How to grow cucumbers on a windowsill in an apartment?

Indoor gardening is an interesting hobby that brings a good harvest of natural vegetables. Growing cucumbers on a windowsill in winter is not so difficult even for beginners, this culture is unpretentious. A few useful recommendations for equipping a mini-garden and growing a plant will help you get a natural product in the harsh winter.

The necessary conditions

The first thing a novice gardener thinks about is whether the conditions of his home are suitable for cultivating cucumbers in winter. Consider the necessary equipment for growing greens on the windowsill.

Accommodation, temperature conditions

Cucumber is a native Asian, therefore, its love for a warm climate is genetically inherent. The bush does not tolerate drafts, prefers to bask in the sun. You need to choose the sunniest place for your home garden. The best option is a south window or an insulated loggia. But if the south-facing window is located in the kitchen, it is better not to use it for a mini-garden, because the kitchen area is ventilated more often than usual. The temperature difference will negatively affect the health of home cucumbers. It is advisable to remove other indoor plants from the windowsill, since the cucumbers will twine around their shoots.

For normal vegetation, it is necessary to constantly maintain the background temperature within the range of 20-23⁰C. When growing cucumbers by seedling methodkeep the temperature at least 23-27⁰C until the seedlings are strong. On a cold windowsill, be sure to place a thick sheet of Styrofoam under the growing container. Otherwise, the root system will slow down development.

Lighting

Since we are talking about growing cucumbers on a windowsill in winter, you should prepare for certain difficulties. So that the cucumbers at home do not suffer from a lack of solar radiation, you will have to pick up special equipment.

The best option is to purchase a special phytolamp. This device supplies plants with light at the desired wavelength, providing optimal conditions for photosynthesis and root growth.

Advice

With a day length of 16 hours, the cucumber develops well, blooms profusely.

The phytolamp can be replaced with other light sources, such as fluorescent or diode lamps. Use reflectors to diffuse light evenly. Even food foil glued to the window pane will do.

Trellis preparation

Cucumber lashes without tying suffer from shading and poor ventilation. A vertical trellis will help to avoid the problem.

You can make a trellis using fittings in the form of a threaded metal ring. It should be screwed to the slopes of the window at a distance of 20-30 cm. Thread a clothesline or twine into the ring, and tie the other end to a peg. Place the peg in the growing container. Tie the string to the string as you grow. You can see the photo of plants on the trellis above.

Advice

There is an easier way to organize the support - buy a plastic mesh and fix it on the glass unit. The tendrils of the whips will cling to the cells. For beanless varieties, it is enough to tie the whip to a plastic support.

Selection of varieties

Not every variety is suitable for home cultivation on the windowsill.

Varieties for growing in an apartment must meet the following requirements.

• Self-fertility is the ability to self-pollinate. Such cultivars are called parthenocarpic.
• Shade tolerance is an important requirement, because there is very little sunlight in winter.
• Early maturity - early maturing cucumbers should grow in 40-45 days.
• Bush type - bush hybrids will fit more compactly on the windowsill, which will increase the productivity of the garden.

Each bush will bring up to 25 juicy crispy greens. If you are not afraid of the work of a bee, you can also select bee-pollinated varieties, but you have to work hard to get the harvest.

What kind of cucumber is right for the windowsill? It is better for novice gardeners to choose the following cultivars:

• Arbat F1;
• Shchedryk
• Gribovchanka;
• April
• Prestige F1;
• Window-balcony F1;
• Masha F1;
• Hostess F1;
• Balcony wonder F

The assortment of varieties is large enough, the sellers of the gardening store will certainly help you choose the best option. Before sowing, read the recommendations on the seed package.

Growing container

To make the cucumbers on the windowsill feel comfortable, each plant needs a container with a volume of at least five liters. Such a volume of soil is easier to constantly maintain in a moist state, avoiding stagnant water. Lovers of aesthetics are advised to purchase white plastic containers. This shade will protect the root system from overheating, will not allow the soil to dry out quickly.

Advice

Remember to punch holes in the bottom with a soldering iron or a hot nail. The holes will serve for the outflow of excess liquid after watering, and provide ventilation for the roots.

