Rules for the formation of cucumbers
The formation of cucumbers is one of the most important stages in their cultivation. Its yield depends on how well the bush is formed. Consider what methods of forming cucumbers exist and how to form cucumbers, depending on the characteristics of the variety.
Rules for the formation of cucumbers
Methods for forming cucumbers
The choice of how to form cucumbers depends on several factors.
- Growing method. When growing a vegetable crop in greenhouses, the bushes are formed into one stem. Growing cucumbers outdoors, you can form a vegetable crop in any way. The advantage is given to the formation of 2-3 cucumber lashes.
- Availability of free space. When formed into several stems, the bush takes up more space than when formed into one cucumber lash.
- Features of the variety. In some varieties, female flowers are located only on the central lash. Accordingly, it is best to form a vegetable crop in one stem. In some varieties, female flowers form only on lateral shoots. Accordingly, when a bush is formed into one lash, the entire crop is lost. Some varieties do not need forming at all. They are grown on a special net that is pulled along the garden bed.
When growing varieties that do not require shaping, you only need to thin out the leaves.
Also, the type of support affects the method of formation. So, for example, a V-shaped support is suitable for growing a vegetable crop formed in 2 lashes, and with a garter on a pyramid, a vegetable crop that does not need shaping is grown. Also on this structure, you can grow varieties formed in one stem. The disadvantage is that it cannot be installed in a greenhouse.
Leaves and shoots should be removed with sharp scissors or a garden pruner. The garden tools are pre-disinfected so that no infection gets into the open cut. Breaking a leaf will take longer for the laceration to heal, which increases the chance of infection or bacteria getting into it.
Formation rules in greenhouses
The main method of forming cucumbers in greenhouses involves cutting off all side shoots. Single-stem formation is beneficial for several reasons. Such a plant does not take up much space, and yields even more yield than a vegetable crop formed in several lashes. In addition, the plant will not be overgrown, which will help to avoid the attack of parasites or fungal diseases. On the open ground, this problem does not arise, since there is a wind that does not allow the leaves to swirl.
Garter plant
The formation of cucumbers into one stem begins with the garter of the plant. In a greenhouse, it is best to tie the vegetable crop to trellises. The height of the supports depends on the height of the bush. Experts recommend installing trellises with a height of 1.5-2 m. These supports can be made of wood or metal. The first material is preferred.You can also create a one-piece structure, which is a frame with a rope attached to it. Any rope of medium thickness will do: twine, thin rope or thick line, etc. Each strand is placed over the bush. Bushes are tied up 7-9 days after germination.
Before you start forming cucumbers, you need to familiarize yourself with the options for planting schemes. To achieve the desired result when growing a vegetable crop on a trellis, the distance between the bushes should be on average 50 cm.
Bush formation
The formation of a cucumber begins after 7-9 leaves have appeared on the bush. In the lower 4 nodes, remove the entire ovary and pinch the lateral shoots. You need to pinch the shoots at a distance of several centimeters from the central whip. Leave 1 flower each, which will give fruit, in the 5th and 6th bosoms. Here we pinch the shoots at a distance of 20 cm from the stem. In the 7th bosom, remove the entire ovary. In the 8th sinus, 2-4 fruits are left. The length of the shoots is 35-40 cm. When the vegetable crop reaches the height of the trellis, pinch the top of the stem. The last 2-3 shoots are pinched at a distance of 50 cm from the central whip. There should be 2 leaves above the last fruit.
Forming a bush will help increase yields
The exception is tall varieties. In some cases, it makes sense not to pinch the top, but to let the cucumber whip down. But this action makes sense only if a powerful bush has formed. If the stem is flimsy, it is better if it will spend energy not on the growth of the stem, but on the formation of fruits.
With such a scheme for the formation of cucumbers, all fruits have almost the same size. Plus, they ripen at the same time, making harvesting easier.
Formation of varieties of bouquet type
The bouquet-type varieties should be noted separately. When they are formed, all lateral lashes are removed at a height of 1.3-1.5 m from the base of the bush. Only near the trellis are several lashes with strings left. All ovaries formed near the 1-4-leaf plate from the ground are removed. Only sheet plates are left here. Starting from the fifth leaf, one bouquet of ovaries is left near the main lash and a 1-sheet plate.
