What can you plant after cucumbers next year?

Cucumber is one of the most common crops that summer residents grow in their gardens. But the result is different for everyone. A bountiful harvest depends on many things, not the least important role being played by properly selected soil and the order of planting vegetables. Everyone wants to get the maximum amount of fruit from their garden. Let's talk about how this can be achieved. Read now what you can plant after cucumbers next year.

What is crop rotation

To obtain a bountiful harvest and protect the land from diseases and pests, it is important to know the basic rules of soil management, including what crop rotation is in the field and in garden beds. The soil must rest. Just as a person needs rest after hard, monotonous work, so the land on which the same crop is grown year after year becomes physically exhausted and tired. The best rest for a person is a change of activity. The best rest for the soil is changing crops.

Soil crop rotation is the systematic alternation of annual crops. This technique allows you to avoid soil depletion and get a rich harvest from the same beds year after year, without leaving them empty for rest. The rotation must be carefully planned so that the previous plants help produce a rich harvest of the crops that will be planted the following year. This method of farming is part of organic farming, natural, close to nature.

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If the same type of crop is planted every year, there is a shortage of the element that was most in demand. Planned rotation of plant groups helps to avoid this. Thanks to alternation, it is possible to maintain a balance of nutrients: the properties of the soil are used systematically, the deficiency of elements is replenished by subsequent crops.

In addition, botanically related plants growing nearby may be affected by the same pests or diseases. Insect larvae and pathogens accumulate in the soil and in the new season can quickly destroy an entire crop plantation. Timely relocation of plants to a new location deprives pests of the opportunity to cause damage to future plantings.

There is also an additional advantage of crop rotation and the accompanying grouping of garden crops in accordance with their needs - this principle of planting makes the work of the gardener easier, since the same conditions for watering, mulching, and lighting are created within the same planting area.

If it is not possible to alternate

Not every gardener can boast of a large plot of land where he can freely expand, engaging in systematic crop rotation. Most people use 6 acres (and sometimes even less), where they want to fit everything in at once.

It is allowed to keep one crop without relocation in the same area of the garden, but then it is advisable to create suitable conditions for this.

After harvesting pumpkin crops, the soil in the garden should immediately be fed with organic matter (manure, compost, humus) to enrich the depleted substrate.
Autumn digging of the bed to the full depth of a shovel is required - this will destroy the nesting places of pumpkin crop pests.
In order to avoid the development of diseases, in the spring you should begin to preventively treat the beds with antibacterial compounds and carry out the fight with folk remedies throughout the entire growing season.

To increase the yield, cucumbers must be fed - during budding, mineral and organic fertilizers are used, and during the fruiting period it is better to use nitrogen-potassium fertilizers.

We suggest you read: Why do the edges of cucumber seedlings turn yellow?

However, even these measures may not be effective if cucumbers are regularly planted in the same place. The maximum period that allows vegetable bushes to develop well and produce good harvests is 3 years. Then it is advisable to remember the rules of crop rotation and relocate crops.

So, having become the owner of a summer cottage, you should first study the features of growing vegetables and other crops, so that you can then enjoy a good harvest, and not complain about unsuccessful attempts to grow something.

Cucumbers are a demanding crop that prefers comfortable conditions. If you develop the right strategy for growing this representative of pumpkin plants, taking into account mandatory crop rotation, you can not only provide your family with summer salads, but also make large preparations for the winter.

It also happens that the area allocated for planting is too small, and there is simply nowhere to apply the rules of crop rotation. In this case, you should try to restore the composition of the soil as much as possible. Green manure plants can help in this matter.

After cucumbers, the soil is well restored:

cereals;
cruciferous plants such as white mustard and Pancake day radish.

They are sown after harvesting cucumber vines from the beds. Before the onset of stable frosts, green manure has time to grow well. Then they are mowed and the green mass is added dropwise. Before spring it will rot, and the cucumbers can again be sown in their original place. However, from the practice of gardeners, it has been noticed that this can be done no more than 5 times.

What kind of soil do cucumbers like?

To understand which soil is the best for cucumber, you need to remember the origin of this crop. Cucumber vines grow wild in the subtropical forests of Asia. The soils of these forests are characterized by structure, lightness, moisture and a large amount of plant litter on the surface. Acidity approaches neutral or slightly alkaline, and rotting organic matter releases huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the air.

Based on this, we can conclude about the optimal soil parameters for a cucumber:

The mechanical composition is loose, light, breathable.
Humidity is constant, high, without waterlogging or drying out.
Temperature – not lower than +12⁰С at a depth of 20 cm.
Acidity – neutral, not lower than 6.2 hydrogen units.
The percentage of humus is high, concentrated in the upper layers.
Microbiological activity is high.

Which beds are better not to use?

