The cucumbers which were so fallen in love to Russians "have come" from subtropics here. Their love for heat, moisture and easy soils is explained by it. However easy sandy soils will not be able to satisfy this vegetable in moisture, but its presence will go to the benefit. Loam is that "golden mean" which is optimum for cucumber bed.
It is difficult to imagine kitchen garden without bed of cucumbers though this thermophilic vegetable is very exacting to heat, regularity of watering and overhead irrigation and also to quality of the soil. That future harvest of cucumbers pleased with abundance, it is necessary to prepare the place for cucumbers since fall. It is necessary to choose the most solar place which is well protected from wind, to remove weeds and to dig over the soil on depth of 25-30 cm. It is possible to provide the best warming up of the soil on bed, having arranged it from the East on the West. If the structure of the soil does not correspond to favorable conditions for cultivation of cucumbers, then fertilizers will be required.
Favorable structure of the soil under cucumbers
Owners by whose the garden site is located in inundated part of the river can be proud of rich harvest of this vegetable, without being engaged in special preparation of the soil. Sandy and loamy fertile soil with close groundwater occurrance is what is necessary for cucumbers. There is only one shortcoming – the shortage of potash salt.
The fan of moisture – cucumber does not suffer easy sandy soils which are not able to hold it. But also the heavy earth where the excess of water, not for it long remains. From the soil raised by acidity it is necessary to fight by means of lime application too.
Cultures predecessors
Choosing the place for cucumber bed, it is necessary to pay attention to what cultures grew there before. The best predecessors are onions, cabbage, potatoes and long-term herbs. The site set in this season with tomatoes or garlic will approach. If successful places for cucumbers not so much it is also necessary to put them in the same square from year to year, then it is necessary to skim soil. It is possible to make since fall high warm bed of grass, tops of vegetable harvested at this time, having placed the most rough waste on bottom: trunks from sunflower, corn, the cut-off branches and foliage of trees. Atop there are potato cleanings, mouldy bread and other food waste. Many gardeners have adopted way of landing of cucumbers on compost heap which is made out by the boards which are hammered together from boards. Warmly, which is so necessary for cucumbers, it is made due to rotting of base layers of such bed and vegetables can be sowed much earlier, having covered atop with film. As branches are not capable to rot through for one season, that is opportunity to equip the place for cucumbers on the same place not once, replacing at the same time the top fertile layer of the earth.
Rules of application of fertilizers for cucumbers
In top soil (30 cm) where cucumbers will be planted, it is necessary to bring both mineral, and organic fertilizers. Their quantity depends on the available structure of the soil. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizing should be put since fall. Nitrogen it is required to cucumbers a little, but if necessary it is brought in the spring as, unlike the first, quickly breaks up. On average, on each square meter of the earth under cucumbers it is required: - organic chemistry (humus, peat) – up to 7 kg.; - the crushed limestone – 6 kg.; - potash salt – 10–25 gr.; - superphosphate – 50–60 gr.; - sulfate ammonium – 17 - 25; - ammonium nitrate – no more than 25 gr.