Growing cucumbers in a greenhouse: planting, watering, feeding, tying, diseases, harvesting

Features of growing in greenhouse conditions

Growing cucumbers indoors has its own characteristics:

the possibility of cultivating long salad cucumbers that are not suitable for open ground;
carefully monitor the quality of the soil, since in a limited area the amount of nutrients is quickly consumed by plants;
annual soil replacement or planting catch crops after cucumbers to prevent the development of diseases;
obtaining a harvest at any time of the year, regardless of the climate;
with the vertical growing method, the color of the fruit is uniform;
absence of the likelihood of mechanical damage and the influence of weather conditions on the growing season of cucumbers.

Necessary equipment

To grow cucumbers indoors, two conditions are important: a suitable greenhouse and its equipment. When choosing a shelter, please note that polycarbonate greenhouses have more advantages than those based on film or frame. They are easy to transport, rearrange and assemble, wear-resistant, have minimal influence of weather conditions, and are more airtight.

The size of the shelter must be at least 10 square meters. m, and the height is about 2 m. It is not recommended to build a higher greenhouse, since maintaining the microclimate in it will be problematic due to the large layer of air. But a lower height when growing cucumbers is also unacceptable. This is due to the fact that cucumber vines, if placed vertically, will not have enough space; their length can exceed 3.5 m.

The choice of location for installing the greenhouse is of great importance. It should be a flat surface or a small hill so that groundwater does not flood it and cause mold to appear.

The greenhouse should be installed in a north-south direction to optimize the receipt of natural sunlight and heat.

Light requirements when growing cucumbers in a greenhouse

The yield of vegetable crops, including cucumber, depends on the intensity of photosynthesis, especially in a greenhouse. The main influence on photosynthesis is the illumination of plants. To make the most optimal use of plant lighting, it is necessary to properly place the plants in it. To tie a cucumber, a trellis, that is, a wire, is pulled across the greenhouse. Distance. between two trellises - 100 cm. This trellis can be used not only for cucumbers, but also for tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.

Greenhouse preparation

After choosing a location and installing the shelter, preparatory work should be carried out. They consist of the following activities:

Inspecting the greenhouse for cracks and eliminating them. This will protect the cucumbers from the negative effects of drafts.
Be sure to treat the inside of the shelter with an antifungal compound to avoid contamination of the soil and seedlings.
Consider the location of the beds and choose the method of their formation. Most often, longitudinal rows are placed along the shelter. Their width is approximately 50 cm, and the passage must be left at least 90 cm. If the size of the shelter allows, you can use a location method that involves building a shortened bed in the middle with a circular passage and 2 rows along the length of the sides of the greenhouse.
Cucumbers are a heat-loving crop, so depending on your plans for growing them, you may need to organize a heated floor under the beds to warm the soil when growing cucumbers year-round.
It is advisable to install containers with water in the shelter, which will perform 2 functions: warming up during the day, giving off heat at night and being a source for irrigation with warm water.
Provide a ventilation system. These could be additional windows or an automatic ventilation system. Moreover, the location of the vents on the roof and along the walls under the ceiling makes it possible to ventilate the room without drying out the soil, as happens when opening a door and a vent on the opposite wall.

Harvesting

Oddly enough, the regularity of harvesting affects the harvest itself. If cucumbers are not picked on time, they grow and develop further. The plant spends nutrients on them. Especially a lot of microelements go into the formation of seeds.

Therefore, the greens are collected when they reach a size of 10-15 cm. They are picked carefully, holding the whip with one hand so as not to damage them.

During the period when plants begin to bear fruit en masse, cucumbers are harvested once every 1-2 days, depending on the area of the greenhouse.

All diseased, dry and crooked fruits are removed without waiting for them to grow, as they deplete the plant.

Choosing the right variety

Growing cucumbers indoors means that pollinating insects will not have access to the plant's flower stalks. Therefore, for this case, choose varieties that can self-pollinate or those that do not need pollination at all - parthenocarpic. These properties are indicated on the seed package.

It is important to distinguish cucumber varieties from their hybrids. When planting varietal types of vegetables, their properties will be repeated from year to year, and it is possible to obtain your own seeds from the most successful harvest.

When using hybrids, self-collected cucumber seeds do not carry the properties and qualities of the previous harvest. This means that hybrid seed must be purchased annually.

