How to form cucumbers - 120 photo descriptions of diagrams and video tips for forming cucumbers with your own hands

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Yakov Pavlovich

Professor, Head of the Department of Vegetable Growing

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Cucumbers are one of the favorite crops of all gardeners. It’s hard to imagine a garden without green pimply beauties. They grow successfully in open ground and greenhouses. This allows you to harvest almost all summer. The only problem is the difficulty of care. Long strands of trunks intertwine, forming impenetrable thickets. To prevent this from happening, you should know how to form cucumber bushes.

Necessity of the procedure

For proper growth of bushes, it is important to pay attention to this procedure. It is divided into undercutting and gartering.

When growing cucumbers in greenhouses, shaping is a must, as this will not only reduce the chance of microflora harmful to the crop appearing, but will also improve the appearance of the furrows. It will also provide the plant with access to light and oxygen.

It is not necessary to form cucumbers in open ground, provided that the intervals between the bushes are observed and they receive sufficient rainfall and sunlight.

Formation schemes

Many schemes for forming bushes have been developed. The use of one or another scheme depends on the type of cucumbers:

• For varieties and hybrids that form a harvest on second-order shoots, a formation scheme is selected aimed at the rapid regrowth of stepchildren.
• For varieties that produce crops on the main stem, there is no need to ensure that they branch.

In one stem

Currently, the hybrids of cucumbers Courage and German and others, characterized by high yields and good taste, have become very popular. The formation of such cucumbers into one stem is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. in the axils of the first 4 leaves, the ovaries and shoots are removed;
2. shoots are removed from the axils of nodes 5 and 6 and 1 ovary is left;
3. in the tier from 7 to 10 leaves, the stepchildren must be removed, leaving 2 ovaries;
4. when the top of the plant reaches the trellis, it is thrown over the wire and the vines are allowed to grow downwards;
5. When 1 meter remains to the surface of the earth, the growth point of the lash is pinched.

Parthenocarpic cucumbers and F1 hybrids

The formation of parthenocarpic cucumbers and F1 hybrids has its own characteristics. They have a predominantly female type of fruiting or a purely female type. The first ovaries from them can be left starting from the 4th leaf. If such hybrids are formed like varietal cucumbers, then very soon they will become overgrown with green mass, light will not penetrate well into the bush, which will negatively affect the yield.

The formation of parthenocarpic hybrids of the first generation is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. when the main stem reaches the horizontal trellis, it is pinched;
2. in the first 5 nodes, stepchildren and flowers are removed;
3. in nodes 5 to 8, 1 leaf and 1 ovary are left on the stepsons;
4. in nodes 9-11 leave 2 leaves and 2 ovaries;
5. in nodes 12-14, 3 leaves and 3 ovaries are left;
6. in the nodes remaining to the trellis, 4 fruits and 4 leaves are left;
7. when the main lash outgrows the trellis, it is thrown over the wire and pinched when it drops by 70 cm.

Important! Growing mustaches on cucumber vines should be removed without waiting for them to grow. They use up food and are completely useless.

Bunch varieties

Cucumber hybrids with a bouquet (bunch) type of fruiting have become very popular among summer residents. To get a high yield from them, you need to know how F1 bunch-type cucumber hybrids are formed.

The formation process should begin 10 days from the day the seedlings are planted in the garden bed. At this moment the plant should have 8-9 true leaves. These cucumbers grow from 3 to 7 cucumbers from each leaf axil. If you save most of them, then there is no need to get additional greens from the stepchildren. The harvest from the main stem will be quite enough, so the formation of F1 cucumbers is carried out in 1 stem.

First, posts are installed along the beds and wire or strong twine is pulled over them. During the period of cucumber growth, all lateral shoots must be removed right up to the trellis. From the last two nodes, under the trellis, 2 shoots are left, allowed to grow to 80 cm, and then pinched. The lower tier of the plant, from leaves 1 to 4, should be blinded. There should be no shoots or ovaries in these nodes.

