Land for seedlings of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, flowers, which is better, composition, do-it-yourself preparation

Soil for cucumber seedlings

Cucumber fruits on the bushes

The most important condition for obtaining good seedlings is properly selected soil. If the soil is unsuccessful, the sprouts will be sick and will grow very weak, if not die. Therefore, it is necessary to approach this choice with all responsibility.

Most summer residents and gardeners prefer to purchase a ready-made soil mixture, so that it is presented in a large assortment in any agricultural store and the price is acceptable for any consumer.

But in this case there are also disadvantages, since some manufacturers, instead of soil mixtures, sell ordinary peat, which is not suitable for seedlings. If you buy ready-made soil, it should be a trusted brand and manufacturer.

Soil requirements

Cucumbers in a greenhouse on a trellis

Good soil for cucumber seedlings can be made from a variety of components, but there are general requirements that it must meet:

It is necessary that the soil is balanced and fertile, therefore it must contain not only organic substances, but also micro- and macroelements.

The soil must be porous, light and loose, this will allow the root system of young shoots to receive a sufficient amount of oxygen.

The soil should absorb water well enough and retain it, which will allow the moisture to evenly moisten the entire volume of soil in the container.

It is important for the soil that it contains “live” microflora, as it is very useful for young plants. The soil acidity level should be as close to neutral as possible, approximately 6.5 - 7.0.

It is also very important that the soil does not contain:

• Make sure that your soil does not get fungal spores, weed seeds, insect larvae or eggs, as well as microorganisms that bring diseases.
• The soil for cucumbers should not be toxic, so its components should not be taken in dangerous places, for example: a highway or city lawns. It is better to take them from forest plantations or groves.
• There should be no rapidly and actively decomposing components in the soil, so that when mixed, microorganisms do not wake up and the decomposition process does not begin.
• The soil for cucumbers should not contain clay, as it will deteriorate the quality of your soil mixture and the seedlings will die.

What may be included in the soil

Preparing soil for cucumbers in a greenhouse

The soil in a greenhouse for cucumbers may consist of the following components:

• Turf soil or soil from the garden.
• Leaf soil is half-rotten leaves of trees, except willow and oak.
• Sunflower husk or grain husk.
• Crushed raw egg shells.
• Wood ash.
• Sphagnum moss.
• Humus.
• Peat (see Peat soil for beds in a greenhouse).

Here are the inorganic components that can be used to create a soil mixture:

• Very well washed river sand. It is needed to better loosen the soil.
• Neutral eco-friendly material – perlite. It helps the earth to “breathe” and retain moisture.
• The material is vermiculite, plus it contains calcium, magnesium and potassium.
• A polymer such as hydrogel will help maintain the required humidity and reduce the amount of watering.
• Slaked lime will help reduce soil acidity.
• Shredded foam.
• Expanded clay.

What soil compositions can there be?

Cucumber seedlings

There are several approximate compositions of soil mixtures that are suitable for seedlings:

• Sod or leaf soil is approximately one part + peat or humus is also one part + sand or perlite is also one part.
• Three parts each of turf and leaf soil + approximately three parts humus + one part river sand or vermiculite.
• Approximately two parts of turf soil + just one part of humus + also one part of sand + take about two cups of wood ash per bucket of this mixture.
• One part of turf soil + one part of about humus + for a bucket of this mixture we take about one glass of wood ash.
• One part of garden soil + also one part of purchased “universal” land + also one part of sand.

Below is the composition of the soil mixture, which is considered the best for cucumbers:

• Twenty liters of turf-leaf soil.
• Approximately eight grams of ammonium nitrate.
• About ten grams of double superphosphate.
• And about ten grams of potassium sulfur.
• Add three or four tablespoons of wood ash.

And one more composition:

• We take three to four parts of non-acidic peat.
• Add about four parts of humus.
• And four parts of clean fertile land.
• Dilute the mixture with one part of sand.
• And also sawdust.
• As a result, we add about three kilograms of manure and half a glass of wood ash per meter of land.

And finally, you can add fertilizers special for cucumber soil (see How to choose the right fertilizers for cucumbers in a greenhouse).

Land preparation

Preparing the soil in a greenhouse for cucumbers in the spring is carried out in several stages. It must meet certain requirements:

• good air permeability and moisture absorption.
• Soil fertility should be as high as possible.

Important! The best option for planting cucumbers is turf soil or humus. You can use humus or peat as a base.

If you plan to additionally add a complex of nutrients to the soil, soil for cucumbers can be made from the following components:

• peat - 50%;
• humus - 30%;
• field soil - 20%.

This composition will have a positive effect on the yield of cucumbers.

Cucumbers in a greenhouse

When preparing the soil for planting cucumbers, experienced gardeners recommend following the following technology:

1. Clean up all plant debris and debris.
2. 25 - 30 days before planting cucumbers, dig up the ground.
3. Prepare biomass.
4. Form beds.
5. Plant seedlings.
6. Cover the top of the soil with a layer of humus.
7. Water the soil with warm water.

Important! If cold water is used for watering, it is possible that the cucumbers will become sick.

If the soil for cucumbers is prepared correctly, the seedlings will quickly take root and the plants will be strong and strong.

Definition and structuring of different soil types

Finding out the mechanical composition of the soil on your personal plot is very simple. To do this, slightly moisten a handful of earth with water, knead it and roll it into a cord. Then try to roll it into a ring. It quickly crumbles into grains - sand and sandy loam. If, when rolling, the cord breaks up into several parts, then it is light loam. Medium-heavy loamy soil forms a smooth cord, but when they try to roll it into a semicircle, it falls apart. The heavy loamy soil curls into a ring covered in cracks. Alumina soil forms a smooth ring.

Peaty marshy

There is no need to plant cucumbers in waterlogged peat soil. Plants cannot grow normally in it. To grow vegetables in such land, it must be well prepared. Peat soil is excessively fibrous and wet. Organic fertilizers hardly decompose in it, and the peat turns sour. Swampy soil differs from other soils in its light brown color. To make the composition better, first of all it is dried. Then it is necessary to build channels to drain the water. Then add half a bucket of powdered clay and sand per 1 m2, and about 1 kg of lime, the latter depends on the acidity level. After this, dig up the area to a depth of at least 20 cm.

