Cucumbers on the balcony the amount of land you need. We grow cucumbers on the balcony: simple rules, tips for beginners and experienced gardeners

Today, not everyone has the opportunity to purchase an allotment of land in the immediate vicinity of the house in order to do what they love - growing various garden and ornamental crops. However, a solution can also be found from this situation - if you have a balcony in your apartment, then you can easily turn it into a full-fledged vegetable garden.

Of course, for this you will have to show a certain endurance, gain theoretical knowledge about the basics of growing flowers or other ornamental plants... If this is your desire, then you will even be able to collect delicious cucumbers from your home garden.

The nuances of the process of growing cucumbers on the balcony

If you have long been overcome by the desire to turn a loggia or balcony into a place where you could cultivate cucumbers, then it will not be so easy to translate this idea into reality. After all, not everyone knows how to grow cucumbers on the balcony.

At first, it does not hurt to get acquainted with the peculiarities of this culture. Balcony cucumbers of early varieties very heat demanding, therefore, the slightest draft can affect the future harvest.

Therefore, in order to create favorable conditions for growing balcony cucumbers, it is necessary to make certain changes to the layout of the premises. To do this, you will need create additional lighting, ventilation and heating.

Thanks to these innovations, you will provide cucumber plants with the required length of daylight hours, which will positively affect the growth of seedlings. Particular attention should be paid to correct installation ventilation and heating, since the quality of climate control on the balcony depends on this.

In addition, you should familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of growing balcony cucumbers. Briefly describing this process, then it can be presented in the form of the following stages:

Sowing seeds.
Soil preparation.
Seed care.
Transplanting.
Top dressing.
Formation of a cucumber whip.
Plant care.

Seed planting stages

One of the important points when growing cucumbers is sowing seeds, which involves carrying out several stages... It all starts with preparing the seeds, then choosing the right time for sowing, as well as the time when you want to get the harvest.

For those who want to feast on crispy cucumbers already in early spring, you will have to start sowing seeds in the winter.

If you are exactly adhere to recommendations gardeners, then for sure already at the beginning of March you will be able to enjoy the first results of your efforts.

To prepare the seeds for sowing, you need to carry out the following activities:

Soak. For this, a weak solution of potassium permanganate is used, in which the seeds are placed for 20 minutes.
Drying. After processing in a solution of potassium permanganate, the seeds must be removed and laid out on a damp gauze cloth, which must first be folded into several layers.
Sowing. The favorable moment for this comes after the appearance of signs of seed germination. The sowing itself is carried out in small flower pots or dark plastic cups.

Tanks for disembarkation

If you are going to grow cucumbers in pots, then be aware that excess moisture can lead to rotting of the root system. To avoid this, it is recommended to use double bottom containers.

Cucumbers respond well to an abundance of moisture, so you need to satisfy this need in full. To do this, you need to create drainage holes in the upper bottom that will allow excess moisture to drain into the lower pan.

If you do not have a suitable container for planting, then a plastic container can be adapted for these purposes. dark color... You can also use and homemade containers having a double bottom.

Using plastic bottles is a good option. Make sure that the container has sufficient area for plant development. Containers are considered suitable if there are 2.5 liters of volume per plant.

Soil preparation process

Do not assume that by planting early varieties of cucumbers in containers filled with ordinary soil, they will be able to give you a good harvest. To do this, you need to use special soil formulations, which will provide the seedlings with the necessary microelements and prevent the soil from drying out.

When choosing a composition, you can use various options.

First composition... All components are taken in equal proportions and mixed until smooth:

compost;
sod land;
peat;
sawdust of wood;
wood ash.

It is quite easy to acquire such a composition since it is offered in any shop for the gardener.

Second composition... To prepare it, you need to take one bucket of the above composition, adding additionally urea (10 g) and nitrophosphate (15 g). After that, all the components must be mixed well, and then you can proceed to sowing seeds.

Third composition... This mixture is the most preferable not only in terms of quality, but also in terms of economy. For it, the components available in the garden are used.

To prepare the composition, you need to take half the type of sod land and compost, add 2 glasses of wood ash, 50 grams of lime, 5 grams of each of the following types of fertilizers: potash, nitrogen and phosphorus.

Further, all components must be mixed well and placed in a plastic bag and tamped thoroughly. After that, you need to dig a deep hole, put a bag of potting soil in it, and then bury it. It will take some time for the mixture to rot, turning into a loose composition.

Even before sowing seeds, the soil must be watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Thanks to this treatment, the plants will be protected from damage by various diseases.

If you decide to take the time and prepare high-quality soil, then cucumbers will give you large and beautiful fruits at the end of the season.

Seed growing conditions

Although it may seem that it is quite difficult to grow early varieties of cucumbers on a loggia or balcony, however, if you follow some rules and tips, then you can cope with this task even without having special skills.

To get a good harvest, you need to create the most favorable conditions for the normal development of cucumber plants.

First of all, attention should be paid to temperature. The recommended mode is at least 20-25 degrees. If the air temperature below the recommended prevails on your balcony, then the cucumber seedlings will grow slowly.

Even before you start sowing seeds in the ground, you need to carry out container handling using a solution of potassium permanganate. So, you will provide the seedlings with protection from harmful diseases.

During sowing, the seeds are buried in the soil by 2-3 cm. Then the containers with the seedlings are taken out onto the balcony, where favorable conditions are created for growing cucumbers. This refers to the presence of good thermal insulation, additional lighting and ventilation.

The appearance of the first shoots can be expected 25-28 days after sowing. When you see the first shoots, you can plan feeding: the first time the soil is fertilized after 2 weeks, and the second time after another 10 days.

