Cucumbers on a windowsill in winter - how to grow a crop in an apartment?

The presence of a green bed of cucumbers in the house in winter can not only decorate the interior and give it a special charm, but also provide vitamins in the cold season. Despite the difficult cultivation, the plants on the windowsill grow quite quickly and this growing procedure is even possible for beginner gardeners.

The main factors in the growth of green vegetables are correctly selected varieties, created optimal conditions for plants and proper care for them. If desired, you can plant the vegetable in such a way that it is available year-round and at the same time does not require a specially equipped greenhouse.

Features of growing cucumbers in winter in an apartment on the windowsill

On the shelves you can find fresh vegetables all year round, which makes it possible to buy them and eat, but many think about how the cucumbers were grown and how many chemicals are stored in them. With a free window sill, everyone has the opportunity to grow cucumbers in the winter at home and enjoy healthy salads.

When can I plant cucumbers?

When planting cucumbers on a balcony or loggia, you need to evaluate the possibility of creating comfortable conditions for growth, optimal temperature and lighting. You should also consider the support system for the growing bushes in order to get a big crop in the future.

You can plant seeds at any time, based on the expected date of harvesting the first crop and adjusting it to your needs. Usually, it takes 2-2.5 months for vegetables to grow and ripen, but this figure can be increased if the rules for caring for plants are violated.

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What types of cucumbers can I grow?

When choosing a plant for planting in an apartment environment, you should pay attention to the fact that cucumbers will not be pollinated identically to how this happens in natural conditions of open ground. For this purpose, hybrid species that do not require contact with insects to set fruit have been specially bred, it is recommended to stay on them. Such grades are popular:

• Shchedryk - ripens in about 45 days, gives small vegetables that grow in bouquets of several pieces;

  

• Khutorok - refers to quickly ripening varieties, the harvest will be in a month, vegetables up to 10 cm long and have black spikes;
• Hrustik - has a standard ripening period of up to 50 days, but gives a plentiful harvest if you have the right care for it;

  

• Masha is a hybrid of gherkin cucumber, which gives a harvest of 6-7 fruits in each node and quickly ripens;
• Bianca - has elongated fruits with dark green spikes, resistant to various diseases, when ripening there is no bitterness.

When choosing a variety for planting, one should focus on its ability to adapt to poor lighting and also the abundance of foliage, which plays a secondary role in indoor plants.

Tips for beginners how to get a large crop of cucumbers in winter at home

The process of growing this vegetable in the apartment consists of several simple steps, which even a novice gardener or florist will be able to get fresh vegetables to his table in a relatively short time and without unnecessary costs.

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Location selection and lighting

The first priority will be a properly selected place for seedlings; the insulated balconies of the south side are best suited. They should have enough space for the development of the bush, as well as good lighting.

Since a plant needs at least 12 hours of daylight for the full development and formation of the ovary, and later the fruit, then in winter it will be necessary to illuminate the plants with infrared lamps, ordinary electric ones will not give the necessary amount of light.

Since the roots of the plant are susceptible to overcooling faster than the rest of the parts, it is necessary to insulate the place where the container with seedlings is standing, if a window sill with a battery at the bottom is used, this is permissible. When arranging pots with cucumbers, it is important to ensure that they do not stand in the drafts, as this is detrimental to young plants.

The soil

Soil can be prepared independently, taking peat and humus in equal proportions, as well as adding sand and ash in small doses to them.

At the bottom of the tank, it is necessary to put a drainage layer of several centimeters. Ready-made substrate can be purchased in stores for gardeners.

Seed preparation

After acquiring seeds, you should check their quality to understand the level of similarity. To do this, you can put the contents of the purchased bag in a solution of salt water, while good seeds will settle to the bottom, and unsuitable will pop up.

It is permissible to plant seeds soaked in this way immediately in a container with prepared soil, but you can also put them between two cotton swabs moistened with water or a sheet of paper for 2-3 days and wait for the seeds to germinate. As a result, plant sprouts will appear faster after getting into the ground.

Landing

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You can sow the seeds first in small containers, and then transplant them into large ones after the first leaves appear, or immediately place the seeds in a large pot, observing the following procedure:

1. Fill the soil and drainage at 2/3 of the height of the pot.
2. Water the prepared substrate liberally.
3. Plant germinated seeds to a depth of 1-2 cm.
4. Gently sprinkle on top of the remaining soil and pour from a watering can.
5. Cover the container with film or glass and create a temperature of + 23-25 ​​degrees for successful germination of the culture.

After sprouts appear, the film is removed.

Dates of seed germination and harvesting of home cucumbers

How much time it takes to grow one crop of cucumbers at home will directly depend on the conditions created. Also, an important factor will be the choice of variety, so you should focus on quickly ripening hybrids that are specifically bred for such needs.

On average, seed germination takes from 2 to 7 days, this figure varies due to different methods of germination and seed treatment.It takes another 30-40 days to grow the plant itself and the appearance of the first fruits.

Proper care and a well-chosen place for the growth of cucumbers at room conditions can provide fresh vegetables all year round.

Watering and humidity

Since this culture loves high humidity, it is necessary to regularly spray young shoots and adult bushes, preferably in the morning, using water at room temperature.

Cucumbers need constant abundant watering, so it is necessary to ensure that the soil does not dry out. As it dries, the plant should be watered, usually every 5-6 days watering is sufficient. For irrigation, it is recommended to use settled water at room temperature.

Top dressing

When a vegetable ripens, useful substances from the soil are washed out very quickly, and the plant needs constant fertilizer of the soil so that it can bear fruit. It is necessary to alternate the types of feeding, depending on the stage of development of the culture:

• nitrogen - before flowering;
• nitrogen-potash-phosphorus - during flowering and ovary;
• potassium phosphorus - in the fruiting phase.

You can use fertilizers sold in specialized stores, they should be used according to the instructions. To feed the cucumber, the use of organic fertilizers in the form of compost or chicken droppings with a frequency of 10 days is permissible.

Shaping and Garter

Experts recommend pinching the point of bush growth every 5 leaves, so the plant has side shoots that will bloom in the future. It is also important to timely pick off the empty flowers so that they do not take away the strength from the stem.

For this purpose, twine or a special ladder is most often used.

Problems encountered when growing cucumbers in the winter on the windowsill

Being a rather picky plant on the beds, this culture can suffer from improper care in an apartment:

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• falling leaves can signal drafts, which the plant does not tolerate;
• elongated seedlings indicate a lack of light, the container should be rearranged or illuminated with phytolamps to eliminate the problem;
• drying of the lower leaves on the bush occurs due to lack of moisture and too high air temperature;
• yellow foliage indicates a lack of nutrition;
• bitterness of fruits arises due to improper care of the plant;
• drying of the stem after the first harvest is due to poor development of the root system, it is recommended to cut off the first ovary and wait for the harvest from the second flowering.

Home-grown cucumbers can also be affected by pests. If aphids, spider mites or thrips are found, the plants should be treated with special chemicals (Aktara, Actellik).

Common Growing Questions

Under optimal conditions - proper lighting, humidity, as well as regular feeding - you can grow cucumbers on window sills and balconies in the winter, choosing adapted for this variety. It is important to properly care for the bushes, cut them in a timely manner and collect the fruits, the life expectancy of the plants and the amount of the harvest will depend on this.