Let's consider some varieties and hybrids suitable for growing in shelter:

Adam F1. A hybrid from Holland with the ability to self-pollinate and obtain a rich, early-ripening harvest. The first vegetables can be harvested after 1.5 months, and the fruiting period is quite long. Under favorable conditions, cucumbers are tied in 5-7 pieces. in one node. The fruits are small in size, dark in color with small spines. Suitable for preparation and fresh consumption.
Herman F1. A wonderful hybrid of Dutch selection. Very early, with a long fruiting period. Small cucumbers develop in bunches of 6-7 pieces. The fruits are juicy and dense. The hybrid is resistant to temperature changes and diseases. Good fresh and canned. Planting in open ground and greenhouses is possible.
Son-in-law F1. Parthenocarpic hybrid. Fruits develop in nodes of 3-7 pieces. up to 10 cm long. Can be harvested at any stage of maturity. Cucumbers are delicious, yield up to 6 kg per plant. Resistant to powdery mildew and root rot. Adaptable to sudden changes in weather conditions.

In addition to the presented species, it is possible to sow seeds of the following cucumber varieties: “Metelitsa”, “Prestige”, “Ararat”, “Tatyana”, “Fed Papa”, “Everyone is Envy”, etc.

The best varieties of cucumbers for the greenhouse

Gardeners very carefully select cucumber varieties for their greenhouses. It must meet several requirements:

high quality fruits;
resistance to temperature changes;
resistance to diseases and pests;
high productivity.

Below we consider self-pollinating greenhouse cucumber hybrids that meet all these requirements.

Herman F1 . An early-ripening hybrid in which the fruits ripen within 45 days. Small, lumpy green cucumbers are ideal for pickling and canning - they do not form internal voids and do not have a bitter aftertaste. Fruiting is in bunches, 4-6 green plants about 9 cm long are formed in one node.

Zozulya F1 . A reliable old well-known hybrid that produces cucumbers up to 22 cm long. The weight of one of them can reach 300 g. 2...3 greens are tied in a knot. Fruiting is early, occurs in 35...40 days.

Chinese heat-resistant F1 . Long salad cucumber, fruits appear on the 54th day. The advantages of the variety are high yield and fruit length up to 50 cm. Zelentsy do not have internal voids. The skin is thin, covered with small tubercles.

Cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse reveal their full potential with proper planting of high-quality and healthy seedlings and careful care throughout the season. The bushes are rewarded for all their efforts with a high yield of fruits with excellent taste and marketability.

Soil preparation

For sowing cucumber seeds, it is preferable to use peat pots rather than reusable containers. This is due to the fact that the crop does not like replanting when its root system is disturbed.

Soil for filling seed containers can be purchased in specialized stores and departments. This soil mixture will be disinfected and has a special composition suitable specifically for growing cucumbers.

The second option for obtaining soil for planting seeds is to prepare it yourself. To do this, take the following ingredients and mix them thoroughly:

turf - 1 part;
compost - 2 parts;
peat - 1 part;
sand - 1 part.

Such a soil mixture should be subjected to a disinfection procedure before use. To do this, you can use one of the options:

heat it in the oven at a temperature of 170-180 degrees for 20 minutes;
process in a special steam generator for half an hour;
dilute 15 ml of Fitosporin in 10 liters of water and pour over the soil.

After processing, it is necessary to add fertilizer to the planting mixture to enrich it with nutrients and elements. For 10 kg of soil add:

wood ash - 200 g;
phosphorus fertilizers - 50 g;
potassium sulphide - 35 g.

After thoroughly mixing the mixture, it must be moistened. High-quality soil is ready for sowing cucumber seeds.

Properly preparing seeds for sowing

Seed material purchased in factory packaging does not require additional preparation. If the seeds are collected independently or purchased in another way, then the following preparatory procedures must be carried out:

Selection. From the total mass, select the largest and most identical in shape. Prepare a saline solution from 1 tsp. salt and a glass of water. Dip the selected seeds into it. Remove those that remain on the surface. The rest - rinse with clean water and dry until flowability is restored.
Disinfection. Prepare a slightly pink solution of manganese and dip cucumber seeds in it for 15-20 minutes. You should not make a more concentrated solution or keep the seeds in it for longer than the prescribed time. This will lead to burns of the seed and render it unusable.
Instead of manganese solution, you can use Fitosporin-M or Gamair-SP.
After processing, rinse the seeds with running water and dry.
Impact of temperature. To speed up germination, place the seeds in a bag and warm them near a heating device. The reverse method is also good - place the seeds in the refrigerator for a day.
Germination. Line a shallow plate with several layers of gauze. Distribute cucumber seeds over its surface and moisten well. Cover the top with a wet cloth. Make sure that the lower and upper material does not dry out.

