Recommendations for growing cucumbers in an apartment, house or basement: which variety to choose, when is the best time to plant, how to properly care for them

Getting a harvest of cucumbers in winter is not the dream of every vegetable grower. But an obstacle to growing vegetables is that the climate does not allow planting even in greenhouses. Enclosed spaces must be heated and the floors and walls must be thoroughly insulated. This problem can be solved by planting cucumbers in basements or cellars.

The use of the basement of both apartment buildings and private ones for growing vegetables in winter began in the 19th century. Despite the imperfect light sources - kerosene lamps, gas burners - the landing result was extraordinary. The cucumber harvest shocked everyone. Nowadays, it is possible to select high-quality soil and create conditions more convenient for plants grown underground.

Features of growing cucumbers

The first experience of successfully growing vegetables in the basement was obtained at the end of the 19th century. Then, to create suitable conditions, kerosene lamps, gas burners and other similar devices were used.

Today, the life of gardeners has become much simpler - xenon, fluorescent and conventional incandescent lamps can be used to warm the air. It was experimentally found that 1 square meter of basement can produce up to 180 kg of vegetable harvest per year. At the same time, the standard result for open ground is much more modest and amounts to only 3-4 kg from the same area. Of course, such indicators are encouraging! And even if your results turn out to be less impressive, you will be able to get healthy and tasty products at any time of the year.

The main problem you will have to face is creating the necessary lighting regime. And if the cultivation of some mushrooms, for example, champignons, can be carried out in conditions of constant darkness, then cucumbers definitely need light.

The best varieties of cucumbers for growing in the basement

It is clear that for basements it is necessary to choose those varieties of cucumbers that can easily tolerate not very comfortable conditions, are self-pollinating and have a high yield of greens in the early stages.

Vegetable plant selection gives gardeners the opportunity to plant hybrid and varietal types of cucumbers that meet all requirements:

• The parthenocarpic cucumber Anyuta is suitable for growing in any soil. The first generation hybrid produces fruits 10 centimeters in size, covered with white spines and tubercles, which are used for pickling and for fresh consumption. The variety is resistant to major vegetable diseases.
• The hybrid Zozulya is chosen because it produces greens within 40 - 45 days after germination. In addition to excellent taste, the variety is noted to be resistant to fungal infections. Regardless of the conditions, the vegetable produces stable yields of 16 kilograms per square meter.
• The Renata cucumber is mid-season, self-pollinating, and resistant to unfavorable growing conditions. Cylindrical ovaries are formed on medium-climbing shoots. Dark green cucumbers weighing 120 - 150 grams have an excellent taste, without bitterness.
• It is not without reason that the small-fruited Marfinsky variety is popular for winter cultivation. A mid-season vegetable for salad use, it tolerates shade well and after 55 days produces greens with a light skin covered with small tubercles.
• The robust baby plant can grow in rooms with low air temperatures, delighting with cylindrical-shaped fruits that are crunchy and devoid of bitterness or voids.
• Early ripening periods for Surprise cucumbers. The plant is unpretentious to growing conditions and care. The variety is suitable for winter cultivation in the basement and produces tasty fruits.

The best option for indoor spaces in winter would be varieties that are self-pollinating or have a set of female flowers. It is necessary to pay attention to the shade tolerance and unpretentiousness of plants.

Basement preparation

Before you begin outfitting your greenhouse, make sure your basement meets the following requirements.

1. During the year the temperature does not fall below 0°C.
2. The basement is sealed and is not flooded by groundwater and melted snow.
3. There is no fungus, rats or other pests in the basement of the house.

If the temperature drops too low in winter, you need to insulate the walls and floor. To do this, you can use any available insulating materials. In addition, regularly warm up the room using space heaters or other heating devices.

In a basement adapted for growing vegetables, there should be no drafts, so all cracks should be sealed.

It is impossible to successfully grow vegetables in a leaky basement. Before building a greenhouse, make sure that you have sealed all holes and set up the ventilation system.

If you find insects, rats or moles, use any method to eliminate them. For the basement, it is recommended to use smoke bombs, dusts or traps with poisoned baits. When all pests are destroyed, carry out general cleaning and minor repairs. Wash the floor, wipe down and paint the walls. To prevent insects, you can use special paints that contain insecticides.

Growing cucumbers in an apartment: seeds, varieties, location, containers

We will describe in detail all the stages of how to grow cucumbers at home in winter?

The right seeds

To grow cucumbers at home in winter, the seeds must meet strict requirements. Homemade cucumber should be:

• Short-fruited , with a length of greens from 6 cm to 25 cm.
• Shade-tolerant , not afraid of temperature changes.
• Early or mid-ripening , with a fruiting period of 4 to 6 months.
• Fruitful.

Preference is given to parthenocarpic hybrids F1 . These self-pollinating plants have only female flowers. For growing cucumbers at home, the most popular are early and ultra-early:

• April;
• Benefit;
• Zozulya;
• Carmen;
• Goosebumps;
• Sail;
• Regina;
• Shchedrik;
• Crunch.