The quality of the crop largely depends on the watering of the plants. To determine the rate of water consumption, it is necessary to focus on soil moisture. It is best when watering is carried out every day with water at room temperature.

Planting cucumber seedlings

The moment you see the first shoots, you can consider the first stage of growing cucumbers completed. Next, you can do the next step - transplanting seedlings.

To carry it out, you need double bottom boxes, which you can buy at the store. You can also use homemade containers for this purpose, for example, plastic bottles.

You can solve the problem of drying out the soil if you use containers with the following characteristics: height - 20 cm, width - 30 cm, length - 60 cm.

When you prepare the transplant containers, fill them with the prepared potting soil. It should take up no more than a third of the volume, after which it is spilled well for the weak potassium permanganate solution room temperature.

Further, it is allowed to soak for 20 minutes, after which the seedlings are transferred together with the soil into a box, and covered with a substrate on top. Using a similar transplant technology, you can avoid damage to the root system. To ensure the normal growth of seedlings, it should be water every day.

If the windows on the balcony are constantly open, then it is recommended to place containers with crops where gusts of wind will least disturb them.

After finishing the work on transplanting seedlings, you need to wait 30-40 days, which is enough for the transformation of young seedlings into adult plants.

What to feed, when and how

If you have taken good care of creating an environment conducive to the growth of early varieties of domestic cucumbers, then you should not expect that by meeting their water needs, you will get a good harvest.

Already 2 weeks after the formation of the first shoots, you it is necessary to feed... There are also some nuances here.

For the first time, cucumbers are fed with a mixture of fertilizers, which must be diluted in 10 liters of water:

Ammonium nitrate - 5 g.
Potassium nitrate - 15 g.
Superphosphate - 30 g.
Magnesium sulfate - 5 g.

The second time the plants are fed 10 days after the first feeding. The fertilizers below are designed for 10 liters of water:

dilute well-rotted bird droppings in water (1:20);
superphosphate -20 g;
potassium sulfate 15 g.

Formation of a cucumber lash

If you decide to start growing varieties that require pollination, then you will definitely have to pinch them... To select the most appropriate moment for this operation, it is necessary to wait for the formation of the third leaf - in this place it is necessary to remove the shoot along with the growth point.

After 5 days, lateral shoots will begin to form from the axillary buds, which are located under the first and second leaves. Subsequently, the main cucumber whips will form from them.

Once again, the pinching is performed when new two sheets are formed. Thus, if you are going to grow cucumbers on the balcony, then you must pinching is necessary, otherwise you can not count on getting a good harvest indoors.

It should not be forgotten that in the process of development, the shoots of early varieties of cucumbers begin to curl, therefore at a certain moment it is necessary to perform cucumber garter... For this, a place is marked at a level of 1.5 m from the surface of the earth, where you will have to pull the wire.

Thickened threads are drawn from it, which are fixed to the stem. Next, the stem is worn around the thread. Carrying out such a garter allows you to avoid damage to the stem and provide it with good support for further growth.

Growing cucumbers in a city apartment is a solvable task. Every owner can cope with it, the main thing is to first get theoretical training about the features of cucumbers on the balcony.

Growing early varieties of cucumbers requires creating an enabling environment for normal development. Therefore, you will have to spend some time and money on insulation, lighting and ventilation.

In addition, you need timing correctly for sowing seeds, since a certain time must pass before the first greens appear.

Do not forget that in the process of growth, cucumbers form long lashes, therefore, for plants it is necessary to create supports... If you consider these points, then you will be well rewarded for the time and effort spent.

Many people living in large cities, deprived of the opportunity to grow their vegetables in greenhouse conditions, dream of cold winter pamper all family members with spring, fragrant fresh cucumber salads. Of course, you can use commercial vegetables, but their taste and aroma will be much inferior to home counterparts. So why not try to figure out how to grow cucumbers on your balcony? At the same time, the technological process of arranging a vegetable garden in an apartment is within the power of even inexperienced vegetable growers.

Despite the fact that cucumber is a demanding vegetable crop, anyone can create favorable conditions for its cultivation. on the balcony of the apartment... For a long time, breeders have bred many different varieties of cucumbers that are suitable for planting in limited areas for sowing. The main difference between such varieties from ordinary garden cucumbers is primarily in small leaves with short internodes on the stem, which make the bushes more compact and the root system more powerful.

Also, the balcony variety of cucumbers is characterized by a slow growth rate of zelents, elongated stalks and, most importantly, the formation of a large number of ovaries in nodes that resemble bunch of grapes... At the same time, cucumber greens do not outgrow and have a finger or cylindrical shape of the so-called gherkin. A feature of such hybrids is the ability to form fruits without pollination, and the cucumbers themselves have no seeds.

What requirements should the varieties of balcony cucumbers meet?

In the absence of your own backyard or suburban area, but if you have a loggia or balcony on the sunny south side, with some effort you can organize your own home garden. However, it should be understood that for growing cucumbers on the balcony, only varieties that meet certain requirements, due to the peculiarity of growing vegetables at home:

The vegetable culture must be resistant to lack of light and moisture.
The cucumber must have a long branching stem, short internodes, miniature leaves and a developed root system.
For cucumbers grown on the balcony, the timing of the onset of the fruiting period is very important (it is advisable to plant early ripening hybrids and, as fruiting ceases, replace them with new analogues).
Fruiting should be bunch or bouquet - several fruits in each knot.
The fruits of gherkin cucumbers ripen quickly, and a new ovary appears in their place.
For maximum yields, it is important to choose female cucumber hybrids.

