Cucumber on the balcony - a miracle by the Christmas holidays

To surprise visitors and to please relatives on the eve of New Year's holidays can be original - for example, to grow a cucumber on the balcony. Of course, this vegetable can also be bought in the store, but the one to which you are personally involved will always be better, tastier and more aromatic. Therefore - for the cause.

Choose seeds

Since the goal - to harvest, then the seeds should be selected carefully. In conditions of open ground, insects carry pollen from one flower to another, as a result of which an ovary is formed, from which a cucumber grows. On the balcony, especially in the cold season, compliance with this sequence is not possible, so only self-pollinating varieties are suitable for cultivation. If you can not find them for sale, you can risk and sow the usual, but then "work bee" will have to do it yourself - with a thin soft brush or coiled wool. Equally important is the maturation period. Try to pick one so that you and the plant have enough time before the holidays. Also after the purchase, the seeds are calibrated - that is, the healthiest ones are selected, full and large. They have more chances to turn into a green bush and bring delicious fruits.

Sowing - rules and features

Seeds that have been lying for several years, and not very old, it is recommended to soak in warm water - this procedure speeds up the emergence of sprouts, and subsequently positively affects the growth of plants. You can achieve a stronger effect if you add a little growth biostimulator to it. The main thing - before you start the operation "cucumber on the balcony," make sure that the planting material is not processed during packing. Even if the package modestly keeps silent about these facts, the hint will be the unnatural color of the seeds - orange, green, blue ... In this case, the crop is dried by pouring water with the seeds already in it, so that the dissolved fertilizers (they are the cause of the exotic Color) have not lost their properties. As a primer, you can use light commercial mixtures or steamed vegetable garden soil with the addition of sand and vermiculite. The containers with the future cucumber plantation should be kept in a bright and warm place, otherwise they may become moldy and from the idea of growing cucumbers at home it will not work.

We care properly

Two things that can almost immediately destroy the result of your efforts - this is a draft and overflow. Cucumber on the balcony (yes even in the glazed) to some extent feels like a fighter in a minefield - the slightest oversight with an open window, and the plant already signals a bad state of health drooping leaves. Similarly, cold water acts on it. And if it gets on the ground often - pests and diseases do not hesitate to attack the weakened bush. But to provide the cucumber full comfort, it needs to be fed. It is advisable not to exceed the dosage, but adhere to the indicated on the package. It is also necessary to allow the plant to spin - for this you can buy a ready pergola or make homemade. As you can see, there is nothing to create a small garden on the balcony. Therefore, in time, be sure to try to plant something else - for example, cherry tomatoes or hot pepper.