Of the mid-early cucumber varieties for growing at home, the following are preferred:

• Athlete;
• Full house;
• Showcase;
• Bianca;
• Berendey;
• Urban;
• Far Eastern;
• Claudia;
• Courage;
• Marinade;
• Masha;
• Manul;
• Romance;
• Solar.

IMPORTANT! Late ripening cucumber hybrids are not suitable for home cultivation.

Bee-pollinated cucumber hybrids, when grown indoors or in greenhouses, require hand pollination.

The process requires certain skills and additional time.

But despite this, vegetable growers grow bee-pollinated cucumber hybrids :

• Gribovsky 2;
• Zarya;
• Manul;
• Surprise;
• Khutorok;
• Relay race.

Bee-pollinated varieties of cucumbers are also grown :

• Room Rytov;
• Marfinsky.

Advice! Hand pollination of cucumbers is carried out in the morning . Using a cotton swab or soft brush, transfer pollen from the male barren flower to flowers with an ovary (female). You can touch a male flower with torn petals to the pistil of a female one.

Female single flowers grow separately. The males form groups in the leaf axils.

Pollination of cucumbers continues throughout the flowering period, right up to the appearance of the first ovaries. To increase the yield of cucumbers, experienced lovers advise pollinating female flowers with pollen of different varieties .

Selecting a location

It is better to grow cucumbers in an apartment on warm, bright balconies, loggias, verandas, and windows oriented to the south, east, and west .

The north side is not suitable for growing. There should be no drafts in the room.

What to grow in?

There are many options: hanging baskets, buckets, containers, boxes, flower pots, tubs. The main thing is that the volume of the container is at least 5 liters . Drainage is laid out at the bottom - small pebbles, pieces of expanded clay, large sawdust. Make holes to remove excess water.

Advice! To save money, cut off large plastic bottles and use double cellophane garbage bags.

Creating a greenhouse

Any greenhouse begins with a nutrient medium, which serves as a source of nutrients for plants. Typically, specially fertilized soil is used for these purposes. Of course, it can also be used in the basement of the house. But this is not recommended due to the large volume, difficulty of loading and the possible occurrence of pests. Moreover, such a greenhouse will require special, expensive care.

Example of equipment for hydroponics.

The hydroponic method is optimal for underground conditions. It involves the abandonment of soil and the use of other substrates that create an artificial environment. Quartz and granite gravel are perfect for the root system of cucumbers. The size of each particle should be between 5 and 20 mm.

The mixture you choose must contain calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese and boron. From such a substrate, plants will be able to obtain all the necessary substances.

After solving the issue with the nutrient medium, it is necessary to address the problem of lighting. For normal growth, cucumbers require 10 hours of light per day, taking into account the fact that 1 day in the basement is equal to 18 hours.

Lamps suitable for use in a basement greenhouse.

It is convenient to use incandescent lamps and mercury arc lamps as a source of lighting in the basement. The ratio of their power should be 67 and 33%. On average per 1 sq. m. you need 1-1.2 kW/h.

Maintaining the light mode manually is quite inconvenient. A time relay will help to avoid this difficulty. You only need to make the necessary settings once. After this, the device will do all the work automatically.

What can you grow in the basement of a private house?

Before starting work, it is necessary to carry out a number of preparatory work. The main requirements for a cellar or basement are as follows:

1. Tightness. It is necessary to exclude the possibility of water (melt, ground, rain, etc.) seeping into the basement.
2. Temperatures are not allowed to drop below zero.
3. There should be no pests or rodents (rats, mice, moles, etc.) in the room.
4. Fungal infections are strictly excluded.

In order to ensure tightness, a set of works is being carried out to arrange the waterproofing of the basement. To do this, the surfaces are covered with bitumen-polymer mastic. All cracks must first be sealed. It is recommended to carry out additional insulation of the room using polystyrene foam, which is subsequently covered with a special reinforced mesh and vapor barrier membrane. The basement must be disinfected from insects and mold using specialized compounds (potassium permanganate solution, copper sulfate, lime, etc.).

To protect against rodents, poisoned baits, traps, mousetraps, special smoke bombs, etc. are used. The most important condition for the success of the entire event is the organization of a ventilation system so that the basement has the desired microclimate with the required humidity levels. If necessary, install special exhaust equipment. It is recommended to cover the ventilation holes with a fine-mesh mesh, which will prevent the penetration of insects and small animals.

But at the same time, there should be no drafts in the basement, which have an extremely negative effect on plant growth. The required temperature is created by connecting various heating devices (heat gun, heaters, etc.). The importance of lighting can hardly be overestimated, since there is simply no natural light in the basement. Plants will need full daylight to grow properly. Artificial lighting is provided using LED devices, fluorescent lamps and special phytolamps that do not heat up.

The length of daily operation of the lighting fixtures depends on what is grown in the basement. For tomatoes, a daylight period of at least 12 hours is required, for cucumbers 10 hours will be enough, and for strawberries, lighting for 16-18 hours is optimal.

The characteristics of the conditions created in the basement are determined by the requirements of the crop that is planned to be grown. There are quite a few options for this, but the most popular for cultivation in the basement are:

• mushrooms (sometimes porcini, honey mushrooms or shiitake, but most often champignons and oyster mushrooms);
• vegetable crops (tomatoes, cucumbers);
• green crops (dill, parsley, onions, chicory);
• strawberries and strawberries;
• various flower crops;
• fish, crayfish.