Light and medium loams

Cucumbers grow well on light and medium loams, characterized by increased aeration. In these soils, water is distributed and retained evenly. By nature, such land already has an impeccable structure. It provides the necessary humidity and is able to maintain the optimal temperature. Medium-heavy loams should be fed in advance with organic fertilizers in the ratio of 5.5 kg per 1 m2. Light loamy soil practically does not need to be prepared, because it is not heavy and has such an important property as high air exchange.

Attention! Experienced gardeners recommend feeding 6 kg of organic matter with manure per 1 m2 of land.

Alumina and heavy loams

Cucumber seedlings absolutely do not take root in aluminous and heavy loamy soil. Due to their high gravity, such lands do not allow oxygen to pass through. The plants in them dry out. In order to grow cucumbers on them, certain rules must be followed. 6 months before planting, fresh manure based on straw should be applied. The first time it will be needed for 1 m² up to 15 kg, and after 3 years you will need 5.5 kg. Fertilizing should be left on the surface of the ground. If you lay it deep, peat will begin to form. The beds on the site must be constantly loosened.

Sandstones

Sandy soils are considered a poor choice for growing cucumber crops. They do not retain water, and as a result, the roots of the plant cannot be saturated with minerals. Sandstones have high thermal conductivity, due to which there is a strong temperature difference between day and night. There are several ways to improve the quality characteristics of this type of soil, one of them is called claying. This is when clay is added to the soil in a greenhouse in the amount of 1.5 buckets, mixed with compost or rotted manure, and be sure to dig it up. The procedure should be repeated after 2-3 years. The second method is to apply fertilizing. For 1 m2 of land add 1 bucket of peat and 2 buckets of rotted manure.

Sandy loam

Sandy loam soil is easy to cultivate. Humus is formed in it at a rapid pace, because such soil warms up well and has good air and moisture permeability. But we must keep in mind that the soil, which heats up well, quickly loses heat at night. Due to the light composition of the soil, minerals are washed out at a rapid rate. To obtain high-quality soil in the spring, compost or fresh manure should be added to it before planting. This needs to be done several days in advance. The recommended amount of fertilizer per 1 m² is 10 kg.

Methods for arranging “warm” beds for growing cucumbers

The principle of operation of a warm bed

In almost every garden or summer cottage you can see a cucumber bed. But often, much to the chagrin of the owners, the harvest harvested from it is not very high. What is the reason here? Cucumbers love heat very much. The optimal temperature for plant growth is considered to be 25-30º. And if the temperature drops to 15º, they practically stop developing.

Scheme for growing cucumbers.

Therefore, you have to wait for warm weather to sow seeds or plant seedlings. Depending on the growing region, this occurs in the middle or even the end of May, so the harvest cannot be expected before the middle or even the end of June. Those who do not want to put up with this can be advised to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse or make a greenhouse for them. But you can do it simpler: a “warm” bed for cucumbers will help you get a high yield, 2-3 weeks earlier than in open ground.

There are several ways to create such a bed.

But all of them are based on a single principle: heating the soil and plant roots with the help of methane released during the decay of plant and food waste.

In addition, in heated soil, various microorganisms intensively multiply, which in the process of their vital activity saturate the soil with carbon dioxide. And carbon dioxide is vital for cucumbers for their normal growth and fruiting.

Approximate diagrams of a “warm” bed

Formation of cucumbers in a greenhouse.

Usually such beds for cucumbers are prepared in the spring, although it is possible that their preparation begins in the fall. Since cucumbers are a very heat-loving crop, for future garden beds they choose a place that is maximally protected from cold winds. It is better to orient the direction of the trench from east to west so that the sun warms the cucumbers all day.

To arrange “warm” beds, you do not need special expensive tools. All you need:

• bayonet shovel;
• pitchfork;
• rake;
• braid

For cucumber beds, you can use all the plant debris that is found on your site: cut branches, fallen leaves, sawdust, hay, straw, food waste. All this needs to be mixed and the resulting mass formed into a high bed 30-40 cm thick and 1-1.2 m wide, its length depends on how many cucumber bushes you plan to plant or how much material is enough.

This whole pile of garbage needs to be thoroughly poured with boiling water, and then compacted by walking on it. It must be disinfected by watering it with a solution of copper sulfate, after which a 10-12 cm layer of soil is poured on top. It is better if it is not just soil from your site, but prepare a soil mixture of soil, peat and humus, to which you can add sawdust to make it looser.

Temperature conditions for growing cucumbers in a greenhouse.

When preparing the mixture, you can also add mineral fertilizers and wood ash, which contain many microelements that are easily digestible for plants. The cucumber bed is ready. All you have to do is cover it with plastic wrap and leave it like that until the time comes to plant the cucumbers.

Another option for a bed for cucumbers is using a deep planting. A rectangular trench is dug to a depth of 2 spade bayonets (approximately 50 cm or slightly deeper). The width of such a trench is 1.2-1.5 m, the length depends on how many cucumber bushes you plan to plant.

To fill such a “warm” bed, all the plant debris that is found on your site will again be suitable. Its fundamental difference from the first method is that wooden blocks or cut tree branches are laid on the bottom across the trench. The voids between them are filled with wood shavings or sawdust. A 10 cm ball of straw or dry fallen leaves is placed on top of the branches. This is a kind of trigger, which, having quickly rotted itself, will start the process of rotting of the lower layer.

Excavated earth mixed with manure is poured on top, and it is better to pour the earth not evenly, but with a slope of 8-10º to the south. To prevent the garden bed from losing its shape when planting and caring for cucumbers, you can fence it with a wooden box made of old boards. The entire structure needs to be watered generously from above. With this option, you can prepare such beds for cucumbers in the spring, or in the fall. By building such a bed for cucumbers, you will provide heating for 5-7 years.

Scheme of heating soil in a greenhouse.

The third option for cucumber beds can rightly be called an option for lazy people. But, having chosen this option, you will definitely need to arrange such beds for cucumbers in the spring. Made in the fall, they can freeze in winter if there is severe frost and will significantly reduce their heating effect.

To make such a bed for cucumbers, it will be enough to dig up a strip of vegetable garden 1.2-1.5 m wide to the length you need, and you need to remove all the weeds from the dug up area. Then the dug up area is watered with liquid manure or diluted bird droppings (1 liter jar of droppings is diluted in 10 liters of water) at the rate of 10 liters per 2-2.5 m2.

