Growing cucumbers in a greenhouse and in open ground - step-by-step instructions for beginners

Cucumber, along with potatoes and tomatoes, is the most common crop in the gardens of our country.
Most often, summer residents' cucumbers grow haphazardly. And all plant care comes down to watering and occasional feeding. Dear readers!
For you, we have created communities on social networks in which useful articles and interesting ideas are published several times a day! Subscribe and receive useful content in a convenient format! But, if you approach the care of cucumbers wisely, you can significantly increase the volume of the harvest and improve the taste of the fruit.

One of the procedures by which this can be achieved is stepsoning.

In our article we will tell you about what it is, how to pinion correctly and what are the features of pinching different types of cucumbers.

What is stepsoning

Stepping cucumbers
Stepping is the removal of side shoots (“stepchildren”) from the main stem of a cucumber bush according to a special pattern.

Stepchildren grow in the axils of the leaves. If they are not cut off, over time they will develop and turn into large lashes. By the way, cucumbers will also grow on them.

Why then remove shoots that will bear fruit?

The fact is that in the early stages of plant development it is very important to direct energy and nutrients to strengthening the root system and forming the main stem. The stepchildren will take away some of the nutrients.

To prevent this from happening, side shoots must be removed. A little later, when the cucumber bush grows and gets stronger, the stepsons can be left to grow.

How can you get an extra harvest?

Around July, new ovaries stop forming on the bushes, which indicates that the bush has exhausted its potential. Special resuscitation actions will help provoke new flowering. For this you will need fish waste. They are filled with water in a ratio of one to two. The container is left in a warm, dark place. The solution will be ready when foam forms on the surface. Drain the liquid, add a glass of wood ash for each liter and mix. Water the bushes with the mixture. Trim all the leaves from the vine, leaving only the top. Carefully roll the stem into a spiral and secure it to the ground. Soon new shoots will appear from the upper growth points. Remove most, leaving one - the most powerful.

Important! All lower stepsons must be removed, as they slow down the development of the fruit. Thanks to this procedure, the plant will form a powerful root and a strong stem, which will speed up ripening significantly.

How to choose the time of stepsoning?

The time for pinching cucumbers depends on the following factors:

• When you planted the plant.
• Climate of the region.

In central Russia, the procedure is carried out from mid-July to early August.

ADVICE. It is best to focus not on specific dates, but on the development of the plant itself. A cucumber variety may be early or late, but the stages of its development will still coincide.

Experienced gardeners advise carrying out the pinching procedure when the side shoots grow to at least 3 cm. Optimally - up to 4-6 cm. There is no practical point in removing shoots earlier. But you shouldn’t delay the procedure either. If the shoot gets stronger, you will have to leave it. Otherwise, you can harm the entire bush.

When and how to properly pick cucumbers

The timing of the start of pinching depends on how you planted the cucumbers in the greenhouse. If through seedlings, then literally after 1-2 weeks, when the plant takes root in a new place, side shoots appear. After planting a crop with seeds, it will take at least 2-2 weeks before you have to remove the side shoots. By this time the plant will most likely reach a height of 15-20 cm.

The procedure is carried out by pinching shoots with leaves in the axils between the main trunk and the leaves grown on it. You can simply pinch them with your fingers or break them out. It is best to remove them no more than 2-5 cm in size.

There is no need to be afraid to remove them; the plant does not experience stress after their removal and therefore tolerates this procedure completely painlessly. If you don’t immediately start removing them, later you will get confused in the vines, trying to determine where the main stem grows and where the stepsons are. If you can easily deal with tomatoes, then with cucumbers this is more difficult.

How to calculate stepson?

Stepson
Finding a stepson on a cucumber lash is very simple. They form in the leaf axils, that is, in the place where the leaf is attached to the main stem.

Stepchildren are future vines of cucumbers. In other words, if they are not removed, after some time they will develop and will be only slightly thinner than the main stem.

The first stepsons usually appear when the bush grows to 30-40 cm.