Seedlings of berries and other plants

To grow strawberries in the basement, it is necessary, among other conditions, to create the required temperature regime. The daytime temperature in the basement should be about +25°C, and the night temperature should not fall below +16...+18°C. You can grow this berry crop in the basement using the traditional method. For planting, use an earthen substrate, adding a little sand to it.

It is necessary to study all the rules for caring for this crop. An important component is regular feeding of plantings:

1. During active growth, strawberries are fed with nitroammophoska (10 g per 1 bucket of water) or organic matter (mullein solution in a ratio of 1:10, chicken manure infusion - 1:12) 0.5 liters per 1 bush.
2. During the period of bud formation and flowering, the crop is fed with potassium fertilizers: potassium nitrate (10 g per 10 l), ash. Spraying with a solution of boric acid (2 g per 10 l) will be beneficial.
3. At the end of the harvest, the plantings in the cellar are fertilized with ash (1 cup per 10 l) or mineral complexes (Agricola fertilizer)

In basements, hydroponics is predominantly used. There are several modifications of this method:

1. Drip system. The seedlings are planted in a substrate (coconut shavings, expanded clay, gravel, mineral wool). The nutrient solution is continuously supplied to the plant roots using drippers (tubes with holes). The simplest and most common option.
2. System with a useful layer. The nutrient composition is constantly pumped into a container, above which pots with seedlings are placed in a plastic tray. The root system gradually grows and is immersed in useful liquid.
3. Aquaponics. The bushes are planted in bowls with a mixture of vermiculite and perlite, then placed on a piece of foam floating in the nutrient composition or on the lid of a vessel filled with the same composition.
4. Aeroponics. The roots of plants planted in mineral wool receive nutrition from artificially created atomized mist containing beneficial substances.
5. Flooding method. The root system is periodically immersed in a nutrient solution at a fixed interval (set by a timer). Strawberries can be planted in moisture-absorbing material, but can also be grown without it.

After choosing a growing method and preparing the necessary equipment, they begin to select and prepare strawberry seedlings. It is harvested in early autumn or at the very end of summer. You can buy it at a nursery or take it from your own plot. A necessary condition for proper cultivation of strawberries in a cellar or basement is to place young plants for some time in extreme cold (in the freezer) to simulate winter sleep.

It is preferable to grow seedlings with your own hands from seeds. The seed material is sown in a bowl with a damp earthen substrate and sprinkled with a thin layer of earth. The seeds will germinate in constantly moist soil and sufficient light, but the germination rate will be low - no more than 50%. Seedlings dive after the formation of a good root system at a distance of 5 cm from each other in a checkerboard pattern.

After 6 weeks, the seedlings are picked again, now after 10 cm. After another few weeks, the plants are transplanted to a permanent place. Strawberry beds are renewed annually; young rosettes are used for this purpose. When the required growing conditions are created, strawberries produce an extremely abundant harvest, which does not require much effort when automating the process.

Various green crops (dill, parsley, etc.) and flowers are grown in a similar way. A popular method is to grow onions in the basement. Sand is poured into flat containers in large quantities and filled with water until completely wet. Then the onion heads are planted. After 10-12 days, the green mass can be cut off. Vegetables can be grown in the basement in the traditional way, using a mixture of soil and peat.

Vegetables

The most popular and widespread method of cultivating cucumbers and tomatoes in the basement is the hydroponic method. It allows you to achieve good yields. With this method, the usual earthen substrate is replaced with mineral wool, sand, expanded clay, gravel, perlite, etc. When using the hydroponic method, a solution of various mineral salts (calcium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, sulfur, etc.) acts as a nutrient medium. .

Growing cucumbers in the basement in winter comes down to the following steps:

1. Germination of seeds. For this purpose, special cassettes with plugs made of mineral wool are used. A cucumber seed is placed in the center of each plug soaked in a nutrient composition. A small layer of vermiculite is sprinkled on top to maintain constant moisture. For 2-3 days, the cassettes are covered with glass or plastic film. The temperature at this time should be maintained within +23…+25°C.
2. Transplanting seedlings. After about 7-8 days, the grown seedlings are carefully rolled along with the cork into special mineral wool cubes (they have ready-made holes), which are also soaked in a useful mineral solution.
3. Transplanting. After 6-8 weeks from the time of planting, the seedlings are transplanted into mineral wool mats saturated with a nutrient composition. Drainage holes are made in the mats. When the roots sprout, the temperature is lowered to +21°C.

With the beginning of flowering and the formation of the ovary, you need to remove all flowers up to the 5th leaf, until the first cucumber grows. Side shoots are removed up to the 7th leaf so that the bush develops evenly and continuously.

In the process of growing vegetables in the basement, the concentration of the nutrient solution and its mineral composition changes depending on the phase of plant development. In the case of drip irrigation through mats, it begins 2 hours after turning on the lamps and stops approximately 1.5-2 hours before turning off the lighting. It is necessary to constantly monitor the pH level (no more than 6.2) and the nutrient solution during fruiting.

