Cucumbers are 95% water. That is why, if you want to get this vegetable tasty and not bitter from your garden, you should get acquainted with how to water it. From this article you will learn how to properly water and feed cucumbers when growing in a greenhouse and in the open ground.
What time of day is better to water cucumbers?
The most optimal time when it is necessary to water the bushes of cucumbers is considered to be early morning or evening. If you water since morning, it is very important that the water on the leaves has time to dry before the sun starts to burn. Otherwise, the plant will get burned. The time of evening watering is calculated so that the moisture has absorbed before it becomes cold in the street. If you water too late, you can provoke rotting roots.
In a very hot period, cucumbers can be watered on the principle of sprinkling in the morning and evening. And with a cold snap or during the rainy season, on the contrary, watering should be reduced. This is due to the fact that the cucumber is a tropical plant with roots that are located close to the surface of the soil, therefore it does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil.
How to water cucumbers?
For cucumbers, warm, standing water (+ 15-20 ° C) must be used. In order not to cause damage to plants, watering should be carried out by the watering can through the nebulizer. This will help prevent denudation of the roots and compaction of the topsoil. If, after all, this happened, it is necessary to immediately bite the bush, dropping its base to the cotyledonous leaves.
If you do not have a sprayer, then when you water it, you need to make sure that the water does not pour out with a strong pressure and the jet does not fall under the root. Or you can produce it in the grooves made between the beds, which then should be covered up .
How many times a week to water cucumbers?
The amount of watering necessary for cucumbers depends on the place of its cultivation, weather conditions and the period of development. Let's consider each of the options separately.
How many times to water cucumbers in the open ground?
After planting, seedlings or seedlings of cucumbers should be watered as the top layer of the soil dries up, approximately every 5 days at a rate of 8 to 9 liters per 1 m & sup2. Such a regime should be maintained before they begin to bloom. After appearing on the bushes of flowers, you should switch to watering once a week.
During the formation of ovaries and active fruiting, the cucumber needs abundant watering. It is recommended to conduct it every 2-3 days, increasing the amount of water to 25 liters per 1 m & sup2. In a dry summer, to increase the humidity of the air, it is recommended to arrange containers with water in the aisles or to refresh leaves from the watering can.
After a good rain, watering should not be done. It can be renewed after the top layer of the soil has dried.
How many times do I water cucumbers in a greenhouse?
In the conditions of a greenhouse it is very important not to overdo it with watering, as this can negatively affect the future crop. It is best for irrigation in hotbeds to use drip irrigation systems.
As well as in the garden, young cucumbers require moderate watering at the rate of 4-5 liters per 1m & sup2 beds as the soil dries. During the entire flowering period, the soil should be moistened every 2-3 days. Then watering is recommended to be done every other day, pouring 9-12 liters per 1 m & sup2. If the street is very hot, the cucumber needs extra moisture, so you can spend the evening sprinkling. For it, the water norm necessary in this period of development will have to be reduced by 2-3 times.
In addition to watering, for good fruiting, cucumbers require the introduction of fertilizers. In total for cultivation should be 5-6 feeding. Use for them follows organic and mineral (especially phosphorus and potassium) fertilizers .