The best varieties of cucumbers for growing on the windowsill

Long gone are the times when the townspeople who did not have a dacha envied those who had them. Today even a high-riser resident can afford to eat fresh herbs and vegetables, using windows, balconies and loggias for their cultivation.

To please their relatives with a fresh crunchy greenery today, any unruly citizen can make the right choice of a variety of cucumbers for growing on the windowsill. The same applies to tomatoes, strawberries and peppers - modern breeders have specially created types of vegetables that can be grown in pots and receive decent harvests.

Characteristics of "home" cucumbers

In order to enjoy your own harvest of greens all the year round, you should know in advance what sorts of cucumbers are available for growing on the windowsill. They should have a different set of qualities than those that are sown in greenhouses or in open ground:

• First, it should be self-pollinated hybrids, so as not to waste time on manual pollination.
• Secondly, it is desirable that the plant is shade-loving, since not every window fits it. In order not to light additional lamps in the winter, it is better to look at varieties of cucumbers for growing on the windowsill, which easily tolerate lack of light.

• Thirdly, it is preferable to purchase a frost-resistant grade, especially for planting on a balcony or a loggia where there is no additional heating.

If before a variety of cucumbers for growing on the windowsill of the house consisted of only one type - "room Rytov", then today there are dozens. It is important to assess the conditions under which the vegetable will grow and, on the basis of them, to purchase the most suitable, all the characteristics of the producers point to the packaging.

Cucumbers for a window sill

For many "home gardeners" the primary task is a high yield. In fact, it is more important that the plant grows strong and healthy in a balcony or window, then the collection of fruits will be a pleasant event. To date, such best varieties of cucumbers for growing on the windowsill have been recognized:

• "Prestige f1" is a parthenocarpic species that gives fruit for a very long period. The first greens can be harvested as early as 40 days after seed emergence. Cucumbers are 6-8 cm in length and are distinguished by excellent taste qualities.
• "Masha f1" is a very early ripening species, giving fruits on the 35-40th day. Also from the category "varieties of cucumbers for growing on the windowsill." Care of it allows you to achieve the formation of up to 7 green on one brush. Fruits are dark green with excellent taste.
• "Ant f1" is one of the most productive types of cucumbers. It is also parthenocarpic, ripens in bundles, in each of which up to 7 fetuses are formed.
• "Balcony" - a universal variety, yields on the 41st day after the emergence of seeds. Relatively frost-resistant, which makes it the best applicant for growing on a glass balcony. Productivity - up to 10 kg / m ² .

When buying varieties of cucumbers for growing on a windowsill, be sure to check that this property was indicated on the package. Also, all its qualities should be registered there - from yield and maturity to conditions for their maturation.

Selection of tanks

Cucumbers love space, even when growing in the garden, so you should take care of the packaging for them in advance. When choosing a container, it should be taken into account that the optimum volume for one plant is 5 liters. These can be individual pots of ceramics or a single long plastic container.

Some "home gardeners" adapt plastic five-liter bottles for water, before cutting off their necks. You can also use dense plastic bags, if at hand there is no other capacity.

It should take into account some of the nuances, choosing the right container for any variety of cucumbers to grow on the windowsill. Features of this plant is that it does not tolerate both the dryness of the earth and the stagnation of water, so there must be openings in the tank for its drainage.

If you fit boxes under the "garden", you must first tighten them with a dense cellophane, making holes at the bottom. Any of the above containers will come in handy to grow and harvest a good harvest of cucumbers.

Soil Preparation

For those who do not want to spend time preparing the soil mixture, the ready-made one, which is sold in specialized stores, is suitable. For those who want to personally participate in the process from start to finish, experienced gardeners recommend creating their own soil. This will require:

• 1 part of garden or turf land;
• Compost - 1 part;
• Sand - 1/5 part;
• Sawdust - 1/5;
• Wood ash - 1/5.

So that the soil does not harm plants, it should be burned, for which you can use a conventional oven. The prepared and mixed soil is poured into the baking tray with a layer of up to 5 cm and put on 20-30 minutes in a preheated oven to 100-110 degrees.

After calcination, the soil needs to be fertilized, for which it is enough to add mineral fertilizers for pumpkin in the volume of a couple of match boxes. You can buy special additives for cucumbers. The finished soil is packed in five-liter containers and carefully watered a day before sowing the seeds. Whatever sorts of cucumbers are used for growing on the windowsill, the soil preparation is the same.

Choose a place

An important role in a good harvest is played by where exactly the cucumbers will grow. This plant loves sunlight and heat, so either it will be windows or a balcony on the south side, or insulated and equipped with phyto- or fluorescent lamps, the sill from the other side.

