Why is it necessary to pay attention to this question: to consider what constitutes the root system of a cucumber? Because it is healthy roots that allow the plant to form a lush bush, provide it with the necessary elements, and therefore create the prerequisites for good fruiting. Cucumbers are extremely capricious plants, they suffer any damage to the roots very hard, which is why they are not recommended to transplant, and seedlings are grown in individual cups. Do not forget that this is a subtropical plant, so the root system of the cucumber does not tolerate cold soil and prolonged drought, which means that before planting in open ground, you need to make sure that the temperature conditions are suitable.
Root system features
You will probably be surprised, but this habitual gardener belongs to melons. Like all representatives of this family, the root system of the cucumber is pivotal, with a very long main root, which can reach one and a half meters, going deep into the ground. But that is not all. Primary roots lie very close to the surface, forming a whole network. This allows the plant to hold on tight and collect more nutrients and moisture. Compared to other garden crops, the root system of the cucumber is rather weak. The roots are easily torn and damaged, and lowering the temperature to 13 degrees leads to inhibition of the plant.
Sowing
The length of the roots of the cucumbers, of course, is impressive, but even the smallest peat cups are enough for you to grow seedlings. Why is it not recommended to do individual seeding using a common box? Because in this case, when planting in the soil, it is the root that gets sick. This is due to damage to the lateral processes, as well as a change in temperature. To avoid this, peat pots are used, and they also conduct hardening events. The length of the roots of cucumbers when planting in the ground (about 2-3 weeks after germination) may already be about 10 cm.
Cucumber Nutrition Area
You can already imagine the roots of cucumbers. They are quite weak, but at the same time absorb a huge amount of nutrients from the soil. Therefore, you should not plant several plants in one hole, as they will oppress each other. Each of them will get significantly fewer important elements, so the stems will diligently try to stretch so as to weaken the opponent with their shadow. As a result, the forces to bear fruit will remain less.
The area of nutrition will depend on whether the plant "lives" in the open ground or greenhouse. In the first version, two rows of cucumbers can be planted on a bed one meter wide. The distance between them, as well as between the plants in each of them, is about 30 cm. For the greenhouse, the rules change somewhat. Here, between the rows there should be about 60 cm, and the plants in each ridge are 40 cm away from each other.
Hilling and cultivating
These two procedures are extremely important for all fruit plants. But you need to consider what roots the cucumber has. Its root system is very demanding on oxygen. If the surface of the soil is covered with a crust, and the air goes poorly to the roots, then the plants immediately linger in growth, their ovary crumbles. Therefore, you need to loosen the earth regularly, after each rain or watering. Depending on the variety, cucumbers can be more or less capricious and demanding in care, but the condition mentioned above is true for all species. Loosening begins as soon as the soil is slightly dry. Be sure to follow the main rule: you can not loosen the soil too deep, because the roots of cucumbers are located close to the surface, and they can be easily damaged.
Hilling is a useful procedure that promotes the development of additional roots. It is good for root crops, but cucumbers usually do not spud. However, if the lower part of the stem was damaged by diseases or mechanically, and there is a risk that the plant will die, then it is worth trying to save it. To do this, twist the stem ring and lay on the ground. Pour a bucket of good, fertile land from above. Perform the necessary manipulations. If the procedure is successful, then new roots are formed, and quite quickly.
Watering
This is a very important event, on which the root system of the cucumber depends. Photos show us a strong plant with a huge powerful root, but in fact it is fragile and vulnerable. In particular, pouring cold water can cause irreparable damage to the cucumber. In extreme heat, the plant stops growing, the stem thickens, the leaves wither, the ovaries fall, and the lower part of the stem becomes very hot. Cold water will cause microcracks. By themselves, they will not do much harm, but this opens the way for pathogenic bacteria. As a result, vessels are damaged and clogged, along which water and salts move from roots to leaves. To prevent this, cucumbers are watered with warm water. To do this, in the garden you need to put a barrel and fill it. This method works especially well in a greenhouse. During the day, the water slowly heats up, in the evening it provides soft watering, and at night it retains heat in the greenhouse.