Growing seedlings

After selecting the container, preparing the soil and seeds, you can begin directly planting the seed material for seedlings. To do this, follow the work algorithm:

Place a drainage layer on the bottom of the peat pots and fill 3/4 of the pot with prepared soil on top. Place the container in the tray and moisten.
Make a hole in the middle of the pot, about 1cm deep, and place a couple of seeds in it. Cover them with soil, slightly compacting it.
Using a sprayer, moisten the soil surface with water and cover with glass or plastic film.
Transfer the pots to a sunny windowsill or other place with a temperature range of 25-28 degrees.

Remove glass or film daily, moistening and ventilating the crops. This will prevent mold from appearing on the surface of the soil.

Moisten the soil not by watering, but by spraying water using a spray bottle.

Correct temperature conditions are important for seed germination. Shoots appear after 5-6 days at a temperature of 27-28 degrees. When leaves appear, you should adhere to a daytime temperature of 19-22 °C, and at night - 15-17 °C.

When the first leaf forms on the seedlings, fertilize with a solution of complex fertilizer.

Make sure that the plants do not stretch towards the light source. To do this, rotate the containers periodically. As the plants grow, move them away from each other so that the shadow created does not interfere with their quality development.

How and when to plant cucumber seedlings is described in more detail here.

When to plant cucumber seedlings in open ground or greenhouse

It will be possible to plant cucumbers in the greenhouse when the air temperature warms up to +15. In the south, it is recommended to plant seedlings from the second ten days of April. In the middle zone (Moscow region) - from the second ten days of May. In Siberia, the Urals and the North-Western regions - from late May - early June.

Strong cucumber seedlings should look like this:

height - 20-25 cm;
stem thickness - 7-8 mm;
5-6 true leaves.

Preparing soil in a greenhouse

Cucumbers grow well on loose and fertile soil, which retains moisture and is breathable. This is why fruits cannot be obtained on clay or sandy soils. The former are not able to allow the necessary air to pass inside, and the latter soils dry out too quickly, conducting water into deeper layers.

Things to consider:

If the predecessors of cucumbers in the greenhouse were melons or pumpkins, then it is better to replace the soil with a new one, because it is depleted in nutrition and there is a high probability of common diseases and pests. It is advisable to plant cucumbers after cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onions, and peppers.
It is necessary to prepare greenhouse beds in the fall. Remove all plant debris and dig up the soil, adding humus or compost 1 bucket per square meter. m. With this option, you can forget about organic fertilizing for 2-3 years, using only mineral fertilizers.
Another solution to replenish nutrients when digging up beds in the fall is to distribute them per square meter. m of land 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 1 tbsp. dolomite flour (can be replaced with wood ash). In the spring, 2 weeks before planting seedlings, add peat, sawdust, humus to the soil, and dig shallowly again.
To prevent cucumber diseases, be sure to treat the surface of the beds with a solution of copper sulfate. To prepare it, dissolve 1 tbsp in 10 liters of water. l. drug. Consumption rate - 1 liter per 1 sq. m.
A good solution is to plant green manure in the fall, such as leaf mustard. Before frost, dig up the beds along with the plants. Over the winter they will undergo decomposition, enriching the soil with nutrition and disinfecting it.

An important nuance for growing cucumbers is warming up the soil. If there is a warm base of the beds, seedlings can be planted at any time of the year. If there is no such equipment in the greenhouse, then there are 2 solutions: wait for the soil to naturally warm up or insulate it with organic matter:

To do this, remove the top soil layer to a depth of 15-20 cm, lay down straw, spread humus and compost on top, and fill the soil layer back.
Spray the beds with hot water and cover with dark film. As organic matter decomposes, it releases not only nutrients, but also the heat the seedlings need. These events are carried out several days before planting the seedlings.

