and the ridge height is 20-25 cm. After ridge formation, keep the soil sealed for one week to increase the ground temperature.

10. Planting at the right time

Planting should be carried out when the temperature of the 10 cm soil layer underground is stable at above 12°C and the night temperature is not lower than 5°C. Strictly grasp the planting period according to the specific cultivation conditions and avoid blindly advancing it.

11. Notes on Planting

Pay attention to the weather and choose consecutive sunny days for planting. Spray the ground with myclobutanil + carbendazim and mancozeb one day before planting to prevent downy mildew. Sprinkle Bacillus subtilis into the planting holes, with a dosage of 23 kg per mu, to inhibit bacteria and prevent diseases. The planting depth should not be too deep, and the water should be watered thoroughly.

12. Management after planting

During the seedling acclimatization period, strengthen insulation, close doors and windows tightly, hang door curtains, and do not ventilate at a temperature not exceeding 33°C. If you encounter a cold wave, strengthen insulation. Water the roots 10-15 days after planting with azoxystrobin + spring thunder·copper king.

13. Management during the initial flowering period

From the seedling acclimatization stage to the root establishment, the main focus is on promoting root growth and controlling the seedlings, laying a good foundation for the fruiting period. After the seedlings have grown, put up the racks and tie the vines in time, control the water appropriately and stun the seedlings to facilitate rooting.

14. Observation of plant growth

The water status can be judged by observing the growth of the plant. When there is a lack of water, the leaves are dark green and dull, and the taproots are tightly gathered; when there is too much water, the petioles and internodes are too long, the leaves are light green, and the leaves are lifted.

15. Temperature management

Implement large temperature difference management, release air to cool down when the temperature exceeds 35°C during the day, turn off the air when the temperature is 20-25°C in the afternoon, and keep it at 10-13°C at night. When letting in air, open the doors and windows first. As the outside temperature rises, roll up the shoulder film and pry open the seams to let in air.

16. Fertilization management

From the time the vines grow to before flowering, apply 3 kg of balanced fertilizer with large elements + 2 kg of Sea Elf biostimulant per acre to promote flowering and fruiting.

17. Result period management

Supply sufficient water and fertilizer to promote melon setting and prevent premature aging. Increase ventilation to reduce temperature and dehumidify, avoid condensation at night, and make sure the ventilation area reaches 25% of the coverage area. Keep humidity below 65% at night.

18. Watering and fertilizing

When the melon strips are established and grow to 10-15 cm, water with fertilizer, gradually enter the normal watering and fertilizing stage, and add foliar fertilizer in time. Mainly use high-nitrogen and high-potassium fertilizers, and appropriately add biostimulants containing mineral humic acid to improve the soil and enhance the nutritional level. When melon rot is serious, spray 0.2kg of phosphorus and potassium source library with 100kg of water on the leaves once every 3-5 days to relieve the symptoms. When trace elements are lacking, pay attention to supplementing them.

19. Cucumber root management

Cucumbers have shallow roots, so follow the fertilizer and water management principle of "eat less and more meals". When the plant has 25-30 leaves, pinch off the top to promote the growth of the melon, and remove old, diseased and curled leaves in time.

20. Harvest Management

Fertilizer and water management should be light and frequent watering, with a light amount at first and then a heavy amount. According to the growth and harvest of the plants, apply 2 kg of balanced macro-elements fertilizer + 3 kg of high-potassium fertilizer + 5 kg of biostimulant per mu each time. It is recommended to apply fertilizer once every 10 days. Magnesium sulfate or EDTA chelated magnesium can be applied to the leaves according to actual conditions.

The above is an introduction to greenhouse cucumber cultivation techniques. Cucumber cultivation needs to be combined with many aspects. I hope it will be helpful to everyone.