The lack of a summer cottage does not mean that you will not have the opportunity to eat independently grown vegetables. After all, right on the balcony or loggia you can plant your favorite cucumbers and other crops. To do this, it is enough just to properly prepare the room and choose special varieties of plants that are well suited for growing at home. In this review, we will figure out how to plant cucumbers on the balcony.
Pick the seeds
If you have decided to plant a garden directly at home, then for a start decide on the variety of cucumbers. In this case, it should be borne in mind that there are no natural pollinators on the balcony. Also an important factor in a limited space is the yield indicator. For home beds, cucumber varieties for the balcony are best suited, which allow you to collect the maximum amount of vegetables from a small area.
What else should you know? Choosing varieties of cucumbers for the balcony and window sill, you can buy species that require pollination, such as "Manula" or "Marathon". However, in this case, next to them you will need to plant self-pollinating varieties. The ratio of these plants should be 5: 1. Be sure to keep in mind that this option is more suitable for experienced gardeners who are well versed in all the intricacies of growing vegetables. If this is your first experience, then it is better to give preference to proven hybrids. In addition to the proper selection of varieties, special attention should also be paid to the soil, pots, top dressing. The future harvest of cucumbers will depend simultaneously on many factors.
Garden on the loggia: the main stages
How to grow cucumbers on the balcony at home? Far from everywhere it is possible to equip the beds. This culture requires a certain climate. It is thermophilic and does not tolerate drafts. Before sowing cucumbers, you must carefully examine the territory on which you are going to create a garden. Most likely, the walls of the balcony will need to be insulated. You will also need additional ventilation. For balconies facing southeast or east, this is one of the most important conditions. In the absence of additional insulation in such rooms, severe temperature differences can be observed. This negatively affects the crop.
Cucumbers for the balcony and window sill require good lighting. Take care in advance of equipping the beds with additional fluorescent lights. This will help you create a favorable microclimate for growing and achieve an excellent harvest. At this preparatory stage is completed. Next, go directly to the garden work.
Seed germination
Many housewives are interested in how to plant cucumbers on the balcony. Growing step by step we will consider in this review. It all starts with germination. On the packaging with seeds, instructions are usually presented. She should be guided in the implementation of garden work. As a rule, this instruction indicates the period of time that is necessary for the appearance of the first fruits. If the room is insulated and equipped with additional light sources, you can plant cucumbers even in the cold season. So you can get the first crop in the spring.
For germination, it is necessary to prepare a weak solution of potassium permanganate (it must be pinkish). It is necessary to sustain the seeds of cucumbers for a balcony for 20 minutes. After that, they are laid out on wet gauze. When the seeds sprout, they can be planted in the ground. For starters, it's best to use small jars or flower pots. Glasses made of opaque plastic are also suitable. It is better to give preference to products of a dark color. Under these conditions, you can protect the roots of the plant from the negative effects of sunlight. Can be used for seeds and one common box. Only in this case, after the emergence of seedlings, you will have to plant them in different pots. After all the seeds have been planted, you just have to cover them with a film and place in heat.
Choose a capacity for planting
Cucumbers are a moisture-loving culture. It requires frequent watering. To prevent root decay, experts recommend choosing pots with a double bottom. You can buy them in specialized stores at an affordable price. Excess moisture in such a container will not linger in the soil, but will go into the pallet. In flower shops you can pick up special pots designed for growing cucumbers. When choosing a container, it should be borne in mind that its volume should be from 4 to 5 liters. If you could not find such a pot, then ordinary bottles made of dark plastic will do. Just make holes in the bottom and place a plate to drain excess water. Metal containers are not suitable for seedlings. Under the influence of water, they can rust.
Soil preparation
How to grow cucumbers on the balcony? An important step is the preparation of soil. For this purpose, soil, peat, compost and other ingredients are used. There are several recipes that are best suited for growing cucumbers. However, in order to choose the best one, you need to try several options at once.
Here is some of them:
- The first version of the soil for cucumbers is easy to prepare yourself, but can also be purchased at the flower shop. It includes the following ingredients: compost, turf land, sawdust, ash, peat. All formulations are taken in the same amount and mixed thoroughly.
- The second option: the first composition is used as the basis. In a bucket of soil already prepared according to the first recipe, you need to add 15 grams of nitrophosphate and 10 grams of urea. Thoroughly mix all components. The resulting earth must be filled in cups for seedlings.
- The third option contains half a bucket of sod land, half a bucket of compost, two glasses of wood ash and 50 grams of lime. You can also add 5 grams of potash and phosphorus fertilizer. All of the above ingredients must be thoroughly mixed and transferred to a bag made of polyethylene. After that, at the summer cottage, dig a hole, lower the prepared bag there and fill it with earth on top. The rotten mixture will be an excellent soil in order to grow cucumbers on the balcony.
Seed planting
How to perform this process? Planting seeds is the most important stage on which the entire crop will depend.
