Cucumber is a popular vegetable that gardeners readily grow in the garden. But recently, new ways of growing cucumbers are gaining popularity. They allow you to enjoy yourself with a fresh product, even in the conditions of the city, when there is no possibility to cultivate your own home farm.
Among such innovative methods can be called growing in a bucket. How to do this and what to look for, tell further.
The advantages of growing cucumbers in buckets
First, we will focus on the advantages of planting cucumbers in a bucket. First of all, you get an environmentally friendly product. You know for sure that no hazardous substances have been used in its cultivation. You also reduce the time and effort to care for the beds. At the same time constantly have a fresh product in the right quantity.
Did you know? A similar method of growing cucumbers has long been used in China. It allows you to shoot large yields from a plant that occupies a small area.
High yield is achieved due to the appropriate location of the bucket with cucumbers. It can be placed in a place that is well suited for lighting or rearranged to another, if required.
Regardless of the amount of precipitation, the soil condition is maintained in sufficient moisture and friability. Fertilizers are applied without waste, and the cucumbers themselves in the garden always remain clean.
An important advantage is that in such a state cucumber is rarely exposed to diseases and pests. The soil in which the cucumbers grew can be left for the winter with plant residues. Then in the spring you will have well-fertilized land, ready for use.
What varieties of cucumbers is better to choose for growing in buckets
So, is it possible to grow cucumbers in a bucket and what are the advantages of such a decision, we figured out. Now let's define which varieties of cucumbers feel better at such cultivation and give greater yields.
For such methods of gardening recommend choosing middle varieties or bush varieties. They have a small root system that requires a bit of space, so the bucket’s volume is enough for it.
Important! If you plan to harvest seeds from your own harvest, then you need to choose seeds at the age of 2 - 3 years. It is noticed that the older they are, the more female inflorescences appear on them. Accordingly, the yield of the plant will be higher.
It is also recommended to pay attention to self-pollinating varieties and parthenocarpic hybrids. In the first case, you do not have to take care of the ovaries, which is very important when growing plants on the balcony, where insects rarely fly.
In the latter case, cucumbers develop independently, which is also very convenient.
Selection and preparation of a bucket for growing cucumbers
Having decided on a variety of cucumbers, it is necessary to find them a suitable place for growing. It is believed that it is easier to care for cucumbers planted in containers of 200 liters. But in the bucket they feel great. The main thing is that its volume was not less than 5 liters.
It can be metal, wood or plastic. In the latter case, it is important to make drainage holes not only in the bottom, but also on the sides. This will help maintain a suitable level of humidity inside. It is important that the diameter is wide enough. During the care of the plant, the soil must be loosened, and in a narrow bucket you can damage the root system.
At the bottom of the bucket should lay out the drainage. To do this, use claydite, small river stones, branches, tree bark or egg shells.
Preparation of soil for growing cucumbers in a bucket
The soil for cucumbers can be purchased at a specialty store. But in this case it will be expensive. Alternatively, you can take it in the garden, in the garden or in a flower bed, but with this soil you can bring various diseases.
It is good if you are confident in your soil and can only be additionally calcined in the oven, just in case. In this case, it can be additionally fertilized with fertilizer and safely fall asleep in a bucket.
As a fertilizer that is poured over the drainage, suitable:
- food waste that has not been heat treated;
- fresh greens;
- last year's grass or tops;
- leaves;
- sawdust;
- compost;
- manure.
Important! If the manure is fresh, it should be put on the very bottom.
To speed up the decomposition process, such fertilizers should be pre-watered with EM-preparations. Then pour the soil, fill it with hot water and a solution of potassium permanganate and close the film, leaving in this form for a week. During this time, the mass should settle. You can fill it up with earth and again pour it over with hot water.
You can prepare the mixture according to another recipe.
In equal parts take turf, old manure, rotted pus, sand, wood ash. 10 g of this mass is added 10 g of complex fertilizer, which includes phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, acceptable iodine content. This mixture should also be filled with hot water so that it is disinfected and sealed.
Sowing cucumbers in a bucket
Such unusual methods of planting cucumbers require a special approach in their sowing. In the bucket, make a hole and sow there about 3 - 4 grains, which guarantees seedlings.
They are not first germinated, you can only soak for a while. If each of the grains rises, they can be dived. By this time, the root system is not yet overgrown, so it is not difficult to separate them. Sampling is carried out together with a lump of earth.
To improve the germination and ensure a good harvest, sprouts create a special microclimate. To do this, install a pre-holed plastic bottle in the bucket, which is poured with water.
So the soil of cucumbers will always be sufficiently moist, and they love moisture.
When the first leaves start to break through the plant, arcs, a peg or any other support should be installed above the bucket, along which cucumber loops will continue to hang around.
Growing cucumbers in buckets: features of care
The peculiarity of caring for such cucumbers is that they do not need to be pinched or weeded. It saves time and strength of the summer resident. You need to put the container on the east or south side, because the plant loves a lot of light.
With a lack of lighting, it stretches out and badly sticks. Therefore, if it is not possible to place a bucket on the sunny side, the young plant will have to organize artificial lighting.
Watering is carried out through the tank installed in the bucket. It is only important to ensure that the soil does not dry out. In a bucket where space is limited, this happens much faster than on a bed. Remember that it is necessary to fill in water in capacity only warm and otstoyannuyu.
Did you know? It is believed that the optimal temperature for the growth of cucumbers is about 18 °C. If the plant bucket is on the street, at night it can be covered with glass when the plants are not yet strong.
After the appearance of 5 - 6 leaves on sprouts in the ground, you can add a little humus. When the ovaries begin to appear on the plant, it must be fed. To this end, 100 g of wood ash are stirred in a liter of water, and this mixture is poured onto moist soil.
Periodically, after watering, the soil should be loosened closer to the stem, and then spud. This will help the stalk to hold tight and not to stoop.
Harvesting cucumbers
You can shoot ripe cucumbers at almost any time. It all depends on what size of vegetable you prefer to eat. Remove them as needed, but in the period of mass fruiting, this procedure is performed every two days. Otherwise, instead of small crunchy cucumbers, you can get huge "zheltyaki."
Remove the cucumber from the scourge so that the fruit stem remains on it. It is better to do this with a knife, because if you pull off, break off, twist the stem, you can damage and weaken the plant. Arrange the growth of cucumber so that to remove the cucumbers do not have to twist the loop.
During harvest, pay attention to whether there are damaged ovaries on the plant: stained, scratched, hooked. These need to be removed in advance so that they do not pull the plants onto themselves.
To remove vegetables from the loops is better in the evening or early in the morning when the sun is not too scorching. Harvest should be immediately hidden in the shade or in a cool place. It is already stored for a relatively short time. But if you want to save the crop, you can pickle cucumbers or pickle.
Such a popular garden plant, like cucumber, can be grown not only in the garden. Having dropped it in the bucket, you can, with a minimum of care, get fresh vegetables to the table at any time during the growing season.
The most difficult thing in this method is the preparation of the soil, but it is also inherently simple. Therefore, if you have a small place near the sunny side, take the opportunity and place a bucket with planted cucumber seeds there. The result will exceed all expectations!
