Preparing the soil for cucumbers in a greenhouse in the spring: what kind of soil do you like, what to treat with

Landing Features

When planting cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse, it is worth considering some features of this process:

Cultivation is carried out in two stages. In this case, seedlings are planted in early spring. Cucumbers are harvested at the end of July.
If we are talking about cultivation in one stage, then the seedlings need to be prepared and planted in the beds at the end of winter. Cleaning ends at the end of autumn. Of course, you should pay attention to weather conditions.

If planting cucumber seedlings is planned in the spring, then cultivation should be reduced to one stage. Work is carried out in early April. As for the harvest, it is received already in early autumn. Of course, to achieve such a result, you need to take the right approach to caring for the crop and know what cucumbers like in the greenhouse.

How to prepare the soil for planting cucumbers

Growing cucumbers in a greenhouse

At the end of autumn the area is dug up. In the spring, it is recommended to duplicate the digging. Manure and fertilizers are added to the soil. For 1 m2 of soil, 1 liter of manure dissolved in water is used.

You should also not forget about the use of mineral fertilizers, which are applied in the spring. You can enhance the effect of fertilizing by applying them not at once, but at short intervals. Afterwards, experienced gardeners recommend cultivating and compacting with a light roller.

The best predecessors for growing cucumbers are:

onion,
potato,
tomatoes,
cabbage.

If we talk about plants after which it is not recommended to grow cucumbers, these include:

watermelon,
potato,
melon,
squash.

These plants deplete the soil, making it poor and infertile.

Wood chips are a good way to prepare soil

What kind of soil do cucumbers like?

For this crop, the best option would be loamy or sandy loamy soil. As for acidic soils, they are not suitable for planting cucumbers . The acidity of the soil mixture is important. Neutral soil is considered the ideal solution. Soil with weak acidity is also suitable for cucumbers.

Important point: reducing soil acidity

Simultaneously with soil disinfection, it is very important to equalize its acid-base balance. If the soil is acidic, then, even if sterile, it is susceptible to diseases such as clubroot and gray leg. To normalize the soil acidity level to 6.5–7, the following means are used:

dolomite flour;
slaked lime;
ash;
chalk;
hydrogel;
perlite, vermiculite;
humus tablets.

Do not forget to deoxidize the soil before planting seedlings, otherwise diseases can develop very quickly even in sterile soil.

How to determine acidity

When preparing the soil in a greenhouse, it is necessary to conduct an analysis to determine the level of acidity. If the analysis shows a value of 7, then you can safely start planting plants. As already mentioned, soil acidity is of great importance for the growth and development of the plant. Not to mention the fertility of the crop. The pattern here is quite simple. The higher the indicator, the higher the likelihood of normal plant development. But, at the same time, too high acidity of the soil negatively affects growth.

This requires expert judgment. To do this, you need to seek help from a specialized laboratory. The analysis is carried out using a special Alyamovsky device. If desired and possible, you can purchase this device, which will allow you to determine the condition of the soil at any time. Of course, this option is suitable for farmers who grow cucumbers on a large scale.

An equally popular option is to use special litmus paper. It can be found in a store that sells chemical reagents. Soil analysis is carried out in the following sequence:

cut off the top layer of humus 30 cm thick;
moisten it with distilled water;
Wrap part of the mixture in paper and knead.

As a result, the paper will change shade. The color is compared with a control scale. Next, by coincidence, the acidity of the soil is determined.

Soil requirements

First you need to choose the area where the cucumbers will grow. It is advisable that it be turned to the south, because these vegetables love a sunny place without drafts. It is necessary to take into account what previous crops were grown here. It’s good if it was potatoes, tomatoes, cauliflower, root vegetables, legumes. You should not plant greens in the place where zucchini, squash, and eggplant grew. After them, microorganisms accumulate in the soil, which will then lead to plant disease.

The land for planting cucumbers should be:

loose;
structured;
fertile.

Therefore, in open areas it is better to choose light loamy or sandy soils that have good water permeability. It is important that they contain a large amount of humus. Cold peat-bog soils are considered completely unsuitable for growing cucumbers. They contain little phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and other trace elements. Peat soil warms up slowly in the spring and cools quickly in the fall.

Acceptable soil acidity for cucumbers is 6-7 units. At a pH level of 6-6.1 units, the greatest yield of the plant is observed. After all, such acidity levels contribute to the formation of the maximum number of female flowers.

Cucumbers prefer moist soil, so they require frequent watering. 75-85% soil moisture is the optimal indicator for cultivating the crop.

The soil temperature before planting cucumbers is also important. It should be approximately equal to the air temperature or 2-3˚C lower. The best indicator for seed germination is 25-28˚C, at which seedlings appear in 3 days. At temperatures below 14˚C, the crop stops growing. Indicators above 40˚С will be critical.

