How to pinch cucumbers in a greenhouse: timing, step-by-step diagram with photos

Structure and growth characteristics of cucumbers

Cucumbers are liana-like plants; they share numerous growth and development features with their overseas relatives:

The root system of cucumbers is located 30 cm from the soil surface, but has a fairly wide branching. Good watering and fertilizing have a productive effect on its condition and lead to the formation of additional root shoots.
The plant has a vine-like stem, which, thanks to its numerous tendrils, is able to cling to support and crawl upward.
Cucumber plantings have both male and female flowers. They develop at the upper rudimentary leaves, forming small inflorescences. In classic varieties, mainly males are located on the central shoots; ladies prefer to grow on the side shoots.
Not all cucumbers need pollination; there are special varieties for greenhouses and greenhouses, which are called parthenocarpic. They have much fewer male flowers than female ones.
15-21 days after the appearance of the ovaries, oval green fruits are formed. Classic varieties have a large number of seeds inside, which are formed as the fruit grows. The older the vegetable, the more there are.

In order for your plantings to produce a good harvest and not be subject to diseases and pests, you must provide them with proper care. In addition to your efforts, weather factors must also be taken into account. Delicious cucumbers grow at an air temperature of 25 degrees with good lighting. Night temperature should not be below 15 degrees.

Most regions of Russia are characterized by significant temperature changes, which can have a detrimental effect on plantings. Hypothermia of the roots often leads to the death of cucumbers. Therefore, it is most reliable to grow them in polycarbonate greenhouses. For some parts of our country, this is the only way to enjoy fresh vegetables from the garden.

Caring for cucumbers is quite simple and includes several basic processes:

moistening the beds with water no colder than 22 degrees;
periodic application of nitrogenous and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers to the soil;
loosening to improve soil properties;
pruning

The best varieties of cucumbers for a greenhouse in the winter-spring group

By planting the seeds in a heated greenhouse in mid-February, by May you can already get fully mature greens. In this case, as you already understand, you should choose “winter” cucumbers for the greenhouse. Varieties (reviews of many of them from summer residents are very good) of this group will not be difficult to purchase. Buy, for example, cucumbers available in almost every specialized store:

Blagovest 1. This indeterminate (with unlimited stem growth) hybrid is resistant to cucumber mosaic and powdery mildew. Its fruits are cylindrical in shape and covered with medium-sized tubercles. The weight of one green plant can reach 80-85 g. Blagovest 1 belongs to the parthenocarpic (self-pollinating) varieties.
Moscow greenhouse F1. An early ripening parthenocarpic hybrid with long (up to 40 cm) finger-shaped greens.
Relay F1 is a high-yielding mid-season hybrid pollinated by insects. It is usually grown in the spring (with the appearance of insects at the time the buds open). The fruits of Relay 1, covered with large, sparse tubercles, can reach a weight of 140-200 g. They are usually used for making salads. But pickling is also allowed.

What is pinching and is it necessary?

Pinching involves removing the apical bud by any available method. Sometimes this procedure is also called pinching. It is carried out in order to avoid unfavorable factors:

Strong growth of the bush, in which the main energy is spent not on the development of ovaries, but on the growth of shoots with leaves, which leads to the formation of barren flowers.
Lack of light and moisture for overgrown plantings.
Poor aeration between bushes.
Spread of all kinds of pests and pathogens.

Pinching not only helps to curb the growth rate of plantings, but also helps to strengthen and enlarge the root system. This, in turn, allows you to take more moisture and nutrients from the soil.

Benefits of pinching greenhouse cucumbers

By pinching, you can control the process of new leaves appearing on plants. A large number of them absorb all resources, from light to organic substances obtained from the soil. This fact cannot but affect the quality of the crop, which is greatly reduced.

The shoots on cucumbers can only be pinched until flowering has begun and their length has not become more than 25 cm.

The plants that need pinching most are those that have too many male flowers. The main goal of the process is to maximize yield. Those gardeners who neglect the procedure have much less harvested vegetables than those who carry out proper and timely pinching.

Benefits of pinching:

Activates the formation of female flowers.
Increases planting productivity.
Helps improve the taste of fruits.

The key to a successful pinching procedure is compliance with its basic rules. You can’t carry it out whenever and however you want. Here you need to take into account both greenhouse conditions and the arrangement of flowers. Otherwise, the bush may not form the required number of ovaries, and you will be left without a harvest.

The best varieties of cucumbers for a greenhouse in the summer-autumn group

Those who want to grow cucumbers in protected ground in July - November should consider purchasing varieties such as:

Maryina Roshcha F1. An early ripening parthenocarpic hybrid, undemanding to growing conditions. Greens with large tubercles are great for pickling.
Anyuta F1. Also a self-pollinating gherkin-type hybrid. It is light-loving and has good branching. The tuberous fruits are usually used for pickling.