The requirements for a basement room for growing cucumbers are to comply with the following indicators:

• humidity in the basement should not exceed 70-80%;
• the temperature is maintained around +22…+24°C;
• If these temperatures are exceeded, the room is ventilated.

Using the hydroponic method, cucumbers are grown in the basement for no more than 3 months. Approximately 1.5-2 weeks before this date, it is necessary to prepare a fresh batch of seedlings.

Not all varieties of cucumbers are suitable for this method. It is preferable to choose self-pollinating varieties for the basement (you can buy them in specialized stores), such as Marfinsky, German F1, Teplichny 40, Alma-Ata 1, VIR 1, etc. It is better to take tomatoes that are early ripening.

Mushrooms

In your own basement, it’s easy enough to set up a home mushroom farm that won’t require constant attention. The simplest and best option for home cultivation are champignons and oyster mushrooms.

The technology for growing in the basement is as follows:

1. Substrate preparation. The composition is purchased in specialized stores. But you can do it yourself. It is prepared approximately 25-30 days before planting mycelium from straw, horse manure, urea, chalk, gypsum, superphosphates and ammonium-containing fertilizers. The pre-soaked straw is layered with manure and then mixed. The remaining ingredients are added at intervals of 3-4 days. When the temperature of the substrate is about +23...+25°C, it is placed in the basement for planting.
2. Planting mycelium. It is grown under sterile conditions and sold in stores. It comes in compost and grain form. Compost mycelium is planted in holes made in the laid substrate, approximately 5 cm deep and at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. Then it is sprinkled and watered with lukewarm water. The grain mycelium just needs to be spread evenly over the surface of the bed.
3. Care. The optimal temperature in the basement during the formation of mycelium should be maintained within +22…+27°C. After the first mushroom threads appear, after about 14-15 days, the temperature is reduced to +12...+15°C. After this, the plantings are covered with a mixture of soil with peat and limestone in a ratio of 4:5:1. For 10-15 days, the surface is covered with a film and regularly sprayed with warm water. Then the moisture is stopped so as not to cause the mycelium to rot.
4. Harvesting. The first harvest can be harvested 3-4 months after planting the mycelium. Then waves of fruiting will be repeated at intervals of 2.5-3 months. The mushrooms must be carefully twisted out, and the free space filled with substrate. At the end of each wave, the mycelium in the basement is fed with a solution of superphosphates.

Pisces and crayfish

Exotic, complex and quite expensive is the basement cultivation of fish and invertebrates. This process will require theoretical training to gain knowledge about their housing conditions, habits, feeding needs and life cycles.

The basement room must be properly prepared. If in winter the temperature does not drop below +5…+7°C, then the room does not need to be further insulated. There are a number of special requirements for the communications device:

• it will be necessary to install a closed-cycle water supply system in the basement;
• it is necessary to use special compressors for water aeration (oxygen saturation);
• install water heaters;
• Be sure to use filters for cleaning.

You can breed different breeds of fish (crucian carp, carp, carp, sturgeon, etc.) and crustaceans in the basement.

Water containers are installed in the basement, the volume of which is determined by the species of fish (crayfish) and its quantity. Adults are kept separately from fry in different containers, because large specimens can eat small ones. Particular attention should be paid to water quality, since fish are extremely sensitive to this indicator. For crayfish, deterioration in quality characteristics is not so destructive.

Growing stages

Growing cucumbers at home can be divided into 2 stages: preparing seedlings and directly growing the plants.

Cucumber seedlings.

How to properly prepare seedlings for planting?

1. You will need seeds, plastic cups, soil, peat and some sand.
2. Make several holes in the bottom of each cup. This will provide the roots with access to oxygen and, if necessary, help remove excess liquid.
3. Fill the cups with a mixture of two parts soil, one part peat and a small amount of sand. Be sure to stir the mixture thoroughly before filling the containers. Leave about 1-1.5 cm free at the top. This will make watering the seedlings easier.
4. For convenience, immediately place all containers of soil on a tray or shallow box and move them to the basement. You can grow seedlings on a windowsill, but in the basement the process will go much faster.
5. Before planting seeds, lightly moisten the soil (this will avoid the soaking procedure).
6. Plant one seed in each glass. Deepen it 1.5-2 cm into the ground. If the seeds are of high quality, they will sprout in 3-4 days. Until germination, seeds can be kept in the dark. After this they will need light. To speed up germination, you can hang lamps at a height of 5 cm from the seedlings. As the seedlings grow, you will need to raise the light sources slightly.
7. Water the seedlings 2 times a week.

In order for the seedlings to germinate faster, the lamps are placed directly above the containers.

The seedlings will be ready for planting in 3-4 weeks. When it is strong enough, you can immediately move it to the greenhouse. It is necessary to place 4 plants per square meter on the substrate at all times. Dig holes in advance, the dimensions of which will be equal to the containers with seedlings. Carefully cut the cups and transfer their contents to the hole. Then sprinkle the seedlings with a little soil and lightly compact them. Further care of the crops is very simple. Water them as the soil dries out (about 1-2 times a week), feed them with fertilizers once a month and do not forget about the correct light regime.

