How to make a bed for cucumbers?

The crop so beloved by many gardeners, like cucumbers, is suitable for growing practically on any areas, but loves heat and moisture.For the cultivation of vegetables suitable for both greenhouse and open ground. Cucumbers need to be planted in beds (in warm soil), which are not so difficult to arrange. At the same time, certain land skills and diligence are required. Our article is devoted to the features of creating beds for the cultivation of cucumbers.

For a good harvest of cucumbers, it is necessary that the plants grow and develop in a comfortable environment. There are no particular difficulties in growing vegetables in traditional beds, but when you make them, you should take into account some of the nuances. For example, this applies to suitable size beds or trench for cucumbers.

In order to grow a culture, you need a bed higher than normal. The distance between the sprouts should be large enough so that adult plants do not interfere with each other. The width of such a bed is about 110 cm. If the width is much larger, it will complicate the processing of the beds (you will have to trample on it, and the roots of cucumbers are located close to the soil surface).

The choice of the method of growing crops directly affects the abundance of the crop. There are various ways of arranging the beds, as long as there is a suitable soil.

Consider the most common options for cucumber beds that can be made independently.

• Trench beds. The scheme of planting crops on open ground in the form of a trench is the most widespread. As the name implies, the beds for cucumbers are more like trenches that run across the site. There may be many such trenches (depending on the landing area).

Shallow trenches are prepared in advance, after which nutrients are added. The trench bed is convenient because it decomposes manure better because the soil heats up well. Immediately before planting, beds with compost fertilizer almost to the top are filled with a layer of soil.

• High beds. Very convenient for growing vegetables. Vegetable garden with cucumbers in high beds looks quite aesthetic. Specially made wooden frames act as such beds. They lay mineral fertilizers (interspersed with bird droppings). Over the furrow covered with a layer of soil.

Thus, the bed remains slightly elevated above the ground. Fans of high beds for cucumbers talk about the exceptional resistance of vegetables to external factors and diseases, as in wooden tubs plants are reliably protected from weeds and retain their viable properties. The taste of the fruit is very juicy.

• Combined vertical beds. To achieve a good harvest of cucumbers can be on the beds of different formats. With the combined method of cultivation, you can use the best characteristics of all types of beds. It is possible to distinguish a combined bed by an underground trench with a timber frame installed above the ground.
• The bed is portable or mobile. The mobile method of cucumber disembarkation (in pots, boxes) is ideal for non-standard sites (in places with turf, with infertile soil, on the ground with level drops). The advantage of mobile beds is that their creation does not require large labor costs. For the cultivation of any suitable design (boxes, barrels). In addition, you will not need to dig up the site for landing or come up with props.

Designs can be placed in almost any place where there are no drafts and shadows. The main layer of small branches is laid out on the bottom of such a bed, and on top of it is a layer of manure, leaves, tops. This filling is mixed with a layer of soil (about 10 cm) to enhance the effect.

This is enough for the cucumbers to take root.The mobile bed is covered with black film with small holes in which seeds or seedlings are planted.

For the successful cultivation of cucumbers, it is necessary to look after the place most suitable for this, cultivate the soil before planting. Determine where the culture will feel better, you can spring. It should be remembered that cucumbers are very thermophilic.

But while some varieties need more sun, others need to stay in a slightly shaded part of the garden (or vegetable garden), although cucumbers are classified as light-loving vegetables. In any case, in order to grow a full-fledged crop, it is required to choose a territory that is well lit during the day. This may be a slightly shaded area of ​​the site, but preferably not under the trees.

It is worth emphasizing that it depends on the region of residence how successful the spring planting of cucumbers in an open-ground plot will be. In the southern region there is a lot of sun and heat, but many cultures dry out due to the constant exposure to sunlight. In any northern region, beds with cucumbers are usually arranged on the southern slope of a plot with good natural light. In addition to heat and light, the characteristics of the soil affect the quality of the cucumbers. At this point, you should dwell.

Cucumbers are more suitable sandy and loamy soils. It is important that the soil does not have a high acidity. When planting cucumber seeds in an acidic soil, you can not wait for the harvest or the seedlings will grow too slowly.