When to pinch cucumbers in a greenhouse

Young and immature plants should not be pinched. After planting in the ground, they are given 2 weeks to adapt, after which the shoots can be directed to supports to which they will cling as they grow. At this stage, you need to remove those leaves and shoots that look sick and damaged, so that the infection does not spread to the main stem and destroy the plantings.

Pinching is also carried out when the plant is covered with barren flowers. Before doing this, you can try to dry the soil. The appearance of empty ovaries can be influenced by excessive waterlogging of the bed. If this does not help, then you need to cut off the male flowers.

Do I need to pinch hybrid cucumbers?

One of the common misconceptions is that cucumber hybrids do not need to be pinched. This is true only for some hybrid varieties that were bred relatively recently. These are, in particular, Valdai, Vyuga, Izhorets, Metelitsa, Severyanin, etc. Most of the fruits are formed on the main stem, but the side shoots are weakly formed, so there is no need to pinch them.

One essential detail is overlooked. Regardless of whether it is a variety or a hybrid, the plant does not cease to be a vine, which means it retains its tendency to behave in its natural way. Side shoots do not stop forming on the bushes, although their length may vary. As a result, excess greenery, if not removed, also reduces the yield of hybrids, as well as varietal cucumbers. Their high potential remains untapped.

How to pinch cucumbers: selection of tools

Gardeners use various cutting objects for pinching. This could be scissors, a utility knife or pruning shears. Whatever you choose, it is important to remember that the edges should be very sharp and leave behind an even, neat cut rather than tearing the stem. In addition, all instruments must be well disinfected. To do this, you can take any alcohol-containing composition that is used to treat their surface, for example, an antibacterial spray or an alcohol wipe. Some gardeners use solutions of copper sulfate for this purpose, soaking tools in it. The procedure is carried out after each pruning so as not to transfer possible infections from one plant to another.

Young and very thin shoots can be pinched with your fingers. Hands must also be pre-treated. True, many gardeners consider this method to be the most dangerous from the point of view of seedling hygiene.

Rules for the operation

Blinding must be carried out competently. If cucumbers are formed into 1 stem, then every week they inspect the vines located on the wire. The bushes should be tied on the 10th day after planting. Sprouts and flowers are cut off where the axils of 1-4 leaves are located. As soon as the next 5 leaves grow, you need to cut off the side shoots. The formation of the bush is completed by pinching the top of the main stem.

Rules and schemes for pinching cucumbers in a greenhouse

So, how to pinch cucumbers in a greenhouse?

If the process is very thin, then you can get by with pre-disinfected nail scissors. They must be well sharpened in order to cut and not wet the stem. Or just your own nails. Pinching - growth restrictions are applied to side shoots and the main stem.

Trimming procedure

Tendrils, male flowers, and leaves are also removed. They are cut off. Read about pruning cucumbers on our website.

Stepchildren also need to be removed. Cutting them to the very base is not recommended; it is enough to leave a stump of half a centimeter. By the way, cutting off stepsons (extra side shoots growing from the axils of leaves) is called stepsoning. You can read about this procedure on our website Mister Summer Resident.

Important! Determinate varieties of cucumbers, characterized by limited stem growth and a small number of side shoots, do not need to be pinched. The type of plant itself is already oriented towards high yield; pinching can lead to overload and breakage of the bush under the weight of the fruit. The most popular varieties: Hector, Malyshok, Buyan, Grasshopper, Chistye Prudy, Cappuccino. All these are hybrid varieties.

The procedure is carried out when the above-ground part of the plant is completely dry. The weather should be warm, without rain and high humidity.

Scheme for pinching classic insect-pollinated cucumbers

When purchasing cucumber seeds, carefully read the information on the package. As a rule, manufacturers indicate the optimal pinching pattern for forming a bush.

If there are no such recommendations, then follow the rule: the taller the plant, the greater the number of leaves, ovaries and shoots that can be left on it. Experienced gardeners offer a universal scheme for pinching a bush:

When the stem height is about 50 cm, all side shoots that are located below the axil of the sixth leaf are removed. This is called the "blind zone".
At a height of up to 1 m, only one ovary is left on the lateral shoots, the rest is removed by pinching it above the first leaf.
At a height of up to 1 m to 1.5 m, you can leave 4 shoots, on which there are shoots with two leaves and two ovaries.
If the cucumber variety requires a stem longer than 1.5 meters, then it must be thrown over a support and 4 side shoots must be pinched above the 4 ovaries.
When the distance from the ground to the end of the stem approaches 60 cm, the top of the main lash needs to be pinched.

