Cucumber Cultivation Techniques Tutorial: Latest Planting Methods and Key Points Explained
Cucumbers have high nutritional value, and because there is a large market demand in our country, the planting area is also relatively large. When planting cucumbers on a large scale, there are many things we need to pay attention to. Growing cucumbers also has many technical key points, and many people have low yields and poor quality because they do not pay attention to them. So today the editor will introduce the key points of cucumber cultivation techniques to everyone. Let's take a look!
1. Land selection and land preparation
The soil pH suitable for growing cucumbers should be controlled at around 6.5-7. The soil must be rich in humus, have normal drainage and irrigation, and have strong moisture retention capacity. The previous crop in the soil should not be a cucurbit crop, to avoid damage from soil-borne diseases. After selecting the land, do a good job of land preparation, and cultivation with high beds and deep furrows is preferable. Plow the soil about 30 cm deep, keep the high bed width at about 2 m, with a depth of 0.3 m, and the length depending on the actual situation. Then apply sufficient base fertilizer and mix it evenly with the soil to improve soil fertility.
2. Sowing and raising seedlings
Before sowing cucumbers, first do a good job of soaking the seeds and promoting germination. First use warm water at 50 degrees to scald the cucumber seeds, and stir the seeds continuously during scalding to avoid burning the seeds, then remove them after about 10 minutes. Then place them in water at 30 degrees and soak for about 5 hours. Then remove them, drain the water, wrap them in a wet cloth, and place them in water at 30 degrees to promote germination. After about one day the seeds will germinate. Seedling raising is mainly done in small arched sheds on seedbeds. Transplant when the seedling age is about 2-3 weeks. Transplanting with soil is preferable, to avoid damaging the seedling roots.
3. Fertilizer and water management
Before planting, we should apply sufficient base fertilizer; base fertilizer is the key to ensuring cucumber yield. During land preparation, apply about 2500 kg of farmyard manure per mu, together with an appropriate amount of hair fertilizer and superphosphate. When the plant grows about two true leaves, carry out the first fertilization. Because the root absorption capacity of cucumbers is relatively poor, fertilization should mainly be frequent and light. Topdress about once a week, mainly with urea each time, with the amount controlled at about 5 kg. During the seedling stage, control water well, increase it appropriately during the flowering and fruiting stage, and reasonably control the watering frequency according to the weather. On sunny days, water once every day, and on rainy days, drain promptly.
4. Trellising and vine guiding
Cucumber is a vining plant, so when planting we also need to do a good job of trellising and vine guiding. When the cucumber plants develop tendrils, start trellising. Trellising is mainly done with A-shaped frames, and vine guiding is done about once every 3 days. When guiding vines, ensure the plant branches and vines are evenly distributed on the trellis, and it should be done on clear evenings. Do a good job of pruning according to the cucumber variety. If the main vine bears fruit, then generally no pruning is needed. If the side vines bear more fruit, then pinching and pruning are needed.
The above is a brief introduction to the key points of cucumber cultivation techniques. When growing cucumbers, be sure to do a good job of fertilizer and water management and trellising to ensure cucumber yield and quality. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you all for reading and supporting.