What you need to know about growing cucumbers in the Leningrad region

The climate in the Leningrad region cannot be called favorable for the growth of cucumbers. But, despite the short, damp summer, low temperature and a small number of sunny days, gardeners reap a notable harvest. The safest and most effective way to grow cucumbers is to use greenhouses, greenhouses or small plastic shelters. And the use of certain technologies allows you to get a lot of vegetables for salads or pickling, even in the open field.

The best varieties for the Northwest

Residents of the southern regions of our country choose cucumber varieties, focusing only on yield. For the Leningrad region, this is not enough - one should take into account cold resistance, ripening time, seed germination. When choosing, one should give preference to varieties adapted to the harsh climate of the Northwest. Pampered foreign hybrids will not give a good harvest or die with the first frost.

Advice

By purchasing varieties imported from abroad, the gardener is at great risk. Previously unknown harmful insects or fungal spores can settle on its beds. In the summer, he will not have time to collect cucumbers (if they appear) - the gardener will buy and test modern herbicides.

Domestic breeders have developed cucumber varieties that are able to withstand sudden cold snaps, bear fruit both in greenhouses and in open ground, and are resistant to pests.

• Suomi F One of the earliest ripening varieties: the first cucumber ripens 1.5 months after planting the seeds. Fruits are small with numerous "pimples".
• Valaam F Cucumbers ripen 4-5 weeks after planting the seedlings in the greenhouse. Fruits (4-5 cm long) are covered with small tubercles. The variety is famous for its lack of bitterness and a special crunch.
• Sarovskiy F1. Cucumbers of this variety ripen 1.5 months after planting. Fruits are medium in size with small whitish thorns. A characteristic feature of the variety is that cucumbers are formed at the same time.
• Altai early 166. The variety is suitable for growing in open beds, as the flowers are pollinated by bees. The first fruits appear on the beds one month after planting. Known for its resistance to fungal spores.

You need to buy cucumber seeds for growing in the Leningrad Region in specialized stores, paying attention to the expiration date. Experienced gardeners recommend using two-year-old material for sowing in a greenhouse - less barren flowers are obtained from it. The harvest of cucumbers will be rich if in the spring you bypass the spontaneous markets and who are able to convince grandmothers with dubious bags.

Germinating seeds

Even in licensed stores, you can purchase planting material with the larvae of harmful insects or infected with fungal spores. Immediately after purchase, the seeds must be soaked in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate for 20-30 minutes for disinfection. While the material is etching, prepare a damp cloth. It is necessary to spread cucumber seeds on it in such a way that they do not come into contact with each other.

Advice

The fabric must always be damp, otherwise the seeds will not germinate. But excess moisture, when the seed is completely covered with water, will provoke rotting.

In a few days, the first shoots will appear, which can be transplanted into boxes or pots filled with light porous soil. The optimum temperature for growing is 20-22 ° C.In order for the young leaves to form faster, the containers are wrapped in a transparent film or covered with glass. To prevent mold formation, the coating should be removed 2-3 times a day, and the resulting condensation should be removed with a napkin.

If everything is done correctly, then the cucumber seedlings will quickly grow:

• in 7-10 days the first real sheet will appear;
• a week later, a second, larger one will hatch;
• every 3-4 days it will grow on a leaf.

Simultaneously with the green mass, the root system grows. It is necessary to help the seedlings - apply a complex fertilizer every 10 days. Water must be taken twice as much as indicated in the instructions.

After a month and a half from the start of seed germination, you can plant strong seedlings in the greenhouse. The optimal planting time for the Leningrad region is the end of April or the beginning of May. For open ground, the right time comes in June, when the threat of sudden frosts has passed.

How to properly plant cucumber seedlings

The key to a good harvest of cucumbers in the Leningrad Region is the preparation of the soil for planting seedlings. In autumn, the soil under the beds should be dug up and any rotted organic matter should be added.

In the spring, the soil is fertilized with mineral additives. The following must be entered per square meter:

• 1.5-2 cups of wood ash;
• a tablespoon of urea and potassium sulfate;
• 2-3 tablespoons of superphosphate.

After digging up the soil, it is necessary to add organic fertilizer: dilute 500 ml of cow or horse manure in 10 liters of water and water the beds. To prevent the roots of the seedlings from "burning", you need to pour several handfuls of unfertilized soil into the holes.

Before planting in a greenhouse, the beds should be well watered, since cucumbers are moisture-loving vegetable crops. The depth of the holes depends on the variety and length of the resulting roots. If the cucumber bush is large and tall, then experienced gardeners recommend leaving 50-60 cm of free space between the seedlings. Low-growing and medium-sized varieties are planted at a distance of 25-35 cm from each other. Cucumbers will quickly grow - after 1-2 weeks, you can start tying seedlings to the trellis above the 2nd or 3rd large leaf.

How to care for cucumbers

In order for cucumbers to ripen quickly, and a lot of them appear on the bush, you should properly take care of the plants:

• loosen the ground between the bushes 2-3 times a week;
• mulch the soil with hay monthly;
• weed weeds as they grow.

Regularly carrying out these garden activities will be an excellent prevention of damage to the roots and the ground part of the bushes by harmful insects and various types of pathogenic viruses and bacteria.

To save time and effort, regular feeding should be combined with watering. Before laying the buds in the beds, you need to apply complex fertilizers with a high nitrogen content. With the growth of cucumber bushes and the beginning of fruiting in dressing, you should gradually increase the dose of phosphorus. It is this fertilizer composition that is optimal for soil enrichment in the Leningrad region.

Feeding cucumbers is best done in the evening. During watering, no drops of mineral salt solution should fall on the leaves. Even when grown in a well-equipped and sheltered greenhouse, the midday sun can burn the delicate leaves. If, when applying fertilizers, the liquid spills onto the bushes, then it must be carefully washed off with water from the watering can.

Loosening the soil on cucumber beds is possible only between the rows. This vegetable crop is characterized by shallow roots, so it is easy to damage them. After each feeding or watering, a thin layer of fresh soil should be poured under the bushes. This will help to prevent rapid evaporation of moisture and provide fresh air to the roots.

Advice

Optimal time for watering cucumbers in the greenhouse - late evening. The water should be well settled, for this it is best to keep a large barrel indoors.Despite the moisture-loving nature of cucumbers, excessive watering will lead to decay of the root system. You should focus on the condition of the soil under the bushes - it should always remain moderately moist.

In the Leningrad region, a spider mite likes to settle on cucumber bushes and aphid... To prevent the invasion of harmful insects, plants should be treated with herbicide solutions once a month. These remedies can be used for yellowing, curling of leaves, the appearance of a thin cobweb - a sure sign of the presence of a tick.

Taking good care of your cucumbers also means picking them correctly. The stems of the plant are fragile and can be damaged by sudden jerks, and this will lead to a decrease in yield and even damage to the bush. It is best to cut the vegetables with sharp scissors or a small pruner.

So, lack of sunshine and cool summer are not a reason to let your hands go. Proper planting and care allows you to harvest a rich crop of vegetables both in the greenhouse and when grown in the open field. Gardeners of the North-West collect a lot of cucumbers all summer, not only for salad, but also for pickles with pickles. It takes a little patience, strength and desire, and the gardener always has enough of them.