Practical gardeners grow cucumbers in plastic water bottles with a volume of 5-6 liters, cutting off the top with a clerical knife. Allocate a place on the windowsill for 3-4 pots, because sometimes seeds with poor germination come across.

Some people practice growing cucumbers in tight plastic bags filled with suitable soil. The video below describes the features of this method.

Substrate for cucumbers

Cucumbers thrive in a light, fertile substrate with a pH of 6.5-6.8. A prerequisite is the abundance of rotted organic matter. You can use a special seedling potting mix or create it yourself. Don't forget to work the soil.

The best compositions for beginner gardeners:

• biohumus and garden soil (1: 1), wood ash - 5 tablespoons;
• humus, peat, garden soil (1: 1: 4);
• garden soil, humus, peat, sawdust (2: 2: 2: 1).

The amount of fertilizer is calculated for 5 liters of soil mixture. Enrich the last two compositions with a complete mineral complex (15–20 g) and wood ash (100 g).

Landing technology

Cucumbers in an apartment in winter can be grown using a seedling and non-seedling method. In the first case, sowing is carried out in individual containers, and after the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, the seedlings are transferred to a large container. In the second case, sowing is carried out directly into the growing container. Which way to choose is up to you.

Before planting, the seed is disinfected and germinated. To do this, the seeds are soaked for 20-30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then wrapped in a damp cloth and placed in a warm place, for example, on a cabinet where warm air circulates. When the seeds hatch, select the germinating material and start sowing.

Do store-bought seeds need to be disinfected? Most agricultural firms carry out processing, but additional dressing will not bring harm.

Instructions for planting cucumbers for beginner gardeners

1. Fill the container with a moistened substrate, 3-4 cm short of the edge.
2. Sow prepared seeds with a step of 2 cm, deepening by 2-3 cm.
3. Sow 3 seeds into each pot, regardless of growing method.
4. Compact the soil a little, water the crops abundantly.
5. After absorbing moisture, install a transparent cover (polyethylene, glass).

Advice

If you took a water bottle as a seed container, use the cut cap to create a mini greenhouse.To ventilate such a greenhouse, simply unscrew the lid.

Before sprouting, keep the seed containers in the warmest place in the apartment, periodically airing the greenhouse. When the seedlings appear, transfer the pots to the windowsill, having previously spread the foam. Install an additional light source, the caps from the greenhouse can be removed. Cull, leaving one strong plant in each container. Do not pull out extra cucumbers, cut them at the root.

Caring for indoor cucumbers

Cucumbers on the windowsill in winter will bring a rich harvest only if certain conditions are met.

Care consists of the following points:

• bush shaping, tying;
• compliance with the irrigation regime;
• air humidification;
• fertilization;
• artificial pollination;
• harvest.

Irrigation mode, fertilization

Cucumbers are very fond of high humidity. Watering of the grown plants is carried out every two days. The soil must not dry out! Do not allow moisture to stagnate, drain excess water from the pan. For irrigation of cucumbers on the windowsill, use settled water at a temperature of 22-24⁰C. Spray the deciduous mass periodically, place small containers of water between the pots.

From two weeks of age, top dressing is included in the room cucumber menu. Ready-made mineral complexes or a solution of organic matter, potassium humate are suitable. Fertilizers will increase the productivity of the garden by 20-50%, strengthen the immune system. The frequency of top dressing is twice a month throughout the growing season.

Forming, tying, artificial pollination

To maintain compactness and even distribution of light, pinch the top of the seedlings after 4-5 leaves. Such a measure stimulates the growth of side shoots, which will have a beneficial effect on productivity. The side shoots are pinched after the development of 6-8 leaves. Be sure to tie the lashes to the trellis.

When growing cucumbers of bee-pollinated varieties, artificial pollination is necessary. Arm yourself with a cotton swab early in the morning. From male flowers that do not have a fruit bud, transfer the pollen to the female flowers.

Advice

Manual pollination of parthenocarpic cucumbers allows for a high quality harvest.

When the greenery reaches a length of 10 cm, you can start harvesting. Cucumbers should be picked daily to avoid overgrowth. Such a measure will accelerate the growth of the remaining fruits.

It remains only to prepare a vitamin salad from cucumbers grown on the windowsill. As you can see, winter is not at all a hindrance to growing vegetables.