Then compost is added using the same calculation, and if the soil is clayey or loamy, then sand. Each layer must be carefully leveled with a rake. There is no need to dig again. Having laid all the layers, you need to pour plenty of water and cover with a dark film, pressing it to the ground along the entire perimeter with pipes or boards. In this condition, the bed will wait for the cucumbers to be planted.

Warm bed based on freshly cut grass

This bed is one of the types of deep planting. But, unlike the method with wooden chocks, it needs to be prepared not in the fall, but in the spring. To build it, a trench is dug. The dimensions of the trench can be left the same as in the previous options.

When the trench is ready, you will need freshly cut grass. Moreover, there is a lot of grass: two or three armfuls are not enough. Freshly cut grass is placed in the trench. It is very important not to be lazy and compact it well so that the prepared bed is dense. To do this, it is enough to walk on the laid grass for 15-20 minutes, compacting it evenly with your feet.

If this is not done, the soil will subside and the planted cucumbers will end up in a kind of pit-trap. If the summer is rainy, the cucumbers in such a bed will quickly rot, because their roots will constantly be in the rainwater accumulating in the excavation.

To make the grass start to rot faster, a mixture of potato peelings and moldy bread crumbs is cooked. After boiling this mixture, it is immediately scattered on top of the grass. In this case, it is very important to scatter the hot, just boiled mixture so that when it hits the grass, it immediately starts the fermentation process. Potato starch and mold also react to help fill the garden bed with nutrients.

When they finish scattering the mixture, the grass is covered with earth. You don’t have to go far to get soil; freshly dug soil will do. The top of the bed is doused with boiling water to consolidate the result, and it is covered with a dark film for a week or a week and a half so that the soil settles and the fermentation process that has started gains strength. By entering into a fermentation reaction with the soil, the grass and the organic substances added to it saturate the soil with the organic substances necessary for the growth and development of cucumbers, so there is no need to apply mineral fertilizers.

Technology for growing cucumbers in a “warm” garden bed

The technology for growing cucumbers in “warm” beds is not much different from the usual one. When arranging such beds for cucumbers in the spring, you need to remember that the best predecessors for cucumbers will be onions, garlic, and cabbage. Until recently, tomatoes were also one of these predecessors, but in recent years, cucumbers and tomatoes have developed a common disease - a type of root rot.

Therefore, if possible, it is better to avoid growing cucumbers after tomatoes, as well as cucumbers after cucumbers. If you still have to grow cucumbers after such predecessors, then in order to avoid infection of the plants with viruses and diseases, which, if the winter is not too cold, can survive in the top layer of soil, it is better to remove this layer and lay a new one.

“Warm” beds provide the cucumbers grown on them with all the necessary fertilizers and protect them from pests. Therefore, there is no need to feed them and treat them with pest control products. All care in such beds under cucumbers comes down to timely watering (always with warm water, since cold water will do more harm to cucumber plants than good) and removing weeds. And the most important thing, as in a regular garden bed, is to harvest on time.

By spending a few hours of your time arranging such unusual beds for cucumbers, you can surprise and delight your family and friends with delicious, crunchy cucumber fruits, without any greenhouse, collected 2-3 weeks earlier than usual.

Good luck to you! Delicious cucumbers to your table!

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Preparing beds for cucumbers

Sowing seeds or planting seedlings should be done only when the threat of frost has passed. In order to get a guaranteed harvest of cucumbers, it is best to grow them at a higher elevation, where the roots of the heat-loving crop are well heated and protected from excess moisture. That is why, at least a week before sowing seeds or planting seedlings, it is necessary to form beds so that the earth settles somewhat.

When setting up a site for growing cucumbers, it is optimal to make several beds 20-30 cm high, depending on the type of soil: the heavier it is, the greater the height of the bed. The width of the paths formed between the beds should be at least 0.5 meters. In addition, when using a vertical type of cultivation, in which cucumbers are woven along a net fixed to a special frame, it is necessary to place the beds in such a way that the nets do not block each other.

How to properly prepare the soil for cucumbers

Cucumbers love well-warmed soil. Therefore, a place for them is chosen that is bright and sunny, protected from northern

winds. It’s good if potatoes, peas, onions, cabbage or tomatoes grew there before. In terms of mechanical composition, cucumbers prefer sandy loam and light loamy soils. If they are heavy clay, then add sand at the rate of 1-2 buckets per 1 m2. When preparing a site for cucumbers, it is also important to take into account the acidity of the soil. For a good harvest, it should be slightly acidic or closer to neutral (pH 6.0-6.5). If the soil is acidic, then add lime during digging in the fall - 300-500 g per 1 m2 (depending on the acidity level). As dacha experience has shown, it is better to lay out cucumber beds in the 2-3rd year after liming. Preparing the area for cucumbers begins with autumn digging using a spade (22-28 cm). In this case, there is no need to break the lumps. In early spring, when the soil is rich in moisture, it is loosened with a rake and dug to a depth of 10-12 cm with the simultaneous application of organic and mineral fertilizers. The rate of application of organic fertilizers (compost or manure) depends on the composition and fertility of the soil. If it is cultivated, then 8-10 kg is enough for 1 m2. Mineral fertilizers for digging are applied per 1 m210-15 g of ammonium nitrate, 20-40 g of superphosphate and 10-20 g of potassium sulfate. At the same time, the composition of the soil is also taken into account, for example, if it is sandy, then more nitrogen fertilizers are given. The beds are made up to 1 m wide, 20-25 cm high, leaving a passage of at least 30 cm between them.

Helpful advice

The consumption of organic fertilizers for cucumbers can be reduced several times if they are applied not under digging, but in a hole when planting seedlings or in a row when sowing seeds.
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Ways to improve the soil

Experienced gardeners constantly improve the soil. This is especially true for crops that require special attention and care, like cucumbers.

Mulching

Peat, hay, rotted manure, and old sawdust are perfect as mulch. They will warm the root system of the vegetable crop, supply the soil with useful substances, and retain moisture from evaporation. In addition, mulch prevents the growth of weeds and allows cucumbers to grow and gain strength unhindered.

Increase in carbon dioxide content

This mainly applies to growing cucumbers in greenhouses. The plant loves carbon dioxide very much, and therefore it is recommended to place a barrel with fresh mullein in the greenhouse. In open ground, the content of this substance is increased by mulching the beds with fresh manure.