Greenhouse preparation

Before planting cucumbers, it is necessary to carry out a number of preparatory work. And this applies not only to the soil, but also to the greenhouse itself. If a crop is planted in one place from year to year, then you should not hope for a good harvest. This problem can be solved in different ways. So, if there is such an opportunity, then the greenhouse is moved to another place. This method is used in the case of mobile structures. The problem can also be solved by changing or updating the soil.

After harvesting, the soil is cultivated and the greenhouse is disinfected. For this purpose, chloride of lime is used. Each crack is thoroughly coated with the sediment of the used solution. After this, the soil is dug up and thoroughly sprinkled with lime in powder form. In the spring, before planting, the top layer is removed, and then the area is dug up.

If we are talking about a rack greenhouse, then a complete change of soil is carried out here. Spent humus is thrown away. Cow dung is placed on the bottom of the containers. The thickness of the pillow is approximately 10 cm. New soil is poured on top of it. The work is carried out in several stages. First, 10 cm of soil is poured, and after a few days another 15 cm is added.

Common mistakes

Despite the disinfection of the soil, plants may become sick, grow poorly and die. What's the matter? Let's look at the 10 most common mistakes made when growing seedlings.

Poor quality seed material. It is important to choose only high-quality seeds, otherwise they may simply not germinate or the plants will grow weak.
Wrong choice of container. The container may not be suitable for seedlings if it is too crowded, large, poorly drained or loose.
No seed treatment. A significant part of diseases is transmitted not only from soil, but also from plant seeds.
Failure to meet growing deadlines. If you neglect the recommended time for growing seedlings, the plants will grow weak and simply will not take root when transplanted.
Planting seeds too deep. If the soil is too deep, only a few seeds will germinate. The optimal depth should not exceed 2 seed diameters.
Thickened seeding. The seeds must be located at a sufficient distance from each other, otherwise the seedlings will not have enough space for normal development.
Watering after sowing. It is necessary to water the soil before sowing. If you do this later, the seeds will go deeper into the ground and will germinate less well.
Violation of temperature, lighting, watering and other growing conditions. It is important to remember that young seedlings are especially sensitive to temperature changes, excessive dry soil or excessive watering. It is also important to provide sufficient lighting, otherwise the seedlings will quickly stretch out.
Late pick. In order for the above-ground part to develop evenly, the plant must be pruned as soon as the second true leaf appears.
Overgrown seedlings. Such seedlings are more difficult to take root and may break during transplantation.

Read also: Tree peonies planting and care in open ground in Siberia
Disinfection of the soil is not for the lazy. But if you leave the cultivation of seedlings to chance and do not take basic measures, you can ruin all your work. To prevent this from happening, the dacha season must be opened in advance, and it should begin with cultivating the soil for seedlings.

There are many ways to disinfect soil; you can steam it, harden it, freeze it, or treat it with a chemical. However, they all have their own nuances and disadvantages. Therefore, in order to grow strong and healthy seedlings, you need to carefully study all the information and correctly apply it in practice.

How to cultivate the soil in a greenhouse

Spring soil preparation is carried out very carefully. Particular attention is paid to the choice of soil base for cucumbers. It must have the following qualities:

good throughput and absorption capacity;
high fertility;
acceptable acidity level.

The best option here would be to use humus, as well as turf soil. Peat, humus, and field soil are used as substrates. If we are talking about adding nutritional components, then the base can be made from all components in the following ratio:

peat – 50%;
humus – 30%;
field soil – 20%.

To increase the yield several times, experts recommend adding tree bark to the peat, which can first be crushed. Rotted tree leaves are also often used instead.

When planting cucumbers in glass structures, hot biofuel is often used. A laying of this substance is made in mid-spring. Biofuel is laid in a 30 cm thick cushion. Immediately before planting, the soil is treated with lime fluff. Wood ash is also used for this. The next step is to cover the pillow with film. This will release harmful gases that negatively affect plant growth.

Feeding and further development of seedlings

Regularly applied nutrients increase the yield of the vegetable. Add a mixture consisting of ammonium nitrate (30 g per 1 m²) and potassium sulfate (50 g per 1 m²). Violation of the given proportions will negatively affect the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil. The formation of the bed is carried out using a tape, wide-row method, taking into account the size of the greenhouse. In the middle type design, the following rules are adhered to:

between rows 75-80 cm;
if the tape method is chosen, then the distance between the rows is 40 cm;
track width: 30 cm;
distance between seedlings: 20-25 cm.