It was said above that when alternating crops, you should not use plants of the same type. Cucumbers belong to the pumpkin family, so all representatives of this family - pumpkins, zucchini, zucchini, squash, melons, watermelons - are undesirable predecessors. There are several arguments against it.

If pumpkin plants were sick or were attacked by pests last year, then cucumbers have a risk of experiencing these problems themselves. Larvae of harmful insects and pathogenic microbes that are dangerous for this group of vegetables may remain in the ground.
Sometimes it is difficult to find areas with low acidity for pumpkin plants, so you have to neutralize the existing soil by liming. If you subject the bed to such a procedure every year, then alkali will accumulate in the soil and in large quantities will only interfere with the development of the crop.
The roots of pumpkin plants “suck” microelements from the soil that are necessary for development, thereby depleting the soil. Cucumbers will not develop in such a bed, but this is not a hindrance for weeds, and they can clog weak cucumber sprouts with their active growth.

Pumpkin crops are bad predecessors for their own kind, but after them other vegetables (nightshades, root vegetables, tubers, onions, garlic, herbs) develop well. This is facilitated by the influence of the root system on the looseness of the soil.

What to plant after cucumbers

Cucumbers have a shallow root system, therefore, they deplete the topmost layer of soil. According to the rules of crop rotation, root crops and crops with stronger roots can be planted in their place.

In open ground, it is best to plant root vegetables such as radishes, turnips, beets, carrots, and potatoes. Tomatoes, celery, parsley, onions, and garlic are also guaranteed to produce a good harvest.

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By planting legumes after the pimpled vegetable, you can increase soil fertility. Beans, beans, and peas will saturate the soil with nutrients and prepare it for planting: peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce, onions and corn.

In a greenhouse, the soil is depleted even more than in open beds. Cucumbers take almost all the nitrogen from the soil, and in return they release phenolic compounds. Therefore, vegetables with roots going deep into the soil are suitable for planting after cucumbers. These are crops such as:

parsley;
celery;
parsnip;
early potatoes;
eggplant;
tomatoes;
pepper.

Neighboring plants for cucumbers

A good neighbor is needed not only by humans, but also by plants. This point is also important because it helps plan plantings for one season.

Recommendations for what to plant next to cucumbers:

Legumes, especially various varieties of beans. When harvesting legumes, it is better to cut them off, leaving the roots in the soil - more nitrogen will be retained in the soil.
Corn will be an excellent neighbor; it protects from the wind.
Garlic will help cope with diseases, such as bacteriosis.
Dill increases productivity.
Spinach and lettuce release substances that help cucumbers develop roots and protect against overheating.
Among the greens, you can also plant onions and fennel nearby.

The question of whether to plant tomatoes and cucumbers next to each other or not still remains open. And each gardener answers it independently, based on his own experience. At the same time, there are directly opposite opinions - some recommend this combination, while others are categorically against such a neighborhood.

If you look at it from a scientific point of view, the roots and leaves of these plants do not emit substances that are dangerous to each other, so their proximity is acceptable. The only difference will be in the irrigation technology.

Then plant cucumbers in open ground

Another rule of crop rotation says: the crop can be returned to its original place of growth after 3 years. After what crops can cucumbers be planted in open ground?

The most successful predecessors: all legumes (peas, soybeans, beans, lentils, lupine).
Good predecessors: onions, garlic, horseradish.
Universal predecessors: potatoes, beets, carrots.

You need to decide where to plant cucumbers in place of which crop, taking into account the characteristics of the soil. For example, legumes perfectly saturate the soil with nitrogen, making cucumber fruits large and fast-growing. Onions and garlic release phytoncides into the soil, which have antimicrobial and antifungal properties. If you plant cucumbers after them, the plants will be protected from pests. But potatoes and other root vegetables grow only in the top layer of soil. This allows the earth to rest and retain a sufficient amount of nutrients.

After which plants should cucumbers be planted in a greenhouse?

The most successful predecessors: all cruciferous vegetables (all types of cabbage, radishes, mustard).
Good predecessors: any nightshade (tomatoes, peppers).

Green manure for cucumbers

What should gardeners who are engaged exclusively in growing cucumbers for sale do? They do not have the opportunity to change crops and season after season they deal only with cucumbers. In this case, you need to pay due attention to improving the health of the soil.

Rules for planting cucumbers after cucumbers:

After harvesting cucumbers, sow your plantation or greenhouse with green manure. In other words – green “fertilizers”. This is a group of plants that restore the rich composition of the soil. During their life activity, they release large amounts of nitrogen into the soil, inhibit the growth of weeds, and reduce the number of pests living in the substrate. Green manure also improves the structure of the soil. Their dead roots create a natural soil aeration system. The best green manures are: cereals, mustard, radish, alfalfa, clover.
Green manure does not need to be removed from the site. Wait for their natural death with the arrival of cold weather and cultivate the land.
In spring, be sure to add compost to the soil. After this, you can plant cucumbers again.