Fertilization with milk

Once every 14 days, cucumbers are fed with a milk solution (1:10). This composition promotes rapid rooting of seedlings and accelerates their growth.

Preparatory work

To grow cucumbers in a greenhouse, we prepare the soil for them very carefully. The earth, like sand, must first be thoroughly sifted and any debris, insect larvae and worms removed. Then it is worth disinfecting the soil to protect the plants from diseases and pests.

This can be done in several ways:

Purchased soil does not require disinfection, since it is already prepared.

How to determine soil acidity

There are several ways to determine soil acidity. To determine the quality of pH at home, the following indicators are most often used:

1. Litmus paper, which is an indicator for alkalis and acids. The principle of obtaining results is that a piece of paper with a reagent applied to it is immersed in water with soil for 3 seconds, and then the result obtained is assessed on the appropriate scale.
2. Table vinegar. This substance can be watered on dry soil taken from the garden bed. If no reaction occurs, this means that the material is acidified. If faint bubbles appear on the surface, this indicates that the earth is slightly acidic. Alkaline soil will exhibit a standard neutralization reaction.

You can also estimate the pH level using:

1. Klychnikov’s method, which is an analysis of the behavior of soil when interacting with ordinary chalk. This method allows you to verify without complex manipulations that the soil has a low pH value, that is, it is acidic or slightly acidic.
2. Alyamovsky method. To carry out the analysis, the gardener will need to acquire an electronic device that can quickly determine the desired indicator. The analysis can also be performed in a laboratory specializing in agricultural research. The procedure lasts only a minute, after which the result will appear on the display with a minimum error.

In cases where it is not possible to use the services of specialists, purchase a dosimeter device, or carry out other research using improvised and chemical means, you can resort to the observation method.

Cucumbers will feel great where they grow:

If the soil is acidic, then it will produce excellent quality sorrel, and the tops of growing beets will be colored a rich burgundy color. On such land you can also see lush bushes of plantain, cinquefoil and horsetail. Soil whose acidity level exceeds 4 units has a rusty tint and also crumbles in the hands.

Increased acidity

In order to increase the acidity of the soil, you can use the method of planting useful predecessors. The following can acidify the soil:

• potato;
• Cruciferous: mustard and rapeseed;
• legumes: clover, alfalfa;
• cereals: rye and barley.

The simplest green manures are sown before winter and dug up in the spring. This action will not only help restore the soil to its desired qualities, but also fertilize the site.

You can also increase the acidity of the soil using oxalic or citric acid. For 10 liters of liquid you will need to add 60 g of the substance. The consumption rate of the product to combat neutral or alkaline environments on the site is 10 liters per 1 sq.m.

You can also acidify the soil with a mixture of sulfur and peat. In order to process a square of soil, you will need 1.5 kg of peat and 100 g of sulfur. The best time to apply the product is late autumn. If there is no sulfur, then you can use pure peat, but then its quantity should be increased to 3 kg.

Soil acidity and its effect on plants what is soil acidity example How to determine soil acidity?

Another natural component that allows you to increase the acidity of the earth is pine needles. It is added only after reheating. You can quickly increase the acidity of the soil with the help of rotted manure or the application of complex mineral fertilizers:

• superphosphate;
• magnesium sulfate;
• ammonium or copper sulfate.

Gardeners also often use pharmaceutical substances aspirin and potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate), as well as hydrochloric acid, for acidification.

How to adjust acidity

If you find that your soil is highly acidic, you need to add lime. The basic rules of liming are:

• the procedure should be carried out in the spring before planting seedlings or in the fall after harvesting;
• the area must be free of weeds and other plants;
• the lime mixture must be thoroughly crushed;
• for liming you should choose a calm, clear day;
• lime is poured in a thin layer on the ground.

Digging the earth mass to a depth of 20 cm will ensure the mixing of earth and lime, as well as the introduction of the composition into the deeper layers. As a result, neutralization reactions occur in the soil.

Greenhouse preparation

Preparatory work before planting cucumber seedlings in the spring is carried out not only for the soil. The greenhouse room or greenhouse also needs special treatment. It is impossible to obtain a high yield of vegetables without observing the rules of crop rotation. Therefore, if possible, the greenhouse is moved to another area. If the structure is permanent and difficult to move, the soil is updated or completely changed.

In the fall, after harvesting and removing plant debris, you need to disinfect all surfaces in the greenhouse and cultivate the soil. For disinfection, use lime chloride, coating all cracks with the solution. Then the soil is dug up. Soil disinfection is possible in several ways:

1. The soil is sprinkled with dry lime powder. With the onset of spring, the top layer is removed and the remaining soil is dug up.
2. Water the soil with boiling water. Then immediately cover it with film and leave it for a day. After 3 days, the procedure is repeated.
3. Treat the soil with aerosol biofungicides.
4. Spill the soil with a 2% formaldehyde solution. Then cover the area with film for 3 days. Seedlings are planted 30 days after treatment.

If plants are grown on racks in a greenhouse, the soil is completely changed. The humus that has served its purpose is removed. The bottom of the racks is covered with a layer of cow dung 10 cm thick. Fresh soil is poured on top with a layer of 10 cm. After 2-3 days, another portion of fertile soil 15 cm thick is added.

Soil disinfection

Disinfection of soil for seedlings significantly improves plant health. During treatment, pathogenic organisms (fungi, bacteria, pests) and weed seeds overwintering in the soil are destroyed.

There are several ways to disinfect soil.

Chemical disinfection

For chemical disinfection of the substrate, you can use preparations containing propamocarb and aluminum fosetyl - Previcur Energy, which protect plants from blackleg caused by fungal-like organisms. Treatment should be carried out 2-3 days before using the substrate for sowing or picking.

Biological preparations (“Glyokladin”, “Fitosporin”) are also used to treat soil for tomatoes and peppers.

Thermal decontamination

This method of soil disinfection involves heating it with steam or heat. The soil is heated with steam at a temperature of 90-100 °C for 20-30 minutes to a depth of 25-30 cm. During treatment, the soil must be covered with a heat-resistant film to prevent heat loss. This treatment effectively removes fungi, bacteria and pests (wireworms, nematodes) from the soil.

Soil for sowing seedlings is a special mixture of substrates designed specifically for generative propagation of plants, i.e. sowing seeds of vegetable crops, garden and potted plants. You can easily prepare such soil yourself or buy a ready-made substrate in the store.