Bee-pollinated varieties and hybrids

"Baby"

“Malysh” is a variety bred at the Volgograd Experimental Station VNIIR named after. N. I. Vavilova. Included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements in 1994. It has a bush form (squash type bush). The variety is affected by downy mildew.

Photo: Cucumber variety “Baby”

"Baby"

The originator is Agrofirm Poisk LLC. Included in the State Register in 2009. Bush early-ripening bee-pollinated variety for open ground. The length of the main stem is 30–60 cm. The greens are tuberculate, white-thorned, weighing 80–90 g.

Photo: Cucumber variety “Baby”

"Hector F1"

Originator: Nunems (Holland). Included in the State Register in 2002. Early maturing bee-pollinated hybrid of predominantly female flowering type for open ground. Zelentsy are collected regularly, 2-3 times a week. The hybrid is resistant to olive spot, powdery mildew, and cucumber mosaic virus.

Photo: Cucumbers of the Hector F1 variety

Stepping in closed ground

The procedure for planting cucumbers in greenhouses and greenhouses is extremely important. If you do not remove the side shoots, the cucumbers will grow, but will bring virtually no harvest. The pinching procedure in a greenhouse takes place in several stages.

You can read more about this in our article “How to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse step by step.”

Basic rules for caring for cucumbers during and after the pinching procedure

The culture tolerates the removal of stepsons quite painlessly. However, caring for plants at this time and in the future is mandatory.

What a gardener needs to do:

• Regularly ventilate the greenhouse or greenhouse.
• Use settled water for irrigation.
• Periodically loosen the soil.
• Eliminate weeds.
• Remove diseased or dry leaves.
• Harvest on time, preventing the fruits from losing their taste and inhibiting the growth of other cucumbers.
• Provide the correct fertilizing necessary after the stress that is pinching.

Step-by-step planting in open ground - step-by-step instructions

Many people, especially novice gardeners, believe that there is no need to plant cucumbers. But experienced summer residents know that this procedure is very important. The fact is that the side shoots consume too many nutrients. As a result, the yield of one bush is reduced by 3–5 kg.

Of course, if you have a lot of beds with cucumbers, then such crop losses will be insignificant. But, if you do not have a very large summer cottage, then you need to use the usable space wisely.

IMPORTANT! To carry out the pinching procedure, cucumbers must be tied to a trellis or support. Bushes growing on the ground usually do not shoot. For open ground, it is best to use triangular supports.

Triangular supports

How to form cucumbers into 1 trunk, removing all side shoots?

This is one of the simplest and most common stepson schemes. Forming cucumbers into 1 trunk is common in small summer cottages and in commercial organizations involved in growing vegetables.

1. At a height of 30-40 cm from the ground, all leaves are removed.
2. At a height of 40–80 cm, side shoots are removed. In this case, leaves and ovaries are left on the main vine (1 ovary per 1 leaf).
3. At a height of 80–120 cm, 1 ovary and 1 leaf are left on the side shoots. The shoot is pinched when it reaches 20 cm in length.
4. At a height of 120–150 cm, 2–3 leaves and the same number of ovaries are left on the side shoots. Everything that grows further is pinched.
5. At a height of 150–200 cm, shoots are not removed or pinched. If the trellis is not high, then the lashes are simply thrown over it and lowered down.
6. The main vine is pinched when it reaches the top of the trellis or support.

Formation into 1 stem

REFERENCE. Only self-pollinating varieties and hybrids of cucumbers are formed into one trunk.

How to plant several stems

Indeterminate varieties of cucumbers are usually formed into several stems. That is, those that grow constantly.

Stage 1. When the bush has 5 true leaves, it is tied to a support or trellis.

Stage 2. When a second shoot appears, it is tied up separately. In this case, it is advisable to direct the second stem in the other direction so that the lashes do not interfere with each other.

Stage 3. As soon as both vines grow to the top of the support, remove the stepsons, flowers and greens up to 4 leaves. Don’t be afraid to remove the fruits; the plant will still bear fruit.

