How to tie cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse Scheme Photo Video

When growing cucumbers, among others, such agrotechnical technique as garter is used. Some summer residents consider this procedure labor-intensive, but it is fully justified. In the limited space of greenhouses, cucumbers especially need tying up. This culture belongs to the pumpkin plants, and without human intervention its shoots, like those of a pumpkin, will spread along the ground. Today, summer residents have invented a variety of methods for gartering cucumbers, each of which has its own advantages.

When to tie up cucumbers

Cucumbers are tied to a support at the stage of formation of 4-6 leaves. At this point, the plants are 30cm or slightly more in height. It is not recommended to carry out the procedure at a later stage; as the stems grow, they become less flexible and may break off.

In order not to miss this moment, you need to prepare for it in advance by building trellises and preparing garter material. Early installation of trellises will also help to avoid damage to the root system of cucumbers, which, after planting in the greenhouse, begins to grow rapidly.

On a note! The bushes are tied up in the morning, when the scorching sun has not yet penetrated into the greenhouse.

Rules for gartering cucumbers

In tall greenhouses, a vertical method of fixing cucumber stems is often used. They are tied to installed supports under the first or second sheet. During the growth process, side shoots are attached to an additionally stretched rope, otherwise they will begin to wrap around the main stem and can injure it. After the top of the bush reaches the two-meter mark, it is pinched. If this is not done, the plant will continue to grow to the detriment of the development of lateral branches.

After the young bushes have been tied up, a technique called “blinding” is used - all side shoots, flowers and tendrils that appear at a height of 45-50 cm are removed. As a result, the main stem begins to actively grow and strengthen. Exposing the lower part of the main shoot also contributes to better lighting and ventilation of the bushes.

Tools and materials for garter

A greenhouse trellis can be made of various materials (metal pipes, wooden blocks). It is fixed to a profile located in the side of the greenhouse structure. You can also use a frame structure. In addition, you will need to prepare:

not too thin wire;
mesh made of plastic or metal;
hooks for securing twine;
twine or strong twine;
wooden pegs;
small strips of fabric 3-5 cm wide;
hammer;
nails.

Do not use fishing line or wire as garter material, which can injure fragile lashes. It is best to use cotton fabric; it is strong enough and will not harm the shoots. You can also use old nylon stockings or tights. The advantage of this material is its softness and elasticity. You must first disinfect the fabric that will be used for garter. The matter can be doused with boiling water or soaked briefly in a bleach solution.

Important! The twine, fixed at the top of the trellis, is tied with the lower end not to the cucumbers themselves, but to pegs driven into the ground near each bush. If you attach it to the stem of a plant, as it grows, the shoots will stretch upward and can pull the roots out of the ground.

Advice from experienced summer residents

Experienced summer residents share valuable tips for gartering cucumbers:

Bushes need to be tied up only when the stem already has at least six leaves.
If you want to grow other vegetable crops in a greenhouse, you need to separate them from each other with a film curtain.
Damaged fruits must be removed before the plant is fully ripe.
Do not forget to treat the ends of the pegs before immersing them in the ground with a disinfectant solution, for example, potassium permanganate.
To avoid injuring the plant, create an angle of 60º between the stem and shoots.
Pegs made of plastic or wood are considered the best.

Garter methods

Each gardener himself determines the most suitable method for gartering cucumbers in a greenhouse. The choice is made taking into account the varietal characteristics of the crop, the size of the building and one’s financial capabilities.

Horizontal method

Horizontal garter is often used for low greenhouses and greenhouses. Vertical supports are dug in on both sides of the bed. These can be wooden beams, metal rods or pipes. Twine or wire is pulled between the supports in several rows. The lower level should be at a height of about 30 cm from the ground surface.

Then the pieces of twine are tied to the supports in increments of 30-35 cm. The stem of each plant is wrapped around the rope and the cucumbers will continue to grow further in the horizontal plane. The side shoots are tied to the next level. This method is easy to implement and requires virtually no cost.

Vertical method

This method is used in high polycarbonate greenhouses. It is good because when grown this way, the bushes receive the maximum amount of light.

To implement a vertical garter, a trellis is installed in the greenhouse from 2 side posts of two meters in height with a crossbar on top, and small stakes are driven in from below. Then a wire or twine is thrown over the crossbar and tied to the pegs.
You can also use a frame that fits the size of the greenhouse. Its upper bar will be located under the ceiling, and the lower one will be located next to the ground. Rows of twine or wire are stretched between the slats according to the number of plants. Each bush will have its own rope wrapped around it.
Another simple way of vertical staking is to use tall individual stakes for each plant. The growing lashes are tied to the pegs with fabric ribbons.