Important! The harvest with this scheme is formed mainly on the main stem. Only in the last month of fruiting are cucumbers removed from the stepsons left in front of the trellis.

Indeterminate varieties

In indeterminate cucumber varieties, the ovaries are formed mainly on the side shoots, so the main attention should be paid to them. The formation of a bush on a trellis is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. the plant in the 5-leaf phase is tied to a trellis, the growing point is pinched;
2. wait until 2 shoots appear in order to tie them up and direct them in different directions;
3. when the stems reach the top of the support, up to 4 leaves inclusively remove the stepsons and ovaries;
4. in the tier from 5 to 9 leaves, only 1 ovary and 1 leaf are left;
5. Next, you need to make sure that the lashes develop equally; if one of them looks stronger, it is pinched.

Bee-pollinated varieties

Varieties and hybrids that require insects for pollination are rarely grown in greenhouses. But they can often be found in open garden plots. The formation of bee-pollinated cucumbers in the soil has its own peculiarities. They produce mostly male flowers on the main stem. Many female flowers are formed on shoots of the second and subsequent orders.

This is the basis of the technology for the formation of insect-pollinated cucumbers. The growth point of a plant that has reached the 8-leaf phase is pinched to cause rapid regrowth of lateral shoots. The top of the growing side shoots is pinched so that 2 leaves and 2 ovaries remain. Over time, shoots of the third order will appear; they should be pinched in the same way.

In the future, you need to strive to ensure that the bush does not grow too much and completely remove shoots of the 4th order. The main harvest will be obtained from shoots of the 2nd and 3rd orders.

For the formation of bush cucumbers, a net is recognized as the best option. In this case, the bushes receive the maximum amount of light and good ventilation is ensured. Supports should be installed every 2 meters, and a mesh should be pulled over them.

Rules for forming cucumbers

Start the formation process in a timely manner. To ensure sufficient light and oxygen supply to the roots, the lower part of the stem should not be allowed to thicken.

To prevent the trellis from becoming overgrown with large thickets, the stem should be directed upward.

The formation procedure should be carried out as early as possible so that the cut areas of the cucumber vines have time to recover during the day.

For healthy growth, it is worth promptly getting rid of barren flowers, wilted or diseased leaves and shoots. The vines of cucumbers need to be trimmed, not torn off, otherwise you can harm the plant.

Pinch the plant carefully - cutting off the very top of the stem.

Cucumber does not tolerate drafts, so you should take care of the tightness of the greenhouse.

Water the plants correctly: use warm water for watering, not lower than 22 C. The leaves, in turn, need to be sprayed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dNbd9hWVIY

Principles of bush formation

Not all “Indian vines” (as cucumbers are called because of their origin) need pinching! Moreover, depending on the growing conditions and the selected varieties, the formation pattern of cucumbers in a greenhouse may differ radically.

For polycarp varieties, you should choose a pruning method that removes the growing point on the main stem

It's all about the bees - how agricultural technology differs depending on the type of pollination

All varieties of cucumber can be divided into two large types:

1. Bee pollinated. Male and female flowers grow on separate vines. For the formation of ovaries, pollen from the so-called barren flowers (male flowers) must fall on the female ones. And for this, the cucumber needs the help of bees.
2. Parthenocarpic varieties. Hybrids with bisexual flowers containing both pistil and stamens. They are self-pollinating forms and do not require insect visits to form ovaries.

The second type is mainly planted in a greenhouse, since attracting bees to a closed greenhouse is not an easy task!

Advice! To attract insects to pollinate cucumbers, the plants can be sprinkled with a weak solution of honey water. Another option is to plant sprouted old carrots in a greenhouse. Their flowering, which coincides with the formation of ovaries on cucumbers, attracts bees well.

How to properly form polycarpous (bee-pollinated) cucumbers in a greenhouse? In bee-pollinated species, the male flowers are collected on the main stem. Therefore, when choosing such a variety, you should pinch it, thereby stimulating the development of side shoots with female inflorescences. This should be done approximately after the 5th leaf formed on the main stem.

