The period from mid-May is the most opportune time for vegetable growers to plant cucumbers and zucchini of all varieties in open ground. At this time, the earth is already sufficiently warmed by the sun's rays, and the seedlings will not die under the influence of unfavorable weather conditions. It is very important to know how to plant both crops correctly to ensure proper growth of zucchini and cucumbers from sowing to harvest.
It is not recommended to grow cucumbers and zucchini next to each other. since they belong to the same family
Preliminary preparation of zucchini and cucumber seeds, cultivation of beds and soil balancing are very similar, this fact is explained by the fact that both plants belong to the same type of crop.
Conditions for growing cucumbers
This crop is planted in two ways - seed and seedlings. Cucumbers are unpretentious, so with proper care they produce good yields, both in greenhouses and in open ground. Soil is critical. The plant loves light, moist soil rich in nutrients (especially potassium).
The practice of some gardeners shows that tomatoes, potatoes, corn and peas can become good neighbors for cucumbers. Experienced gardeners do not plant cucumbers where pumpkin plants grew last year. Pay attention to the air temperature: it should not exceed +25 degrees Celsius.
What can you plant next to cucumbers?
The real art of a gardener is the correct choice of neighbors in the garden. Each vegetable is not alone on the plot and has to be adjacent to other plants. Also, a suitable neighborhood allows you to minimize the harmful effects of insects and diseases.
When choosing neighboring plants, be sure to pay close attention to vegetable families. For example, cabbage plants take root well and grow together with beets and herbs. Certain types of herbs can repel pests from cabbage , and mint planted nearby will give it an unforgettable taste.
It is worth remembering that vegetables can either be liked or disgusted by each other, so take your choice of neighbors in the garden very seriously.
Conditions for growing zucchini
Zucchini loves loamy soil and sandy loam, and, compared to cucumbers, does not tolerate large amounts of moisture. It is recommended to feed this crop with mineral fertilizers; it is necessary to keep the acidity of the soil under control. Zucchini requires a lot of heat and light, so areas where the sun can easily reach it are selected. There is no need to shade the zucchini.
It is best to plant in those places where carrots, potatoes, radishes, onions, legumes, herbs, tomatoes, cabbage, garlic and green manure grew last season. As you can see, the culture has quite a lot of predecessors, which cannot be said about cucumbers. By the way, you can’t plant zucchini after cucumbers, just like after squash and pumpkins.
Cross-pollination problems
Land owners often observe that pollen moves from one type of plant to another. With scientific selection, as a result of this, new species appear, but if cross-pollination takes place in vegetable gardens, it only causes trouble, especially when it comes to annual plants. In this case, you can’t expect a good harvest, since the flowers most likely will not appear, and those that you see will dry out and fall off. Although there are cases where fruits appeared after cross-pollination, they were small, ugly and completely inedible.
It has been noticed that the seeds obtained as a result of cross-pollination of zucchini and cucumbers are not suitable for planting, since this is a new genotype. You may get a harvest of something unknown: what grows will look neither like cucumbers nor zucchini. Although, what is more likely, nothing will grow in the beds, since the sprouts will die at the very beginning of their life cycle. Such plants become tasty prey for pests that will spread throughout the garden.
It is important to be able to distinguish cross-pollination from other problems, such as lack of seedlings, which is the result of improper preparation of seed, low quality seeds, and lack of microelements and moisture in the soil. Please note: inconspicuous and tasteless fruits may appear due to poor crop care.
Preparation of seeds of both crops
The preparation of zucchini and cucumber seeds can begin on the same day, and the seedlings themselves can be installed in a greenhouse, or a place where they will germinate side by side. It is not recommended to plant zucchini and cucumbers with seeds that are more than one year old after they were collected, as many of them cannot withstand a long shelf life and there is a lot of defective material among the planting materials. There are often cases when the quality of products offered by a manufacturer for planting garden plants for testing turns out to be very low for germination; it is this circumstance that forces many experienced summer residents to select high-quality seeds themselves from their harvests.
Checking seeds for germination
A test for germination can be done some time before sowing: two to three weeks, this is a kind of guarantee of the future harvest of crops, this is how vegetable growers verify the quality of the seeds.
A day before planting the seeds, you need to soak them in a nutrient medium. The day before, when you plan to plant in pots, you need to carefully place the seedlings on a wet cloth, draining the rest of the liquid as unnecessary. The protective shell of zucchini seeds is denser in structure, so the germination time of this crop is slightly shorter: it will be two to three days later than that of cucumbers. Seeds can be sown immediately in the beds, but first you need to fertilize and treat the soil. Vegetable growers often create beds next to zucchini and cucumbers on which they can plant other crops: garlic, onions, carrots, sweet peppers.
Zucchini seedlings allow you to get an early harvest
Since pumpkin crops love warmth and a lot of light, plants should be planted nearby that do not shade or prevent direct sunlight from entering the beds.
The neighborhood of zucchini and cucumbers
Both of these crops require similar agrotechnical measures. Preparation of planting material and soil, fertilizing with mineral fertilizers are essentially identical. At the same time, both zucchini and cucumbers are not resistant to frost, so sowing begins when the sun begins to warm up well. There are also many similarities in sowing methods: only large seeds are suitable for this. Both crops are fed with mineral fertilizers.
The area for zucchini and cucumbers should be well protected from strong winds and drafts and maximally illuminated. Landing is performed at the same time. The seeds are prepared for this in advance. They are soaked in special solutions that you can buy in the store or make yourself. This is necessary so that the plants become resistant to the harmful effects of external factors.