Although seedlings are usually planted in May, an underground greenhouse allows you to deviate from the deadlines. You can plant the seedlings any time they are ready.

Growing cucumbers in a greenhouse in winter: preparing the greenhouse, soil and planting

Gardeners strive by any means to get an earlier harvest.

They build greenhouses and greenhouses, make “warm” and “hot” beds, plant early varieties in open ground, and even grow cucumbers in apartment windowsills in winter.

However, more and more often, recently, owners of personal plots have learned to adapt and heat their greenhouses for growing vegetables in winter.

Types of greenhouses

Greenhouses designed for growing vegetables in winter are called winter greenhouses. In terms of their functions and design, they are much more complex than conventional greenhouses and are much more difficult to build. A foundation is required for a winter greenhouse. The frame itself and the roof must be well glazed.

The greenhouse must also be equipped with ventilation to ensure good air circulation. In addition, the winter greenhouse must be airtight and have a reliable heating system. Growing cucumbers in winter at home is just as profitable as in greenhouses.

Greenhouses are divided by type as follows:

• Shelf-free greenhouses. In such greenhouses, plants are planted directly into the ground.
• Rack greenhouses. As a rule, this type of greenhouse is used for winter growing of vegetables. They have racks with sides, located at a height of 70-78 cm and running along the long sides of the greenhouse. A passage of at least 50 cm in width is provided between the racks.

An example of a shelving-free greenhouse with a vertical method of planting cucumbers

Polycarbonate greenhouses are often used for the winter option for growing cucumbers.

Greenhouses for winter can also be: lean-to wall, lean-to with earth filling, gable with a roof made of greenhouse frames, gable with main walls (in such greenhouses only the roof is glazed).

In order to achieve the best yield during the winter growing of cucumbers, the following conditions must be met when building a greenhouse:

1. The placement and design of the greenhouse must be correct. The best covering for a greenhouse is considered to be polycarbonate or glass. It is better to mount the frame either from a metal pipe or from a wooden beam. It is better to choose the height based on the area-to-volume ratio of 2:1. It is better to calculate the slope of the roof so that at noon the sun’s rays enter the greenhouse at an angle of 90 degrees, in which case it will be reflected less. To enter the greenhouse, it is best to attach a separate vestibule so that you can enter directly from the street. In a greenhouse for cucumbers, you cannot rely on ventilation through the windows - cucumbers do not like drafts. It would be better to make it in the form of a hood from plastic pipes.
2. Heating must be comprehensive, both for air and soil. Convectors, oil heaters and metal stoves are not recommended to be placed in the greenhouse itself, because they dry out the air greatly, and cucumbers cannot tolerate this.
   The greenhouse should be well lit and heated

Treatment of greenhouses in winter

Cucumbers prefer neutral or slightly alkaline light soil . It should be fertile, loose and moderately moist. Excessive acidity is unacceptable.

Ideally, the soil should consist of old garden soil, peat, humus and river sand. You should also remember to change the fertile layer of soil every year; when using a rack greenhouse, this is especially important.

Read about the features of preparing soil for cucumbers in a greenhouse in the fall here.

In winter, it is especially important to fertilize plants. To do this, you can alternately use complex, mineral and organic fertilizers for cucumbers. Cucumbers are very fond of manure or chicken droppings infused in water.

Humidity

Everyone knows that cucumbers are an extremely moisture-loving crop. Therefore, when cultivating them in a winter greenhouse, there should be no changes in soil and environmental humidity. They just need abundant and regular watering.

The only exception is that from the moment the seeds germinate (or seedlings are planted) until the first flowers appear, it is necessary to water in an average amount, otherwise a large number of leaves will form.

During this period, watering is usually done once every 4-5 days.

During the period of active flowering, the frequency of watering is increased to 2-3 times a week.

Watering

The most abundant watering should be during the fruiting period; at this time, up to 10 liters of water per 1 square meter are required for irrigation. It should be noted that the temperature of the water for irrigation should be approximately the same temperature as the soil (about 18-20 degrees). You don’t need to water directly at the root; that’s where the soil should remain dry.

Depending on the variety, cucumbers are watered from 2 times a day to 4 times a week.

Water is poured between the rows; such watering will not allow the root system to rot.

Temperature

If the temperature in the greenhouse has risen above +25 degrees, then it is necessary to ventilate, but without drafts. During the entire period of growing cucumbers at night, it is necessary to maintain the temperature between +15 and +18 degrees. If the temperature often drops below +15 degrees, the risk of infection of the plant’s root system with fungal rot increases.

The greenhouse must be ventilated

Daytime air temperatures for good plant development can reach +23 - +25 degrees.

Winter varieties of cucumbers

As you know, not all varieties of cucumbers are suitable for cultivation in greenhouse conditions in winter. Therefore, when choosing seeds, you should consider some points.

• Since there are no bees and other insects in winter, it is necessary that cucumber varieties be self-pollinating or hybrids. Hybrids are preferable for greenhouses. Despite the fact that they do not require pollination, they are also not as demanding of lighting as conventional varieties;
• Due to the fact that in the winter months natural light is extremely low, and creating artificial light is quite problematic, it is better to choose varieties that require little sun. Hybrids are also suitable here. These varieties include Zozulya and Phoenix.