Parthenocarpic varieties (especially new ones) practically do not need to be formed.

But for the convenience of growing in a greenhouse, these cucumbers are also trimmed. However, the principle of pruning here is completely different. It is the side shoots that retard the growth of the plant that are removed. In the video about the formation of cucumbers in a greenhouse you can see the details of this procedure.

Methods for tying up plants

Vertical method. A wooden structure in the form of a letter is installed between the upper and lower bars on which the sword is pulled. The cucumber stems twine around it as it grows. Thanks to this arrangement, the plant receives a large amount of sunlight.

Horizontal method. Wooden or metal stakes are placed at a distance of about a quarter of a meter from each other, between which two levels of horizontal ropes are pulled. The stems are tied to the lower level.

The disadvantage is that the stems may become intertwined during the growth process, and upon reaching the second level it may stop altogether.

In order to form cucumbers in open ground, there is a third method of tying - installing a trellis net. It is stretched between vertical supports extending 30 cm into the soil. This method involves tying on both sides of the mesh - this gives the advantage of not crossing the vines with each other.

How to properly form cucumber bushes in a greenhouse

Agricultural technicians have developed several schemes that differ in pinching points. You need to choose based on the varietal characteristics of the cucumber.

Formation schemes and their features

There are several schemes for forming cucumbers in a greenhouse:

1. In one stem. With this type of cultivation, all side shoots (stepchildren) should be removed from the axils. Before the 3rd-5th leaf, it is also necessary to tear off the ovaries that form in the axils of the leaves. This is called "leaf blinding."

Attention! During pinching, the ovaries, whiskers and stepsons should be removed. Under no circumstances should you tear off developed lashes with leaves! This greatly injures the plant.

1. Inverted Christmas tree. The scheme for the formation of cucumbers in the greenhouse in this case is as follows:

1. In the axils of the first 4 leaves, all ovaries and stepsons must be removed.
2. From the 5th to the 8th leaves, leave the ovaries and tear off the stepsons (the beginnings of the side shoots).
3. From the 9th to the 12th sheet nothing should be deleted.
4. Later, the lashes formed in this gap need to be pinched after the first leaf formed on them.
5. Next, you need to follow the same pattern, pinching the upper side lashes after the 2nd, 3rd sheet, etc.

As a result of this formation, the bush seems to expand upward, forming an inverted cone or “herringbone”.

1. In 2-3 stems. With this type of formation, 1-2 shoots should be left at the bottom of the cucumber bush (above the 5th leaf) and placed on separate ropes. Before the 5th leaf on the main stem, you also need to remove all ovaries and stepsons. This method is more applicable to bee-pollinated varieties.

Cucumbers grow only on the main stem

Advice! If the plant belongs to tall varieties (more than 2 m in height), all ovaries and stepsons should be removed up to the 8th leaf. Otherwise, the root system will not be able to grow strong enough to provide normal nutrition to the cucumber.

The taller the plant, and the more vines it has, the larger the “blinding zone” should be.

How to manage a bush after it reaches the greenhouse roof

A common occurrence is when a well-fed plant does not stop there, trying to “break free” from under the greenhouse roof. In this case, there are several schemes for forming cucumbers in a greenhouse:

1. The stem should be wrapped 3-4 times around the upper horizontal bar, lowered down, removing all side stepsons, and pinch off the growing point at a height of about 1 m above the ground.
2. Also wrap the main lash around the bar, pinch the growing point immediately and then lead the side shoots. Second and third order lashes should be cut after 2 leaves. You can grow a cucumber in this way up to a height of 1 m above the ground.

Scheme of forming a cucumber in several strands

Benefits of a garter

• A cucumber plant that grows upward saves space in the greenhouse for planting other low-growing crops.
• Receiving a large amount of sunlight, many shoots are formed on the bush, which contributes to the appearance of new ovaries.
• The location will facilitate the process of spraying the bushes evenly, as well as harvesting
• Easy treatment for disease prevention
• The tied stems do not drag or get tangled on the ground, as this can contribute to rotting and affect the development and taste of the fruit.