Naturally, not all standard cucumber varieties will meet these requirements. These are mainly salad hybrids that are used fresh or lightly salted for short-term storage.

Balcony cucumber varieties

If you plan to get large yields of this vegetable crops suitable for preservation and pickling, it is necessary to dwell on modern hybrids of cucumbers-gherkins, among which deserve special attention " Urban" and " Balcony". The lashes of these varieties are rather compact, with a bundle of fruit development - several cucumbers in one bosom. The gherkin fruit is miniature, very tasty, without bitterness, crispy, aromatic and perfect for rolling in jars for winter storage.

Larger Zelentsy include “ Swallowtail" and " Snowstorm”, But their fruiting period is insignificant with a quick return of fruits, so you have to constantly plant new cucumber bushes. For owners of large balconies, where there is no question of saving space, the varieties " Berendey" and " Emerald", Which have excellent quality greens, extended period of fruiting and a long lash, because of which it is impossible to grow many bushes at the same time. Shade-tolerant varieties are planted on the balconies located in the shady part of the house: “ Masha», « Kosinsky" other.

Preparing the container and soil for growing cucumbers on the balcony

In order to grow bountiful harvests of tasty and, most importantly, environmentally friendly cucumbers on the balcony, it is not easy to choose a suitable hybrid, but also to worry about the minimum conditions for good growth plants. To do this, you can use useful tips from experienced gardeners- city dwellers who will allow you to create a vegetable garden in the apartment:

The soil for sowing cucumbers must meet all the requirements. An earthen composition of 40% compost, 30% peat, 20% sod soil, 10% sawdust and urea in a volume of no more than one matchbox per bucket of soil, as well as superphosphates and potassium - one matchbox of each fertilizer is well suited. As a prophylaxis for various kinds of diseases, the soil is disinfected with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.

For sowing cucumbers at home, various seeds are suitable, but it is best to choose early ripening varieties for planting in open soil. Before direct sowing seed it is recommended to process it with specialized microelements, as well as to warm up the seeds and soak in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 10-15 minutes, then rinse under running water.

To accelerate the germination of seeds, they are soaked in warm water for up to 12 hours, after which they are wrapped in damp gauze, which is further moistened as it dries. In this case, the temperature regime should correspond to 22-25˚C. To obtain both male and female flowers, which are necessary for pollination of cucumbers, seeds are planted at intervals of 6-7 days.

Basic rules for growing cucumbers on the balcony

Planting cucumber seeds for seedlings for growing on a balcony or windowsill is best done in small plastic or paper cups or peat tablets, which are sold in specialized stores... This is necessary in order to select quality seedlings for further cultivation in boxes in a permanent place.

Each seed of a cucumber is placed in a separately made hole and sprinkled with a half-centimeter layer of soil. Then the cups are placed in a common container with high sides and covered with plastic wrap. You can build a kind of greenhouse on the balcony, in which all the optimal conditions for the growth of seedlings will be provided, or you can purchase a ready-made structure with automatic temperature support and watering. However, such a mini-greenhouse is not a cheap pleasure.

After 25 days after sowing the seeds, the seedlings move in boxes for further cultivation on the balcony. To do this, you can use independently made from wooden planks racks. At the bottom of each box, it is necessary to equip a drainage layer of expanded clay granules, on top of which to fill in slightly moistened soil, into which the seedlings are planted. If peat tablets were used to grow seedlings, then the seedlings are placed in the ground with them. When growing cucumbers from the northern part of the house on a poorly lit balcony, it is necessary to arrange additional lighting.

When forming the first 5 full-fledged leaves on the seedling, you need to stick it into the soil next to the shoot garter peg cucumber tendrils. In order for the lashes to bring maximum yields, experienced gardeners recommend cutting off the top above the eleventh leaf, and also removing side shoots with a certain regularity.

Pinching seedlings is performed after the formation of the third full-fledged sheet. At the same time, it is cut off together with the growth point. The axillary bud of the second leaf should remain intact. This is due to the fact that it is from it that the lateral shoot will grow, which will form the basis of the future lash of the plant. The second pinch is performed directly over the 6th leaf, and the next one after two more.

Cucumber pest control

First processing plants, for prophylactic purposes, it is carried out with a composition of dry onion husks in the volume of half a bucket, 1 glass of ash and half a glass of tobacco or makhorka. The bucket is poured to the brim with boiling water and infused for 24 hours. After that, the resulting infusion is filtered and a tablespoon of soap or one glass of milk is added to it.

To get a rich harvest of cucumbers on the balcony both in winter and summer, it does not take much effort and time. In this case, there are several simple, but at the same time effective advice from professional gardeners on how to grow cucumbers on the balcony:

cucumbers - plants are very moisture-loving, so it is important to ensure that the soil in the boxes does not dry out, but you should not plant a swamp either;
as soon as the first cucumbers rise on the balcony, they must be nourished and repeated this procedure weekly using mineral fertilizers;
if the root system in the boxes is bare, then it is necessary to cover it with a small layer of soil;
when an excessive number of feminine flowers are formed, they need to be cut off in order to accelerate the formation of greens;
cucumber greens are harvested at the stage of reaching maturity, so that the depletion of the plant does not occur.

Subject to all these simple conditions for growing cucumbers on the balcony, you can get bountiful harvests throughout the year. Even from a small garden bed, you can collect at least 30 fruits during the fertile period. Moreover, the more often ripe fruits are cut, the faster new cucumbers will be tied.