It is impossible to place seedlings closer to each other, otherwise the risk of pest attack and disease development increases. Having placed the vegetable in the beds, water the ground with water at room temperature. Too cold or hot liquid will weaken the bush's immunity.

How to prepare a bed

When growing cucumbers in a greenhouse, mid-level beds are often used. They are formed using the wide-row and strip method. In the first case, the distance between the rows is 0.8 m. As for the strip formation, here the gap is half as much - 0.4 m. Such a bed for cucumbers will allow you to harvest more crops.

Method No. 1 “Folk wisdom”

a) Freezing

A simple and generally effective method of pre-planting soil treatment. The soil in bags is taken out into the cold (temperature below -10... -15C) for 5-7 days. You can use the freezer (-18C). Then they are brought into the heat until completely defrosted, the eggs and larvae of insects are given the opportunity to “wake up from hibernation”, and then again into the cold. For maximum effect, it is advisable to perform such cycles at least 2-3 times. However, this method does not allow you to get rid of phytopathogens - fungi and bacteria.

b) Thermal method (high temperature)

The soil is treated with high temperatures using two methods:

- calcination (the soil is poured with boiling water, mixed, laid out on a baking sheet in a layer of 5-7 cm, calcined for 30-40 minutes in the oven at a temperature of +100 ... +120 C);

- steaming (place the soil in bags on a wire rack over boiling water, the so-called “water bath”, and steam for 1.5-2 hours).

“Folk methods” of land disinfection are effective, but have a main and significant drawback - the destruction of beneficial microflora. Today, biological products have been developed and are successfully used that easily solve this issue. These methods are recommended to be used in conjunction with chemical and biological methods of soil disinfection.

Feeding cucumbers

Before sowing this crop in a greenhouse, special attention should be paid to fertilizing. A common option here is to use ash. With its help, you can significantly increase crop productivity. But, in addition to this, cucumbers need feeding using other fertilizers that have a certain effect. If the bed is prepared and fertilized correctly, the harvest will be very good.

In the first weeks after planting in prepared soil, cucumbers do not need fertilizer. Here it will be enough to use nitrogen feed. Phosphorus supplementation is applied before inflorescences appear. During the period of flowering and fruit formation, plants begin to consume large amounts of nutrients. Therefore, the culture must be processed very carefully. Fertilizers are applied a month after planting the seedlings. This will create a supply of nutrients that are necessary for the normal development of plants.

To begin with, experts recommend using nitrogen-potassium fertilizers. This is quite enough at the initial stage of growing the crop. It is better to fertilize vegetable gardens in the evening. After adding the substance, the plant is watered with warm water. Additionally, fertile soil is added under the root. It is worth noting here that greenhouse seedlings absorb liquid fertilizers better.

In addition to nitrogen fertilizers, cow and bird droppings, as well as manure, are widely used for fertilizing. To increase the effectiveness of the substance, they are combined with mineral fertilizers.

You can increase the yield of cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse by increasing the level of carbon dioxide in the air. To do this, you simply need to place a barrel half filled with manure in a closed space. Add water to the top. The contents of the barrel are stirred daily. After a few days, fermentation begins, which is accompanied by the release of carbon dioxide. The contents are subsequently used as fertilizer.

Preparing the soil for cucumbers in a greenhouse in the spring must be done very carefully. Here we are talking not only about updating or enriching the soil, but also about preparing the structure itself. Therefore, you need to approach this work very carefully.

Determination of soil composition and condition

Not all vegetable growers have special equipment to determine the mechanical components of the soil. Therefore, to determine the type of soil at a summer cottage or in a greenhouse, a manual method is used. A handful of soil is slightly moistened with water. Then they roll it into a cord and, if possible, roll it into a ring.

Depending on the result, the type of soil is determined:

sand and sandy loam quickly disintegrate into small grains, preventing the formation of a figure;
light loam falls into pieces when the earth is rolled into a cord;
medium loam can be rolled into a cord, but it is impossible to roll it into a cord;
a ring can be formed from heavy loam, on the surface of which cracks then appear;
Alumina produces a smooth ring.

Alumina and heavy loam

Cucumbers do not grow in soil that is too heavy and dense. It does not allow air to reach the roots, so the plant dries out over time. For planting cucumbers, heavy soil is pre-prepared. In the fall, the soil is fertilized with manure or compost with a high straw content. In the first year, 15 kg are applied for every 1 m². Then the amount of organic matter is reduced to 5.5 kg per 1 m² in the third year. The fertilizer is not embedded deep into the soil, leaving it on the surface. Otherwise it will turn into peat. After planting, the beds are often loosened to improve air access to the roots.

Medium to light loam

This soil is best suited for planting cucumbers. It has an ideal structure to maintain optimal levels of humidity and temperature. If the site has medium-heavy loam, it is enough to fertilize the soil with compost or manure in the fall, distributing 5.5 kg of organic matter per 1 m².