It is very important to prepare high-quality, fresh soil, of the correct composition, uncontaminated with pathogens, otherwise the seedlings will not be able to develop normally and will quickly get sick

How to disinfect soil for seedlings

Soil brought from the garden cannot be used without preparation. The same applies to purchased land. The substrate may contain both safe but useless debris (pieces of branches and bark, dried leaves, small pebbles) and inclusions that can damage the future plant (insect eggs and larvae, fungal spores).

Before use, the soil should be kneaded with your hands, removing all large weeds, and then disinfected. There are several ways to sterilize soil, each of which has pros and cons:

Calcination. This method makes the soil sterile, but along with harmful microorganisms, it also kills everything useful that is contained in the soil. In addition, when the soil is heated, an unpleasant odor appears.

In order to calcinate the soil, it must be poured into a basin, poured with a small amount of boiling water (so that the soil is slightly damp), and then placed on a baking sheet in a layer of no more than 5 cm. Preheat the oven to 90 °C and place the baking sheet with soil there for half an hour.

Steaming. This is a more gentle, although more labor-intensive method. It is only suitable for small volumes of soil. The soil must be poured into a canvas bag and then into a colander. Place a colander over a pan of boiling water for 40-50 minutes.

Freezing. The simplest and safest method, which, although it does not make the soil completely sterile, allows you to destroy most pests.

The soil in the bag should be taken out into the cold (on the balcony, plot, or for small volumes - in the freezer) for a week. Then also bring it in for a week and keep it warm, and then re-freeze it for several days. For better effect, the procedure must be repeated.

Treatment with biofungicides, insecticides, potassium permanganate, mustard powder. In addition to the above methods, the soil can be treated with special preparations.

Biofungicides protect plants from fungal diseases, increase immunity and stimulate the development of seedlings. Insecticides fight insect pests. Each specific drug must be used strictly according to the instructions in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

Sometimes gardeners disinfect the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (5 g per 1 liter of water). The method is simple, but not very effective - some insects cannot be killed with such a solution.

Another popular method of soil sterilization is the use of mustard powder. It is known that this natural remedy can destroy, if not all, then many pests. The recipe is very simple - stir half a pack of dry mustard into 10 liters of prepared soil.

Fertilizing cucumbers in containers

To grow small quantities of cucumbers in containers, simply mix compost with soil. You can also add a low-nitrogen, high-potassium, slow-release granular fertilizer with an NPK ratio close to 2-3-6. When planting, add complex fertilizer (1 tbsp per pot), apply complex fertilizer when you see the first true leaves. For large containers over 30cm in diameter or multiple plants in one pot, increase the quantity accordingly.

When growing cucumbers in a container, fertilizer rates should be lower

Once the cucumbers show true leaves, apply a low-nitrogen, high-potassium, water-soluble fertilizer weekly. Apply fertilizer weekly at half strength, mixing 1/2 tbsp. l. fertilizers with 1 bucket of water. Foliar feeding is effective in warm weather.

Mulch the cucumbers (for example, with straw) and form lashes in time

Subtleties of soil care for cucumbers in a greenhouse

Greenhouse conditions are ideal for the development of fungal diseases. Therefore, the soil in protected ground requires special care. You can regularly treat it and the plants with fungicides, but a more environmentally friendly option is to use biological soil protection agents. For these purposes, special preparations are used that contain microorganisms that inhibit the development of pathogenic fungi.

One of the most convenient to use under cucumbers is “Glyokladin” in tablets. When planting, it is enough to place 1 tablet in the hole. A good option is to regularly water the soil with solutions of Fitosporin or Trichodermin.

Characteristics of good soil - a little theory

Most vegetables and many flowers can be produced from seedlings (eg tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, celery, leeks, cucumbers, cabbage, eggplant), but all will require a good quality substrate for the seeds to germinate and the seedlings to develop properly.

You can prepare the soil for growing seedlings yourself or buy it at a garden center. Prepared substrates are more expensive, but usually have a better composition and are more convenient to use.

Parameters of a good substrate

Seedlings of vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants are grown in organic media. What soil is best for seedlings? Good soil should have the following qualities:

1. free from pathogens to which seedlings are very sensitive (disinfected);
2. finely structured;
3. light, airy, water-permeable, which promotes good gas exchange with the environment and does not cause excessive water retention;
4. with high moisture capacity;
5. must have an appropriate reaction;
6. must contain optimal amounts of nutrients for the growth and development of individual plant species.

There is information in the literature that to ensure normal plant growth, the organic substrate must be prepared in the following way:

• solids – 10-30% volume;
• air – 30-40%;
• water – 40-50%.

The soils in which seedlings are grown should not have as much air exchange as soil intended for permanent cultivation, but it is good if they contain more than 20% air after watering.

The basis of the soil is high acid peat

High acidic peat has a high acidity pH (2.5 – 4.5) and a light brown color. Currently, seedlings are grown mainly on substrates prepared from various fractions of high-moor peat, and other organic materials, such as low-lying peat or pine bark, are used less frequently for this purpose. Substrates with a high peat content are the best soils for growing seedlings, provided they are properly prepared and stored, since they are then free from pathogens, pests, and weed seeds, to which young plants are especially sensitive.

Substrates are mainly prepared by specialized companies and delivered to manufacturers in packages of various sizes. Such substrates are usually homogeneous in the composition of individual fractions and adapted to subsequent stages and technology for producing seedlings. Companies producing peat substrates use for their production appropriate mixtures of several types of peat, obtained in different ways and of different granulations:

• 0-10 mm - small,
• 0-20 mm - standard,
• 0-40 mm - large.

The physical properties of the substrate, such as the ability to retain water and its movement in the substrate, depend on the content of individual fractions. If the structure of the substrate is poor, capillary spaces do not form in containers filled with it; as a result, water seeps into the bottom of the pot in one place, and the soil is dry in another.

All substrates are enriched with nutrients, usually supplied in the form of multi-component fertilizers. A surfactant is also added to light peat substrates to maintain uniform moisture content throughout the container.

Reputable manufacturers of substrates for growing seedlings recommend:

1. do not store the substrate for longer than 3 months;
2. protect the stored substrate from the sun and rain;
3. Do not use substrates overgrown with fungi and algae.