Planting cucumbers in barrels

Growing cucumbers in barrels is an easy way to produce fruit. First you need to prepare the container; any barrel, metal or plastic, with a volume of approximately 100 liters, will do. Be sure to put good drainage at the bottom (you can use anything - branches, small stones, expanded clay, broken clay pots and broken bricks).

The next layer can be tops from the garden (since you need a lot of earth in the barrel). The topmost layer is soil, and it is filled to the very top. This can be store-bought soil, or you can use regular soil from the garden, fertilized with manure. The next important step is making a frame from metal or plastic arches. It is needed so that the plant can climb along it.

In such a barrel, it would be optimal to plant no more than two plants.

It is best to plant not cucumber seeds in a barrel, but cucumber seedlings previously grown in eggshells.

Caring for such cucumbers is exactly the same as for open ground cucumbers.

In bags

The method of growing cucumbers in bags is convenient for small areas. For such planting, you need plastic bags with a capacity of 70-120 liters, it is advisable to choose the densest ones. Garbage bags are a great option. In addition, you will need a wooden strip, which will be installed in the center of the bag.

The bag is filled with light soil, leaving 15-20 cm to the top. At a distance of 10 cm from the slats, when filling the soil, four pieces of hose with holes for drainage are inserted. Ropes are attached to the nail at the top of the batten and lowered to the ground, securing it and forming a kind of hut for weaving branches.

One plant should be planted in one bag, i.e. There is no need to plant tomatoes, radishes and others with cucumbers.

Planting seeds

First of all, pre-sowing preparation of seeds is carried out. The sorted seeds should be immersed in salted water and all that float to the surface should be removed. To treat seeds, you can use boric acid or potassium permanganate (prepare a weak solution for soaking from either one).

After this procedure, it is recommended to carry out hardening: place the seeds placed in wet gauze on a plate and place on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. The gauze needs to be wetted periodically.

Then the prepared seeds can either be planted in a winter greenhouse, or, to begin with, seedlings can be grown.

Seedlings

When forcing seedlings, it should be taken into account that cucumber roots are extremely difficult to tolerate transplantation, so it is best to use peat pots. They usually plant 2-3 seeds in a pot, but if all three sprout, then, anyway, you only need to leave one sprout. Caring for seedlings is the same as caring for open ground cucumbers.

Seedlings that are 25-30 days old and already have 3-4 leaves should be planted in a greenhouse.

Seedlings are planted at 2-4 bushes per square meter (when planting seeds, the calculation is the same - 3-4 plants per 1 square meter). When planting in an ordinary way, a distance of 40-45 cm is left between the bushes . As soon as the seedlings are planted in the greenhouse (or the sown seeds have sprouted), you immediately need to make a trellis to which a fishing line or twine is tied for weaving the plants.

The first feeding of seedlings in the ground is carried out 2-4 days after planting. Feeding of sprouted seeds - in the 3-4 leaf phase. Solutions of urea, nitrophoska or crystallon are the best option. When flowers set, a second feeding is carried out with nitrophoska (5-10 g per bucket of water).

The third feeding is recommended at the beginning of fruit appearance. This feeding is more complex, since the fruits during this period need magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. The solution is prepared as follows: 1 glass of ash, 1 tsp.

superphosphate and potassium nitrate are diluted in a bucket of water, stirred well and watered along the furrows.

Arrangement of beds

So, when preparing the soil for winter use, first of all, remove the top layer (10-15 cm) and replace it with fresh one. The soil mixture can be prepared using forest soil instead of garden soil, and humus can be replaced with turf soil.

In areas rich in peat bogs, when preparing the mixture, peat is used, of course, and garden soil and humus are added. Any of the prepared soils must be mixed well and the beds filled with them.

Watering mode

If you notice that the leaves begin to wither, this means that there is insufficient air humidity in the room. In such cases, it is recommended to irrigate using the sprinkling method and additionally irrigate the bushes with special sprayers.

If it happens that the roots of the plants are visible above the soil surface, then hilling should be carried out. It is preferable to water in the morning and evening, because in the daytime, when the sun is very hot through the glass, you can burn the plants.

This article will tell you how to water cucumbers correctly.

Yellowing of cucumber leaves in a greenhouse indicates insufficient air humidity

Top dressing

The next stage will be fertilization and disinfection. To fertilize the soil in greenhouses, mineral fertilizers such as nitrophoska and kemira are used.

They are applied at the rate of 40-50 g per square meter, and then they must be dug to a depth of 25-30 cm.

7-9 days before sowing seeds or planting ready-made cucumber seedlings, biological products (like Baikal M1) are added to the soil at the rate of 100 ml of the drug per 1 liter of water.

To obtain a large yield, add mineral and organic fertilizers to the soil

The beneficial microorganisms of this preparation have a detrimental effect on the negative microflora of the soil and at the same time saturate it with beneficial ones.

Disease Prevention

Due to fluctuations in humidity in the greenhouse, favorable conditions arise for the development of pathogens. In this regard, it is necessary to choose varieties that are resistant to fungal rot and various types of infections.

