How to properly mulch cucumbers. Grass mulching

Now you can buy ready-made designs. You can make a greenhouse yourself - the Internet will provide you with numerous drawings, descriptions, exchange of experience. We will assume that since you are reading this article, you already have a greenhouse.

Soil preparation in the greenhouse

Planting seedlings of cucumbers

Caring for cucumber seedlings

Top dressing cucumbers in the greenhouse

Cucumber variety Real man

It can pretty much simplify all these unpleasant operations for processing almost all country crops. Mulching allows you to free up time for more relevant and useful things in the summer.

It is worth only once a season to carry out mulching, which allows you to enrich the earth with useful substances and thereby increase the yield and its quality.

The meaning of mulching

Diagram of a trellis device for growing cucumbers. As a result, when harvesting, it is necessary to remove both the top layer of the earth and the mulch layer.

Mulching materials and their application. Types of mulching

If in the process of growing cucumbers, neither they nor the earth have been exposed to diseases, then it is quite possible to reuse these layers. Cucumbers, unlike other crops, are not so capricious, so all existing coatings will suit them.

Mulch compositions

in mulch.

Mulching

Planting plants in the ground

Mulching beds

Further actions

As a result, the fruiting time and, accordingly, the quality of the crop are reduced. Such negative consequences can be leveled by mulching.

Soil mulching methods

Material	Application
Grass
Compost
Straw
Leaves
tree bark
Sawdust
Needles
reeds

for bushes and trees;
for strawberries and strawberries.

Why mulch cucumbers in a greenhouse

For sheltering winter crops or for further decay, the mulch is left for the winter. In the spring, the beds are plowed along with rotted mulch.

Remove the top of the soil.
Form ridges for crops.

Question number 1.

Question number 2.

Question number 3. When does mulching start?

Question number 4.

Question number 5.

Home » Cucumbers » Mulching cucumbers in a greenhouse

Mulching cucumbers in a greenhouse

A spring film greenhouse is easier to maintain than a temporary film shelter. The greenhouse more effectively maintains the desired temperature and humidity conditions, it is more convenient to take care of the plants there. I will not describe greenhouse structures to you - there are a great many of them.

Now you can buy ready-made designs.

The technology of growing cucumbers in mulch

You can make a greenhouse yourself - the Internet will provide you with numerous drawings, descriptions, exchange of experience. We will assume that since you are reading this article, you already have a greenhouse.

The article will be useful to residents of various regions. The greenhouse is covered with a film (of course, this does not apply to polycarbonate greenhouses) early, when there is still snow - for each region - its own time frame. In the Kuban, this is approximately the first decade of February. Long-term observations of the temperature regime have shown that snow melts inside the greenhouse 5-8 days after it is covered with a film.

For faster thawing, warming up the soil in the greenhouse, it is useful to cover its surface with a transparent film (you can use the old one). In 3-5 days the earth will thaw, warm up to 6-8°C. The air warms up faster, especially when the sun is shining.

Even at night it is 4-8 degrees warmer in the greenhouse than outside it.

Preparing seeds for growing cucumbers in a greenhouse

The yield of cucumbers grown in a greenhouse depends on the variety, the quality of the seeds, and the methods of preparing them for sowing. It should be borne in mind that, regardless of the variety, large seeds germinate faster and, as a rule, give a higher yield of greens.

They are selected manually. You prepare cucumber seeds for sowing in a greenhouse or open ground - there is no fundamental difference. It is better to use seeds 2-3 years old with good germination. Plants from them give more female flowers and bear fruit well.

If you use the seeds of the previous year's crop, then they are heated for 3-4 hours in a thermostat or on a battery at a temperature of 55-60 ° C. A number of diseases are transmitted to plants with seeds (corner spot, anthracnose, others). To prevent this from happening, the seeds are poured for dressing with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per? glass of water) for 20 minutes, followed by thorough rinsing under running water. Instead of potassium permanganate, which is now almost impossible to buy, you can use a 2-3% solution hydrogen peroxide, preheated to 38-40 ° C (hold the seeds for 7-8 minutes) or a solution of boric acid (1/2 teaspoon of boric acid powder per 1 glass of water) - hold the seeds for 2-3 hours at a temperature of 25-30? WITH.

Do not forget to also rinse the seeds under running water after that. The growth and development of plants is stimulated by hardening the seeds with variable temperatures. To do this, they are first soaked for 12-14 hours at a temperature of 20-22°C, then the swollen seeds are placed in a refrigerator for 16-18 hours, then they are kept at a temperature of 18-20°C for 6-8 hours.

So alternate low and high temperatures for 4-5 days. Before sowing, the seeds are kept warm for a day or two and, as soon as they begin to hatch, they are sown in pots.

Cucumbers in a greenhouse - which containers are suitable for seedlings

You can use different pots - plastic glasses (large), paper thermopacks from under dairy products, peat pots, cans. Choose the sizes of the pots so that there is no intermediate picking before planting in the greenhouse.