When preparing substrates for the production of seedlings, you should independently use high-moor peat, which retains its properties for a long time during transportation and storage in its raw form.

Should I use lowland peat?

Lowland peat, extracted from shallow layers of meadows and garden soils, obtained by composting various organic materials, is a substrate with very different physical and chemical properties. Some growers still use it to grow seedlings, seeing some savings in this. However, it often turns out that preparing seedlings on such substrates is more expensive than in soil made from high-moor peat.

Soils made from low-lying peat can be bad for seedlings and provoke poor plant growth for various reasons:

1. runoff of fertilizer from surrounding fields onto the meadows from which peat is extracted, which can occur after heavy rains;
2. the use of microbiologically contaminated substrate when composting diseased parts of plants and weeds; The seeds of some types of weeds remain viable for several decades.

Ideal soil parameters

Cucumbers grow wild in Asia, preferring subtropical forests. The soils there are light, saturated with moisture, a large volume of fallen leaves and organic residues release carbon dioxide when rotting, soils with neutral acidity or slightly alkaline.

Let's consider the necessary soil parameters according to 6 main points.

• Structure. Cucumber prefers light, moisture- and breathable loose soils. Medium and light loams, which have a high degree of aeration and are able to evenly distribute and retain water inside, are optimal for this.
• Humidity level. The optimal range is from 75% to 85%. You can check the soil moisture manually in a simple way: take a handful of soil from the top layer in your hand and squeeze tightly. If drops of water remain on the palm, it means the soil moisture is above 80%. If you get a strong lump with visible fingerprints, the humidity is in the range of 70–75%. If it is not possible to form a lump, the soil crumbles, the humidity is below 60%.
• Temperature. Cucumbers are early-ripening crops; they begin to bear fruit early, so for planting seedlings or sowing seeds, the soil must be warm - not lower than 18°C. If the temperature drops to 15°C or lower, the development of the root system stops.
• Acidity. Cucumbers do not tolerate soil acidification; they prefer soils with a pH level ranging from 6.2 to 6.8.
• Humus content. It is optimal if it is concentrated in the upper layers, which will provide the plant with the necessary conditions for growth and development. Cucumbers also prefer high microbiological activity.
• Nutrient content. The most important minerals are nitrogen, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. With a lack of nitrogen, the growth of the above-ground parts and root system stops. If there is not enough potassium, the plant weakens and is more easily susceptible to disease and frost. Phosphorus deficiency reduces harvest volume. When there is not enough magnesium, leaves may turn yellow and fall off, and fruit growth slows down.

The root system of cucumbers is undeveloped, superficial - less than 30 cm deep into the soil, does not penetrate. Therefore, the level of groundwater does not matter. Watering, fertilizing, and loosening should be carried out only in the top layer.

How to lime the soil and when: methods and timing of soil liming

It is best to lim the soil in the spring before planting crops or in the autumn before digging the bed so that the introduced substances do not remain on the surface. If spring liming is planned, then the procedure must be carried out no later than three weeks before planting.

Note! Dolomite flour can be used for liming even in winter - for this it is scattered on the fields directly on top of the snow cover.

Primary liming is carried out before planting table and fodder beets or cabbage. Other types of crops make it possible not to re-fertilize the soil with lime and alternate plantings, without reducing the effectiveness of the fertilizer.

During the season, part of the applied lime is lost, so repeated liming is carried out periodically (not necessarily every year). For the first time, such an amount of lime or dolomite flour is added to completely neutralize the acidity of the soil. Repeatedly - only small doses, constantly monitoring the acidity level and maintaining the optimal calcium and magnesium content.

How to properly fertilize the soil with lime:

• If the lime or dolomite mixture is not finely ground enough, it should be crushed to a powder state before being added to the soil.
• The finished composition is evenly distributed throughout the area.
• Manually or using agricultural machinery, mix lime with the soil at a depth of 20-25 cm. If the procedure is repeated and not the full amount of lime is applied, then the depth of the loosened soil should not exceed 4-6 cm.

How much and how to apply liming material depends on the type of soil, its acidity level and calcium content.
Autumn liming allows you to more accurately adjust the ratio of acids and alkalis in the soil, and the result will last for a longer period than when applying lime in the spring. Fertilizing with lime in the fall is also safer, since some compounds (for example, slaked lime or wood ash) are quite caustic and can damage plant roots upon direct contact. In this case, there is no need to deeply loosen the soil - after rain and snowfall, the mixtures naturally reach the required depth.

Banana Peel Fertilizer: (read more)

Liming is carried out only in dry weather, and there should not be a large amount of moisture in the soil. Please note! With correct preliminary calculations, a repeat procedure will need to be carried out no earlier than in 5-7 years.

In spring, chalk is used, scattering it directly on the snow. Melt water will carry chalk particles into the ground. It should be remembered that tomato seedlings can be planted 3 weeks after treatment.

Organic fertilizers that can increase soil acidity include ash. Since it does not contain nitrogen, ash can be applied to plants throughout the season. You only need to follow the dosage, applying it under the bush in small portions or in the form of a solution.

Green manure is considered an indispensable assistant in soil deoxidation. They can be planted throughout the growing season. In the spring, this happens before planting the main crops, in order to then add it to the soil and enrich it with nitrogen. In the fall, they are planted after harvesting and the bed is left in this form until winter.

Acidity regulation

Acidic soil is typical for low-lying areas with stagnant spring water. Acidity can also increase after seasons with increased rainfall, which wash away calcium and magnesium. Hydrogen ions begin to predominate in soil particles, increasing its acidity.

In such areas, plantain, wild rosemary, horsetail, speedwell and sorrel grow rapidly. When digging up the soil at a depth of 10-15 cm, you can find a light-colored layer resembling ash.

To determine the acidity of the soil, mix a semi-liquid solution of soil and distilled water, and immerse a strip of litmus paper in it for 2-3 seconds. To calculate acidity values, it is compared with the accompanying color scale.

Calcium carbonate is used to reduce soil acidity. It is found in ground limestone, chalk, cement dust, wood ash, dolomite and bone meal.

For the primary regulation of acidity, it is better to use ground limestone. Norms for its application per 1 sq. m. for different types of soil (pH How to prepare the soil for planting cucumbers

Soil preparation and arrangement of beds for greenhouses and open ground are the same. The only difference is in the preparatory work.