Why do you need to pinch shoots?

As you can see, it is the morphological characteristics of the cucumber that lead to the need to intervene in the process of its formation. After all, the “goals” of the plant and the summer resident who grows it are strikingly different!

What does a cucumber “strive” for? It is faster to form at least one mature fruit and leave offspring in the form of seeds. What does this mean for a summer resident? Only that, allowing it to grow as it pleases, one should not expect a big harvest!

Cucumbers with bouquet flowering or tufted ovary type

When growing cucumbers in a greenhouse, forming a bush solves several problems at once:

• removing the lower lashes and ovaries helps strengthen the root system;
• pinching provides air access to the lower part of the plant, which reduces the risk of root rotting and disease development;
• breaking of the lowest ovaries helps to increase the quantity and quality of fruits (their size, taste);
• removing vines with male flowers stimulates the formation of ovaries and earlier ripening of fruits;
• thanks to the formation, you can use fertilizers more economically by adding them directly to the root;
• pinching simplifies the procedure for caring for the bush and harvesting (an impenetrable jungle does not form in the greenhouse).

Pinching a cucumber

To create a strong root system, it is necessary to pinch off leaves and flowers, preventing the crop from setting early.

For the first pinching, wait for the first pair of leaves and remove them. Then the sprouts are well watered. The second time they pinch only after 6-8 leaves have grown. Cut off the side shoots coming from the main shoot. By the end of the appearance of 10 leaves, 3 pinchings are performed. This time they get rid of the side shoots with male ovaries.

The last pinching is done when the tops reach 11-12 leaves. After this, the plant is fixed on the crossbar and fed.

Carrying out this procedure is the basis - how to properly form a cucumber bush to achieve good growth and fruiting.

How cucumbers are formed in a polycarbonate greenhouse

Gardeners can build a shelter themselves or purchase a ready-made structure. Building from cellular plastic has many advantages. You can grow vegetables in it all year round (subject to the installation of heating systems). The microclimate created inside the building is ideal for the growth and fruiting of cucumbers. Polycarbonate is a light, strong, durable and weather-resistant material, which also has good thermal insulation characteristics. But even by creating the necessary environment inside the building, by properly watering and feeding the plants, you can end up with beautifully growing plants with developed green mass, on which ovaries practically do not appear. Inexperienced gardeners often encounter a situation where the efforts spent do not bring the expected result. The answer to the question why cucumbers bear fruit poorly lies in neglecting one of the most important rules of agricultural technology. Bushes must begin to form as soon as several true leaves appear on young plants.

Why do you need to form cucumber bushes?

Every greenhouse owner strives to get the maximum benefit from the installed structure, which costs a lot of money. Cucumbers are usually placed quite often in garden beds. For 1 sq.m. Most often, at least three plants are planted per area. And you need to understand that in a favorable environment vines grow very quickly. However, it should be borne in mind that cucumbers belong to the category of heat-, moisture- and light-loving crops, which are also extremely sensitive to soil fertility. From the very beginning of the vegetative process, cucumbers begin to fight for the water, nutrients and light they require with their fellows and weeds. In addition, even when receiving everything it needs, the bush can spend extra energy not on the formation of fruits, but on the growth of its green mass.

If you don’t blind, pinch or pinch cucumbers, the gardener will most likely encounter a number of problems:

• the nutrition received will be spent on the development of extra shoots, but not on fruiting;
• caring for dense plantings in the garden and monitoring their condition is quite difficult;
• in the jungle, which is formed due to the strong branching of plants, light does not penetrate to all their parts;
• even the embryos that form in insufficient light are unable to develop and quickly die;
• in conditions of limited space, heavily overgrown cucumbers become more susceptible to diseases (both fungal and bacterial), and are also more often attacked by insect pests;
• directing a large amount of energy to the formation of shoots, the plant gives less nutrition to the formed greens, as a result of which they grow worse;
• If varieties are planted that require the help of bees for pollination, when the beds are thickened, their access to the inflorescences becomes difficult, which prevents fruit formation.