On a note! To tie cucumbers, it is better to use twine made from jute. It is durable and has a non-slip surface. From a cord made of synthetic materials, lashes with fruit will slide down.

3 ways to vertically grow cucumber vines in a greenhouse: video

Hybrid method

Garter in a hybrid way involves the construction of a structure that in its final form resembles a pyramid or hut. This garter option is used for cucumbers planted in a circle. A high pillar is dug in the center of the circle as the main support. Pegs are driven between the cucumbers with an angle of 60 degrees towards the center.

From the top of the pole, the ropes are lowered down and tied to the pegs. The number of such supports should correspond to the number of bushes. The method allows you to use space very economically. Up to 15 plants can be tied to one such support. As the cucumbers grow, the pyramid begins to look more and more decorative.

Why is tying necessary?

Cucumbers are annual crops of the pumpkin family that have a pentagonal stem and resemble a vine in appearance. By means of its tendrils, the plant spreads along the ground or clings to a nearby surface. It is light- and moisture-loving. In just one season, the bush produces a considerable amount of greenery, actively absorbing nutrients contained in the soil.

The easiest way to grow a good harvest of this vegetable is in a greenhouse, where it is much easier to create the necessary conditions for it.

A garter is needed so as not to lose some of the fruit even at the stage of ovary formation.

If a bush spreads along the surface of the soil, it usually does not have enough light. At the same time, the buds begin to crumble, and the fruits lying on the ground are exposed to insect pests and begin to rot.

If we specifically talk about cucumbers grown in a greenhouse, tying is necessary here for the same reasons:

The vegetable gets more light.
It retains a greater number of ovaries.
The whiskers do not cling to neighboring bushes.
Easier to harvest.

Many people have a question: how to tie cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse? Experienced gardeners tie up the stem when it grows to 30 cm. At this moment, it already has 4-5 leaves. If the garter is carried out later, care must be taken not to accidentally injure the stem.

Other garter methods

The ingenuity of summer residents has no limits. Every year new options for gartering cucumbers are added, which quickly find their admirers. In fact, it is difficult to invent something radically new in gardening. All additional methods of fixing cucumber shoots are modified traditional methods, but since they exist, it means they are justified.

Mixed method

Combined lash garter involves the use of large-mesh plastic mesh instead of horizontally stretched ropes. The mesh is fixed to the posts located on the sides of the bed; as the cucumbers grow, the tendrils are directed into the cells, and then the plants independently braid the structure.

With this method, cucumbers almost do not need to be tied up additionally. The mesh must be securely fastened so that the structure does not collapse under the weight of heavy shoots with leaves and fruits.

How to tie cucumbers in a greenhouse to a net: video

Vertical splits

Some summer residents install hooks in the upper part of the greenhouse frame and stretch strong twine or wire down from them. The lower end of the rope is tied to a block and dug into the ground. The number of hooks should match the number of cucumbers in the garden. Thus, each bush has an individual support and is tied to it. When long side shoots grow, they are tied to the main stem.

Vertical garter of cucumbers in a greenhouse using twine: video

Garter fence

Before using a fence as a support, it is constructed separately from available materials, brought into the greenhouse and installed along the ridge.

On a note! Such a structure must be stable; for reliability, it can be dug into the ground or additionally secured.

How to properly tie cucumbers in a greenhouse

To achieve a bountiful harvest, beginning gardeners need to learn how to tie cucumbers correctly.

Preparation

You need to prepare for the gartering procedure in advance by constructing a structure for cucumbers before planting. Pegs also need to be driven in immediately before planting cucumbers, near the hole under each bush.

Garter instructions

Let's look at step-by-step instructions for tying cucumbers, done vertically using twine:

First of all, they get rid of shoots and ovaries at the level of 3-4 leaves at the bottom of the stem. This is necessary for the normal development of the root system in the future.
At the level of the next three leaves, the side shoots are removed without touching the ovaries. Shoots must be removed immediately so as not to provoke various diseases in cucumbers. In some cases, all leaves are removed up to the first fruit, leaving only leaves with ovaries.
In the area of the next three leaves, the ovaries with cucumbers are left, allowing side shoots to develop. After one ovary and one leaf have formed on the shoot, it is pinched, treating these areas with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Then the shoots in the area of the next three leaves are formed in a similar way, leaving two leaves and two ovaries. And so on increasingly: the higher the leaves are located, the more ovaries need to be left.
When the first fruits appear on the stem below, they are immediately collected, removing the lower leaf plates.
When the central lash reaches the top level of the twine, it is untied, lowering the plant down. Such actions free up space for the cucumber crop to grow upward.

