How to Grow Cucumbers on a Balcony? The Latest Planting Techniques and Methods Tutorial
Cucumber is a vegetable that many people love; it can not only be made into delicious food, but also has many beauty benefits. Many friends who have a balcony at home like to grow plants or vegetables on it, and the highly favored cucumber is everyone's first choice for growing vegetables on the balcony. So what are the techniques and precautions for growing cucumbers on a balcony? Let's find out below.
Sowing Time
Generally, it is done in early spring from January to March; of course, sowing can also be done in summer and autumn from June to August. For spring sowing, use seed soaking and sprouting followed by seedling raising or direct sowing with plastic film mulch, while for summer and autumn sowing you can choose either seed soaking and direct sowing or dry seed direct sowing. With the dry seed direct sowing method, seedlings generally emerge in 3-4 days, while seed soaking and sprouting is even faster. When the cucumber has developed 1-2 true leaves, it can be transplanted and planted out.
Container Selection
It can be a flower pot, wooden tub, professional growing box, foam plastic box, etc. The most important point is still drainage and breathability, and the depth of the growing layer should preferably be about 40 cm. As for the growing soil, it is best to choose a fertile, loose, and well-draining potting soil, as this is more conducive to its growth.
Seed Soaking Treatment
After choosing the container, the most important thing before planting is soaking the seeds. First soak the seeds in warm water at 55°C for 20 minutes, keeping them at a constant temperature, and during the soaking process you must stir constantly. After the water temperature drops to room temperature, continue soaking for 6-8 hours. Then scoop out the seeds, wrap them well in a wet gauze, and place them under conditions of 25-28°C for sprouting. Once half of the seeds have gradually shown white sprouts, they can be sown.
Sowing Seeds in Spots
Evenly sow the soaked seeds in spots on the finely crumbled potting soil, then cover with a thin layer of soil about 1 cm thick. After sowing, water thoroughly once to settle them in, keeping them warm and moist to help the seedlings recover. During the seedling stage in spring, cucumber moisture must be controlled well; during the growing period, keep the soil moist at all times; during the flowering period, control watering; and during the fruiting period, the water requirement is high, generally requiring watering once every two to three days.
Apply Sufficient Base Fertilizer
Only by applying sufficient base fertilizer can you ensure better cucumber growth. At planting time, sufficient bottom fertilizer is needed, mainly decomposed organic fertilizer; during the fruiting period, fertilize in combination with watering, applying a compound fertilizer every 5-7 days. Cucumber roots have weak absorption ability and are sensitive to high-concentration fertilizers, so topdressing should be done by applying thin fertilizer frequently, topdressing once every 6-8 days, and after harvesting the first batch of cucumbers, earth up and fertilize once. Pay attention to phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to avoid excessive vine growth and premature aging.
Set Up Trellises and Train the Vines
When the cucumber tendrils appear, an A-frame trellis should be set up to train the vines. Insert bamboo poles on the outer side of the seedlings, with one pole corresponding to each seedling. Bind the upper ends of the two rows of bamboo poles together. When the vines grow too tall to stand upright, they should be tied to the trellis in time, and thereafter tied once every 3-4 leaves. The binding string should form a figure “8” with the trellis pole and the vine, which can prevent the vine from rubbing against the pole or sliding down. The vine should not be tied too tightly; it is best if a finger can be inserted. Each time you tie the vine, fix the top of the vine at the same height for easy management, and it is best to do this in the afternoon, as it is less likely to break the vines and leaves.
Pinching Off the Growing Tip
When the main vine of the cucumber climbs to the top of the trellis, pinch off the growing tip in time, mostly when it has grown 30-35 leaves; pinching can promote the growth of secondary fruits. Pinching should be done according to the characteristics of the variety; varieties that easily bear secondary fruits are mostly pinched one month before vine removal. Pinching too early results in low yield, while pinching too late fails to give full play to the secondary fruit production. Pinching, removing tendrils, and removing old leaves are all indispensable steps. Only by doing these well can you ensure the cucumber's normal growth, flowering, and fruiting, and also prevent pests and diseases.
Harvest at the Right Time
Cucumbers can be harvested about 10 days after the first fruit; from sowing to planting out takes only about 45 days, from planting out to the first fruit setting takes about 30 days, and the harvest period is 1-2 months. However, during the process of growing cucumbers, be careful to maintain a suitable growing temperature of 20-28°C; if it exceeds 30°C, it will grow poorly, and below 10°C, it will stop growing, so the temperature must be well controlled. In hot summers, a shade net should also be added before the seedlings emerge.