As you can see, growing cucumbers on the balcony is not only possible, but also necessary. Many cucumber varieties grow without any problems even in seemingly unsuitable conditions for this. In this case, the main thing is the choice of suitable varieties, quality training soil mixture for planting seeds and observing the minimum climatic conditions growing vegetables at home on a balcony or windowsill.

If there is no dacha and is not expected, and you really want fresh homemade cucumbers on a hot day, then why not grow them in the city? Cucumbers ripen well in a small amount of soil, if you create the right conditions for them. The article describes step by step the technology for obtaining green stalwarts on the balcony apartment building, high quality photos are attached.

Self-pollinated or parthenocarpic varieties with limited growth and long-term fruiting are suitable for growing on balconies. Shade tolerance is desirable, especially if housing is not on the top floor, and early maturity. Masha F1, Prestige F1 possess such properties.

The Balkonny F1 was recognized as the best - a bunchy hybrid that withstands light frosts and gives the first greens in 40 days after germination. You can try gherkin hybrids such as Red mullet F1, Dwarf F1.

Cucumber varieties for balcony cultivation

Step 2 - selection of capacity and soil

The container (pot, basket) is used as large as possible, otherwise there is a possibility of the soil drying out. To warm up the soil, give preference to containers dark colors, if necessary, the walls are repainted. To prevent stagnation of water, the bottom is equipped with two or three drainage holes.

There are three ways to place containers:

arrange them on the balcony shelves:
hang from the ceiling with anchor bolts;
put on brackets attached to the fence from the outside.

Attention! If the cucumber lashes are located outside the balcony, be sure to provide deep trays so that excess water does not pour on the heads of passers-by.

When making a soil mixture, combine equal amounts of turf and compost, add peat and perlite to retain moisture. There are special soils for cucumbers on sale.

Step 3 - preparing seeds and seedlings

Before sowing, cucumber seeds undergo a series of procedures designed to protect seedlings from infections and significantly affect the quality of green leaves.

Sprouts of cucumbers

Warming up for 3-4 days on a battery in a cloth bag.
Disinfection in "Fitosporin-M", weak potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide for 10-15 minutes. If you do not want to use "chemistry" prepare scarlet juice in half with water or garlic infusion of any concentration. The seeds are kept in them for 20-25 hours.
Growth stimulation with Epin-Extra.

Seedlings are prepared from the end of April. The root system of cucumbers does not tolerate injuries from diving and even transplanting, so each seed is planted in an individual pot with decaying walls - peat or paper. Close up to a depth of 2-3 cm, moisturize well, keep warm, supplemented with light so that it does not stretch out.

If there are two pairs of real leaves, the pots are placed in a container on a layer of expanded clay drainage. The rest of the space is covered with prepared earth, well crushed and spilled with warm water.

Step 4 - caring for the plants

There is little land in the balcony container, it dries quickly, the leaf surface of the cucumbers is huge, therefore, abundant watering is done in the morning and evening. In wet weather, you can limit yourself to one evening watering. The water must be warmed up until the fingers are warm.

Attention! Do not let the soil dry out. In response to drought, cucumbers produce the protective substance cucurbitacin, which has a distinct bitter taste.

Cucumbers are fed once a week with complex fertilizer. In this case, the soil must be moist, otherwise the substances that make up the fertilizers will burn the roots.

Support the plants

The weak stems of the cucumber need support, therefore, trellises are arranged next to the containers, to which the whips will cling. If the balcony is located on the south side, you will have to provide for shading at midday, otherwise the leaves facing the street will "burn". The west and east directions will provide plants with light without excess.

Before choosing a method of formation, read the description of the variety on the label of the package with seeds. Some varieties form a crop on the main shoot - they are formed into one stem, removing all stepchildren. Others are prone to flowering of stepchildren - in this case, pinching the main stem is effective.

Step 5 - protecting the plants from unwanted guests

Balcony cucumbers are not so often affected by pests and diseases, since their plantings are not thickened and are well ventilated. However, aphids, thrips and spider mite carried by the wind from the street vegetation can be found. An elementary means of dealing with them is abundant spraying with water. If this measure does not help, use insecticides such as "Decis".

For the prevention of fungal diseases:

do not allow waterlogging of the soil;
remove leaves that have touched the ground;
all plants are inspected daily and leaves with suspicious red or gray spots are cut out.

Step 6 - harvesting

Ready greens are removed when their size reaches the indicated on the seed package. By this time, bunch and gherkin cucumbers (Balkonny F1, Dwarf F1) will show themselves in all their glory, the fruits of which do not outgrow, even if you forget about them for several days.

Remove fruits carefully, use scissors

To pick up the fruit, you should arm yourself with scissors: if you try to pick the greens, you can pull the whole whip out of the container. To provide the family with fresh cucumbers for the whole summer, it is recommended to sow seeds for seedlings every two weeks and replace old bushes with fresh ones.

Vegetables on the balcony are not fiction, but a dire necessity for those who do not have their own land. Daily attention to each plant and simple care allows you to forget what fresh and dull shop cucumbers are, enjoying your own sweet, crunchy harvest.

Growing cucumbers on the balcony: video

The cultivation technology is not particularly difficult and is within the power of even novice vegetable growers. Although cucumbers are quite demanding, you can arrange optimal conditions for their development, both on the kitchen windowsill and on the balcony.

Why are cucumbers grown on the balcony

Do you live in a city apartment and are deprived of the opportunity? And how you want to pamper yourself with a spring salad of fresh cucumbers in the cold season! You can, of course, use store vegetables, but they are much inferior to homemade ones in taste and aroma.

So why don't you try growing indoor vegetables? The cultivation technology is not particularly difficult and is within the power of even novice vegetable growers. Although cucumbers are quite demanding, you can arrange optimal conditions for their development, both on the kitchen windowsill and on the balcony.