Garter

To prevent high planting density, it is necessary to mold the plants. Hybrid varieties with limited branching can significantly facilitate this task. They produce almost no side branches at all, which means that all the growth force is directed to the development of the main stem.

Therefore, they practically do not need to be molded; it is enough to just tie them vertically to the supports. Read how to properly tie cucumbers in greenhouses here. The best seeds for growing cucumbers in a greenhouse in winter.

The following varieties and hybrids can be included (F-1 marking of hybrids): “Moscow Nights F1”, Ladoga F1, Northern Lights F1, Phoenix Plus, Olympics F1, Amur F1, Cheetah F1, Dynamit F1 and varieties Russian, Domashny, Marfinsky, Willow, Relay race.

conclusions

1. The choice of greenhouse depends on the weather conditions in your area.
2. To obtain a harvest, it is best to use cucumber varieties of Dutch selection or specially bred varieties for greenhouses, because they do not require pollination. These include the Masha F1 variety.
3. During the growing process, care is important: how to pinch cucumbers, how to water them, how to fertilize them.
4. With the right approach, you can then use the acquired skills in growing cucumbers in a greenhouse to implement your business plan.

Source: https://PoFerme.com/ogorod/ovoshhi/ogurtsy/vyrashhivanie/teplitse-zimoj.html

Advantages and disadvantages

Experts and experienced summer residents say that even beginners can count on 60 kg of cucumbers collected from 1 sq.m. with a properly organized greenhouse and prepared seedlings. This figure is several times higher than the average data for harvesting at a summer cottage. In addition to this fact, there are several other advantages because of which this method of growing vegetables has gained popularity.

1. You will be able to harvest all year round and not give up fresh vegetables even in winter.
2. The vitamin C content in greenhouse cucumbers is several times higher than in store-bought cucumbers.
3. In the basement, seedlings grow faster than in above-ground greenhouses. If under normal conditions seedlings require 30-35 days, then in underground conditions they will be completely ready for planting a week earlier. And after 50-60 days you will be able to harvest your first harvest.

Of course, this method also has negative sides. The main disadvantage is high energy costs. You can cut them down a bit by switching to LED bulbs. But, unfortunately, most homeowners come to the conclusion that such high costs are not justified from an economic point of view.

Thus, growing cucumbers in a greenhouse equipped in the basement of a house is an easy way to provide yourself and your family with natural products. By taking the time to study the recommendations and implement the project, you can be sure of an excellent result.

How to properly care for cucumbers?

After planting a vegetable crop in a permanent place in the basement, you must:

• Prepare a trellis or other device for tying cucumber vines. Tying should be done regularly as the shoots grow. Lighting is also adjusted by raising the lamps to a different level in relation to the plants.
• As soon as the first flower appears on the shoots, the vines begin to blind. To do this, pluck out at the base of the bush several flowers that appeared first. The procedure allows cucumbers not to stop growing, but to stretch upward and produce new ovaries. Removing the first greens leads to the fact that the lower part of the stem is exposed. It is better to lay this part of the shoot on the ground and tie the fruiting vines to a trellis. Forming a bush into one stem is the best option for winter growing cucumbers in the basement.
• To extend the fruiting period, fertilize the soil. Water with mullein solution, alternating with mineral complexes. In the initial periods of the growing season, the solutions are made weak so as not to burn the plants. Later, nutrient solutions become more concentrated. If at first mullein is diluted in a concentration of 1:8, then - 1:4. Of the mineral fertilizers per bucket of water, 10 grams of ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride, 30 grams of superphosphate are enough. Then double the amount. Feed once every 7-10 days.
• The roots of cucumbers are often exposed, which is why soil is constantly added in a layer of 2–3 centimeters.
• Water the cucumbers only with warm water at a temperature of 25 degrees. To wet the entire soil layer, you will need up to a bucket of water per square meter of shelving.
• Cucumbers begin to grow faster when the air is supplied with carbon dioxide. You can increase its content in the basement by placing containers with cow manure in the room. If possible, you can hang dry ice cubes or place hard pieces next to the plants. You can enrich the room with carbon dioxide not only during the fruiting period of cucumbers, but also when growing seedlings and planting them in the ground.

Greens are obtained early in the basement if the rules for growing vegetables are followed.

How to grow cucumbers correctly in the basement in winter: tips and videos

Is it possible to grow cucumbers in the basement in winter? Many experienced gardeners claim that even an inexperienced beginner can do this task. By building a greenhouse, you will be able to harvest fresh and juicy cucumbers all year round. It's worth talking about how to do this.

Advantages and disadvantages

The technique of planting cucumbers in the basement is so simple that even beginners can easily master it. At the same time, the vegetable yield can reach 60 kg of cucumbers collected from 1 m². area. And this is all provided that the greenhouse is properly prepared and the seedlings are grown correctly. Even at a summer cottage, such a harvest will be much smaller.

Dacha these days is a fashionable pastime that provides its owners with fresh and pickled vegetables for every taste. Many of them require greenhouses to grow. In this article you can learn how to build a greenhouse out of wood yourself.

