It is good to enjoy fresh vegetables all year long, but this is often impossible due to the climatic characteristics of the region. Most solve this problem by building greenhouses, but not everyone has the opportunity to build such a structure. Plants can be grown indoors. Do you want to know how to grow cucumbers on your balcony? For a successful result, it is necessary to observe several simple, but important points.
Seed preparation before sowing
To make the plants strong, and there were many ovaries of female flowers, from which the fruits of cucumbers actually develop, the seeds should be subjected to special treatment with solutions and hardening. The first stage is roasting in an oven or in an oven at 60 ° . Next, the seeds are soaked, subjecting them to temperature extremes.
In this matter, how to grow cucumbers on the balcony, it is important to know several options for compositions from different elements for soaking, such as boric acid (20 mg), methyl blue (300 mg), zinc sulfate (2 g) or soda (500 g). The solution is prepared from one of the listed substances, the indicated amount is calculated for 1 liter of water.
Also, for pre-soaking, you can use solutions of minerals, for example, potassium nitrate (5 g), magnesium sulfate (0.2 g) and superphosphate (10 g) per liter of water. Seeds should be soaked at room temperature for half a day in gauze bags. After that, they are removed and left until the first sprouts appear. Then the bags are placed in the refrigerator, where the temperature should be about -2 ° C, and hold for about 6 hours.
Soil preparation for seedlings
In order to be aware of how to grow cucumbers on the balcony, it will be useful to find out that it is better to first grow seedlings of these plants. And for these purposes, you need to properly prepare the ground. It is prepared from a special ratio or humus (4), peat (5) and sawdust (1), or humus (7), mullein (1) and turf land (2).
Also, the prepared version of the mixture must be enriched with mineral fertilizers: ammonium nitrate (10 g), potassium chloride (5 g) and superphosphate (10 g). Such soil should be placed in paper cups and placed in a well-lit and ventilated area. Plant the seeds of cucumbers one at a time in a glass, water regularly.
Growing seedlings
When the first leaf appears on seedlings, you need to do top dressing. To do this, prepare a mixture of the above mineral fertilizers in a ratio of 8: 10: 15, diluting them in 10 liters of water. A similar procedure should be repeated after 14 days, doubling the concentration of the solution. It should be watered with warm water so that the earth is not dry. Seedlings can be heated with special lamps. You also need to consider that cucumbers are sensitive to drafts. After 20-22 days of seedling growth, cucumbers are planted on the balcony in the main containers.
Preparation and transplant
Perhaps many people know how to grow cucumbers on the balcony, but there are some points whose knowledge will increase the success of this business:
- As a permanent container, you need to use large pots or special wooden boxes, on the bottom of which you need to lay a layer of gravel.
- The soil should be enriched with nutrients (humus and minerals), and pour water at room temperature before planting.
- Planting seedlings with a lump of land.
- Above the plants you need to build supports for climbing stems.
- Water and air regularly.
- Access to light should not be limited; it is better to place containers on the south side.
- When exposing the roots, they need to be covered with earth. If the color of the leaves is pale, you need to fertilize from a solution of humus and minerals.
- Self-pollinating varieties should be used as seeds for planting. If female flowers are formed in excessive amounts, some of them are best trimmed.
Following simple tips and observing the simple rules of planting, fertilizing and transplanting seedlings, you can grow cucumbers on the balcony. Photos of options for such "cucumber beds" are available in our article. And you too can create such an oasis at home.