For such varieties, another formation is possible:

The central stem is pinched after 5-6 leaves and tied.
The side lashes are positioned at 60 degrees to the central one, removing all excess stepsons and mustaches.
Shoots that grow to a horizontal trellis are wrapped around it and then pinched.

Scheme for pinching self-pollinating cucumbers

Self-pollinating cucumbers do not require the services of insects to pollinate flowers. Male flowers grow on the main stem, while female flowers are concentrated mainly on the side shoots. To make sure there are a lot of them, pinching is done.

For greenhouse plants, there is a certain scheme that must be followed to obtain an effective result from your work:

The first three ovaries formed on the main stem are removed.
To stimulate the growth of side shoots, remove the crown of the plant above the sixth full leaf.
On the side shoots, pinching is carried out in such a way that 3 to 4 ovaries remain on each.
After pinching, each new shoot is carefully tied to a support to avoid intertwining of the shoots.

Only late varieties of self-pollinating plants need pinching; all others, most often, grow well and bear fruit without this procedure.

Scheme for pinching parthenocarpic cucumbers

Parthenocarpic varieties of cucumbers do not require additional pollination by insects; predominantly female flowers are formed on their main stem.

Their side shoots grow quite quickly, so for comfortable growth and increased fruit formation they need to be pinched.

We offer you a step-by-step scheme for pinching these varieties in a greenhouse:

The axils of the first four full leaves are freed from shoots, which are removed along with the flowers.
In the axils of the fifth and sixth leaves, only 20 cm from the shoots are left.
The 4 shoots that appear above need to be pinched 40 cm from their base, the next 4 are cut off at 50 cm.
The main stem is pinched when 6 more leaves appear.

The tendrils and stepsons that appear in the leaf axils of hybrid varieties must be removed, and the remaining shoots must be separated from each other, each directed towards its own support, which will help to avoid their intertwining.

Some gardeners trim not only the shoots, but also the corners of overly large leaves, which create unnecessary shadows for the lower parts of the plant. This procedure will not cause any harm if the disinfection rules are followed, and will increase the lighting area.

Why is the pinching procedure necessary and what is it?

Cucumber is a heat-loving and light-loving plant. It is a vine that, under favorable development conditions, during the growing season produces a long main stem with many side shoots of the second and subsequent orders. All this mass of greenery not only takes up a lot of space, but also requires good nutrition. Fruiting for the bush is secondary and occurs abundantly only when the cucumber has enough strength for it.

On the contrary, the gardener’s priority is to obtain as many green vegetables as possible from 1 m2 of garden bed or greenhouse. If you make certain adjustments to the plant growth process, you will be able to harvest more fruits. One of these procedures is pinching cucumbers.

In vegetable growing, this agricultural technique is called pinching. It consists of removing growth points or shoot tips. On the side stems, pinching is carried out regularly as the vines grow to the length required by the gardener. The top of the main stem is also removed, but at a later date, in order to direct nutrients to the formation and filling of fruits.

Without exception, all varieties of cucumbers grown vertically on supports or trellis respond well to pinching. With horizontal cultivation, such shaping is practically not carried out, since it is very easy to damage the plants. The harvest in this case depends on the intensity of nutrition and the quality of care for the plantings.

Further care of cucumbers in the greenhouse

After pinching, the cut site must be treated, otherwise it may become a tasty prey for pathogenic microorganisms. To do this, plantings can be sprinkled with crushed wood ash. In order for the plants to better survive this stressful procedure, it is recommended to feed them with fertilizers after pinching.

You also need to water the cucumbers more carefully than usual. Water should not fall on the remaining stumps, so as not to provoke the development of putrefactive diseases.

Common mistakes novice gardeners make when pinching cucumbers

Proper care is the key to an excellent harvest at the end of the season. Violation of the pinching technique can lead not only to a decrease in the number of fruits, but also to the death of the plantings.

Some gardeners make common mistakes that should absolutely not be made:

Pinching too late. If the shoots are strong enough, then after their removal the plant may get sick.
Early growth intervention. After planting the cucumbers, you need to give them 2 weeks to adapt, during which no manipulations are carried out.
Frequent removal of shoots. Pruning of shoots is carried out once every 3 weeks, otherwise it can cause stress in the plantings, which will lead to the development of diseases.
Pinching by hand or with a blunt instrument. A bad cut can cause numerous infections. The cutting objects used must be sharp and well disinfected. Only very young and pliable shoots are cut off by hand.