Greenhouse treatment

Most gardeners do not have the opportunity to observe crop rotation in the greenhouse, so after harvesting, the depleted soil with manure that has rotted over the summer is completely removed from the room and distributed on the site of future beds. The exception is places where pumpkin crops are planted.

If for some reason a complete replacement of the soil is not possible, it must be disinfected.

In the fall, all plant residues are collected and burned. The internal surfaces of the greenhouse are washed with a 2% formaldehyde solution (40%). It is advisable to fumigate the greenhouse with sulfur.

Open ground

In open ground, you need to constantly change the place for growing cucumbers, returning the crop back only after 3-4 years. The best predecessors are tomatoes, cabbage, peas. Do not plant after pumpkin crops.

A place for the garden bed is selected that is well-lit, protected from drafts and cold northern winds. In the fall, the site is dug up, removing all plant waste.

When do you need green manure?

In a greenhouse and in open ground, when there is no replacement soil, you can sow green manure plants. The best option is white mustard. It should be sown immediately after harvesting the cucumber plants. After 3-4 weeks, a sufficient vegetative mass is formed, which is embedded in the soil to the depth of a spade bayonet.

Mustard will destroy and remove from the soil most of the cucumber root secretions that have accumulated over the season.

In addition, it produces a kind of compost in the soil, rich in proteins and minerals. A system of root tubules is created in the soil, which improves its mechanical properties.

Dead mustard roots attract worms and microbes, which produce nitrogen during their life processes. Additionally, the soil is protected from erosion and swelling.

In the video, the author shows his method of preparing soil and beds for sowing cucumbers.

Arranging a garden bed

Cucumber is one of the few plants that can and is even recommended to be grown in fresh manure. When laying manure, you need to take into account that the root layer of plants reaches a depth of 20 cm. Therefore, on the surface of the manure there should be a 25-30 cm layer of fertile soil.

In such a bed, a heat-loving crop is not afraid of cooling of the roots when the air temperature drops sharply at night or insufficient heating of the soil when planting early in greenhouses.

To arrange a garden bed in a selected area, mark its boundaries. The width should be such that the gardener can freely reach the plants with both hands. You cannot even lean on boards laid on top of the beds. Cucumber does not tolerate the slightest compaction of the soil.

A trench 50-60 cm deep is dug across the area of ​​the bed. In the spring, two weeks before planting, it is filled with fresh manure. Cover the top with garden soil and fertilize.

Adding minerals

Fertilizers for cucumbers begin to be applied two weeks before transplanting seedlings or sowing seeds.

For 1 sq. m of cucumber ridge are added:

Fertilizers are evenly scattered on the soil surface and the bed is dug up. After this, pour water at a rate of 10 liters per 1 square meter. m.

A week later, 30 g of ammonium nitrate is added per 1 square meter. m. The bed is dug up again and spilled with water. After this, we can assume that the soil is completely ready for planting cucumbers.

What types of cucumbers are there?

The first thing you need to pay attention to when choosing seeds is what type they are. Cucumbers can be varietal or hybrid (marked with the symbol F1, which means the first generation of crossing varietal species)

Many summer residents prefer certain varieties of cucumbers because they love their taste and know the secrets of growing them. After all, varietal cucumbers retain their excellent taste for years. Their seeds can be collected and planted in subsequent years. In addition, they are less whimsical and tolerate temperature changes more easily - ideal for Sunday gardening.

The disadvantages of varietal plants include the following:

• not resistant to diseases;
• often bitter;
• give an unpredictable harvest;
• cross-pollinate with other varieties.

Hybrids produce equally beautiful fruits. They are immune to many pests and have high productivity. However, the seeds of a hybrid cucumber lose their parental properties, turning into a varietal plant.

Disadvantages of hybrids:

• demanding on air temperature, soil composition, watering;
• need abundant feeding;
• are more expensive than varietal ones.

Cucumbers can set fruit with or without the participation of bees. Varietal representatives are usually bee-pollinated. This makes it difficult to cultivate them in greenhouses and greenhouses. To allow insects access, open the greenhouse often and remove covering material. Pollination can be carried out with a brush, transferring pollen from the male flower (stamen) to the female flower (pistil).

The vast majority of hybrids are self-fertile and form an ovary without outside help. They are also called parthenocarpic, or self-pollinating.

According to the ripening period - the time from the first shoots to the appearance of greens - cucumbers are divided into early, middle and late.

Cucumbers also vary in size, skin thickness, and taste. They can be smooth or pimply, for salads or preparations, cold-resistant, shade-tolerant, with bunched fruits and even white-fruited.

Buying seeds is an important step. Choose varieties that are suitable for your summer cottage conditions, based on your intentions for further use. Carefully read the description on the packaging.

We buy soil

Store-bought ready-made soil for seedlings

Let's look at some useful tips from experienced summer residents on what you need to know when buying store-bought soil for cucumber seedlings:

Types of store soil

There are many varieties of store-bought soil.

Ready-made store-bought primer is convenient and doesn’t take much time. But not all of them are used in their pure form: some are ready immediately for planting, others require the addition of fertilizers, and others are used as an additive to the main mixture.

Let's look at the most popular of them:

There is no point in listing all the varieties of soil ready for planting and additives to the soil mixture. Any neighboring summer resident will advise you which soil is better. And also sales consultants will tell you what is worth taking for testing.

Peat tablets

Peat tablets for growing seedlings

Peat tablets are a relatively recent invention and their cost is several times higher than soil in bags, but gardeners appreciate their convenience. They are easy to use, there is no need to disinfect them, and it is convenient to transplant the grown seedlings.

Such tablets consist of compressed peat or coconut fiber, which have equivalent properties. They are packaged in a paper shell or natural mesh, which are impregnated with special agents against diseases and pests.

Advice! You should not buy peat tablets without a shell, since when they swell, it will not be a container, but a handful of wet peat.

The tablets come in different sizes and are purchased depending on the seed size of your plant. They also have different acidity, which is usually indicated on the packaging of the tablets, so when buying tablets, carefully study the label.

Peat cups

A variety of peat cups for seedlings

Peat cups are more popular than peat tablets, as they are even more convenient. Most often they are used when picking seedlings. They are good because they are created from environmentally friendly natural materials and decompose well in the ground, leaving no traces.