The cultivation technology is not particularly difficult and even novice vegetable growers can do it.

What are the requirements for cucumbers that can be grown at home

Growing cucumbers in an apartment on a windowsill in winter is a fun and interesting activity. Saplings with green plants growing on them in the middle of winter are the real pride of the owners. Houseplants give an environmentally friendly product and do not require complex maintenance. Scourges, which stand on the windowsill in winter, create an atmosphere at home like in a summer garden.

The best varieties for growing on a windowsill

For growing in an apartment, varieties that are distinguished by shade tolerance and resistance to diseases are suitable. For room breeding, experienced gardeners recommend the following plants:

Khutorok. Since it is a bee-pollinated variety, the gardener will have to manually examine the female flowers by hand. But the result is worth it because it is a very early variety that bears fruit 30 days after sowing. Each cucumber is up to 10 cm long.
Generous. This variety belongs to the varieties of cucumbers intended for growing on the windowsill. Forms cucumbers up to 12 cm long, growing in groups of 5-8 pieces.
Khrustyk. This plant can be harvested 50 days after sowing. The hybrid self-pollinates - the plant only needs watering. This variety belongs to high-yielding, and on one vine you can collect about 40 cucumbers, which grow in clusters of 7 pieces.
Snowstorm. Small, dark green cucumbers grow on a small bush. They enter fruiting 35-40 days after germination. Form bunches of 5-7 fruits each.
Master. Small gherkin-type cucumbers that look good in salads and are also used to decorate the festive table.
Zozulya. One of the classic varieties that grows well in greenhouses and window sills. Fruits up to 25 cm long can grow on the bushes.

Video about cucumbers on the windowsill

Choosing a location, container and soil

Light and warmth are very important for cucumber plants, so it would be ideal to place cucumbers on the windowsill of the south window. Make sure that cold air does not enter the seedlings: insulate the window, cover the window with polyethylene, exclude any possibility of drafts when airing the plants. Put a board or a piece of isolon on a cold windowsill so that the roots of the seedlings do not freeze, and you can stick a reflective film on the glass to improve illumination. Growing cucumbers on the balcony is only possible if it is heated.

Light and warmth are very important for cucumber plants, so it would be ideal to place cucumbers on the windowsill of the south window.

Since the daylight hours are short in the cold season, you will need to provide artificial lighting with lamps, providing cucumber plants with daylight from 10 hours in December to 4 hours in March. Two lamps are enough for one window sill.

Cucumbers on the windowsill grow well in winter both in boxes and in strong plastic bags - whatever is more convenient for you. The main thing is that the containers have a volume of at least eight liters per one cucumber plant. Make a couple of holes in the bottom of the container to allow air to reach the root system and drain excess water into the sump. Lay drainage at the bottom, soil will be poured on top.

In the store you can buy a specially prepared mixture for growing seedlings, or you can mix it yourself:

40% compost;
30% peat;
20% sod land;
10% sawdust;
urea - an incomplete box of matches for 10 liters of soil mixture;
potassium sulfate and superphosphate - two matchboxes.

In order to prevent diseases of cucumbers, the earth can be shed with a solution of potassium permanganate

In order to prevent diseases of cucumbers, the earth can be shed with a solution of potassium permanganate. Then mix the entire mixture thoroughly, moisten with warm water and pour into a container with drainage, leaving about 5 cm to the edge.

The best timing for planting cucumbers at home

For those who want to eat fresh cucumbers on New Year, you should think about it already in November. To grow greens on a windowsill in winter, you do not need to put in a lot of effort - just follow certain recommendations. Proper care of such a mini-garden will allow each user to get a lot of fresh fruits right in the apartment.

Plant vegetables in indoor conditions it is possible all year round. When choosing a planting date, focus on the desired date by which you would like to get the harvest. Average, early varieties come into fruiting 35-40 days after germination. The massive crop is harvested after a few weeks.

Growing seedlings

It is better to pre-grow seedlings in small cups or peat pots from - it will be more convenient to select the strongest seedlings later. Carefully place each seed in the hole in the middle of the pot and sprinkle it on 0.5 cm with loose earth. Put all the seed pots in one box and cover with transparent film on top. Move the box to a warm place, and when the seedlings have expanded, move the cucumber seedlings to the prepared windowsill or balcony.

Carefully place each seed in the hole in the middle of the pot and sprinkle it on 0.5 cm with loose earth

25 days after the seeds have been sown, the seedlings are transplanted into large pots or boxes to a permanent location. There should also be a layer of fine gravel drainage at the bottom of the permanent pots. Sprinkle the soil mixture with warm water before replanting the seedlings. Plant seedlings with an earthen clod or together with peat pots. The vegetables on the balcony or window should be facing the light with the top of the leaf.

When 5-6 leaves appear on the seedlings, stick pegs next to the stems or pull the twine along the balcony wall and tie the mustache. To make the cucumbers begin to bear fruit faster at home, cut off the top of the young shoots above the 11th leaf and regularly remove the side shoots.

Growing cucumbers on the windowsill and balcony: step by step instructions

The process of growing indoor fruits consists of the following stages:

Soil preparation

The roots of the plant prefer fertile, loose soil. You need at least 5 liters of growing medium to grow one plant. This is necessary for the good development of the bush and its good nutrition. To prepare the soil, mix equal proportions of forest or garden soil, sand, rotted sawdust, ash and humus. Place the mixture in the oven to disinfect pests that sleep in the ground. You can also buy a ready-made mixture (give preference to universal varieties).