It should be remembered that a normal variety of cucumbers requires up to 12 hours of light to ensure that the seedlings are growing evenly. Especially it concerns the period from November to the end of January. If seeds are used, specially deduced as shade-loving, then this period can be shortened.

It is very important that the plant is not exposed to drafts during ventilation. It is necessary that the frame does not let cold air pass. Some gardeners, even with high-quality glazing, use an additional insulation or pull a plastic film between the plant and the window frame. It passes well enough sunlight, but at the same time it saves from the cold.

Each vegetable grower has small tricks that help the plant to become sturdy and healthy (for example, using mirrors or foil to reflect sunlight and increase lighting). It is also advisable not to put the pot directly on the windowsill, but it is better to lay under it a layer of foam or just wooden bars. This is an additional measure for protecting cucumbers from cold.

Seed preparation

To avoid further problems with the growth of seeds, it is better to conduct them prophylaxis. For this, a weak solution of potassium permanganate is used, in which the planting material is aged for a couple of hours. By the way, this is also a test of their quality - they should be planted only by those that have fallen to the bottom for a given time. Seeds floating on the surface either do not rise at all, or will not yield a crop.

After the potassium permanganate seeds should be left for a couple of days in a moist environment for germination. To do this, suitable water-soaked gauze or natural fabric, which need to be sprayed as they dry up.

When the seeds "proklyutsya", they can be planted in the prepared for this cup. Some gardeners prefer to sow immediately in the pots, which saves them time, but it is important to cover this capacity with a film until the seedlings have the first leaves.

Whatever sorts of cucumbers to grow on the windowsill, in the first week before emergence, they need to provide a temperature of +22 ... + 24 degrees. After they ascend, they can be transferred to a cooler place, where the air warms up to +18, but good lighting is provided.

Care of seedlings

To collect from 10 to 25 green plants a day from each plant, it should be provided with appropriate care. For this:

• Watering should be done daily, but it is necessary to ensure that water does not stagnate;

• It is necessary to provide the plant with the appropriate humidity, for which it is enough to spray it from the spray gun 1-2 times a day;
• If the plant is under artificial lighting, then watering can be done in the morning and in the evening.

To save time, some truck farmers put under the pots with seedlings pallets with gravel, where they pour water. This contributes to the constant moistening of soil and air. In summer, the soil must be constantly wet, and in winter you can cut water, but the humidity should be monitored at any time of the year.

Top dressing

In order to be healthy cucumber varieties for growing on the windowsill and harvesting fruits became a real holiday, they need to be fed qualitatively. For this, 2 weeks after the emergence of the shoots, it is necessary to make and make the first mineral solution:

• Add 2 teaspoons to 3 liters of water. Mineral fertilizer for cucumbers or pumpkin crops, water at a rate of 1-2 glasses per plant during the growth period and 3-4 - during fruiting.
• To extend the life of the plant every 2-3 weeks, it is recommended to pour a solution of 1 cap "Growth" on 2 liters of water.

Good support is the pouring of fresh biohumus once every 3-4 weeks.

Vine formation

In order for the stem of the plant to grow strong and well fruited, the first pinching of the tip is carried out when there are 4-5 leaflets. This will "provoke" the lateral branches to growth. When they give their shoots, the pinching is carried out over the third or fifth sheet. The mustache must also be removed, making sure that there is no decay in their place.

When the main vine starts to climb, it should be tied, for which it is possible to insert sticks 1 m long straight into the container with the plant or pull the fishing line along the window. Liana needs to clip on the 11th or 12th leaf. When fruiting begins, you need to make sure that the greens do not overrun. The more fruit is broken, the higher the harvest.

Cucumber sowing in winter

The main distinguishing feature of any sort of cucumber for growing in winter on the windowsill is the need for additional lighting. It is better if special phytolamps are used for this. Otherwise, the conditions of care are simple:

• Moderate watering;
• Increased humidity, for which it is better to use containers with water or spray plants several times a day;
• Timely formation of the bush;
• Daily harvest during the fruiting period.

Cucumbers need in winter in top dressing no less than during other seasons. This directly determines the size of the crop. If the plant is "undernourished," it will tell it by slow growth and yellowed greens.

Seeding can be done in any month, but at the same time take into account the temperature and illumination of the selected place. Since cucumbers can harvest in 4-5 weeks, their planting depends only on the owner's preferences. For example, it can be done 5-6 weeks before the New Year's holidays, to please the guests with a salad of fresh cucumbers.

Cucumber sowing in summer

If it is important in winter that there is additional lighting, then the cucumber varieties for growing in the summer on the windowsill do not need this. On the contrary, you can slightly shade plants with a grid, if you select the southern window. The main requirements for a good harvest during this period:

• Frequent watering;
• Regular spraying with water;
• Timely harvesting.

In general, growing cucumbers at any time of the year is not an onerous occupation, which brings joy in harvesting.