Stage 4. In the interval from 5 to 9 leaves, leave 1 ovary in the axil and remove all other shoots.

Stage 5. Pinch the next 4-5 stepsons at a distance of approximately 30-40 cm from both stems.

Stage 6. Anything that grows higher does not need to be removed. This is where the bulk of the greens will form.

Formation into 2 stems

This is a diagram of the formation of cucumbers into 2 stems. But in exactly the same way you can create 3 or 4 main lashes.

Formation of self-pollinating varieties

Self-pollinating varieties must be planted. The fact is that they develop mainly female-type inflorescences, which will later become cucumbers. Because of this, a high load is created on the bush.

If such varieties and hybrids are not formed, then you can lose both the volume of the harvest and the taste of the fruit.

Parthenocarpic cucumbers are formed mainly in 1 stem (in rare cases, 2). The general principles of stepsoning are as follows:

• removal of all ovaries and shoots at a distance of 30-40 cm from the ground;
• pinching shoots using the inverted pyramid method (shorter shoots from below, longer shoots from above);
• crop control.

Formation of bee-pollinated varieties

The peculiarity of pollinated varieties and hybrids is that male-type inflorescences, that is, barren flowers, are formed on the main stem. Female-type inflorescences are formed on the stepsons. Therefore, pollinated varieties and hybrids are formed into several stems, and the male inflorescences are removed.

In this case, the main lash is pinched as early as possible so that the plant directs all its energy to the growth of side shoots.

REFERENCE. There is no need to cut off every single barren flower. Be sure to leave a few pieces on the lash.

How to form bunched cucumbers

Bundle cucumbers must be pinched. The algorithm looks like this:

Stage 1. Remove all stepsons and ovaries at a distance of half a meter from the root. Please note that there is no need to remove the leaves.

Stage 2. 50 – 100 cm from the root. Leave 1 ovary in the leaf axil. We remove the remaining shoots.

Stage 3. 100 – 150 cm. On each shoot in this area we leave 2 leaves with 2 ovaries. We remove all shoots above.

Stage 4. 150-200 cm. On each shoot in this area we leave 3 leaves with 3 ovaries. We remove all shoots above.

Stage 5. Count out 4 sheets and pinch the crown. Leave 1 ovary for each leaf.

Formation of bunch cucumbers

This is the most common scheme for pinching bunched cucumbers. You can also look at the diagram recommended for each specific variety on the back of the seed package.

Other methods of performing the procedure

In addition to those described above, there are several more methods of stepsoning.

For example, when forming cucumbers into one trunk, some gardeners remove all the stepsons and leave the leaves. That is, the fruits appear exclusively on the main stem. At the same time, the yield of the bush does not suffer. It’s just that new ones are formed in place of the harvested plants.

The advantages of this method are good lighting and ventilation of the plantings, as well as easy harvesting.

Features of varieties pollinated by bees

To understand how to properly plant cucumbers pollinated by bees, it is worth knowing one feature: these varieties are not suitable for formation into one vine. Female flowers, which form fruits, grow only on side shoots, while male flowers grow on the main stem. That is, without stepchildren there will be no harvest.

Here is an “old” stepson scheme that summer residents have been using for a long time:

1. shoots up to 4 nodes are removed;
2. after the 7th leaf, one shoot is left;
3. look through the axils of the leaves, leave one shoot at a time;
4. after the 10th node, the shoots are pinched after 2-3 leaves;
5. after the 12th leaf, the shoots are pinched after 2-3 leaves, the ovaries are left.

When the main shoot grows to the end of the trellis, it is pinched and new shoots are removed.

How to pinch?

There are 2 schemes for pinching cucumbers. It depends on them whether you will collect the bulk of the harvest from the main vine or from the side shoots.

Scheme 1. The main stem is pinched when the plant has grown to at least 1 m. The side shoots are pinched after 2 leaves.

Pinching pattern 1

Scheme 2. The main stem is pinched as soon as it grows to half a meter. Side shoots are pinched when they grow to 1 m.