Sand

Despite its lightness, sandy soil is not suitable for cultivating cucumbers. It does not retain moisture, so all nutrients go deep. Sand has high thermal conductivity. Therefore, it heats up very much during the day and cools down quickly at night, creating a strong temperature difference.

Improving the quality of sandy soil is possible in the following ways:

Per 1 m² of greenhouse soil, add 1 bucket of peat and 2 buckets of rotted manure in the fall.
Claying is carried out every 2-3 years. To do this, add 0.75 buckets of powdered clay and 0.75 buckets of compost or rotted manure per 1 m² of soil in a greenhouse or greenhouse. Then the soil is dug up.

Peaty-swampy soil

Waterlogged, fibrous soil is not suitable for growing cucumbers. Due to the large amount of peat, the soil is too acidic. In such soil, normal plant development is impossible. To improve fertile qualities, step-by-step preparation is necessary:

Drainage ditches are dug on the site to dry the soil;
per 1 m² of soil add 1 bucket of powdered clay, 1.5 kg of crushed chalk or lime, 0.5 bucket of sand;
dig up the soil 20 cm;
To stimulate the formation of humus, an additional 1 kg of humus or manure is added per 1 m² of soil.

Sandy loam

Such land is easy to cultivate. It warms up well and easily allows moisture and air to pass through. Therefore, humus quickly forms in it. The disadvantage of sandy loam is that it cools quickly at night. Due to its light structure, minerals are washed out of it at an accelerated rate. To get a good harvest on a site with sandy loam soil, it is enriched with fresh manure in the fall. It is enough to add 10 kg of organic matter per 1 m².

Method number 3. Biological soil disinfection

Examples of biofungicides for soil disinfection
This treatment involves the use of biofungicides (bactericides) to suppress phytopathogens.

Among the common and frequently used biological products:

"Fitosporin-M, Zh, P, PS";
“Alirin-B, Zh, SP, Tab”;
"Gamair, KS, SP, Tab";
"Glyokladin, Tab";
"Trichodermin" / "Trichoderma veride".

A separate material on the website “TOP-5 best biological products for soil disinfection” provides a comparative analysis, regulations for the use of biofungicides, etc.

It is important to note that all biofungicides have powerful anti-stress and immunostimulating properties. Their use not only revives beneficial soil microflora, but also significantly reduces the number of repeated infections of plants with bacterial and fungal infections.

Method number 2. Chemical soil treatment

a) Use of insecticides

In this case, chemical insecticides are used against soil-dwelling pests, their larvae, eggs and other insect pests. Among the recommended drugs: “Aktara”, “Inta-Vir”, “Thunder”, “Iskra”, “Imidor”, “Tabu”, “Commander” ", etc. A separate group includes insecticides against soil-dwelling pests based on the organophosphorus active ingredient diazinon, for example, "Medvegon", "Vallar", etc.

"Aktara" is an insecticide (thiamethoxam, 25%). The soil is spilled once, dosage 1 ml/10 l. water. Repeated treatments by spraying plants are possible if aphids, thrips, soil flies, and fungus gnats are detected. Consumption rate 10 l./10m2 (250 pots).

More information about the drug "Aktara"

“Golden Spark” is a universal systemic drug (imidacloprid, 20-25%) against a number of common pests. Dosage 5ml/10 l. water. Plants are sprayed with an aqueous working solution when pests are detected. When using tablets, the tablets are applied to the soil under the plants in soil that has been previously spilled with water (1-2 tablets/10 liters of soil).

More information about the drug "Iskra Zolotaya"

b) Soil oxidation with potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate)

Manganese does an excellent job of disinfecting small amounts of soil.

Dosage 3–5 g/10 l. water. The soil is watered 7-14 days before sowing seeds or planting seedlings, at the rate of 50 ml/1 m2.

This method can be used to disinfect chernozem and soddy-carbonate soil, and is not advisable for soddy-podzolic acidic soil.

Soil mixtures for cucumber seedlings

Cucumbers are an annual crop, and in the middle zone it is much more efficient to grow some varieties through seedlings in order to be able to harvest earlier harvests. To grow seedlings, you can prepare various earthen mixtures, depending on the availability of the components:

Sod or leaf soil + peat or humus + sand or perlite (1:1:1).
Sod and leaf soil + humus + river sand or vermiculite (3:3:1).
Sod soil + humus + sand (2:2:1) + about two cups of wood ash per bucket of mixture.
Sod soil + humus (1:1) + one glass of wood ash per bucket of mixture.
Garden soil + universal soil + river sand (1:1:1).

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