Features of planting and caring for cucumbers in polycarbonate greenhouses: how to grow a rich harvest

Polycarbonate greenhouses differ from glass greenhouses in having a more stable microclimate. This is especially true for air humidity, which is an indispensable condition for the ovary. However, excess humidity can lead to mold. To avoid this, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the greenhouse.

If you planted seeds in a greenhouse, the temperature should be 25-30 degrees. During the growing season and fruiting, it should be slightly lower - 17-28 degrees. Soil temperature is also important. It should not be below 12 degrees. Otherwise, the roots become unable to absorb water.

Since a polycarbonate greenhouse allows you to grow cucumbers in winter, in addition to heating, it requires additional lighting from phytolamps.

The composition of the soil is also important. It should contain about 40% organic components. These include humus, peat, compost, sawdust, and last year's leaves.

There are two ways to grow cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse: without seedlings and seedlings.

The initial preparation of seeds is the same for any method, whether you grow cucumbers as seedlings or directly by planting them in the ground. If you plant with seeds, then those that were collected 2-3 years ago are best suited. Selection, germination and subsequent sowing. But planting in the ground requires certain rules. It is recommended to plant seedlings using the two-line (or two-row) method. This means that the distance between the rows will be 50 cm, the width of the path will be 80 cm, and the distance between the bushes will be 20-30 cm. These distances are maintained both when sowing seeds and planting seedlings.

Of all the varieties, heat-loving ones are best suited for a polycarbonate greenhouse. As for planting dates, seeds can be sown in late March - early April. Seedlings are planted 25-30 days after sowing. If you have a heated greenhouse, you can plant them in February.

As for watering, drip irrigation is the best option. Otherwise, hand watering should be at least once every three days.

As for the temperature. At night it should be no lower than 12, and during the day 15 degrees. When growing seeds, the temperature should be constant within 25-30 degrees until they germinate. It will be necessary to ventilate the greenhouse only when the air temperature reaches 20 degrees.

If the above conditions are met, cucumbers will grow well and produce a bountiful harvest.

Transplanting

In greenhouses, without additional heating, plant seedlings no earlier than the end of May, when the soil temperature inside reaches 14-16 degrees, so that the weak roots do not freeze, but can adapt to new conditions. To measure the level of soil warming, lower the thermometer into the soil to a depth of 20 cm for 30 minutes in the morning.

Cucumbers can be planted in heated shelters as soon as 4 leaves have formed on the seedlings. This occurs approximately 35 days after sowing the seeds.

The most commonly used scheme for planting cucumbers in a greenhouse is:

two rows of cucumbers are placed in a longitudinal bed;
the distance between neighboring bushes in a row is maintained at 30-40 cm;
seedlings in one bed, but in adjacent rows are planted in a parallel or staggered order, keeping a distance between them of at least 50 cm;
the hole should be strictly under the trellis, or stretch a cucumber net between the rows.

Algorithm for planting seedlings in a greenhouse:

Moisten the soil in the beds with hot water.
Make holes and distribute peat pots with seedlings over them. The recess should be such that the upper edge of the container protrudes above the surface of the ground. Lightly compact the soil.
Sprinkle a 2-centimeter layer of peat with sawdust on top, mulching the root part of the plants.
Do not water the planted seedlings for 2 days.

Watch a video about planting cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse:

Seedling care

Containers with sown seeds should be placed in a warm place. To create a favorable climate, it is useful to cover them with plastic film or a bag, or you can cover them with glass. The bag, film or glass should be opened briefly two or three times a day for ventilation. If the soil dries out, it should be slightly moistened.

When sprouts appear, containers with sprouts should be moved to a sufficiently lit place (a south or south-west window, for example). If the sprouts have stretched out a little, use a spoon to carefully sprinkle the soil right up to the leaves, then carefully water them (the water should be warm).

Lighting

The first few days, if the weather is sunny, the sprouts need to be shaded a little to prevent them from burning. Therefore, it is better to move containers with seedlings to the window in cloudy weather so that they gradually get used to daylight.

If plants do not have enough natural light, you can supplement them with phytolamps (they are analogues of sunlight). In extreme cases, you can use fluorescent lamps.

Watering, fertilizer

Moderate watering is good. The main thing: do not dry out, but also do not over-moisten the soil. With each watering of the soil, it is useful to add a few grains of complex fertilizer (mineral - add to the water for irrigation). But you don’t know how much fertilizer you applied.