With the correct formation of bushes, you can strengthen the immune system of plants, stimulate the process of fruit formation, make it easier for yourself to carry out mandatory care activities and harvest (the likelihood of injury to the bushes is also reduced), and extend the fruiting period of the crop. At the same time, the useful area of ​​the greenhouse or greenhouse is used more rationally. By unloading the growing bushes and allowing the ripening fruits to receive everything they need, it is possible to improve the quality characteristics of the greens. Of course, the implementation of such procedures requires significant labor costs from the gardener. However, without this you can forget about a high yield.

Caring for vegetables in the open ground

To form a cucumber in open ground, it is advisable to choose a variety with greater shoot formation. High yields also depend on planting density.

The need for pinching depends on the variety. If it is short-growing, then this stage can be skipped; if it is tall, then it is necessary to pinch the top when 5-6 leaves appear. This technique will promote the formation of additional shoots.

You should tie it up, this way you will ensure free upward growth and significantly increase the number of fruits.

Get rid of tendrils and barren flowers as they grow. For pollination, it is worth leaving a couple of male flowers.

Fruits must be removed as they ripen so that the plant does not waste excess nutrients on them. For these reasons, dry and yellow leaves should also be removed.

Formation of cucumber lashes in a greenhouse

When 4-5 leaves appear on the plant, it is tied up. Then all stepsons, flowers and ovaries are removed from it to a stem height of 50 cm.

From 50 cm to a meter of plant, a shoot with one ovary and one leaf is left in each axil, the rest of the shoot is pinched. When the plant becomes taller than 1 meter, its shoots begin to increase. Pinch them as soon as they have 2 ovaries and 2 leaves.

If the plant is taller than 150 cm, then three ovaries and three leaves are left on the shoot, then pinched again. When the plant has reached the top crossbar, it is wrapped around it twice and pinched.

Feeding, watering and loosening

In addition, how to properly form cucumbers in open ground requires frequent watering and timely feeding of the vegetable crop with various mineral supplements.

The number of waterings per week should be carried out approximately 3-4 times, and the soil should be loosened the same number of times for a better aerobic process in the root system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vpdBq2OXKY

To prepare the subcortex, prepare a solution - 20 grams of nitrogen and 10 grams of potassium fertilizers. Cucumbers are fed early in the morning or late in the evening. The day before the procedure, it is necessary to water with warm water.

When flowering occurs, the proportion for diluting the fertilizer increases by 1.5 times.

When fruiting, the proportion is up to 40 grams of nitrogen fertilizers and up to 40 grams of potassium fertilizers per bucket of water. Bacterial liquid is also added.

You can also use organic fertilizers. Slurry, bird manure, cow and horse manure are in great demand.

After fertilizing, the soil also needs to be loosened.

Further care of the bushes after their formation

Formation is not a one-time procedure. It occurs throughout the entire growth period of the vegetable crop. Further care involves watering and fertilizing the plants. Water the cucumber stems, moistening the soil around the plantings. Avoid getting water on the roots. A watering can is used for watering. The water needs to be heated to +20…+23 degrees. Watering with cold water creates a risk of plant disease.

Feeding is carried out every 10 days. They feed with cow manure, dissolving it in water in a ratio of 1: 10. As they grow, various organic additives can be added to this solution: potassium salt, zinc sulfate, boric acid.