Their advantages include their strength and environmental friendliness. They are porous, allowing air and moisture to easily penetrate. This advantage allows the roots to breathe well and not sour. Replanting to a permanent place is done together with a glass, so the roots remain intact and unharmed.

But peat cups also have some disadvantages: they are cheap varieties. Due to the low price, their quality also suffers; they get wet and can become moldy. All types of peat cups have the problem of rapid water absorption, so they need to be watered more often.

Harvesting

At the end of July - beginning of August, it is time to harvest cucumbers. And although, at first glance, there is nothing complicated here, I will dwell on some points.

1. Greens should be harvested on time. An overstaying cucumber takes away food from its younger brothers. It itself loses taste and usefulness. The load on the entire plant increases, and the total duration of its fruiting decreases.
2. When picking fruits, it is easy to damage the vine. This can lead to the death of the plant. Do not pull the cucumber, but gently press the stem with your thumb. Part of the stalk should remain on the fruit - this way it will be better preserved.
3. It is recommended to harvest early in the morning. The greens will be fresh and plump. Because cucumbers grow at night. During the day, they absorb minerals, become saturated with carbon dioxide, and bask in the sun.
4. Carry out sanitary cleaning of the plant. Along with good cucumbers, remove diseased, damaged, rotten fruits.

Fertilizing cucumbers

The amount of nutrients (in a form easily accessible to the plant) in the ground should be sufficient, since the root system of cucumbers is located in the upper layers of the soil and is characterized by a relatively high rate of their consumption.

During a short growing season, cucumbers produce not only a powerful leaf apparatus, but also a lot of fruits. That is why it is necessary to introduce a sufficient amount of organic matter , which, when decomposing, supplies the roots with additional portions of carbon dioxide.

Organic fertilizers for cucumbers

Fresh manure is most often applied to cucumber beds in the fall. Transforming into humus, it structures the soil, loosening heavy clay soils and binding sandy ones. If the soil in the garden is heavy clay or loamy, slowly warming up, then it is advisable to incorporate fresh manure into it 30-50 days before sowing the seeds (immediately after the snow melts) - this leads to rapid heating. On soils well fertilized with organic matter, the effectiveness of mineral fertilizers increases several times.

Manure contains the following useful elements: nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium. The rates for applying fresh manure in autumn vary depending on the quality of the soil from 6 to 9 kg/sq.m. m (light soils require less, heavy soils require more).

In the spring, shortly before sowing, humus is added to the soil at the rate of about 4 kg per square meter. meter. It is also advisable to use compost as a fertilizer in spring.

Adding peat makes sense only on heavy, damp soils, as this improves the structure and its physical properties.

Mineral fertilizers for cucumbers

When cultivating cucumbers, mineral fertilizers and ash , which can act as a complete replacement for potassium compounds. Ash is covered at a rate of about 200 grams per square meter. meter. Mineral fertilizers must be added when digging up the soil in spring: ammonium nitrate - 15 g/sq.m. m, superphosphate – 40 g/sq. m, potassium salt (in the absence of ash) – 25 g/sq. m.

If you use complex fertilizers , then when adding them you should follow the instructions and dosages indicated on the package. Most of the minerals are added immediately before sowing or when sowing seedlings and seeds in holes, and the rest is added in the form of liquid root dressings.

Preparing the soil for planting seedlings

The best soil for growing cucumbers is considered to have a high moisture content. Loamy soils are the best type. Sandy ones are best avoided, as the plants simply won’t have enough water. Cucumbers love warm air and bright sunlight.

It is better to plant them in flat areas. At higher elevations there will not be enough moisture, since it will flow into the lowlands, while lowland areas, on the contrary, accumulate too much water, which can lead to rotting of the roots.

Also, in the lowlands the air temperature will be slightly lower, and cucumbers love warmth. Therefore, it is recommended to plant cucumbers at the end of May.

When planting cucumbers, it is better to avoid sandy soils.

What kind of soil do cucumbers like?

Before planting cucumbers, choose an area with suitable soil or make the soil yourself . The soil should be light, nutritious, well-permeable to moisture and air, and free from silver inclusions in the form of salts.

Reference! The cucumber has a shallow root system, so when choosing and preparing the soil, you need to pay attention to the characteristics of its upper layers.

For this crop, soil with the following parameters is suitable::

The crop grows best on sandy and loamy soils . The ideal soil for cucumbers should include:

The table shows which soils are suitable for growing cucumbers:

Temperature in summer

(at a depth of 20 cm)

What cucumbers don't like

Cucumbers do not yield in alkaline soils with high pH levels . They also do not like dry and heavy soil. In the table you can see unsuitable soils for planting cucumbers:

(at a depth of 20 cm)

Soil liming

If the soil on your site has high acidity, then it should be limed (deoxidized) using dolomite flour, ground limestone, or tuff. This stage of work is carried out in the fall during digging.

The simultaneous application of fresh manure and lime is not allowed - this leads to a chemical reaction, which results in the loss of valuable nitrogen.

During autumn liming of the soil, which is carried out every 4-5 years, rotted manure is applied in the spring. Plant waste ash is not only a natural potassium-phosphorus fertilizer, but also a means of reducing soil acidity.

Time to plant cucumbers in open ground with seeds and seedlings

The timing of planting cucumbers depends on the climate of the region and the variety of the plant itself.

Cucumber seeds should be sown in open ground after the soil has warmed up to +15..+17 degrees at a depth of 10 cm. In cold soil, the planting material will take a long time to germinate or even rot. It is difficult to say the exact sowing time:

1. In the Moscow region and central Russia, seeds can begin to be sown from early to mid-May (depending on the weather).
2. In the Urals and Siberia, it is recommended to grow cucumbers in greenhouses and greenhouses under film. Seeds can be sown in open ground only at the end of May - the first half of June.
3. In the Krasnodar Territory and other warm regions, seeds can be planted in beds as early as April.

Cucumber seedlings are planted later , when warm weather sets in, frosts pass and the soil warms up to +20..+24 degrees. In regions with a warm climate, this can be done already at the beginning of May, in central Russia - from the middle of the last month, and in Siberia and more northern regions, it is better to plant cucumber seedlings in the ground in June.

According to popular belief, cucumbers can be sown in open ground when peonies and viburnum are in bloom. And when the acacia and lilac bloom, you can plant seedlings in the garden bed.

To grow in a garden bed without shelter, you need to choose zoned varieties that are suitable for your region.