Fertilizer and fertilizing
Usually gardeners make a high warm bed, which contains excess humus. But just in the open ground, you can grow beautiful cucumbers. Stronger roots - more crops, this rule must not be forgotten. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce into the soil all the necessary trace elements that will contribute to the development and strengthening of the roots. So, per one square meter of soil, you need to add 10-15 kg of humus and dig the soil into 2/3 bayonets, so that the fertilizer is in the area of the main part of the root system. The depth of the roots of cucumbers is about 30 cm from the surface, and only the central rod goes deep into the meter or more. In addition, they add a special vegetable fertilizer like "Kemir" (it will need 70-80 g per m 2 ).
The frequency of application of additives depends on the conditions of the plant and its growth. The better the conditions, the more intensive the growth, which means that more fertilizing is required so that the roots can provide the plant with everything necessary. Top dressing with nitrogen fertilizers should not be carried out in cloudy weather, as this will lead to the accumulation of nitrates in the fruits. Before the procedure, watering is done, then the dry mixture is scattered or a solution is made and again watered on the leaves. Non-root top dressing is also justified, and should be done at least once a month. This procedure facilitates the task of the root system.
Features of growing cucumbers on the balcony
Before taking up home gardening, you need to ask what the root system of cucumbers is. Already from the materials of the article it is clear that for each bush a deep and sufficiently wide capacity, high-quality soil and a sufficient amount of fertilizer will be required. The container volume per plant is at least 5 liters, otherwise the roots will suffer from drying out. In addition, a double bottom and abundant watering are required. Excess moisture will drain into the pan, and the roots, penetrating through the drainage holes, will be able to actively absorb it. At the same time, the earth will not be waterlogged, which negatively affects the roots of the cucumber.
Agrotechnical innovations
Not all regions have climatic conditions and soil composition suitable for this capricious culture, and the first problem is that the root system of the cucumber begins to hurt and wither. The plant, accordingly, perishes. Therefore, summer residents invented a new method of growing vegetables. To do this, pots of a suitable volume are hung on the stand; their bottom is covered with 2-centimeter foam. From below, a cut is made in them, and a plant is inserted upside down into it, while the stem hangs down freely. On top of the pot pour earth. It turns out that cucumbers grow upside down. Gardeners note that this method is quite effective, especially with indoor gardening.
Graft
If there is no desire to use the method with growing plants "upside down", but you need to solve the problem of poor growth and development of the bush, and vaccination can help in this. This is an unconventional way of growing cucumbers, but in some regions it is the only one. The fact is that the root of the cucumber (photo presented in the article) is very sensitive to temperature fluctuations, as well as damage by a variety of pests. Therefore, it was proposed to plant the stem of a cucumber on a completely unpretentious pumpkin root. To do this, you only need to grow cucumber seedlings, and when the first leaves appear, sow large-fruited pumpkin.
Once the pumpkin leaves reach 3 cm, you can proceed to the "operation". To do this, make an incision on the stem obliquely from top to bottom, then remove the seedling of cucumber from the ground. With it, you will need to perform the same manipulations, only you need to cut obliquely from the bottom up. Dock both sections quickly and tighten with foil. Plant the roots of the cucumber next to the pumpkin in the same pot. You will get two seedlings sitting next to each other and closed by cuts on the trunks. After two weeks, the seedlings will grow together, now you need to cut the top of the pumpkin above the vaccine and the root of the cucumber below the vaccine. There remains one plant - "pumpkin-cucumber." Its roots, powerful and strong, are not afraid of any frosts and pests, and the green cucumber part, getting good nutrition, will delight you until the fall. What are the roots of cucumbers, such is the crop, so this method is more than justified.