The seeding material of zucchini is denser, so they sprout two to three days later than cucumbers. After the seedlings emerge, they are planted in prepared soil. If you decide to plant cucumbers and zucchini next to each other, remove tall weeds so that they do not interfere with the penetration of the sun into the beds. Note that zucchini and cucumber seeds can be sown in open ground, but only if it has warmed up well. This way you don't have to worry about seedlings and you can save time.
The best neighbors for a vegetable
What can you plant next to onions? When growing, each vegetable needs a favorable neighborhood. Compatible plants are able to share important microelements with each other in case of need
Such help will not be superfluous for the plant. In addition, the vegetable itself can be useful for other crops, protecting them from pests.
Compatibility of onions with other vegetables
Is it possible to plant onions next to carrots? These vegetables are a good example of the mutual assistance that different cultures can provide to each other. Carrot rows can often be seen near onion rows in many gardens. Together with carrots, they are ways to ward off harmful insects. The onion gets along well with garlic. They can be safely planted nearby.
Garlic is a unique crop, after which you can plant any vegetable. But it itself cannot be planted in last year’s bulbous places. Moreover, these vegetables feel comfortable next to each other, having a beneficial effect on growth conditions. But onions and garlic will not get along in the same bed, as they need the same nutrients and water. The result of living together may be depletion of the land, which will negatively affect the level of harvest.
Beets love to have a neighbor like an onion nearby. It allows it to bear larger fruits and their ripening will occur faster. When planted, onions produce tall green leaves that cast good shade over the beet rows. This way the plant can protect itself from scorching direct sunlight. Such conditions are very pleasant for beets. In just a couple of days, its fruits gain strength and begin to grow actively.
Important! Onions are an excellent precursor for beets. During the growth of the crop, the soil will be saturated with the necessary substances and will be loose, which will have a good effect on the growth of the root crop. . Some varieties of cabbage can make a good company for vegetables: broccoli and kohlrabi
These crops need regular watering, and water won’t hurt onions either. But it is advisable not to plant this trinity in the same bed. These crops block each other's sun rays, which ultimately greatly affects the harvest
Some varieties of cabbage can make a good company for vegetables: broccoli and kohlrabi. These crops need regular watering, and water won’t hurt onions either. But it is advisable not to plant this trinity in the same bed. These crops block each other's sun rays, which ultimately greatly affects the harvest.
In addition to carrots, onions also provide a good protective function to turnips, radishes and tomatoes. Many pests, especially aphids and flea beetles, do not like the smell of this crop. Having sensed it, they quickly change these habitats to other, less odorous ones.
Dill and onions have a lot in common. You can open a packet of seeds for planting at the first appearance of heat, at a temperature of 5-7°C. These crops complement each other well, improving the characteristics of the fruit. Between these two vegetables, a tomato will feel great.
What to plant dill with in the same bed? This question comes up often. What is the compatibility of dill with other plants? In addition to onions, it gets along well with cabbage, cucumbers, lettuce, and cilantro. At the same time, it is saturated with useful substances, helping other crops to grow.
Dill with onions are good neighbors
Cucumbers and onions cannot grow in the same bed. The green fruits of the former love water very much, but such moisture saturation has a bad effect on other crops. The roots of the plants begin to rot, and the fruits themselves become watery. This environment is favorable for the development of fungus.
Strawberries and onions work well together. The latter helps to avoid the development of rot in the berries. Cultures are able to exchange necessary substances with each other. Strawberries feel protected next to onions, but their beds cannot be oversaturated with moisture, otherwise the good neighborliness will come to an end.
Feeding and warming zucchini and cucumbers
Fertilizers are applied three times. The first time - in the holes prepared for planting, the second time - before flowering begins, and the third time - during the fruiting period in order to prolong it. Young seedlings may suffer due to low temperatures. To protect it, cover the plants with film. To do this, install frame arches on the beds, and if weather forecasters promise frosts, pull covering material over them. Do this not only at night, but also during the day during cold snaps. While the seedlings are under the film, they are ventilated several times a day. If you planted cucumbers and zucchini late - in June, then shelters will not be needed, since frost is unlikely to occur.
Planting seedlings in open ground
Before planting grown seedlings in open ground, you can prepare devices in advance that will protect the plants from cold air and frost for the first time. Steel frame arches are installed next to the seedlings, onto which, if necessary, polyethylene film is stretched.
During the daytime, if the weather conditions remain too cool, it is not recommended to remove the film, but infrequent ventilation should be done, since excess moisture has a detrimental effect on the seedlings. If crops are planted in early June, greenhouse equipment is not prepared.
Seedlings of cucumbers and zucchini are grown only in separate containers
During the entire period of growth of garden crops (this condition applies to all pumpkin family), it is necessary to fertilize the soil twice.
First, immediately at the time of planting and before flowering begins, during the formation of the ovary. In the first case, the fertilizer is placed directly into the holes, in the second, during weeding, next to the root system of the plants.
Problems when growing together
Given the similarity of planting and caring for crops, experts do not recommend planting them next door. The main problem is cross-pollination, which was mentioned above. This applies to planting in greenhouses and open ground. Therefore, if you do not want to get an unknown vegetable or be left without a harvest, refuse such planting.
Cross-pollination is not the only problem. The tendrils that the zucchini produces grow long, which can entangle the cucumbers and interfere with their development. Zucchini roots grow underground, intertwining the root system of neighboring plants, which is why they do not receive enough nutrients from the soil. For this reason, it is not recommended to plant not only cucumbers, but also pumpkins in close proximity to zucchini.
Cucumbers will get along well in a neighboring bed with radishes, cabbage, garlic, onions, watercress, celery and spinach. The best "buddies" for zucchini are green leafy vegetables, potatoes, root vegetables, eggplants and legumes.
