How to plant and grow bagged cucumbers step by step
Any gardener dreams that all vegetables can fit in a garden bed of 6 acres. For this, experienced gardeners have come up with the cultivation of cucumbers in bags, which helps to save space in the garden. At the same time, it will be possible to get a rich and tasty harvest, 12-15 cucumbers grow in one container. Let's take a look at this method.
Advantages and disadvantages of the method
There are a huge number of advantages of growing cucumbers in a bag:
- Huge harvest.
- The bags do not take up space in the garden.
- You can grow cucumbers on the balcony.
- No hassle in leaving.
- Harvesting is easier.
- Clean fruits, as they do not come into contact with the ground and, accordingly, do not rot.
Many garden enthusiasts have loved this innovative method of growing vegetables in a bag. It is better than greenhouses, relieves us of the need to dig the beds in the country, and then also weed them after each rain. There are no weeds in the bags, and if they do appear, getting rid of them is easy. Fruits grown this way will look great as they will be free of dirt. If everything is done correctly, then the cucumbers planted in this way will ripen earlier than those planted in an open area.
In addition, the yield of cucumbers in bags is significantly higher than that of those in the beds. By the way, if the apartment has enough space, you can grow them directly indoors all year round. The main thing is to properly care for, provide plants with light, warmth and proper watering.
No matter how good the method is, it, like all others, has some disadvantages:
- Difficulty providing sufficient moisture levels.
- If the room is hot, the bags will be hot, which will lead to the death of the plant.
It is imperative to water the cucumbers in planting bags as often as possible, because moisture in such "containers" evaporates quite quickly, not like in a greenhouse. With a lack of moisture, the fruits will have a bitter taste or the plant will die altogether. It is best to purchase bags that are white.
Preparing the seeds
To achieve a good harvest, the seeds should be prepared appropriately before planting. This is done in a few steps:
- The seeds are carefully selected.
- Warming up in progress.
- Next, the seed is processed.
- The final stage is hardening.
It is very important to choose the best from the whole abundance of seeds, not empty and most importantly large... To do this, soak them in liquid (warm) for 5 minutes. After that, you need to move them into a prepared saline solution (50 grams per liter). Then you should wait, some seeds will float, they should be thrown away.
Next, you need to thoroughly dry the material for sowing, and for this you need to lay them out on a cloth and put, for example, in the sun, or, simply, put on a saucer and place on a warm battery. Further, the seeds must be disinfected so that in the future the plants are not exposed to fungal diseases and all sorts of pests. To achieve this, you need to warm them up for some time at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius.
This approach will significantly increase yields. After all these procedures, it is advisable to place the seed in a solution of potassium permanganate for about an hour and a half. By the way, experienced gardeners with experience say that after disinfecting seeds, you need to place them in a solution of wood ash. It is very simple to cook it, two tbsp. l. poured with a liter of liquid and all this should be infused for two days.
Next, it is imperative to harden the seeds so that temperature drops do not affect them in a harmful way. For this, the seed is laid out on a slightly damp cloth and is not removed until it swells. If the cloth dries up, you need to moisten it. After pecking several seeds, all sowing material is transferred to the upper shelf of the refrigerator for 24 hours, and then by the same amount to the lower one. After that, the seeds are ready, you can start planting.
How to grow cucumbers in bags, step by step
So, we have considered the main factors, and now, in fact, you can perform sowing. We will need some materials, they should be prepared in advance:
- A dense bag (for example, from under sugar or trash bags), the volume of which is from 70 to 120 liters.
- Two-meter pole.
- Cord (tight).
- Three one-meter tubes. They must be empty (they will be the base of the irrigation system).
- Priming. It can be prepared manually or purchased.
- Nails.
- Pegs (high).
If all this is collected, we proceed to the preparatory stage. Take the prepared tubes and staggered holes in them with a drill. On one side of the pole, nails should be nailed, this is necessary to tie the cords, since the cucumbers in the bags will sprout along them. Lightweight soil is a great option to grow bagged cucumbers. It is highly discouraged to use black soil or peat.
Note that if the soil was prepared manually, then it is necessary to add humus and ash to it. Superphosphate will not be superfluous yet when planting cucumbers in bags. Skilled gardeners make bag filler as follows:
- A mixture of soil and sawdust is produced.
- About 20 grams of nitrophoska is added to one bucket of the finished mixture.
- Next, you need to put a layer of dandelions (fresh) in the package.
- A layer of the mixture should be placed on top.
- Next, you need to alternate layers.
Many people wonder how much to pour the mixture. There is no exact answer, because the height of the package affects this. It is advisable to try to make it fill about 2/3. Growing cucumbers in bags is only possible if they are placed in an upright position. Be sure to drive a small peg in the middle. Next, prepared tubes with holes should be placed around the finished structure. Before planting cucumbers, the ground must be watered with warm water.
Now we turn directly to how the planting of cucumbers in bags of soil is performed. It is advisable to choose varieties that are resistant to various diseases. It is allowed to grow no more than three planted seedlings in one container (bag). If you plan to plant more, then you need to stagger holes in the container and place seedlings in them.
How to properly care
Watering for the cucumber will be provided thanks to the tubes placed around. Watering frequency depends on how quickly the soil dries.In the heat, watering should be done daily. In cold and rainy weather, you can water only once a week. When the plants begin to have whiskers, you need to place pegs around them and tie cords to them. The ends of these cords are tied to nails that were driven into the pole earlier. This approach allows you to achieve the fact that one stem is formed and you get a rich harvest.
By the way, it is advisable to feed the cucumbers that grow in bags. For this, an infusion of nettle or any herbs is made. It is necessary to start after the ovaries are formed.
Recommendations
To achieve a good harvest, follow these tips:
- Try to use only tight plastic bags.
- In those places where the bags with seedlings will stand, you need to make small indentations to place the bags vertically.
- If you want lightly salted cucumbers or for rolling, you need to choose varieties that have small fruits.
- Take good care of your vegetables.
- Do not overdo it with watering, otherwise an excess of moisture will lead to plant diseases.
- Use white bags to help the moisture evaporate longer.
Experienced gardeners recommend planting cucumbers in bags rather than in a greenhouse. This method of growing vegetables has extremely positive reviews. A good harvest can be obtained in a relatively small area. You can plant any number of cucumbers in bags, it all depends on your mood and desire.
Conclusion
Now you know how to grow cucumbers in bags step by step. Use this method and you will get a good and tasty harvest.
