Fresh until winter: how to grow cucumbers in bags

Almost a month of autumn is behind us and fresh vegetables are becoming scarce in the markets - the season is coming to an end. However, salad lovers shouldn't be upset, as juicy cucumbers can be grown in bags, and then they will yield even out of season.

Floristik Info tells how to do this correctly. This method allows you to extend the fruiting season of cucumbers. In the spring, it allows them to yield earlier, and in the fall, they can ripen for several weeks longer. This is because the soil will warm up better in the bag.

How to choose a variety

Ultra-early parthenocarpic cucumbers are best suited for growing in bags. Their peculiarity is that they can form ovaries without pollinating insects. It takes about 45 days for such cucumbers to ripen, and their fruiting season lasts about two months.

How to prepare the soil for cucumbers in bags

Fill the bags for growing cucumbers with humus by one third, after treating the substrate with a bear repellent. If these insects are not neutralized, they will destroy the root system of cucumbers. A properly selected preparation will even cope with the pest's eggs.

How cucumbers are planted in bags

You need to place 1-2 plants in one bag - no more. For a small family, 5 cucumber bushes will be enough.

Place the bags of cucumbers on a bed of boards, and mulch the substrate with straw. This will reduce the amount of watering - the soil will retain water better.

Where to keep cucumbers in bags

In the fall, when it starts to get colder and the daylight hours become shorter than the night, it is important to place bags of cucumbers in an area that is maximally sunlit.

At this time of year, the sun doesn't heat up as much as in summer, so you need to find a sunny spot for cucumbers. In a well-lit area, the plants will develop better and produce more ovaries.

How to care for such a bed

To ensure that the plants develop intensively enough, you need to give them a weak nitrogen fertilizer every 10-14 days. It will help them form green mass better. But it is important not to overdo it, because excess nitrogen can burn the root system of the plant. To avoid making a mistake, dilute the fertilizer twice as much as instructed.

When the cucumbers start to fill, you need to feed the plants with potassium. Wood ash is suitable for this purpose. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of dry matter into each bag before each watering. Or you can make a liquid potash fertilizer by pouring 1 kg of ash with 15 liters of water. Mix everything well and leave it to stand for a day. Dilute the resulting liquid with water in a ratio of 1:20 and apply 1 liter of fertilizer to the previously moistened substrate.

When growing cucumbers in bags, watering should be adjusted according to weather conditions. If the weather is dry, add water to the plant at least daily. It is important not to let the plant dry out, otherwise the fruits will be bitter. And overwatering the bushes can cause them to rot.

How to form cucumbers

To grow cucumbers in bags in the fall, it is better to plant them in late July or early August. If you planted cucumbers early, it is better to cut off the tendrils on the vine. If planted late, they are unlikely to grow too large.

When planting in early spring, it is advisable to form bushes into a single stem in the spring. But in the fall, this procedure is not necessary - due to the warm weather, there will be plenty of cucumbers anyway. Just let the stem curl along the trellis so that the plant gets plenty of sun. If you form bushes in the spring in two stems, you will start harvesting a little later, but it will be more generous.

Protection against cold snap

Growing cucumbers in the off-season involves protecting the plants from cold snaps, which can happen at any time. If the temperature becomes uncomfortable for the plant, which can be seen by its condition, it is better to equip a greenhouse for the cucumbers. For example, cover the bushes with a transparent film so that they do not freeze and get enough sun.

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