Photo recommendations on how to shape cucumbers

Expert advice

• During the active growth phase, it is recommended to pinch the side shoots daily, so you should not plant a large area with cucumbers. With proper care, you can harvest more from a small bed than from a large area.
• Experts recommend removing leaf blades and shoots in the morning. During the day, the wounds formed as a result of pinching heal faster, which minimizes the risk of infection of the plant.
• All ovaries that appear on the bush up to the fifth leaf are removed. The plant will spend a lot of energy on their development, which will not allow it to grow stronger.
• Some gardeners twist the vines to better fix them on the support, but this action can cause fruit rejection. In addition, some hybrid varieties have delicate lashes that are easily injured during the process of twisting or bending.
• Proper formation of a vegetable crop involves removing all drying leaves. They only absorb part of the light that healthy leaf plates need. In addition, dead parts of the plant prevent air penetration.
• Do not pinch more than 7 cm of cucumber shoot. This action will negatively affect the development of the bush and may cause its death. Those who are late in pinching the cucumber vine should change the method of shaping the plant or start shaping it correctly, starting with the next cucumber vine.
• You can extend the fruiting process of a vegetable crop by pinching out all yellowed and empty shoots. The procedure is carried out at the end of summer or early autumn. After removing parts of the plant that have finished bearing fruit, its base is covered with peat and wood ash.
• When choosing a formation method, we also take into account the type of pollination. As a rule, bee-pollinated varieties produce empty flowers (male flowers) on the main stem. Accordingly, for bee-pollinated varieties, you should choose the method of forming several stems, pinching the central vine after the formation of the fourth leaf blade.

Gardeners have experimented over the years to find the most effective ways to shape cucumbers. Galina Kizima and Oktyabrina Ganichkina made a huge contribution to solving this issue. The latter, being a candidate of agricultural sciences, has produced many programs regarding the care of cucumbers.

Pinching and trimming

• all manipulations, such as pruning, pinching, and removing leaves, are carried out early in the morning. This is done so that the plant can recover within a day .
• Given the very rapid growth of the cucumber, you need to remember that at the beginning of growth, the lashes in the lower part can form flower ovaries, which actually do not produce fruit, but take away strength from the main shoot. In order for the root system to form correctly and the plant to gain strength, all these flower axils need to be removed.
• When performing actions in the greenhouse and when harvesting fruits, it is important not to change the direction of growth of the lashes and not to turn them in the opposite direction. As a result, the leaves and lashes may turn yellow;
• adult plants need to remove yellowed and withered leaves.

It is important not to allow the shoot that has reached the top to begin to weave along the top of the trellis, otherwise the lashes will intertwine and form a dome.

Nuances of the formation of parthenocarpic cucumbers

Gardeners who call parthenocarpic cucumbers self-pollinating are mistaken. In this type of hybrids, the fruits ripen without pollination. Parthenocarpy translated from Greek means “virgin fruit”. This means that pollination is not required for these varieties of cucumbers. Activities to create hybrids were carried out in several countries, and the result essentially became a breakthrough in breeding. If previously it was necessary to attract insects to greenhouses, greenhouses and beds for pollination, then with parthenocarpic cucumbers such a need disappears.

What kind of cucumbers do you grow?

Bee pollinated

Parthenocarpic

What is needed to carry out the formation

Use a disinfected and sharp knife to pinch and remove shoots and foliage. In this case, the plant will not be too injured and the risk of infection is significantly reduced. There is a more simplified method of pinching. It is often used by many gardeners.

Scheme

In the 4 lower axils of the leaves, it is necessary to remove shoots and peduncles so that they do not interfere with the air circulation and the plant does not get sick with root rot. In the next 4 axils, save one leaf with the fruit, then leave

Formation of tall (indeterminate) cucumbers

Varieties developing as vines are formed into several stems, since it is on the side shoots that the main crop is formed.

Step-by-step formation procedure:

1. In order for the stem to begin to bush, it is pinched after 4 or 5 leaves, having previously been tied to a support.
2. When two shoots form on top, twines are tied to the top wire from different sides.
3. As the shoots grow, they are planted so that tillering is carried out evenly on both sides.
4. When the side shoots reach the wire on the trellis, they are thrown over, allowed to grow further and pinched a meter above the ground.