A Detailed Guide to Balcony Cucumber Growing Techniques and Methods
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 much-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 this is done in early spring from January to March, though sowing can also be done from June to August in summer and autumn. 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 plus direct sowing or dry seed direct sowing. With the dry seed direct sowing method, seedlings usually emerge in 3-4 days, while seed soaking and sprouting is even faster. Once the cucumber has sprouted 1-2 true leaves, it can be transplanted and set out.
Container Selection
This can be a flower pot, a wooden tub, a professional growing box, a foam plastic box, and so on; the most important point is still drainage and air permeability, and the depth of the tillage layer should preferably be about 40 cm. As for the growing soil, it is best to choose a fertile, loose, well-draining potting mix, as this is more favorable for 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 the temperature constant, and during soaking 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 damp gauze, and place them at 25-28°C to sprout; once half of the seeds gradually show white sprouts, they can be sown.
Sowing Seeds in Spots
Evenly sow the soaked seeds in spots on top of the fine, 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, water must be controlled; 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, so watering is generally needed once every two to three days.
Apply Plenty of Base Fertilizer
Applying plenty of base fertilizer is what ensures better cucumber growth. When setting out the seedlings, plenty of base fertilizer is needed, mainly decomposed organic fertilizer; during the fruiting period, fertilize together with watering, applying a compound fertilizer every 5-7 days. Cucumber roots have weak absorption capacity and are sensitive to high-concentration fertilizer, so topdressing should be done frequently and lightly, applying fertilizer once every 6-8 days; after harvesting the first batch of cucumbers, earth up and fertilize once, and pay attention to phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to avoid excessive vine growth and premature aging.
Set Up Supports and Train the Vines
When the cucumber tendrils appear, set up a tent-shaped trellis to train the vines. Insert bamboo poles on the outer side of the seedlings, one pole for each seedling. Tie the upper ends of two rows of bamboo poles together. When the vines grow too tall to stand upright, tie them promptly, and thereafter tie them once every 3-4 leaves; the tying string should form a "8" shape with the trellis pole and the vine, which can prevent the vine from rubbing against the pole or sliding down. The tie should not be too tight; it should be loose enough to insert an index finger. Each time you tie the vines, fix the growing tip of the vine at the same height to make management easier, and it is best to do this in the afternoon, so the vines and leaves are less likely to be broken.
Pinching the Top and Removing Growing Tips
When the main vine of the cucumber reaches the top of the trellis, pinch out the growing tip promptly, mostly when it has grown a full 30-35 leaves; pinching can promote the growth of follow-up cucumbers. Pinching should be done according to the characteristics of the variety; varieties that readily bear follow-up cucumbers are mostly pinched one month before the vines are pulled up. Pinching too early gives low yield, while pinching too late fails to give full play to the follow-up fruiting. Pinching, nipping off tendrils, and removing old leaves are all essential steps; only by doing these well can you ensure the cucumber grows, blooms, and fruits normally, and it also helps prevent pests and diseases.
Harvest in Good Time
Cucumbers can be harvested about 10 days after the first one; from sowing to setting out takes only about 45 days, from setting 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, take care to maintain a suitable growing temperature of 20-28°C; above 30°C it will grow poorly, and below 10°C it will stop growing, so the temperature must be well controlled. In hot summer, a shade net should also be added before the seedlings emerge.