As soon as the cucumbers at home rise, provide them with a weekly fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.

Seed preparation

Seeds should be germinated before planting. To do this, place them on a cotton swab or cloth and place them on a saucer, cover with plastic and put in a warm place. Treat the seeds additionally for greater efficiency. Place them for 3-4 hours in water with the addition of potassium permanganate (the solution should be light pink). Seeds that float are thrown away - they will not germinate. The specimens that have sunk to the bottom are taken for further work.

Soaked seeds can be sown directly into the soil. To do this, use pots or seedling boxes. Spread the seeds to a depth of 1.5 cm in moist soil, additionally water the substrate. While waiting for germination, cover the container with foil or glass and leave it in a place where the air temperature is at least + 25 ° C. When the plants germinate, remove the cover and transfer the container to another windowsill. There the air must be at least + 18 ° С and more than + 20 ° С.

Transplanting seedlings and taking care of fruits during growth

Transfer of plants is carried out when 3-4 true leaves are formed on the bush. Pour a small layer of soil into a large pot, carefully transfer the seedling with a lump of earth and sprinkle it with soil, leaving room for further backfilling. It is recommended to immediately think about the support on which the cucumber will grow. As a support, you can use wooden pegs, special plastic supports for climbing plants. Then pour the container abundantly.

Lighting and temperature

In order for the fruits to grow well on the window, the temperature in the house should be no more than + 20-22 degrees. Cucumbers do not like cold drafts; before placing the pots with plants, make sure the frames are tight and, if necessary, additionally insulate them. Cuttings will not stretch if optimal lighting is provided. If the plants are on a southern windowsill, they will not need an additional artificial source of sunlight. Otherwise, the bushes need to be illuminated with fluorescent lamps.

Formation of bushes

After 5-6 leaves appear on the plant, it is necessary to pin the point of its growth. This technique increases the productivity of the bush due to the formation of additional shoots. Further shaping consists in cutting off excess shoots that interfere with good lighting of the plant and thicken the bush.

Watering and fertilizing

Watering should be done with water at room temperature - 22-24 degrees. The soil should always be moist. Plants in the room or on glazed balcony grow very quickly. They throw out many leaves and bloom profusely. The older the plants are, the more water they need. So that the moisture does not evaporate too quickly, you need to mulch the soil when 3-4 correct leaves appear on the bush. For this purpose, you can use, for example, straw, coconut fiber. Mulch also prevents the earth from overheating from the sun and chilling at night.

Cucumbers respond positively to feeding. You can prepare your own plant nutrient solution. For this:

collect 10 liters of water;
add ammonium nitrate, double superphosphate (10 g each) and magnesium sulfate (no more than 8 g);
stir the solution until the crystals are completely dissolved.

Water at the rate of 1 glass of solution per plant.

You can also use ready-made universal fertilizers based on humus. They should be bred in the proportions recommended by the manufacturers and watered the plants every 7-10 days.

Planting seedlings in open ground and instructions on how to grow further

The method of growing fruits on the windowsill is often practiced to obtain seedlings for further planting in open ground or film greenhouses. Transfer of plants is carried out when 2 or more pairs of true leaves are formed in them.

Diseases and pests - how to deal with them, prevention

Home-grown cucumbers are much less sick than those grown in a greenhouse or vegetable garden. But even in the house it is impossible to create completely ideal conditions that exclude the danger of illness. There are several reasons causing problems with greens on the windowsill:

violation of humidity and air temperature;
watering with very cold water;
contaminated soil was selected;
when working with seedlings, instruments that have not been disinfected are used.

Name	Symptoms
Diseases
powdery mildew	The first signs of the disease are small, light spots on the top and bottom of the cucumber leaves (sometimes also on the petioles and shoots). The spots expand rapidly, occupying the entire surface and covering it with a white powdery coating. Dist in a short time begins to turn yellow and die. The occurrence of the disease is facilitated by high humidity and high temperatures.
mosaic virus	The disease is characterized by the appearance of small yellow-green spots appear on young leaves, which become deformed, wrinkled and small, and the internodes are short. Whole plants are stunted. Defects appear on the fruits. The disease is spread by green aphids and white butterflies, which carry germs.
anthractosis	The disease affects both young seedlings, which usually completely destroy, and adult plants. Leaves initially cover light green spots, covering the entire area in a short time. During wet weather, mucus is visible on the spots. During the dry period, the surface dries up and collapses. The spots are also visible on the fruit, in which they take the form of watery craters.
Pests
cucumber aphid	Small beetles with an elongated body, about 1-2 mm long. The colony has wingless insects, with a light yellow or green body and winged green insects. Sucking out the sap, weaken the plant, which leads to the fall of flowers and ovaries. Damaged leaves turn yellow, deform and die off aphids also carry viruses (such as mosaic).
spider mite	The insect has a light green body covered with two dark spots. Females winter period turn red and orange. Damage: damage to leaves, sucking of sap and shoots, which leads to a weakening of the plant and a decrease in yield.
	tiny insect (1-1.5 mm) with an elongated brown body and narrow, serrated wings. The larva is oblong, wingless, yellow-cream. Sucking sap from leaves and shoots (small, yellow spots on hospital leaves, the leaves die over time).

Harvesting

If you did everything right, you will receive a reward for your efforts - beautiful fresh cucumbers on the windowsill. Zelentsy can be harvested when they reach technical maturity. It is undesirable to allow the fruits to overripe, this depletes the bush. By plucking the fruits often, you stimulate the plant to form new ovaries.

