Features of growing and caring for cucumber Balcony F1 on the window
Breeders have tried and bred special varieties of cucumbers, which provide an opportunity to harvest indoors all year round. Among them, the Balkonny F1 cucumber deserves special attention.
Features of indoor cucumber variety
In all respects, growing indoor cucumbers resembles the procedure for growing indoor flowers. The main conditions are the level of illumination, timely watering and feeding. Indoor cucumber Balcony is no exception, it is a medium-branchy plant.
Fruiting and flowering of cucumbers occur for a very long time, for which this species has earned the love of connoisseurs of indoor crops. The yield is maintained at a very high level. Up to 8 fruit ovaries can be formed from one node. It is interesting that F1 Balcony can be grown not only indoors, but also outdoors.
The main advantages of indoor cucumber varieties:
- the ability to self-pollinate;
- good productivity;
- early ripening;
- sweetish taste of fruits;
- presentation of Zelentsov.
A beautiful crunch will look appetizing both in a salad and in a jar as a preservation.
No particular flaws were identified. According to the reviews of gardeners, the result is very good, both in indoor growing and when planting in the beds. Of course, it is impractical to compare it with varieties for open ground, but in its category of indoor cucumbers it is the undisputed leader.
Recommendations for growing cucumbers
The peculiarity of the Balkonny F1 cucumber, growing on the window of which does not constitute much of a hassle, is that the variety does not tolerate drafts. This is a priority condition so that the plant can actively grow and develop.
When growing seedlings on the balcony, you need to worry about its insulation in advance. Protection from harmful insects will be required. For this purpose, the balcony is upholstered with polyethylene or glazed. The whole procedure will not take much time, but the benefits will be tangible.
Cucumbers Balcony F1, which are grown on the window, need protection from insects that can penetrate through open windows. They need to be closed in advance with mosquito nets. Harmful to indoor cucumbers and direct sunlight. Rooms with a large window opening are perfect. For the normal growth of one bush of cucumbers Balcony, you will need a container with a volume of at least 8 liters.
Seed preparation for sowing
Correct pre-sowing treatment of seeds of an indoor cucumber variety can significantly increase yields. It is usually carried out in the second half of winter. The procedure increases the number of female-type inflorescences, which increases the amount of future harvest.
Sequencing:
- Cucumber seeds should be dried in an oven preheated to 60 ° C.
- After that, they are placed in fabric bags and soaked in a special solution consisting of a liter of water, 10 g of superphosphate, 5 g of potassium nitrate, 2 g of zinc sulfate, 10 g of potassium permanganate.
- After soaking, the seeds are placed in a refrigerator and kept there for 5 hours. The temperature should not be lower than -2 ° С.
- The prepared seed is germinated on a damp cloth for 2 - 3 days. At this time, there is an opportunity to discard defective seeds that do not show signs of life and do not try to sprout. If they hit the ground, they most likely will not germinate either.
Soil preparation
Indoor cucumbers grow well in loose and fertile soil. Each bush requires at least 6 liters of soil. In this case, the roots will develop perfectly, there will be enough nutrition.
You can not only buy the soil in the store ready-made, but also prepare it yourself. Experienced gardeners do not trust the store option and do everything on their own. To get the desired result, you just need to mix in equal proportions:
- soil;
- sand;
- ash;
- humus;
- rotten sawdust.
The next step will be disinfection. This is done easily by heating in a preheated oven. Small insects that were in the soil die, and young plants will be safe.
If it is not possible to prepare the ground, you need to purchase a universal substrate in the store. A good option is soil for growing pumpkins.
Choice of capacity
The ideal container for growing indoor cucumbers would be pots or boxes designed specifically for this purpose. Plants can be sown thicker in a box than in pots. The container must certainly have drainage holes, and the drain itself is laid out on its bottom.
The containers are filled with a soil mixture, in which pre-prepared seeds are planted, and placed on the windowsill. After a couple of months, you will already have a real living curtain, from which you can also harvest a delicious harvest.
Fertilizing and caring for cucumbers
Balcony cucumber requires fertilization at the beginning of fruit formation. Mineral fertilizers should be applied at a frequency of once every ten days. Natural ingredients are also perfect as fertilizers: tea, wood ash, eggshell infusion.
In order for indoor plants to grow and develop well, it is necessary to monitor the temperature regime. The most optimal temperature is considered to be in the range of +20 - 22 ° C. A decrease in this indicator leads to a cessation of growth or freezing of cucumbers.
With the appearance of the first sprouts in indoor cucumbers, you need to take care of additional lighting. If it is not possible to rearrange the seedlings in a lighter room, you will need to install a fluorescent lamp designed specifically for growing seedlings and flowers.
It must be turned off at night, because otherwise the room cucumbers will stretch out and will not rest at all.
The main care is timely watering. Ideally, at the right temperature, plants are watered once a day.... The amount of water depends on the composition of the selected soil mixture. In no case should the soil dry out and excessive waterlogging be allowed. With insufficient moisture, the seedlings die, and with an excess of moisture, the root system begins to rot. With a lack of moisture, yellow leaves may appear, which eventually fall off. In this case, the fruits become bitter and lose their taste.
Pest prevention
Even when growing cucumbers indoors, you need to be prepared for pests to attack them.The spider mite is probably the main one. To prevent its appearance, it is necessary to carry out a preventive treatment with a tincture of garlic. To do this, take 1 head of garlic for 1 liter of water, chop it and infuse for 45 minutes. After that, filter, add a little soap and sprinkle indoor plants daily.
A decoction of tobacco helps to cope with aphids on indoor cucumbers. You can get it from a pack of cigarettes, and then pour a liter of water and boil for 10 minutes. Then add another 0.5 liters of water. In order for the aphid to disappear, you only need to process the plants with the resulting mixture once. If you prepare a stronger broth (from 1.5 packs of cigarettes), you can also cope with the whitefly.
As you can see, growing cucumbers in indoor conditions is no more difficult than indoor flowers. Despite the presence of a large vegetable garden, indoor vegetable growing makes it possible to eat fresh fruits, if not all year round, then at least at a time when they are still very expensive on the market and there is a risk of buying a product with a high content of substances harmful to the body. The lesson is very exciting, not particularly troublesome, useful.
