Growing cucumbers on the windowsill: rules and secrets

Every person has a gardener and a gardener. With the arrival of the first spring heat, everyone is drawn to the dacha, to the village, to the garden. It's nice to dig in the fresh soil, breathe in its aroma and throw the first seeds on the garden bed. But not everyone is lucky to meet spring on their own piece of land. Many townspeople do not have time for a trip to the garden or their own garden. This is fixable. If it is not possible to go to the garden, then it can be built at home on the balcony or windowsill... Small homemade beds can be grown radish, green onions, tomatoes, cucumbers. The latter vegetable requires special attention and care. To get a rich harvest, you need to know how to properly grow cucumbers on the windowsill and balcony and do not harm the plant. Due to inexperience, its tender sprouts can be destroyed within a few hours. But if you choose the right land mixture, capacity, variety, adhere to the temperature regime, then the green liana will thank you with tender, crispy cucumbers.

The best varieties of cucumbers for growing on a windowsill

If you choose the right varieties of cucumbers, then on the windowsill you can get a harvest that is much richer than what a neighbor grows up in the country. Lovers of home gardening should pay attention to the F1 hybrids:

• Natasha F1;
• Marinda F1;
• Masha F1;
• Spring F1.

The last variety can be safely called a cucumber masterpiece of Moldovan breeders. For several decades, he successfully pleases his owners with generous fruiting, resistance to diseases.

Of the usual varieties for indoor growing, cucumbers are suitable:

• Thumb Boy;
• Smear;
• Stella.

They are light-requiring and require cross-pollination, but they have high yields, resistance to diseases in an enclosed space.

Parthenocarpic hybrids are the best varieties of cucumbers for planting on the windowsill, as they set fruits regardless of the weather, temperature fluctuations, sunlight, have a large number of female self-pollinated inflorescences, do not require special conditions of detention.

The main rules for healthy cucumber seedlings

The key to a rich harvest - quality seedlings... In order for the seeds to sprout quickly, several important rules must be followed:

• The sowing soil must always be sterilized. You should not trust purchased mixtures: they can be infected with bacteria and pests. The earth should be good for air and absorb moisture. It is good if the soil does not contain many trace elements. At this stage, the plant does not need them in large quantities. Best suited for sowing cucumbers peat mix and river sand.
• Do not plant freshly picked cucumber seeds. Such plants are dominated by male flowers that do not set fruit. Five-year-old seeds produce the largest number of female inflorescences.
• The seeds, covered with a special multi-colored shell, germinate much later and require constant moisture. If the soil is overdried or underfilled, the plant may die while still in the soil.
• Seedlings are best grown in small cups or peat tablets, and after the appearance of the third true leaf, transplant into a large container.
• The optimum temperature for the emergence of seedlings is 22 degrees with high humidity.To achieve a similar effect, you need to spray the room three times a day, or keep a damp cloth under the cups with seedlings.
• After the first shoots appear, it is necessary to slightly lower the room temperature, humidity, and increase the amount of sunlight.
• So that young shoots do not stretch out, it is necessary backlight fluorescent lamp. The help of lamps is also necessary before laying the buds on cloudy days (hybrids can do without backlighting).
• Watering with warm, settled water will help the plant absorb moisture faster.

After the appearance of the first true leaf, the seedlings can be fed with liquid nitrogen, potash fertilizer... It is important to ensure that water and liquid with trace elements do not get on the leaf during the daytime. A drop of moisture can cause burns.

Dishes for planting cucumbers

To grow cucumbers on the windowsill, you need to choose the right container. Then the plant will feel comfortable all season. Cucumber roots are located shallow from the soil surface and love to be warmed by the sun, watered by warm rain. A 5-liter plastic bucket or pot will suffice for one plant. It's good if its width predominates over its height.

Care rules

Even inexperienced gardeners can follow the rules for caring for cucumbers on the windowsill. The main thing is to follow the instructions clearly and not rely on "maybe":

• Cucumbers love diffused sunlight. On the south window, their leaves will burn from the heat, and on the west - the stems will stretch out, most of the fruits will have a characteristic, pear-shaped shape.
• It is better to water the plants after sunset or in cloudy weather under the root, along the edges of the pot.
• The soil for adult plants can be similar to that used for sowing seeds, with the addition of potash, phosphorus, nitrogen fertilizers, wood ash... When landing in a permanent location, drainage should be built. If there is no expanded clay at hand, then you can use ordinary pebbles or break ordinary foam into small pieces.
• After the appearance of the fifth leaf, the plant needs support. You can stretch a special mesh along the window or tie up whip with ropes. The trellis net on the windowsill looks aesthetically pleasing and is a good support during fruiting.
• In summer, the biggest problem when growing cucumbers on the windowsill is the heat: the percentage of humidity indoors and outdoors decreases, the earthen mixture dries quickly even with frequent watering. Mulching potted soil will help keep the root system from overheating and retain water. Chopped bark, straw, sphagnum moss, sawdust, fresh grass are suitable for mulch.
• When growing non-hybrid varieties, it is recommended to pinch off the top of the plant after 7–8 leaves. This technique will give an impetus to the growth of side shoots, on which a greater percentage of female flowers are located.
• Proper care and cultivation of cucumbers is not only timely watering, quality soil, fertilization, but also the regular harvest. In order for the plant to bear fruit at full strength, it is necessary to collect greens every day. Then he will have the strength to bloom abundantly and set new fruits.

In addition to these recommendations, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the plants, observe how they develop, whether there are signs of diseases and check the quality of the soil in the container.

Growing problems

It seems that the plants in the room are protected from all diseases and pests, but gardeners often face problems against which the most effective drugs are powerless. In most cases, this is a violation of agricultural practices or a lack of trace elements.

The most common question for many novice gardeners is: why do cucumbers on the windowsill turn yellow leaves?
There are several reasons, but if there are no signs of infection with powdery mildew, then this may be untimely watering, stagnation of moisture in the soil (an unpleasant odor from the pot and small black flies appears) or a lack of nitrogen.

When you do everything right, adhere to the advice of experienced colleagues, it is difficult to understand why the cucumbers have set, but do not grow. A similar situation is observed when the temperature drops below +16 or in extreme heat. Then the plant sheds fruits or inhibits their growth in order to maintain strength.

Everyone can grow cucumbers on the windowsill. The main thing is not to be afraid to make a mistake and love the business you are doing. And the reward for the efforts will be new knowledge and crispy cucumbers for lunch.

Read also the article: how to properly grow cucumbers in a greenhouse?

Cucumbers on the windowsill - video