Video: cucumbers on the balcony - from seed to fruit

If you follow the above recommendations, growing cucumbers on the windowsill will bring excellent results, and you can collect up to 30 fragrant homemade cucumbers from one plant. The more often you remove the vegetables from the lashes, the more often new ones will form.

Material updated on 28.02.2018.

Fresh cucumbers, crispy, aromatic, to New Year's table, by March 8 or May 1 - the dream of every housewife. It would seem that there is nothing surprising here. I went to the store and bought it. But how can a store-bought cucumber compare to a home-grown cucumber with my own hands... Naturally, the harvest harvested in the fall from the garden beds in the country will not be able to be kept fresh even before the New Year holidays.

Housewives began to grow cucumbers in apartments on window sills, heated loggias and balconies. And not only cucumbers. Fresh herbs, tomatoes, peppers delight with the harvest all year round.

Not only those who do not have country house or a summer cottage. Housewives who love to pamper their loved ones with fresh vegetables and herbs throughout the year, surprising friends and acquaintances with crops grown by their own hands. Moreover, in such an unusual way.

Even an inexperienced gardener can cultivate cucumbers on a loggia or in an apartment on a windowsill. Breeders have developed specialized varieties of cucumbers for growing on the windowsill and balconies.

You need to start with the selection of the variety. On the package with seeds in the description, the manufacturer indicates that this type of seed is intended for sowing and growing on a loggia and in an apartment on a window.

Criteria that must be taken into account when choosing varieties of cucumbers for the balcony and windowsill:

Cucumber seeds must be self-pollinated. Bees rarely fly into a loggia or balcony, and even more so into an apartment. Plants with a bouquet set, female flowering type. Therefore, in order not to manually pollinate the plants (it is possible, but it takes a lot of time), self-pollinated varieties of cucumbers are suitable for the balcony.
Increased shade tolerance. When you grow vegetables in your garden, they get light all day long. Growing on a balcony or windowsill, plants are illuminated only in the first or second half of the day. It depends on which side the window or balcony is facing. Therefore, balcony varieties of cucumbers are resistant to lack of light.
Plants must have small leaves so as not to overshadow ourselves,

short internodes.

The varieties of cucumbers for the balcony are bush, they have short side shoots.

Consider these parameters when buying seeds.

Read the variety description carefully before purchasing seeds. The manufacturer must indicate on the packaging the properties of future fruits, whether these varieties of cucumbers are suitable for the balcony and window sill.

Balcony cucumber varieties

Zelentsy grown by an unusual method are not inferior in taste to cucumbers from the garden.

Consider which varieties of cucumbers are best planted on the balcony.

Variety "Balcony Miracle"

Photo: Variety balcony miracle

One of the species bred by breeders to grow in a room on a windowsill or on a balcony. Plant with a dense, compressed root system that does not require much land. The variety is high-yielding, the fruits are distinguished by special taste. The pulp of greenery is juicy, sweetish, without the presence of bitterness.

The cucumber easily tolerates partial shade, does not require additional lighting. The flowers are self-pollinated, female flowering type, high yields are guaranteed. Cucumbers do not need to be looked after in a special way, they are unpretentious, viable, not susceptible to disease.

The scourge of the plant is not very long, no more than 2 meters. The internodes are shortened, but there are many of them. Each develops 3-5 ovaries.

Gherkins are neat, up to 10 cm long, weighing up to 110 grams. Zelentov's shape is a cylinder. There are small bumps on the skin. Fresh cucumbers are delicious. They are salted and pickled. Even from jars, cucumbers remain mouth-watering and fragrant.

Cucumbers "Balcony Miracle" are suitable not only for balconies and window sills. They are grown in beds in open ground and in greenhouses. The harvest may exceed the number of cucumbers grown on the balcony.

Variety "City gherkin"

Photo: City gherkin

A hybrid that is cultivated on a loggia or in an apartment.

Peculiarities:

bunch gherkin;
internodes are short;
small sheets;
increased shade tolerance;
begins to bear fruit on the 39-41 day;
develops in 4-10 ovaries;
fruits 10-13 cm long, weighing 70-95 grams.

The cucumber is delicious fresh. Zelentsy are well suited for canning. Vegetables can be grown in open beds and under plastic cover. Resilient and unpretentious.

Variety "Makhaon"

Photo: variety "Makhaon"

A distinctive feature of the variety is that the fruits ripen early. A hybrid with flowers of the female type of flowering, bundle, gherkin, parthenocarpic. It has shortened internodes. Shoots on the sides are dense, but short. In knots, from 2 to 11 pieces of future fruits are tied.

Zelentsy spindle-shaped. Their length is up to 12 cm, weight - 60 -110 grams.

The cucumber tastes great. They are juicy, fragrant, liquid. Taste qualities are preserved when salting and pickling.

The variety is unpretentious, resistant to cucumber diseases.

Cucumbers are great for growing on balconies and windowsills. They can be grown in open beds and under plastic.

April cucumber

Cucumber "April"

A hybrid of the female flowering type, self-pollinating, suitable for growing on windowsills and balconies. The fruits begin to ripen 40-45 days after planting the seeds. Distinctive features of this variety.

The plant is short, bushy, no higher than 30 cm.
Vegetables have a cylinder shape. On the skin there are large white bumps and thorns.
Fruit weight does not exceed 220-250 grams.
The pulp of zelentz is liquid, appetizing, without bitterness.
If the fruits are not harvested on time, they will turn yellow and outgrow.
The variety is resistant to disease.
With good, regular plant care, the yield increases up to 15 kg per 1 square meter.

When cultivated in a garden bed, the yield increases by 35-45%.

Photo: cucumbers "Balagan"

The variety has all the characteristics typical for growing on a balcony or windowsill.