Pinching pattern 2

REFERENCE. The first method is preferable for self-pollinating varieties and hybrids, and the second for bee-pollinated ones. The fact is that male inflorescences develop on the main stem, but among them the majority are empty flowers.

Features of self-pollinating varieties

For self-pollinating varieties, this option is suitable:

1. up to 4 nodes, remove all shoots and ovaries;
2. between the 4th and 17th leaves, remove the shoots and leave the ovaries;
3. Between the 18th and 20th leaves, the stepsons pinch to the second leaf.

Self-pollinating varieties have their own stepsoning scheme.

When the main lash reaches its maximum size, wrap it around the support twice, stretch it to the adjacent one and pinch it.

Another way of forming is in one lash. It is only suitable for self-pollinating varieties. Only the ovaries and knots are left on the main lash; the stepsons are removed. This method allows you to reduce energy costs for plant care.

There is a third, more complex method called the “Danish umbrella”. It is suitable for greenhouse self-pollinating varieties. An experienced gardener can perform the procedure correctly. For beginners, it’s better to use other methods.

First you need to visually divide the main lash into segments according to leaf nodes: 1-5, 5-9, 9-20.

How to do:

1. in the first segment, all ovaries and stepsons are removed;
2. in the second, the shoots are pinched and one ovary is left per bosom;
3. in the third segment, two ovaries are left per node (up to 13 leaves);
4. from 14 to 20 nodes - leave a shoot (pinch after 2 leaves), remove the ovary, the distance between shoots is 1 node or more;
5. the stepson from the axil of the 20th leaf is pinched after the 8th leaf;
6. the central shoot is thrown over the trellis and plucked after the third node;
7. in axil 2, from the top of the leaf, a shoot is left that grows downwards; it is pinched after the 5th leaf;
8. side stems are planted in 3 stepsons of the second stage, pinched after the third leaf.

It is difficult to carry out such pinching, but it is easy to care for the resulting plant. In the lower part of the plant, the stems are thinned out, and the fruiting part will be concentrated under the ceiling of the greenhouse. The shoots and fruits will get more light, and harvesting will become easier.

What varieties do not take stepson?

If you don’t have time to do pinching and pinching, then you need to pay attention to those varieties that do not need to be formed.

These are mainly hybrids that grow in lush bushes rather than in vines. There is no need to form varieties whose side shoots do not grow and do not thicken the plantings. Also, some parthencarpic varieties of cucumbers do not shoot.

The most popular varieties and hybrids that do not require stepsoning are Alphabet F1, Bouquet F1, Regina-Plus F1, Faithful Friends F1.

Alphabet F1

Problem solving

Conclusion one. Varietal cucumbers must be provided with a sufficient feeding area (10-20 cm between plants in a row, 50-70 cm between rows) and well lit. Only under these conditions do they normally develop lateral shoots, on which the bulk of female flowers are formed.

Phosphorus supplements help to enhance the formation of female flowers: st. spoon of superphosphate (extract) per 10 liters of water. Female flowers are formed more intensively when cucumbers are picked daily, not allowing them to outgrow.

Tilling the soil to destroy pathogens.

In addition, after sowing the planting material and before the appearance of strong and mature shoots, it is necessary to strictly observe the temperature regime, as well as timely watering. At the same time, caring for the bushes is necessary throughout the entire period of their growth. If this is not done, the growth of the plantings may stop, and fruiting may not occur.

Do I need to pick off the leaves?

When pinching, you can also tear off some of the foliage on the cucumbers. Removing excess leaves is necessary to improve access to air and light, prevent thickening of plantings and prevent diseases.

However, you cannot pick off all the leaves at once. There is a certain scheme that must be followed.

The entire cucumber bush is divided into 4 parts:

1. Base. All inflorescences, ovaries and leaves that are lying on the ground, yellowed or dried out are removed.
2. 1 m from the root (about 4 true leaves). Barren flowers are removed. There are a few leaves left (4-6 pieces) and the same number of cucumbers.
3. The next 50 cm. All leaves are left on one half of the shoots. On the other, half the foliage is removed.
4. The top. 4 leaves are counted from the end of the lash and trimmed.

