Detailed Explanation of Key Cultivation Techniques for Dutch Mini Cucumbers
Dutch mini cucumbers are a major greenhouse-grown variety. What is special about them is that they can set fruit without pollination or fertilization, though the seeds do not develop fully; they are a gynoecious type of cucumber. The main advantage of mini cucumbers is that they bear many fruit densely. High yields are relatively easy to achieve. At present, Dutch mini cucumbers are beginning to be widely grown in China. The specific cultivation techniques are what growers care about, so here is a brief introduction.
I. Site Selection and Land Preparation
It is best to find a gently sloping plot close to a water source with convenient road access, and as far as possible not to plant in paddy fields, where the water table is too low and water tends to accumulate after rain. The soil is best if neutral, and deep soil that retains fertilizer and is loose and airy is the best growing medium; straw compost can be added to increase the soil's humus content. For field preparation, plow about 30 cm deep, then harrow and level the soil after tilling it fine, and dig drainage ditches 20 cm deep around the perimeter.
II. Sowing and Seedling Raising
Seeds are relatively expensive, so it is best to sow in seedling trays for precise seedling raising. Use vermiculite or sand together with peat, grass peat and the like to make a growing medium or nutrient soil. Sow one seed per cell; for smaller seeds, place two. After covering, water once or twice a day, depending on the moisture content. When raising seedlings in a greenhouse, maintain 24°C to 26°C. After emergence, the daytime temperature can be lowered by one degree, and at night keep it above 15°C and below 18°C.
III. Transplanting
The land should be formed into ridged rows for planting, with ridge rows 30 cm wide and the length determined by the terrain, with a central furrow 40 cm wide and 10 cm deep; the row spacing can be adjusted. The planting spacing is about 25 cm. Transplanting is carried out when 4 true leaves have grown. After planting, the seedlings need to recover; water and apply a dilute fertilizer solution to retain moisture and help them resume normal growth, and after they have recovered, gradually increase fertilizer and water.
IV. Planting Management
After the seedlings have recovered, increase fertilizer and water applications to ensure rapid plant growth. Apply fertilizer with the irrigation water, applying 20 jin of urea per mu each time, once a week, and during the fruiting period spray 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate. Within one week of transplanting, keep the daytime temperature at 25°C to 30°C and the nighttime temperature at 18°C to 20°C, then lower it by 2°C to 3°C accordingly after the seedlings have recovered. Prevent strong light, and when the plants grow to 50 cm, insert stakes and set up trellises. Growing in a greenhouse and increasing carbon dioxide can raise yields.
Dutch mini cucumbers have the habit of setting fruit without fertilization, so cultivation management does not need to focus on flowering-period management; the main things are the key points to note during planting and fertilizer and water management during the fruiting period.