The plant is shade-tolerant, resistant to aridity, with a strong but compact root system.
The leaves are medium-sized, do not cover themselves, for an enclosed space.
Short internodes with 3 to 9 ovaries.
Fruits are small, do not outgrow for a long time.
The variety is early maturing. Ripening of zelents begins at 41-43 days.
Gives good yields. Resistant to cucumber diseases.

Grows at home and in the garden.

Debut

Debut variety

Self-pollinating hybrid, early ripening, giving high yields, with female-type flowers. It is consumed fresh. In shape, the zelents are similar to a cylinder. There are tubercles on the surface of the peel. Fruits are 12-14 cm long, weighing up to 100 grams. For the excellent taste, the cucumbers fell in love with gardeners. Not suitable for canning.

The plant is short with a bundle ovary. Shoots on the sides grow quickly, but not long. The variety is distinguished by its resistance to disease, does not require special additional care.

Retains all properties when grown in beds and in a greenhouse.

Zozulya

Zozulya grade for a balcony

Cucumber has long been known and very popular among summer residents and city lovers. The plant is small, not spreading. The bush is resilient, immune to disease.

The fruits have a cylindrical shape, on the peel there are tubercles and not too noticeable thorns. Cucumbers are 20-22 cm long, weight - 220 grams.

The vegetable is famous for its taste. The pulp is juicy, fragrant, sweetish. There is no bitterness.

The cucumber gives a decent harvest when planted under plastic. In an open garden, the yield is weaker than in a greenhouse.

Elegant

Grade "Graceful"

An exceptional variety of zelents pollinated by bees. It is cultivated on a balcony or windowsill. Breeders have developed many forms of hybrids of this type, which makes it possible to achieve a rich harvest even without bees.

Zelentsy are elliptical, dark green, with tubercles on the peel. Cucumbers that taste great when fresh. Good for pickling and pickling.

Resistant to cucumber diseases, easily tolerates temperature fluctuations. It can pollinate other nearby plants by itself.

Hummingbird

Cucumbers "Hummingbird"

Self-pollinating gherkin hybrid. Shoots from the sides are small.

The plant begins to bear fruit 38-42 days after planting the seeds.
The internodes are shortened, 3-10 ovaries are formed in each.
The variety is shade-tolerant. Disease resistant.
The leaves of the plant are medium-sized.
The fruit resembles a cylinder. On the peel there are small tubercles and white thorns.
Vegetables do not outgrow.

The cucumber is perfect for growing on a loggia or windowsill.

Early generation hybrid. The variety gives high yields, the fruits ripen early. Vegetables appear as early as 36-37 days after planting. Plants are self-pollinating. The variety is resistant to disease, tolerates temperature extremes.

Dark green fruits with large tubercles on the skin. The skin is thick but easy to chew. Zelentsy are juicy, fragrant, crispy, sweetish in taste. No bitterness

Garland

grade "Garland"

Hybrid. Amazing variety... At the time of ripening, there are so many greens that the plant resembles a Christmas tree with garlands. The variety amazes with rich harvests.

The bush is shade-tolerant. Flowers of the female type of flowering, self-pollinated. Small fruits from 13-17 cm, weighing up to 125 grams.

Cucumbers have excellent taste. Vegetables are suitable for fresh consumption. Pickled and pickled cucumbers are also good.

There are a lot of cucumber varieties bred by breeders for balconies and apartments.

Note! Seeds of zelentz hybrids do not germinate. Planting material will have to be purchased in the store every year.

In order for your balcony or windowsill to become a real green garden, and besides, a source of vitamins all year round, you need to properly care for the plantings.

Cucumbers, like other plants, love the sun, therefore, windows or a balcony facing north will not work. Desirable south or southeast side of the glazed loggia or balcony.

Begin growing with careful selection of seeds.
Create favorable conditions for plant growth.
Add extra lighting to extend daylight hours, especially in winter.
Additionally, insulate the balcony or loggia so that the plants do not freeze.
Install heaters to maintain a comfortable temperature. Especially in winter and at night.
Prevent drafts.
If the plant is grown on a windowsill, then additional watering is required during the heating season.

Many people think that growing cucumbers in an apartment or on a balcony in winter is something outlandish, exotic. But the methods of planting seeds are no different from cultivating in the garden. The difference is in the creation of conditions.

To make the harvest of cucumbers on the balcony or windowsill happy, follow the sequence of cultivation.

Prepare the ground. Soil, saturated with minerals, will ensure vigorous seed growth. Prepare the ground yourself or buy it in a store.
Plant the seeds.
Create a favorable environment for plant growth.
Transplant seedlings into a larger container on time.
Feed the plants.

For plants, purchase special containers with a double bottom or with a pallet where excess moisture will drain.

Plastic five-liter bottles work well. Make holes in them for water to drain.

Don't forget to feed the plants. This is done 2 times before the transplant:

2 weeks after seed germination;
a week after the first feeding.

Care for cucumbers after transplanting cucumbers into large containers.

Pinch the side shoots to form a cucumber branch.
Remove the regrown mustache at least once every 2 weeks.
Tie up the branches so that they do not break and flutter in the wind.

Following the rules of growing plants, fresh cucumbers will be on your table throughout the year. Which variety you prefer to plant is up to you.

To get a harvest of cucumbers on the windowsill or on the balcony, you will have to spend a lot of effort. But fresh cucumbers, crispy, fragrant, grown by our own hands in winter, are a great pleasure.

Grow cucumbers, herbs, and other vegetables. Let this activity be a great pastime, and the harvest be a reward for your trouble.

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