What not to plant after cucumbers

Cucumbers grow very quickly. During the growing season, they pull a lot of nutrients from the ground and greatly deplete the soil. Not all crops will feel good after them.

What cannot be planted after the cucumber crop is: cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini. They have the same requirements for soil fertility and a range of nutrients. Due to a deficiency of vitamins and microelements, diseases characteristic of plants of the same family develop.

With a lack of nitrogen, the leaves turn yellow and root growth slows down. The leaves become smaller, the stems become thin and fibrous. With potassium starvation, a dry border forms on the leaves, and the fruits take on an irregular shape. Iron deficiency is characterized by lemon-yellow leaves on cucumber vines. Copper deficiency manifests itself as chlorotic spots on the leaves.

The importance of plant compatibility when planting

Gardeners, as a rule, do not have much land to cultivate. On a standard plot of six acres, you want to see fruit trees, flowers, a barbecue and table corner, and a cheerful vegetable bed. It is necessary to combine different crops in a tiny plot allocated for a vegetable garden to obtain maximum benefits. Plants differ in their “food preferences”, requirements for light, air humidity, sensitivity to soil acidity and temperature fluctuations. Vegetable crops from the same botanical family can be affected by the same pests and diseases.

Vegetable compatibility chart will help you combine different crops to get maximum benefits

When growing the same crop in one place for a long time, you can lose the harvest not only because of pests, but also because the root system of the plant begins to produce substances that inhibit the growth of this crop. Thus, we come to the necessary feasibility of crop rotation, which will ensure the prevention of diseases, and joint planting of plants to prevent pests from enjoying free access to food. This is why it is so important to consider plant compatibility when planting.

What to plant next to cucumbers

The good development of cucumbers is facilitated by proximity to dill, legumes, sunflowers, corn, cabbage, beets, lettuce, fennel, onions, spinach, leafy greens, and garlic.

Beans or peas are planted around the perimeter and inside the cucumber beds. Legumes feed the soil with nitrogen and thereby increase the yield of cucumbers.

Sunflower and corn growing nearby increase the yield of cucumbers by 20%. They protect plants from wind, direct sunlight and moisture loss. They are placed in the aisles of cucumbers with an interval of 35–40 centimeters.

Onion greens repel spider mites. Chives protect cucumbers from powdery mildew. Snails do not like the garlic smell; they avoid these beds.

It’s useful to know, read: — How to plant and grow spinach: at home on a windowsill, in open ground, in a greenhouse.

Cucumbers benefit from proximity to mustard, catnip, larkspur, tansy, nasturtium, lemon balm, coriander, marjoram, calendula, marigold, wormwood, thyme, and thyme.

Mustard, catnip, larkspur, tansy, and nasturtium drive away aphids that suck the juices from cucumber leaves.
Calendula attracts pollinating insects and repels pests.
Marigolds repel nematodes living on the roots of plants.
Whiteflies do not like wormwood, thyme and thyme.
Wormwood drives away slugs.

A good combination of cucumbers, peppers and eggplants. Cucumbers are planted in the middle, between these crops.

Cucumbers can grow near zucchini, pumpkins, watermelons and melons, as long as they do not spread their shoots into neighboring beds.

Next to tomatoes, potatoes, radishes and radishes, cucumber plantings begin to wither. They grow under different conditions.

Cucumbers prefer moist air and frequent, light watering. Tomatoes do not like dampness, but require abundant watering.

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Desirable neighborhood

Experienced gardeners know what to plant green vegetables with so that the harvest is good and the taste is rich.
The development of lashes directly depends on the crops planted nearby. There are several crops with which it is possible and necessary to plant cucumbers in the same greenhouse.

Cabbage is a good neighbor for cucumbers

The most favorable neighbors for cucumbers:

Peas and beans. They help saturate the soil with nitrogen and other useful substances. They are planted in different parts of the greenhouse: around the perimeter and inside the cucumber bed. To increase soil fertility, it is recommended to cut off the stems after harvesting and leave the roots in the ground.
Beetroot of early varieties. Beet greens can be used for salad. Before the cucumber stems begin to grow, it is worth harvesting the beets, since their development will stop when shaded by cucumber vines.
Dill has a positive effect on the yield of cucumbers; they are sown mixed. Dill attracts ladybugs, which destroy harmful insects.
Garlic, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, mustard, and turnip greens are sown between the beds. This proximity contributes to the production of a variety of greenery.
It is possible to plant onions and cucumbers together. Onions will repel harmful insects. After onions, it is worth planting cucumbers next season. But after greens, it is better to sow onions every other season. Instead, the best option would be to plant legumes, which will significantly improve the composition of the soil.
Radishes can be planted along the edges of the cucumber bed. While the cucumber plant begins to gain strength, the radish crop is worth harvesting. This is done to ensure that the root system of the cucumber develops fully.
Corn planted in a row will serve as a support for long vines. It is planted at a distance of 15 cm. This will increase the yield by about 20%. Corn grows quickly and soon it becomes a protective wall that creates a favorable climate for cucumbers. It protects them from wind, sun and moisture loss. If the corn variety is tall, it is planted between the cucumbers at 40 cm intervals.