There is also no need to overdo it with pinching, otherwise the plant will not be able to recover from stress and will die. In addition, not all varieties of cucumbers need processing, but you will still have to monitor the correct formation of the bush and correct it in a timely manner in order to get a rich harvest.

Why do you need a pinch?

Some consider pinching cucumbers an unnecessary waste of time, since this type of vegetable crop can bring a decent harvest without it. However, experienced gardeners claim that in order to ensure the normal development of vegetables, as well as stimulate their growth, it is necessary to carry out pinching in combination with blinding.

Formation of cucumbers on an industrial scale

The structure of cucumber culture involves the formation of male flowers on the main stem (the so-called empty flowers). However, to improve the harvest, female ovaries are necessary. In the majority of varieties, similar sprouts grow on lateral stems. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to pinch cucumbers in a timely manner.

Also pinching:

affects the ability to form more “female” ovaries;
prevents the formation of bitterness in fruits;
reduces shading of plantings;
increases bush productivity;
makes caring for plants easier.

Female ovary on a cucumber

Thanks to pinching, you can get high-quality fruits in large quantities. Breeders have developed varieties that produce female flowers on the main stem. In such plants, pinching is done to stimulate the formation of fruiting ovaries.

Still, you shouldn’t be too zealous and “bare” the plant, getting rid of all the leaves. Remember, in the future the leaves will give most of their nutrients to the fruits.

When not to pinch cucumbers

Thanks to the efforts of breeders, today there are a large variety of plant varieties, the care of which is minimized, and the yield remains very high. Many cucumbers no longer require pinching; this information is usually indicated on the manufacturer's packaging. Most often, this procedure is carried out with the aim of forming a bush, and not in order to obtain abundant lateral shoots. Although, if the planting has one central stem without additional shoots, pinching it is precisely the measure without which a rich harvest cannot be obtained. But if you are satisfied with the shape of your plant, it has enough side shoots, they do not interfere with each other, then there is no need to interfere with its growth.

What is blinding?

One of the important and necessary agrotechnical techniques for growing cucumbers indoors is blinding - pinching the cucumber vine. The purpose of this procedure is to activate the growth and development of lateral shoots, on which the main part of the female flowers is formed, from which, in the future, fruits are formed.

Answering the question of whether pinching in a greenhouse is a mandatory procedure, it should be noted that today there are species that do not require pinching. These are varieties and hybrids of the so-called “single-stem” cucumbers, such as Petrovsky F1 or Sarovsky F1, as well as hybrids in which the growth of lateral shoots is limited. Sarovsky is the most popular.

Fruits of the hybrid "Metelitsa". How to grow: step by step

MetelitsaF1;
VyugaF1;
Northerner F1;
Valdai F1;
Izhorets F1;
Gribovchanka F1;
F1 backup and others.

In such plants, the side shoots are formed very small, so they need to be pinched to a minimum.

All other varieties need to be shaped and pinched, otherwise the price of inaction will not be very pleasant - a lot of green leaves and shoots, and very few juicy and crispy cucumbers. (See How to form cucumbers in a greenhouse)

Mr. Summer Resident recommends: which varieties of cucumbers do not need pinching

If you are not ready to spend your time and effort on additional work with plantings, then choose varieties that do not require pinching.

Zozulya

Today you can buy cucumbers that develop with one full-fledged stem and have practically no lateral shoots, but their fruits grow in a large bunch and have a delicate taste without any bitterness. If you water and feed cucumbers correctly, you can harvest up to 500 cucumbers from one such bush.

Hybrid varieties are marked F1 on the packaging. Among the best varieties that are suitable for growing in a greenhouse are the following varieties:

Alphabet is early ripening, has up to 5 ovaries per node, the main crop ripens on the main stem.
Bouquet - has up to 6 ovaries in a node, is resistant to common diseases, has practically no side shoots.
Regina Plus - the fruits are characterized by the absence of bitterness, the plant is not prone to forming lateral shoots, and is immune to many diseases.
Matilda - bears fruit early, has up to 7 cucumbers in the ovary.
Zozulya is distinguished by its large cucumber size, which grows up to 25 cm. The harvest can be harvested within 40 days after germination.

Hybrids for greenhouses are good because they do not need to form a blind zone at the base. The varieties Severyanin, Vyuga, Metelitsa and Valdai are distinguished by their slight branching. For closed planting, you need to choose self-pollinating varieties of cucumbers.

Growing cucumbers in open ground

The plant has a unique ability: shoots produce roots upon contact with the soil, the bush is renewed, and new sources of food appear.

Pinching cucumbers in the open ground when gartering is carried out in the same way as in a greenhouse or hotbed. At least 4 ovaries are left on the shoot. The top is removed no lower than 6 leaves. Short shoots are not pinched.