Loosening cucumbers is useful if done correctly!
Loosening the beds with cucumbers is an important agrotechnical event. It allows for good aeration and water permeability of the soil. Due to the superficial additional root system of cucumbers, it is necessary to carefully loosen the stem circles in order to bring benefit to the culture, and not harm. Compliance with the advice and recommendations for the correct conduct of the procedure will allow you to grow a healthy plant and get a high yield.
Cucumber Root System
A strong and healthy root system is a pledge of a large, high-quality harvest of juicy, crunchy fruits. A subtropical plant that loves warmth is a member of the Pumpkin genus. All cultures united under this name have a similar root trunk.
Structural features
The root system consists of a strongly developed main rod with lateral roots of the first order extending from it. Despite the similarity of the underground part of cucumbers and, for example, zucchini, the first root trunk is much smaller: it makes up only 1-2% of the mass of the whole bush. Although the ability to absorb moisture is very high. The roots are located close to the surface layer of the soil (depth of 20-30 cm) and strongly branched, which helps to better feed and absorb the liquid, firmly held in the soil.
The number of fruits depends on the development of the root system. The penetration of the main rod leads to less branching and shortage of the crop.
Formation
To obtain a powerful root system, close attention is paid to cucumbers at the seedling stage. When growing from seed, use the method of adding soil. Gradually, during the development of seedlings in the tank, a fertile substrate is added. Thanks to the reception, the size of the roots can be increased by 2 times. There are a number of factors that influence the formation of a healthy root system after planting cucumbers in a vegetable garden:
- Soil composition and structure - culture develops well on loose, light soil.
- Fertility - beds are pre-prepared with the introduction of humus containing nitrogen in an accessible form, and phosphorus.
- Illumination and humidity - for abundant flowering and formation of the ovary, the planting pattern in moist soil is 40 cm between rows and 50 cm between bushes. This provides light access to the plants.
Cucumbers do not tolerate transplantation due to the peculiarities of the structure of the roots - the sprouting of the seedlings is carried out in separate peat pots.
Nuances of loosening
The amount of the harvest depends on the timeliness of the agrotechnical event. The depth of loosening between the rows is 4-8 cm. It is carried out after rain or watering, which prevents the rapid evaporation of moisture and the formation of a crust.
Benefit and harm
Cucumbers grow well in light ground, which allows the development of lateral roots of the first order, providing a good nutritional culture. To prevent soil compaction, it is systematically loosened, improving aeration. However, do it carefully. Deep loosening can cause irreparable harm by damaging the delicate roots of cucumbers.
Tips on how to do it right
The first time the soil is loosened after germination, when the beds are designated. The procedure is combined with the removal of weeds. Further loosening is carried out with a ten-day interval. Experienced growers use forks. They stick them in the aisle and immediately remove it without turning over the earthy ball. As a result, the roots are not damaged, and the access of air and water is provided.
Heavy rainfall harms the crop by not allowing air to flow to the roots. An impermeable crust is also destroyed by a rake, rotary hoes, sowing harrows or other implements, as well as by means of constant watering in small portions. It is useful to loosen the beds before moistening to a depth of 10-12 cm. In this case, the moisture content in the soil will be higher, and the roots of the crop will be more vital.
In order not to damage the cucumber roots, it is possible to reduce the frequency of loosening by covering the near-stem circles with a layer of mulch. The latter will also nourish the culture with the necessary macro and microelements.
To increase yields and harvest healthy fruits, cucumbers should grow in light ground. In order to maintain a waterproof and breathable structure, the trunnion circles are systematically loosened, affecting only the surface layer. This avoids damaging the delicate roots.