Thinning the ovary should be done carefully. A feature of bouquet varieties is that up to 10 cucumbers are formed in one ovary. These varieties are obtained artificially. Accordingly, the breeders made sure that the plant had enough strength to ripen all the fruits. Thinning of the ovaries is not necessary in this case. We remove only those forming in the 1-3 sinuses.
Experts recommend not pinching the cucumber lash. After it has reached the top point of support, it is allowed to grow down.
Formation rules in open ground
Let's consider how to properly form cucumbers in the open field.
Formation is much easier here. It is not at all necessary to follow the step-by-step instructions and calculate how many leaves and shoots have appeared. You need to pinch the central shoot after 4 leaves appear. This will provoke active growth and development of lateral shoots, and when growing crops in the open field, in most varieties, female flowers, which bear fruit, are formed on the lateral shoots. You don't need to do anything further. The main thing is to provide the plant with proper care, which implies timely watering, feeding and loosening the soil.
Having chosen a variety of cucumbers for planting, you need to carefully study its characteristics. Today there are hybrid varieties with a female flowering type. This means that female flowers are formed on all shoots. Accordingly, the formation of such plants may not be involved at all. They are easiest to grow on a net.
Formation of cucumbers into several stems
This method is used infrequently, since the formed plant takes up a lot of space on the site.Most of all, this method is suitable for undersized varieties that give a lot of lashes.
All leaf plates that touch the ground are cut off. Before the formation of the first ovaries, shoots are not removed. They carefully examine all the formed whips. The most powerful of these will be the central stem. The remaining lateral lashes are tilted at an angle of 60-70 ° to the central stem. This procedure is performed carefully so as not to break fragile lashes. For fixation, supports made from improvised means are used. If the shoots are developing too actively, some can be pinched. Scourges of the second order are not removed, but pinched.
This method needs to be approached creatively. Leaves that prevent light and wind from penetrating deep into the plant are carefully cut off with a clean tool. Scourges that have finished fruiting must also be removed.
The method of forming a plant in several lashes is suitable for hybrid varieties Rodnichok, Moskovsky teplichny, Bylina, Topolek. As for non-hybrid varieties, this method can be used to grow Monastic cucumbers and the greenhouse variety Nerosimy.
Expert advice
- In the phase of active growth, it is recommended to pinch the side shoots daily, so you should not plant cucumbers over a large area. With proper care, it will be possible to harvest more crops from a small garden bed than from a large area.
- Experts recommend removing leaf plates and shoots in the morning. During the day, the wounds formed as a result of pinching heal faster, which minimizes the risk of infection of the plant.
- All ovaries that have appeared on the bush up to the fifth leaf are removed. The plant will spend a lot of energy on their development, which will not allow it to grow stronger.
- Some summer residents twist the lashes in order to better fix them on the support, but this action can cause the rejection of the fruit. In addition, some hybrid varieties have delicate whips that are easily injured in the process of twisting or bending.
- The correct formation of a vegetable crop involves the removal of all drying leaves. They only take on some of the light that healthy leaf plates need. In addition, dead plant parts prevent air from entering.
- Do not pinch more than 7 cm of cucumber shoot. This action will negatively affect the development of the bush and may cause its death. Those who are late with pinching the cucumber lash should change the way the plant is formed, or start shaping correctly, starting with the next cucumber lash.
- You can extend the fruiting process of a vegetable crop by pinching all yellowed and empty shoots. The procedure is carried out in late summer or early autumn. After removing the parts of the plant that have finished bearing fruit, its base is covered with peat and wood ash.
- When choosing a forming method, we also take into account the type of pollination. As a rule, barren flowers (male flowers) form on the main stem of bee-pollinated varieties. Accordingly, for bee-pollinated varieties, you should choose a method of forming in several stems, pinching the central lash after the formation of the fourth leaf plate.
Gardeners have experimented over the years trying to find the most efficient ways to form cucumbers. Galina Kizima and Oktyabrina Ganichkina made a huge contribution to the solution of this issue. The latter, being a candidate of agricultural sciences, has released many programs related to the care of cucumbers.