This pattern of leaf pruning ensures good ventilation and uniform illumination of the entire plant, and stimulates the formation of fruits on intact vines.

Depending on application

In summer cottages, cucumbers are grown exclusively for human consumption. How delicious it is to crunch a fresh cucumber or add it to a summer salad, and in winter it will be nice to open a jar of pickled or pickled cucumbers.

Crispy

Crunch and aroma are what country gourmets value in cucumbers. And the following varieties can boast of such properties: Amazon, Emelya, Atlet, Hercules.

Salad

In order to prepare a delicious salad, varieties with smooth skin are suitable. There are many types of these cucumbers, and here are some of them: Zozulya F1, Bazar F1, Bukhara F1, Chinese snake F1, Kochubey F1, Makar F1, Marta F1, Tamerlane F1.

For canning and pickling

Preserving and pickling cucumbers for the winter is a favorite pastime of housewives. And in order not to be disappointed in the taste of pickles, plant the following varieties: Malysh, Lord, June, Meringue, Mother-in-law and others.

Universal purpose

It is not always possible to find space on six acres to plant both salad and pickling cucumbers. Therefore, pay attention to these varieties for universal use: Delicacy, Madame, Alligator, Son of the Regiment, April, Connie, Ecole and others.

Care after work

If you want pinching to bear fruit, you must take care of your cucumbers. Care is needed even when the cucumber bushes are fully formed.

1. Water the cucumbers in a timely manner. This culture loves moisture and regular watering. But you only need to use warm water that has stood outside. You cannot water cucumbers with a hose. The tap water is too cold and has a detrimental effect on the plant.
2. Loosen the soil regularly. In the heat, the soil at the roots quickly dries out and turns into a hard crust.
3. Remove weeds promptly. Firstly, they take away nutrients from cucumbers. Secondly, the bushes shade.
4. Remove diseased and damaged leaves promptly. They can cause disease in the entire bush.
5. Remove fruits from the vines in a timely manner. If you are not growing cucumbers for seeds, do not let them linger on the vines. Firstly, they lose their taste. Secondly, they consume useful nutrients that would go to other greens.
6. Additionally, feed the bushes of the plant. Pinching is a necessary procedure, but it is still stressful for the plants. Therefore, it is recommended to additionally feed the cucumbers after pinching the side shoots.

Aftercare rules

For the procedure to be as effective as possible, you must follow the care tips.

Timely watering

The root of cucumbers is extremely delicate, so watering with cold water is not recommended. This will lead to negative consequences. Growth stops, leaves wither, and fruits become bitter. There should be a container on the site in which water is stored for further irrigation. It is better to perform the procedure in the morning. By this time, the earth will have cooled slightly and the water will have reached the optimal temperature.

Regular weeding

From time to time it is necessary to weed the plants. This procedure will remove weeds, and regular loosening of the soil will ensure oxygen supply to the roots. As a result, the bushes get sick less and grow faster.

Removing damaged and diseased leaves

It is necessary to regularly pick off diseased and dried leaves. They create additional shading, which negatively affects fruiting. The tool used to trim diseased leaves must be thoroughly treated with alcohol or a fungicide solution, and then wiped dry.

Timely harvesting

It is important to harvest in a timely manner so that the plant does not waste nutrients on already ripened fruits. It is advisable to do this at least once every 2 days. Overgrown fruits will interfere with the formation of new ones.

See also Growing the Phoenix cucumber variety

Additional fertilizing

In the second half of summer, fertilizing is carried out. It is good to use a mixture of 1 kg of mullein or 1 cup of wood ash diluted in 10 liters of warm water as a top dressing.

