Is it necessary to pick off the mustache from cucumbers when grown in a greenhouse and open ground

To get a good harvest, gardeners try to apply a variety of agricultural techniques. The question of the need to remove the mustache from cucumbers worries many. These processes are needed by the weaving plant for reliable attachment to the support. To remove the antennae or not - there is no consensus on this, so the debate is still ongoing. Everyone solves this dilemma on their own.

Reasons for pruning a mustache

Mustaches for cucumbers are called shoots and leaves that have taken this form. They are formed from the axils of the leaves to support the stem, which is not able to independently be held in an upright position. The main advantage of this type of fastening is depreciation - the stem is stretched, and then returns to its previous position. Due to this feature, the plant can receive more sunlight that it needs.

Cucumber mustache pruning is practiced when grown in a greenhouse. In such circumstances, there is no need for additional support, so they can be removed. Yes, and it will be easier to harvest.

Arguments in favor of removing a mustache from a cucumber

There are several main arguments in favor of such planting treatments. All of them relate to those cases when cucumbers grow in a greenhouse and they do not need to compete for lighting:

• if an early harvest is needed, then the tendrils of cucumbers will only slow down the ripening process of the fruits, taking away nutrients from them;
• when the cucumber bushes are planted close to each other, the mustache often clings to adjacent stems, tangling and creating unwanted shading;
• if there are dense thickets, they interfere with the full care of plants;
• in a greenhouse, plants are fixed with twine, so they do not need antennae.

The reasons listed are based on the characteristics of this culture. But to some gardeners, they seem insufficiently justified.

Arguments Against Cucumber Mustache Removal

Not all experts are sure that it is necessary to cut off the antennae on cucumbers. Their arguments are worth considering in order to form their own opinion on this matter:

• there is no reliable data for the fact that such shoots take away the strength of the plant;
• the antennae themselves die off if they do not find obstacles in their path;
• pruning takes a lot of time and effort;
• the procedure must be performed very carefully, otherwise it can lead to damage to the plant;
• shoots appear again at high speed.

The benefits of this technique are called into question by many summer residents. After all, it is possible to achieve high yields without such a technique.

How to rid a cucumber of a mustache

To trim the mustache from cucumbers, you need to know how to do it correctly. It is not recommended to tear off or pinch off with your hands, because this method often causes injury to the bush. It is much more convenient to use sharp clippers or pruners.

Before the procedure, you need to wash your hands with soap, so as not to bring in extra microbes. You can work with gloves that have been previously wiped with a disinfectant. The tool must also be disinfected. The length of the remaining slice should not be less than a couple of centimeters. After a few days, it will dry out and fall off.

In the greenhouse and on the balcony

Many plant cucumbers in the greenhouse, and some even manage to grow them at home in boxes on the window. In a polycarbonate greenhouse or on the balcony, it is better to remove the mustache. It will be enough to leave only a few shoots so that the bush can hold on to the support. When the plant is firmly fixed on the trellis, all other shoots can be cut.

A dull tool will leave creases at the cut points, so the scissors should be sharp enough. After pruning is completed, the beds are watered and fed with mineral fertilizers to strengthen immunity and speedy recovery from stress.

In the open ground

The question of whether it is necessary to remove the processes from cucumbers growing in the open ground remains open at the moment. On street beds, planting is more difficult to secure, they are exposed to negative environmental factors. There is a real risk that a fungal infection will occur at the site of damage that remains when removed.

The disease can affect every wound that appears. The damage from such pruning will then be more than good. Young flagella mustache in seedlings can not be called a serious obstacle to its development. But their plucking can badly affect the condition of the whole cucumber bush.

Precautionary measures

Removing any part of the plant can cause infection of its tissues with infectious or fungal diseases. If the cucumbers break off the antennae, the danger of problems of this kind increases significantly. It so happens that it is becoming more and more difficult to harvest in the greenhouse due to overgrown shoots clinging to everything around. Then there is a need to cut off at least some shoots.

Break off the extra mustache at the very base. Experts advise to treat all wounds with ashes or a weak solution of manganese. Apply the substance comfortably with a cotton swab. For the operation, it is better to choose morning or evening time. In the afternoon, especially in the heat, the bushes will be too vulnerable.

If you analyze the reviews and recommendations, it becomes clear that picking off the mustache from the cucumbers in the greenhouse is only necessary if they really interfere. It does not make sense to do this to increase productivity; it is better to use other, more effective methods that have already proved themselves.