It is much better to carry out root feeding according to the scheme, which is described in more detail in the article How to feed cucumber seedlings on the windowsill at home before planting in the ground, so that they are plump

If the lower leaves or cotyledons suddenly begin to turn yellow, this is a signal of nitrogen starvation - it is useful to water the sprouts with a weak solution of urea in the following concentration:

water – 10 l;
urea – 1 tablespoon;
superphosphate – 1 heaped tablespoon.

If the seedlings become crowded in the cups, and it is too early to plant them in the ground, they should be very carefully transferred to larger containers (so careful that they do not realize that they have been moved).

Hardening of seedlings before planting in a permanent place

By the time the cucumbers are transplanted into the greenhouse, the temperature in it should be about 20°C, and the soil temperature should be about 15°C. If the room is heated, you can adjust the transplant time yourself. A week before transplanting the seedlings, on warm days they should begin to be brought into the greenhouse, first for a short time (for 2-3 hours), then gradually increasing the time the seedlings stay indoors.

It is more favorable for cucumbers if at first this process occurs on cloudy days. If the weather is sunny, the sprouts need to be shaded for the first time (using any available means: covering material, paper, newspapers, etc.)

When adaptation is successful, the seedlings can be planted in a greenhouse.

Optimal conditions for the growth of cucumbers

For high-quality growing season of cucumbers, it is necessary to create and maintain a microclimate with certain conditions, as well as carry out agrotechnical work in a timely manner.

Watering

Cucumbers need regular watering of the beds, but make sure they do not become waterlogged. Warm the water for the procedure in the sun or take it from containers located inside the greenhouse. If you water with cold water, the crop will become infected with rot and spots.

If the temperature of the irrigation water is too low, a narrowing of the middle part is noticed on the fruits, and the cucumbers become deformed.

After watering, loosen the soil to prevent the formation of a crust on the surface. It will become an obstacle to the path of air to the root system and will serve to more quickly lower moisture into the lower soil layers. This procedure will also help cover the roots washed out as a result of moisture with soil. Mulching helps to retain moisture in the beds for a long time.

Sprinkling is very important for the crop. It consists of generously spraying the green part of the plant with water. Thus, the liquid flows slowly to the root system, allowing the cucumbers to better saturate themselves with moisture. In addition, the humidity inside the greenhouse increases, which has a beneficial effect on the plants.

Feeding

Be especially careful when fertilizing the soil in a greenhouse, since the formation of ovaries and the ripening of fruits directly depends on this. Keep in mind that an excess of mineral components in the soil is just as undesirable as their deficiency. Calculate the total volume of fertilizer applied per season, including limiting substances and mineral supplements. The number of procedures for adding nutrition to the soil for cucumbers should not exceed 5.

With a lack of nitrogen on the fruit, a narrowing of the tip and a change in its color to yellow are noticeable. If there is a deficiency of potassium in the soil, pear-shaped cucumbers are formed.

Cucumbers respond especially well to the addition of infusions of chicken manure, humus and mullein. To prepare food, mix 150-200 g of organic matter and 10 liters of water. Leave in a warm place to ferment for 2-3 days, stirring the mixture occasionally. Add 30 g of superphosphate. The distribution rate of the infusion is 1 liter per 1 sq. m of beds or for 4-5 plants.

During flowering, add 30 g of potassium salt to this infusion.

The amount of mineral nutrition per 10 liters of water (per 1 sq. m) in different phases of cucumber growth is slightly different:

before fruiting: ammonium nitrate - 5-10 g;
superphosphate - 20 g;
potash fertilizers - 10 g.

during fruit formation:

ammonium nitrate - 20-25 g;

superphosphate - 20 g;

potash fertilizers - 20 g.

Fertilizers can be applied by root and foliar methods. It is advisable to carry them out in the evening or in cloudy weather.

Light mode

A 10-hour daylight hours is sufficient for the growth and development of cucumbers. When the amount of light decreases, the growth rate decreases significantly. Therefore, in the absence of sunlight, due to weather conditions, it is impossible to do without the use of phytolamps or other sources of artificial lighting.

Temperature

Cucumbers are very dependent on the temperature in the greenhouse. So, in different phases of growth it is necessary to maintain different levels of heat:

planting seedlings - 20-22 degrees;
flowering - 25-28 degrees;
fruiting - 25-30 degrees.