Therefore, it is extremely important to follow certain rules when performing this procedure:
- The air temperature in the room should be 22-25 degrees. These are optimal conditions for picking cucumbers on the balcony. Growing at lower degrees can lead to a significant increase in ripening time.
- Before filling the pots with soil, flush the inner walls of the containers with a solution of potassium permanganate. This will significantly reduce the risk of plant damage by diseases and pests.
- For planting seeds, it is enough just to deepen them a couple of centimeters into the soil.
- Seeds should germinate in a warm and well-ventilated area. You can leave pots in a room with extra lighting. Arrange them so that the seedlings are not exposed to direct sunlight.
- Water the plant should be every other day. If the air in the room is too dry, then the amount of watering should be increased. Water should have a temperature of 22 to 23 degrees. Fill several bottles at once, so that if necessary you always had something to water the seedlings.
Transplanting seedlings
How to plant cucumbers on the balcony? Growing cucumbers on the balcony necessarily involves a procedure such as transplanting seedlings. It should be started after the appearance of the first sheets. For this purpose, special double-bottom wooden crates will come in handy. You can buy them at the flower shop. Make sure they have a pallet in them. The optimal dimensions of the drawer for seedlings are 20x30x60 cm. In this case, you can easily keep moisture in the soil.
When transplanting seedlings should be guided by the following instructions:
- Tanks should be approximately half full with soil. The earth must be watered with a potassium permanganate solution.
- After half an hour, you can place a sprout from a glass in a prepared box with ground. Transplant seedlings should be right along with an earthen lump.
- Sprinkle the soil so that the plant settles better in a new container.
Transplanted seedlings should be watered every day using warm, decanted water. Try to protect the cucumbers on the balcony from drafts. When ventilating, remove containers. After 40-50 days after transplanting, you can get the first crop.
Top dressing
An integral condition for obtaining a good crop of cucumbers is high-quality feeding. It’s not enough just to water the beds. For a plant to develop properly, it needs nutrients. Cucumbers are fed twice - 14 days after the appearance of the first shoots and another 10 days later.
We form cucumber lashes
Pinching is an important step in growing cucumbers on the balcony. This procedure is necessary so that the plant does not have to spend energy on shoots that are not able to bring a good harvest. The method of pinching depends on the variety you have selected. If we are talking about self-pollinating crops, then it is necessary to pinch 2-3 first ovaries on the shoots. Next, you should remove the lateral shoots on the third or fourth cucumber. It should be noted that self-pollinated varieties are easier to care for.
On plants of pollinated varieties, fruits mainly appear on the side shoots. Therefore, pinch should be the main vine. After the third leaf appears on the seedlings, it should be cut off, capturing the growth point.
Tie the shoots of cucumbers is necessary. At a height of 0.5 meters above the soil, a wire is pulled. A strong thread is launched from it, with the help of which they form lashes.
Cucumber Care Tips
To get a good harvest, you need to listen to the advice of experienced gardeners. How to grow cucumbers on the balcony? This culture requires special attention.
To get a quality crop, it is enough to follow a few simple recommendations, namely:
- loosen the soil from time to time;
- pinch;
- tie up the shoots;
- watch the degree of soil moisture, in no case do not allow drying out;
- maintain the temperature regime on the balcony where you grow cucumbers;
- Do not forget about additional lighting.
If you follow these simple requirements, you can easily soon pick up cucumbers on the balcony. Cultivation of this culture does not involve significant financial costs. Using the simple recommendations presented in this article, you will get a rich harvest of cucumbers.
Yellowing leaves
Very often, the housewives who grow cucumbers on the balcony face this problem. Varieties in this issue do not play a special role. Leaves can burn out due to too high temperature on the balcony. If it exceeds 30 degrees, it is necessary to artificially create a shadow for cucumbers. Not only leaves, but also fruits may turn yellow from such heat. Care in this case must necessarily include mulching the soil and irrigating the plants with spray water. Also, experts attribute poor pollination, an overabundance of ovaries and the presence of diseases to possible causes of yellowing of cucumbers.
If you notice that cucumbers grow too slowly, then this may be due to insufficient nutrition. In this case, it is necessary to add mineral or yeast dressing to the plant and check whether the plants have enough water and light. Also try to carefully care for the pots. If the ovaries turn yellow and dry, then it may be worth checking the plant for damage. The reason, most likely, is that cucumbers simply do not have enough energy to grow. Proper care and top dressing can fix this. A similar picture can still be observed with insufficient pinching. By the time of fruiting, the plant simply does not have enough resources. In this case, proper care will be reduced to dressing, protection from sunlight and thorough watering.
Conclusion
Today, cucumbers on the balcony are a cherished dream of many residents of large cities. Unfortunately, not every citizen of our country can afford their own personal plot. But even in tight spaces you can get a good harvest. To grow cucumbers on the balcony, you need to choose the right variety and create all the necessary conditions for the culture. You may need to re-equip your loggia for this. It is also worth considering that cucumbers require daily care. Only in this case you are guaranteed to get delicious homemade fruits rich in vitamins.