There can be consequences if you are in the wrong neighborhood

Peppers and eggplants. It is worth considering that the former prefer organic fertilizers, and the latter prefer nitrogen-containing fertilizers. They need to be placed so that the crops do not create shadows for each other. For example, plant cucumbers in the center, plant eggplants on the left, and peppers on the right. The required temperature for successfully growing eggplants, as well as for cucumbers, is 28 degrees.
Cucumbers and calendula flowers planted nearby will promote each other's development.
To improve the taste of cucumbers, it is worth planting spinach, Chinese cabbage and celery next to them.
White cabbage. She loves a lot of moisture. She also needs a lot of light. Early varieties are planted in mid-spring. After harvesting the first crop, later varieties can be planted.
Zucchini. This crop also prefers a warm climate. It is worth considering that zucchini needs fresh air, so the greenhouse must be ventilated more often. It is preferable to grow zucchini next to hybrids that will tolerate temperature changes and do not need abundant watering.
The question of whether it is possible to plant cucumbers and watermelons and melons next to each other is considered controversial. On the one hand, such proximity in a greenhouse is possible due to the thermophilic nature of both. On the other hand, the similarity of diseases can cause problems for the gardener. When grown together, the stems of cucumbers are placed on vertical supports, and those of melons are spread along the ground. Fertilizing must be done in sufficient quantities so that there is no competition for food between plants.

Important! Those gardeners who are just starting to garden and are wondering what to plant with cucumbers in the same greenhouse should not plant many types of plants at once. In the first year it is worth planting two types of crops

As you gain knowledge, it will be easier to combine different plants

As you gain knowledge, it will become easier to combine different plants.

When growing together, it is very important to follow the rules of watering and fertilizing. The required level of humidity will help maintain mulching

Also, when planting cucumbers, you can add hydrogel to each hole.

This will reduce the number of waterings by an order of magnitude.

Also, when planting cucumbers, you can add hydrogel to each hole. This will reduce the number of waterings by an order of magnitude.

Cucumbers need to be fed with organic fertilizers, but they do not tolerate nitrogen well. For ideal feeding, fertilizers are added to each bush.

Healing properties of cucumber

Improves thyroid function due to iodine content (0.003 mg).
Normalizes metabolism, slows down the aging process, prevents the formation of stones in internal organs, due to the content of a large amount of alkaline salts.
Has a diuretic, choleretic effect. Used as a mild laxative (if not mixed with milk).
Removes excess cholesterol. It is a preventative against atherosclerosis.
Normalizes blood pressure due to its high potassium content (147 mg).
Pickled cucumbers have an antibacterial effect.
Helps with burns and bruises. To do this, you need to apply a slice of fresh cucumber to the affected area of the skin.
Cucumber juice helps cure cough.

Zoning and partitions

Zoning a garden plot is an important part of its organization. If the beds are arranged chaotically, then not all crops will receive the necessary care

Planting should be done in a certain order and with a convenient location of the water source. This will help maintain enthusiasm for caring for the area and prevent it from developing into a duty and punishment.

Significant points in organizing the site are the following:

Zone the beds according to the rule: the more care required, the closer they need to be. The same applies to greenhouses. If you feel unwell or don’t want to, the plants will be at hand, and you won’t have to drag heavy buckets and a hose to water the beds.

The same system works for mixed beds. Plant things that need frequent watering closer together. If you combine cucumbers with anything else, then place the cucumbers closer.

Look where the shadow falls. Partial shade is suitable for cucumbers; they will produce a little less yield, but they will not get sick. That's why they are planted next to sunflowers and corn.
Separate cucumber beds with borders, flowers or greenery. Onions, garlic, marigolds, dill and thyme are suitable for this. This will help limit the decaying vines of cucumbers and preserve the fruits from damage while walking along the paths. Broken brick, tiles, slate, large pebbles, even empty bottles are suitable for creating a border.

Place natural hedges on the east and south sides. This will help protect the cucumbers from the hot sun during the heat of the day.

Another condition for successfully growing cucumbers is the installation of a modern irrigation system. This will make it easier to irrigate on time when you are unable to do it yourself.