At temperatures from 17 to 19 degrees and from 35 to 40 degrees, the formation of ovaries does not occur.

Critical temperatures for cucumbers:

growth cessation - 15 degrees;
cessation of growth - 10 degrees;
death - 7-8 degrees.

Humidity

Cucumbers are very demanding on the level of air humidity, so it should be maintained between 90 and 95%. When this indicator decreases, the ovaries stop forming and the cucumbers slow down their development.

Ventilation

The ventilation procedure is necessary to prevent the spread of diseases, especially rot, which develop in a humid, warm environment. In addition, this provides additional access to clean air into the greenhouse. Ventilation helps reduce the air temperature on hot days to the required level.

Bush formation

Shaping helps to avoid bush thickening and optimize its productive qualities. Cucumber plantings become not only beautiful, but also evenly illuminated by the sun, accessible for aeration, and convenient for various agricultural work. This procedure involves pinching the shoots and tying them with the further direction of the head lash.

It is important to remember that all manipulations to form a cucumber bush are carried out strictly before the onset of the flowering period. When the first flowers appear, any work related to moving the lashes is prohibited.

The need to form a bush is explained by the following arguments:

If there is excessive branching, the root system cannot cope with saturating the entire plant. As a result, the fruits become deformed and their taste deteriorates.
Dense vegetation does not allow air to penetrate through the greenery. This negatively affects fruiting and creates a favorable environment for pathogens of various diseases.
Weeding, loosening, spraying and watering are more convenient when cucumber bushes are formed.

Pinching (pinching)

Pinching helps reduce leaf mass for a more active and longer fruiting period. Removing canes with male flowers that do not bear fruit stimulates the development of female fruiting inflorescences. The quantity of harvest and its quality increases.

To perform the procedure correctly, you need to be able to distinguish male and female flowers from each other:

female inflorescences are formed in pairs, and barren flowers are formed in 6 pieces;
the stem of the female flower is longer than that of the male;
ovaries are present only on female inflorescences.

Pinching is not carried out only on specially bred hybrids that have a single-wattle development or do not produce an excessive amount of barren flowers.

For self-pollinating varieties, leave enough male flowers so that their number with female ones is approximately equal. For parthenocarpic varieties, the presence of male inflorescences is not required.

The pinching procedure after tying cucumbers goes like this:

When forming the 5th leaf, all shoots and tendrils located below it are removed.
When 7-8 leaves appear, a pair of shoots are left from the central stem.
After the 11th leaf, the tips of the shoots are pinched, provoking their peripheral development and ovaries. On each shoot, 3 leaves and 3 ovaries are left.
Parthenocarpic varieties are formed, leaving one stem. When it grows to 50 cm, the tendrils, flowers and branches are removed, and the lateral shoots are pinched down to 1 leaf.

Pinching forms the bush in the form of an inverted pyramid.

Tying up

Tying cucumbers is done to:

the lashes did not interlock with each other using whiskers;
the process of plant care and harvesting was simplified;
the bush had enough sunlight for the entire plant part.

These measures make it possible to horizontally grow cucumbers and form a bush. Mechanical damage to vines and fruits and their rotting on the ground are prevented. You should start tying when the seedlings in the greenhouse grow to 30-40 cm. At this time, the vine is still flexible and does not break when its position changes.

To carry out garter work you will need:

wooden or iron supports;
strong, taut wire;
trellis net for cucumbers;
garters made of long strips of cotton or nylon fabric about 3 cm wide.

You should not use thin laces or wire to tie cucumbers, as they will pinch the stem as they grow. Disinfect all garter material by boiling or bleach before use.

You can purchase special plastic garters. Their clamping is adjustable with notches and can be used repeatedly.