How to tie cucumbers in a greenhouse. Forming cucumbers

If the cucumbers are not pinched, the leaves will fill the entire space of the greenhouse and will take away nutrients.

Mistakes to Avoid

Beginning summer residents should take into account the mistakes that may occur when gartering:

Late garter. If the bush grows more than 35 cm, its stem will become stiff and brittle. A garter during this period can damage the plant.
Tight tying. By creating too strong a hold on the lash, you can provoke squeezing of the stem as it grows.
It is better not to use metal clamps that are too strong, so as not to damage the plant.
Uncontrolled development of cucumber bushes can lead to growth in the wrong direction and collapse of the top in the future.
It is popularly believed that the stem should not be curled counterclockwise, since all plants follow the movement of the sun.

Correct formation of cucumber bushes

In greenhouses, gardeners often grow parthenocarpic cucumber hybrids that do not require pollination. The type of such plants is characterized by weak branching; forming a bush into one stem is suitable for them. The main shoot is allowed to grow freely until it reaches the top trellis, after which the crown is pinched. To increase the yield of these varieties, it is recommended to use blinding (removal of shoots and inflorescences at a height of up to 50 cm).

If this manipulation is not carried out, the upper tier of the plant will not receive enough nutrition, and the nutrients will go to the lower side shoots. Subsequently, parthenocarpics are formed as follows:

At a height of up to 1 meter, 2 side shoots 20 cm long are left, which are pinched above the second leaf, leaving 1 ovary and 1-2 leaves.
At a height of 1.5 meters, side lashes 40 cm long are left with 2 ovaries and several leaves on each.
At a height of over 1.5 m, 3-4 ovaries and the same number of leaves are left on the resulting side shoots.
The lashes that have grown to the top of the structure are tied up. In low greenhouses, the main shoot is thrown over a trellis and allowed to grow downwards. In this case, its crown is pinched at a distance of 15-20 cm from the ground.

Pinching and pruning of shoots is carried out early in the morning, so that by the evening the wounds can heal and the plant recovers. Old yellowed lower leaves also need to be plucked off in a timely manner; they no longer provide any benefit, but only increase the risk of disease. It is better to remove the first flower clusters; they do not produce fruit, but take a lot of strength from the main stem.

When and how to tie

It is necessary to tie cucumbers at 3-4 weeks of growth, when the height of the young crop reaches 32-35 cm. By this time, the plant has already formed 5-7 full leaves. It is better not to delay this procedure and complete everything on time: it is easier to tie up a young cucumber because its stem is elastic, while more mature plants break when bent. It is better to prepare all the materials for creating supports in advance.

It is better to install the support before planting seedlings

After the cucumbers have been gartered, they need to be “blinded”. The purpose of this process is to strengthen the plant trunk and activate the side shoots, on which the bulk of the flowers are formed. “Blinding” consists of removing the first flowering, all leaves and shoots from the trunk at a distance of 30-40 cm from the ground. The remaining shoots are allowed to develop randomly until the first ovaries appear, and then they are carefully tied to the main stem.

Important! The angle between the main stem and the side shoot when tying should not be less than 65°, otherwise the stepson can be broken, thereby losing part of the harvest.

In greenhouse conditions, any type of garter is allowed. In order to determine the most correct one, you need to take into account the variety of cucumber, the volume of the greenhouse and the amount of funds you have.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Any vegetable grower wants to get the maximum yield of cucumbers from his plot. This becomes possible thanks to the experience of those who, in practice, have received excellent results from the use of certain tricks and are ready to share them:

The crown of cucumber bushes must be thinned regularly, and in adult specimens this is done not only in the lower, but also in the upper tier.
It is not necessary to burn yellowed old leaves from healthy bushes; they can be used as a mulch layer in a bed of cucumbers.
If you harvest every 1-2 days, this will stimulate the formation of new ovaries.
The drug Energen shows a good effect on cucumbers; its use significantly increases the yield.
The curved shape of the fruit is a signal of trouble; the cucumbers do not have enough nutrition or moisture.
Overgrown lashes should not be moved from place to place, otherwise they will turn yellow.
Actively growing cucumbers in a greenhouse are watered every other day; with the onset of flowering and fruiting, watering is done daily.
Place containers of water inside the greenhouse and use sprinkling more often so that the humidity level does not fall below 75%, then the cucumbers will be comfortable.
Regulate the temperature inside the building by ventilation, not allowing it to rise above 30 degrees, otherwise the cucumber pollen will become sterile.

Choose a method of gartering cucumbers that is convenient for you, but do not neglect this technique if you want to grow a crop not only for the table, but also for harvesting. Give your plants support and they will reach their full potential.