You can check how strong the acidity of the soil is with the help of litmus test. To check you need to mix a little soil with a liter of boiled water. And to the finished mixture attach a litmus test. The best indicator will be with a pH of 7-8.

Add organic dressing is better in the fall. In this case, the plot for planting first rid of weeds, loosen the soil to facilitate cultivation. After this, it is recommended to pour (or spray) the area with a special solution. This may be Bordeaux liquid or copper sulfate.

In autumn, the soil can be watered with an alkaline liquid. Although it is better to do before planting cucumbers. In the spring, the soil is additionally fertilized with humus — organics goes directly to the ground.

The main thing is not to overdo it with organic fertilizers. At one square meter is enough 3.5 kg of manure and 50 g of fertilizer from mineral fertilizers. Some gardeners can still add lime to the ground - 100 g per middle plot. This is enough to lower the level of acidity. After such a comprehensive preparation of the soil, it is necessary to dig and then level with a rake.

To make the beds seem to someone a very difficult job. With experience, all work is done quickly and smoothly, but beginners, of course, will have to “get their hands on” in practice. Gardeners with different experiences share tricks among themselves how to simplify this process. For example, on thematic sites you can find tips “for lazy people” on how to make the beds yourself, without especially straining.

The process of arranging the site takes place in several stages.

• Dig trenches. Grooves should not be deep and large in size. For cucumbers on a traditional garden bed, a trench with a width of up to 1 meter and a height of no more than 40-50 cm is ideal.
• Lay freshly cut grass on the bottom of the bed. To make the beds more durable, so that the grown cucumbers do not fall into the soil, you need to put a layer of grass on the bottom of the trench and trample it with your feet. Any grass will do. If you ignore this stage, then in the rainy season the bed will “float” or prod.Because of the constant moisture young sprouts just begin to rot.
• Prepare fertilizer mixture. This is a special dressing that is easily prepared from moldy bread and potato peelings. The resulting mixture can be used to treat the beds, which you must first pour abundantly with warm water.
• The fertilizer mixture is laid in a thin layer in a furrow covered with grass. Soon afterwards, the fermentation process begins - bacteria begin to develop. This is necessary for the normal cultivation of vegetables. For the next layer you need to prepare the manure.
• Fertilized trenches should be slightly covered with soil. Now the beds are ready for planting vegetables. Trenches again need to be slightly moistened (pour, spray with water). Then in the garden make the hole at 5-7 cm in depth and with a distance of 10 cm from each other.

And a few more tips on how to properly grow cucumbers.

• Care is important during the whole stage of growing cucumbers in the open field. In the absence of proper care, even for adult bushes, all work will be in vain.
• Stretched bushes need to be watered regularly. Watering depends on how good the crop will be. Moisten the beds should be at least 2-3 times a week. In hot weather - every day, so that the earth does not dry out.
• The soil in the beds with cucumbers must be periodically fed to stimulate growth and healthy development. After processing, the earth is filled with nutrients that are absorbed by the roots of plants. True, for feeding cucumbers is not suitable for any option.

• In the process of growing cucumbers held periodic pinching plants. The procedure begins with the appearance of the first leaflets - pinching is carried out over the second leaf. Subsequently, the same procedure is performed on 7, 8 and 9 leaflets. As the plant grows, pinching is needed every three leaves.

And now we will consider an example of a design of a bed "layer cake". As the name implies, the grooves for planting cucumbers must be in layers.

In practice, it looks like this:

• coniferous branches are laid on the bottom of the trench with the initial layer (thin brushwood can be used), boards need boards;
• the second level is compost;
• the next level in the trench is peat;
• next comes a layer of sawdust or crumbled straw;
• on the fifth layer it is required to pour a little manure or humus with ashes;
• fertile soil is finely poured in the final layer (about 20 cm), such a pyramid is obtained.

Garden beds or trenches for cucumbers in the open field are usually prepared in early May. By leveling the soil and removing the clods of earth, you can put round arches for the beds. These special devices are needed to stretch the film or nonwoven covering material over the bed.

How to prepare a bed for cucumbers heated from manure, see the video below.