Diseases and pests

It is reckless to assume that closed soil protects cucumber plantings from pests and various diseases. This means you need to know what dangers threaten the harvest and how to deal with them. The following diseases are common:

White rot. A fungal disease characterized by the presence of a light, almost white, coating not only on the fruit, but also over the entire surface of the bush. It spreads quickly, destroying plants. The fungus persists in the soil. Control measures involve destroying affected plants and changing the soil.
Gray rot. Identified by slippery gray spots on the surface of fruits, flowers and ovaries. At the first stage of infection, spraying with a solution of copper sulfate 1 tsp is carried out. and 1 tbsp. ash per 5 liters of water. The drug "Barrier" is effective. When the disease is in an advanced state, only radical methods can help.
Root rot. Drying leaves, changing the color of the plant, and the appearance of cracks on the stems are all signs of infection. Rot can be caused by planting seedlings too deeply, excessive watering, or cold water when moistening. Sprinkle the areas affected by the fungus with crushed chalk or wood ash and dry. Do not allow moisture to enter the plant when watering. Dead plants are destroyed by fire, and soil is removed from the holes by spilling a solution of manganese or copper sulfate. Afterwards, the hole is filled with new soil.
Powdery mildew. It is characterized by the appearance of a white coating, first on the leaves of cucumbers, and then on the stems. The fungus actively spreads in warm and humid conditions, so if it is detected, treat the cucumbers as soon as possible. The preparations “Topaz” and “Zaslon” have an effect against powdery mildew. Their use when preparing the solution must be in accordance with the instructions.
Downy mildew. It is determined by the appearance of spots on the leaves of cucumbers that resemble burns. In a couple of days the sheet dries completely. To stop the spread of the disease and destroy it, spray with Quadris (5 g per 10 liters of water). You should stop watering and ventilate the greenhouse more often, avoiding excessive air humidity.
Brown spot. When infected, fruits develop wine-brown spots oozing from the inside. Then the rot spreads to the entire plant. Spots of the same color are seen on leaves and stems. Within a week the plants die. Control measures come down to the destruction of diseased plants and reducing the level of soil and air moisture in the greenhouse.
Black mold. Manifestations of the fungus are noted in the appearance of spots on the leaves, which over time merge into one and become covered with black spider mold. Preventive measures include the use of treated seeds and disinfection of the soil and premises.

In addition to diseases, insect pests can attack the greenhouse crop. Some of the most common are:

Melon aphid. The negative impact of aphids is manifested in twisting and wrinkling of leaves on the vines. If you turn them over, you will notice a cluster of small insects on the underside of the leaf blade. They feed on plant sap, which leads to a lack of nutrients, stunting of development and drying out of the crop. In small areas, it is recommended to use traditional methods of control against aphids. This can be an infusion of onion peels or an ash solution with laundry soap. Large greenhouse farms use chemicals.
Greenhouse spider mite. It is difficult to detect due to its small size, but cobwebs on the plant are a sign of the presence of a mite.
The appearance of insects is associated with the presence of weeds in the greenhouse and conditions suitable for the parasite. It is recommended to fight it only using chemicals, so as not to waste valuable time. The following drugs can be used: “Plant-pin”, “Aktellik”, “Fitoverm”, etc. They must be processed strictly in accordance with the instructions for the drug.

Problems and their solutions

It happens that infection with diseases is excluded, but some problems still arise on the plantation. Let's look at some of them.

No ovaries

Reasons for the problem of ovary formation on cucumbers:

insufficient ventilation;
deficiency of minerals in the soil;
impossibility of pollination (on pollinated varieties);
unfavorable temperature conditions, or microclimate in general.

The lower branches dry out

Such manifestations are possible for several reasons:

scorching sun rays;
contact with leaves of mineral root fertilizers;
waterlogging or moisture deficiency in the soil;
deficiency or surplus of nutrients;
lack of light and air.

Fruits grow slowly

Slow fruit growth is due to:

low-quality seed material;
failure to comply with the deadlines for planting seeds or planting seedlings;
microclimatic disturbances;
lack or excess of nutrition;
dense planting without bush formation.

Cucumbers are bitter

A bitter taste (exceeding the cucurbitacin level) in cucumbers can be observed due to plant stress for several reasons:

too bright scorching sun rays;
sudden changes in temperature;
violations of the temperature regime necessary for fruiting;
lack of nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil;
interruptions in watering or cold water;
plants interfere with each other due to their close proximity.

Growing cucumbers in greenhouse conditions is not easy. The quality of the harvest and its quantity depends on many factors that need to be considered from the preparation stage to the fruit harvesting stage. By following all agricultural techniques and creating the necessary conditions for the crop, you will enjoy growing, and cucumbers will delight you with fragrant fruits for a long time at any time of the year.

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