Possible mistakes

Stepping is a simple procedure, but some mistakes can be made due to inexperience:

1. Rough removal of side shoots. Stepchildren must be removed carefully, without injuring other parts of the plant. Small stepsons are usually removed with fingers, and older ones - with scissors. If this is your first time carrying out the procedure, it is better to use garden tools.
2. Deviation from stepsoning schemes. Each action that you perform in the process of removing processes has a specific practical meaning. If you do not follow the rules, then stepsoning will simply become a useless exercise.
3. Incorrect start time for the procedure. If you start removing shoots too early, you will injure the plant and may kill it. If you are late with pinching, the shoots will grow too much. In this case, they can no longer be deleted.
4. Lack of proper care. Do not think that after removing the side shoots, the work with cucumbers is finished. The plant must be watered, fed and loosened the soil.

Pinching is a way to increase the yield of your cucumbers. There is nothing complicated in this procedure. It is enough to adhere to the described schemes and work carefully with the plants.

conclusions

Based on the characteristics of different varieties of cucumbers, you should choose different methods for growing them. It is also necessary to consider the method of growing this crop. The time for the procedure should be selected based on the appearance of the shoots and depending on the climatic conditions of your region. This treatment should be carried out systematically, almost throughout the entire growing season. Pruning cucumbers is necessary to obtain a good harvest, as well as for the convenience of subsequent processing of plants and harvesting of fruits.

Whether it is necessary to pinch cucumbers, read this material.

Best from other categories

There are other criteria by which summer residents choose cucumber seeds.

Beams

Recently, many new varieties of this species have appeared, and each promises the largest number of ovaries in the nodes of the plant. And here are the proven varieties that summer residents recommend: Vyuga F1, Master F1, Balcony F1, Summer Resident's Dream F1, Twins F1, Zelenka F1, Siberian Express F1, Gentlemen of Fortune F1, Dashing Lads F1.

The best varieties of bush cucumbers

This type of cucumber is loved for its compactness and the following varieties are distinguished: Kustovoy, Mikrosha, Kustovoy Dar, Malysh F1, Korotyshka F1, Ant F1, Patti F1, Korolek F1.

Resistant varieties

For some, it is very important that cucumbers are resistant to disease or weather disasters.

Frost-resistant

This quality is very important for residents of the northern regions of our country. Cold-resistant varieties include: Amur F1, Valaamsky F1, Vyuga F1, Lapland F1, Tundra F1, Eskimo F1, Dolomit F1, Eliseevsky F1.

Disease resistant

And for those who do not often appear at the dacha or have no time to deal with diseases of cucumbers, they should pay attention to: Thumb, Masha, Diva, Swallow, Princess, Nightingale, Pasadena, Natalie, Octopus, Murashka, Phoenix Plus, Lancaster F1, Benefit, Sir.

The best Dutch varieties

These varieties are loved for the taste of the cucumbers themselves. And here's what you should plant in your dacha: Angelina F1, German F1, Bettina F1, Hector F1, Dolomite F1, Prestige F1, Crispina F1, Pro F1, Platinum F1, Children's Mini, Karina.

The best varieties of cucumbers for salads

Typically, salad cucumbers are larger in size. Also, they have a rich taste. And this is due to the presence of sugars in the fruits. During culinary processing, sugar is fermented, and therefore the elasticity of the fruit is lost. These cucumbers are only suitable for fresh consumption.

The thick skin of salad cucumbers does not allow brine to pass through well, but it facilitates long-term storage.

Next, we see the best varieties of salad cucumbers:

Source of article: https://ogorod365.com/luchshie-sorta-ogurtsov-na-2021-god-samye-urozhajnye-vkusnye-dlya-teplitsy-i-otkrytogo-grunta/

The best varieties of cucumbers for 2022: the most productive, tasty, for greenhouses and open ground

The most productive cucumber varieties for 2022 can be divided both by ripening time and by growing conditions. The choice of a specific representative of a vegetable crop is also influenced by the agroclimatic features of the cultivation region. It is worth getting acquainted with the best varieties, their names, descriptions, and photos of fruits long before the start of spring field work. And the advice and recommendations of experienced vegetable growers will help you not to make a mistake in your choice.