High-yield cultivation techniques of autumn cucumber

Cucumber is an annual climbing or creeping herb of the Cucurbitaceae family. It is rich in various nutrients such as carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. It has a long supply period, a variety of eating methods and a unique flavor. It is one of the main vegetables in China and is widely loved by consumers.

1. Choose the variety

There are many varieties of cucumbers. The growing period of autumn cucumbers coincides with the hot and rainy season, and pests and diseases occur frequently. Therefore, suitable autumn cucumber varieties should have the characteristics of high yield, early maturity, high quality, disease resistance and high temperature resistance. Cucumber varieties that are suitable for local climatic conditions and consumption habits should be selected, such as Jinyan No. 7, Jinyan No. 2, Jinyan No. 4, etc.

2. Sowing and seedling raising

The sowing time is usually between early June and early July, and direct seeding is mostly adopted.

The germination rate of cucumber seeds can be maintained for 8-12 years, but the germination ability drops significantly after three years, so 1-2 year old seeds are mainly used in production. In order to break the dormancy period and disinfect the seeds, the seeds need to be soaked in hot water and germinated before sowing. Soak the seeds in water at 25-30℃ for 4-6 hours, then wrap them with wet cloth and place them in an indoor environment at 15-30℃. Turn them over every 4-5 hours to replenish moisture and eliminate mucus. When 60% of the seeds turn white, they can be sown.

3. Seedbed management

The sowing amount per mu is about 200-250 grams. At 25-30℃, seedlings will emerge in about 3 days. Sow the germinated seeds in nutrient bags or nutrient blocks, 2-3 seeds in each bag. Maintain a suitable temperature in the seedbed and generally do not water unless the soil is dry. Thin out the seedlings when the first true leaf appears, leaving 1-2 plants in each bag, and water after thinning. When the seedlings have 2-3 leaves, spray ethephon on the leaves to increase the number of female flowers. Be careful to prevent low temperature and humidity from causing root rot in seedlings, and high temperature from causing excessive growth. The seedlings can be transplanted when they have 3-4 true leaves.

4. Planting

Summer is hot and rainy, so you should choose a plot of land with higher terrain, good drainage, loose and fertile land. Plow the land in time after harvesting the previous crop, and apply 2500-3000 kg of organic fertilizer , 100 kg of wood ash, and 50-100 kg of general calcium per mu. The cultivation method is high ridges and narrow beds, with bed width of 85-95 cm, height of 17-24 cm and ditch width of 33-37 cm.

The planting density of cucumbers varies depending on the variety and pruning method. Generally, the row spacing is 60-66 cm, the plant spacing is 27-36 cm, and 1-2 plants are planted in each nest. Early-maturing varieties can be planted slightly densely, while late-maturing varieties should be planted sparsely. Varieties that mainly produce fruits on the main vine can be planted a little densely, while varieties that produce fruits on both the main and side vines should be planted sparsely. Apply sufficient base fertilizer before transplanting, make holes for planting according to the row spacing, with 1-2 plants in each hole, and water the holes to help the roots settle.

5. Field management

Fertilization management: Autumn cucumbers grow fast, have a short fruiting period, weak root absorption capacity, are sensitive to high-concentration fertilizers , and require large amounts of fertilizer. Fertilization should be done at low concentration and in multiple stages. After transplanting, apply fertilizer to promote seedling growth during watering, and apply manure water when planting. As the temperature rises, plant growth accelerates and fertilizer requirements increase, so topdressing should be applied early. During the flowering and fruiting period, apply top dressing once every 1-2 harvests. When it rains continuously, wood ash and calcium sulfate can be applied. Top dressing is mainly based on quick-acting fertilizers, such as human and animal feces, urine, urea, etc.

Strengthen irrigation and drainage: Drought and waterlogging are prone to occur in summer, so we need to pay attention to drought resistance and waterlogging prevention to meet the water needs of cucumber growth.

Intertillage and weeding: In summer, the temperature is high and weeds grow fast, so it is necessary to carry out intertillage and weeding in time and cultivate the soil appropriately. After inserting the racks, the bed surface should be tilled, weeded, furrows cleared and soil added according to the growth of weeds.

Pruning and trellising: When the plant starts to sprout, set up the trellis and tie up the vines in time to avoid vine tangling. The brackets include "H-shaped bracket" and "fence bracket". Tie a vine every 30 cm, and then tie it every 3-4 nodes. It is best to tie the vines in the afternoon to avoid breaking them. There are two ways of pruning: one is for varieties that bear fruits on main and side vines. When pruning, select 2-3 side vines, and pinch off the remaining vines after they have produced 1-2 fruits, leaving two leaves. When the vines are full, top them. The other is for varieties that mainly bear fruits on side vines. Pinch off the leaves when they have 4-5 leaves in the seedling stage, and leave 2-3 side vines to bear fruits.

6. Harvest

The time required from sowing to harvesting of autumn cucumbers is short, and the fruits grow fast, so they must be harvested and put on the market in time. Generally, young melons can be harvested 4-6 days after flowering. At the beginning, they are harvested every 3-4 days, and then every 1-2 days during the peak fruiting period.

The above is an introduction to the key points of growing autumn cucumbers. Cucumbers usually prefer warm environments and are not cold-resistant. The suitable temperature for its growth is 10-32℃, the most suitable daytime temperature is 25-32℃, and the nighttime temperature is 15-18℃; the ground temperature should be 20-25℃, and the minimum should not be lower than 15℃. The most suitable temperature difference between day and night is 10-15℃. Autumn cucumbers are usually sown and seedled in June. Thanks to the high temperature and abundant rainfall, cucumbers grow rapidly. It takes about 40-45 days from sowing to harvesting.