8 rules for planting cucumbers under the film with seeds and seedlings

One of the original ways to make it easier to work in the garden is to arrange the ridge using film. To get an early harvest, we sow cucumbers under a film as follows: we mix manure and plant residues with the ground, disinfect, cover everything with a holistic polyethylene cloth, make cross-shaped slots and lay several seeds through them. The result is an insulated bed that retains moisture well, on which seedlings quickly emerge and weeds do not grow. People also call her lazy, because the care for her is minimal.

The second option for using a covering material is the construction of a mini-greenhouse. Pulling the film over low arcs, we get reliable protection for the cucumber from the cold, scorching sun, heavy rain, hail. For details on growing cucumbers using film, read on.

Which covering material to choose?

Before you start arranging the garden, you should choose the right film. There are several types of it:

• spunbond;
• agril;
• spantex;
• agrospan;
• black film.

The first 4 types are agrofibers and are distinguished by their ability to transmit light and air. They are often produced in two versions - black and white.

• Black covering material intended for mulching the soil, reducing the growth of weeds, retaining moisture and heat. It prevents crust formation, meaning that the soil does not need to be loosened. If it is agrofibre, then it, moreover, allows moisture and air to pass through, which are necessary for plant health. But black polyethylene is a budget option for mulch. It perfectly fulfills its intended purpose, but has three drawbacks: moisture and air tightness, low strength. With improper care, excess moisture can accumulate in the ground covered with polyethylene.
• White or transparent covering material great for arranging greenhouses. It is pulled over small arcs or other frame. Under the film, seeds or seedlings of cucumbers are reliably protected from temperature extremes and some pests. They grow in their own microclimate, which only benefits this culture. Thanks to the warmth and high humidity that cucumbers love, the first crop can be harvested 3 weeks earlier.

The translucent film does not stop the growth of weeds. Rather, on the contrary, it contributes to their exuberant growth. Therefore, it is advisable to use ordinary polyethylene only as a temporary shelter to keep warm.

How to equip a garden bed?

In all cases of using the film, the ridge is prepared in a similar way.

What rules need to be followed?

• The ridge for cucumbers should rise 20-50 cm from the ground.
• In the spring, the soil must be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate or other means, fertilize and loosen to a depth of 25 cm.
• Before sowing seeds or planting seedlings, the earth is abundantly watered with warm (40-50 degrees) water and covered with a film for a week.
• If the shelter is stretched directly on the ridge, all irregularities, depressions must be eliminated in order to prevent uneven distribution of moisture during watering.
• It is very useful to make a "warm" bed. To do this, manure, straw and weeds are laid in a 10-centimeter layer in advance to a depth of 20-25 cm, and then covered with earth and watered. Subsequently, they will rot, and the gases released will warm the cucumber seedlings. The second option is to put a nutritious pillow at the bottom of each hole, consisting of the following ingredients: 0.5 liters of humus, 1 glass of ash, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of superphosphate, 10 g each of potassium salt and ammonium nitrate.
• Around April (depending on the climate), sowing or planting of cucumbers under a film is carried out.
• If a frame is used, seeds are first laid or seedlings are dropped in, and then a greenhouse is immediately installed
• When the film is pulled onto the ground, the cucumbers are planted through the cross-shaped slots. It is advisable to make them thin, slotted (for this you need a sharp knife).

When mulching the ground with a film, it is very important to secure it securely (with wire brackets, bricks, sprinkling with earth). Otherwise, when moving, it can damage the delicate stems of cucumbers.

Care for cucumbers under the film

Many people mistakenly believe that by planting cucumbers under a film, you can safely wait for the harvest and not take care of the plants. However, it is not. Although the demand for watering and fertilization decreases, it does not disappear at all.

The main nuances of care:

• Rain watering should be carried out 3 times less often. In dry weather, cucumbers are watered once every 3-4 days, in normal weather - weekly.
• Top dressing is carried out according to the standard scheme: 15 days after planting, at the beginning of flowering and 2 times during fruiting with an interval of 10-17 days.
• For the convenience of fertilizing and watering cucumbers under the film, next to each plant, you can dig a bottle with a cut out bottom at an angle.
• It is advisable to grow self-pollinated cucumber varieties under the film stretched over the frame. Otherwise, the shelter will have to be removed to provide access to the bees.
• When the heat comes, sprinkle the black film with light mulch (sawdust, straw) or pour it with a solution of chalk. This will protect the cucumbers from overheating.

Film improves growing conditions, but does not protect cucumbers from pests and diseases... Therefore, before planting seeds or seedlings, you should disinfect the soil and select a disease-resistant variety.

Growing cucumbers under film pays for both the laborious installation of the coating and the material investment. This method is especially good for summer residents who do not have the opportunity to visit the garden every day. If you follow the technology, the greens appear very early, and the care of the bushes is minimal.