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As a rule, gardeners grow cucumbers in their beds. This method is good if the suburban area is large. If the area is limited, bucket growing is a good alternative. Also, city dwellers can take note of this method to grow crops on the balcony.
Method advantages
Cucumbers in a bucket, growing in this way has the following advantages:
- easier to care for the plantings;
- cucumbers are lit equally from all sides;
- the container can be moved to different places throughout the season;
- the harvest ripens earlier than the traditional method;
- less fertilizer is used;
- the plant is less affected by diseases and pests;
- fruits do not get dirty from rain.
Plant leftovers can be left in a bucket for the winter. And then by the next planting season, you will get fertilized, loose soil.
Cucumber varieties used for container growing
Since there is still limited space in the bucket, it is necessary to choose varieties with a small root system. These include cucumbers growing in a bush or with an average length of lashes.
It is also necessary to use varieties that do not require pollination (parthenocarpic). Empty flowers do not form on them. There are no seeds in such fruits.
Self-pollinated varieties are also used. As the name suggests, flowers pollinate themselves. Seeds are present in the greens.
Bucket selection and preparation
The volume of the container must be at least 5 liters. The larger the area, the more nutrition the planted plant will receive.
The material from which the container is made is not essential. When using a plastic bucket, drainage holes should be made not only in the bottom, but also on the sides. This is done to maintain the optimum moisture content inside the container.
Soil preparation
Pebbles are laid at the bottom of the bucket, branches, straw, leaves, sawdust on top. In general, everything that can rot and give the plant food.
The organic matter, re-cooking, gives the additional heat needed by the bush. The earth does not get lost in a lump, it remains loose.
The bucket with the substrate, constantly moistened, must be kept in the sun for 3 weeks. When it settles, you can start planting cucumbers.
The land for planting cucumbers is purchased at the garden center or made independently. The second option is cheaper. For this, sand, sod land, charcoal, humus are taken.
A little calcium nitrate is added there. The potting mix is filled with hot water. Due to this, the earth warms up and is slightly crushed.
Sowing cucumbers
Seeds must be prepared for planting. They are disinfected for 20-25 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then washed and dried.
Before planting, the seeds are soaked in a solution of epin and immediately planted.This procedure promotes rapid seed germination.
A shallow hole is made in the prepared soil, where 4–5 seeds are planted. At 100% germination, the excess can be removed. This will not be difficult to do, because the root system is still poorly formed. The removal of excess seedlings is carried out with a part of the soil in which they were formed.
Since cucumbers love moisture, they need to create the required conditions. For this, a plastic bottle with holes made along its perimeter is placed in the center of the bucket. Water is poured into it, which, flowing out drop by drop, will constantly moisten the soil.
When 5-6 leaves appear on the cucumber whips, you will need to put some kind of support in the bucket, for example, pegs or arcs.
Care features
Since the seeds are planted in a limited container, the soil quickly loses moisture. So that the evaporation process does not pass quickly, the soil is covered from above with peat or straw.
Weeding is not required for these plants. The plant is light-loving, so it is advisable to place the container on the south side of the greenhouse or balcony. In low light, the stem is pulled out, no ovaries appear. Therefore, if there is not enough natural light in the room, the plant should be artificially illuminated.
Water for irrigation should be warm and settled for several days. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Watering must be done through a bottle placed in the center of the container. To prevent the stem from tilting, it is necessary, after watering, to loosen the ground and huddle the plant.
Growing cucumbers in buckets isn't difficult. Adhering to all the rules for caring for the crop, you can get a good harvest.