In addition, there are some other advantages of this method:

1. The yield of cucumbers will be observed all year round and even in winter.
2. Greenhouse cucumbers contain more vitamin C than store-bought vegetables.
3. In the basement, seedlings grow faster than in greenhouses on the ground. Under normal conditions, seedlings sprout in 30-35 days; in the basement the same process will be a week shorter. In just two months you will be able to harvest your first harvest.

Have you ever grown cucumbers in the basement?

There are also negative aspects to this type of planting cucumbers. Firstly, there are high energy costs, since constant lighting will be required. These costs can be reduced, but not by much; this can be achieved by switching to LED lamps. But even in such a case, it is not profitable in economic terms.

Growing cucumbers in the basement

In order for cucumbers to grow well in the basement, you must follow the basic rules:

• Monitor the temperature.

• Eliminate pests such as rats and mice.

• Selection of a protective place from groundwater and drafts.

What you need to prepare for growing in the basement:

• Preparation of the ventilation system.

Of course, growing cucumbers on a loggia or windowsill is much simpler and less troublesome, but if you take the matter seriously, then basement cucumbers will delight you with great yields.

In order for cucumbers to produce a good harvest, they must go through several stages of cultivation:

• seed treatment;
• seedling care;
• you need to prepare the necessary premises, in particular the basement, in advance;
• watering;
• adding fertilizer.

Lighting for growing cucumbers in the basement

In winter, and especially in the basement, plants need to be illuminated. For these purposes, various lighting devices are used.

Vegetables need lighting 10-14 hours a day. Night time, when there should be no lighting, lasts 6-8 hours.

Fluorescent lamps

They are used in small areas; by regulating warm and cold light, the best results can be achieved. Such lamps have their advantages and disadvantages. Advantages:

• lighting duration - 2 thousand hours;
• almost full spectrum of lighting;
• do not heat up;
• small price.

Flaws:

1. If sunlight penetrates into the basement, then large fluorescent lamps will block natural light.
2. They are sensitive to low temperatures and humidity.

High pressure sodium lamps

With orange and red lighting. Advantages:

1. Electricity consumption is much less than that of analogues.
2. The light output is higher than that of fluorescent lamps.
3. Sodium lamps emit heat during lighting, which can be used in winter as an additional heating method.

Flaws:

1. The lamps contain mercury, which is unsafe during their use.
2. Fluctuations in the network can lead to their burnout.

Infrared lamps

They are able to heat the greenhouse in the cold season, which brings the cultivation of cucumbers as close as possible to natural conditions. The advantages of this lighting are:

1. Good heating of plants, air and soil.
2. The radiation from llamas is not dangerous to humans or plants.
3. They don't dry out the air.
4. They do not create noise.

There are practically no disadvantages to infrared lamps.

LED bulbs

They can measure the spectrum and intensity of the radiation. The positive aspects of such lamps can be identified:

1. They consume electricity economically.
2. Withstands even low voltage.
3. Long service life.
4. They do not heat up, due to this the microclimate in the greenhouse is not disturbed.
5. The lamps are resistant to moisture, elevated temperatures and mechanical damage.

The disadvantages include the high cost of LED lamps.

Care

Care will depend on the variety of cucumbers. But in any case, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime, and do not forget about watering and fertilizing.

The taste of the fruit will change due to lack of moisture or excessive watering. Water the cucumbers with warm water. Watering until the inflorescences will be moderate, that is, every 4-5 days. When the bush begins to bear fruit, water the cucumbers twice a week.

Fertilizing is necessary throughout the growth period of cucumbers.

1. Before the inflorescence appears, complex fertilizers are added to the soil, which are pre-diluted in water.
2. At the beginning of flowering, fertilizers with components such as potassium sulfate, urea, and superphosphate are needed.
3. When the fruits begin to appear, liquid fertilizers such as Ideal or Potassium Humate are added.
4. After this, fertilizing is carried out according to a certain scheme using various fertilizers.

When 8-9 leaves appear, you can tie the plant to a support. On each bush, you must leave one stem 1.5 to 2 m long. The lower part of the shoots must be completely removed, even if they have flowers. Starting from the fourth to the seventh shoot, pinch, leaving 1 leaf and 1 ovary. The remaining shoots will subsequently have 2 leaves and 2 ovaries.

You can also watch a video where an experienced gardener will show you how cucumbers and tomatoes grow in the basement in winter.

Thus, we can conclude that the yield of basement greenhouse cucumbers is much higher when grown under other conditions. In such a situation, a stable climate component of the basement plays an important role. There is a balance of moisture and heat, there are no parasitic insects. All these factors contribute to the cultivation of high-quality cucumbers in large quantities.

Nuances of different regions

It is impossible to imagine a Russian holiday table without numerous cucumber-based dishes. Fresh, pickled, pickled vegetables are used. Therefore, it is not surprising that cucumber is one of the most grown crops throughout Russia, including in the Krasnodar Territory. But most of the regions of Russia do not have high yields of this crop, especially when grown in open ground. Only the Krasnodar region, due to climatic conditions, is the main producer of this crop.

Since Krasnodar is the southern region of Russia, there is enough sunlight there for the entire ripening cycle of cucumbers. The only problem is the lack of water, without which a cucumber cannot survive. But the problem can be solved. Myself?