Cucumbers do not like transplants, they do not tolerate damage to the root system. Therefore, seedling containers should be at least 400-500 ml. Then they are installed in boxes - plastic or wooden, pre-lined with foil.

Fill with a nutrient mixture consisting of humus and peat (1: 1). You can buy ready-made soil. Is it added to a bucket of such a mixture or soil? cups of granulated superphosphate and 2 cups of wood ash. Everything is thoroughly mixed.

How to plant sprouted cucumber seeds

In each pot, one germinated seed is sown to a depth of 1 cm. The surface of the soil is covered with a film, put where it is warm. As soon as shoots begin to appear, the film is removed, the plants are provided with good lighting conditions.

The temperature for the first 3-5 days is maintained at 14-16 ° C, and then in sunny weather - 20-22 ° C, and in cloudy -17-19 ° C. On sunny days, moderately watered with warm (always warm) water. They are fed with a solution of mullein (1:10) or mineral fertilizers (superphosphate 20-30 g, potassium chloride 10-15 g per 10 liters of water).

Soil preparation in the greenhouse

The soil for planting cucumbers in a greenhouse is usually prepared in the fall. For digging, humus or well-decomposed compost is introduced at the rate of 8-10 kg per 1 sq. m and nitrophoska 30-40 g per 1 sq. m. In the spring, digging is repeated, the soil is well leveled, humus (200-300 g) and superphosphate (3-4 g) are added to the intended holes.

Planting seedlings of cucumbers

So, we plant cucumbers in a greenhouse. The distance between rows is 70-80 cm, and between plants is 25-30 cm. Seedlings are planted in the last decade of March (in the Kuban) or the last decade of April (central Russia).

If the weather is cold, they additionally put wire arcs inside the greenhouse and cover the plants with a film.

Caring for cucumber seedlings

When heat sets in, the plants are tied to a trellis. One end of the twine is attached to a wire stretched in the greenhouse over a row of plants, and the other goes down, it is fixed on the stem above the 2-3rd leaf.

Then, as they grow, the plants are twisted around the twine, while plucking out the whiskers. In the lower tier (up to 6 cm), the lateral shoots of cucumbers are pinched on one ovary and one leaf, higher - in the middle tier - on 2-3 ovaries and the same number of leaves. In the upper tier, the number of ovaries and leaves is 4 or more.

When the main stem reaches the upper trellis, it is tied with twine to the wire in two places, pinching the top, leaving 4-5 leaves. During the period of growing cucumbers in the greenhouse, the air temperature is maintained during the day when the sun is 26-30 ° C, in cloudy weather - 20-22 ° C, at night - 17-19 ° C. Optimum air humidity in the sun is 85-90%, in cloudy weather - 75-80%. To increase the humidity of the air, paths and plants are watered from a hose through a strainer.

Top dressing cucumbers in the greenhouse

Cucumber variety Real man Cucumbers grown in a greenhouse respond well to top dressing. At the same time, organic fertilizers alternate with mineral ones.

From organic ones, a solution of bird droppings 1:18-20 or mullein 1:8-10 is used, 15-20 g of superphosphate is added to 10 liters of the solution. Urea, superphosphate, potassium chloride, wood ash are used from mineral fertilizers. The ratio of fertilizers depends on the condition of the plants.

If the plants grow rapidly, and few ovaries are formed, then the soil contains an excess of nitrogen. If this is the case, then only phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are used for top dressing. The roots of cucumbers are not deep, so watering is carried out after 1-2 days, but with small norms - 12-15 liters per 1 sq. m. Once a month it is useful to feed with micronutrient fertilizers (1 tablet of the Riga mixture per 10 liters of water). Often cucumbers in the greenhouse begin to bloom, and insects (bees, bumblebees and others) do not fly yet.

Plant self-pollinating varieties, the so-called parthenocarpics. Zelentsy begin to ripen 40 days after germination. Fees are first carried out every other day, and then daily.

Overgrowth of the fetus should not be allowed. With proper care (watering, top dressing, removal of spent leaves), cucumbers in the greenhouse bear fruit until September 5-10, that is, about three months. During this period, from 1 sq. m receive 15-18 kg of fruit.

What gives mulching cucumbers in a greenhouse

I want to tell you about one more trick that significantly increases the yield of parthenocarpic cucumbers. When the plants have reached a height of 12-15 cm, sprinkle a small layer (2-3 cm) of compost under them, and mulch with freshly cut grass on top, it’s good if there is clover - the mulch turns out to be very good, of high quality. What is the point of such mulching? Firstly, you will protect the soil under the cucumber from weeds, because weeds will not grow under compost and under mulch, but even if they do, they will be weak. secondly, compost or mulch will protect the soil from drying out. When watering, the mulch will decompose after a while - thus, the cucumber will receive additional nutrition. It seems to me that it is necessary to mulch the soil under the cucumbers in the greenhouse.

Because the mulch keeps it from drying out, and it is known that this vegetable loves moisture very much - sheltered soil does not require frequent watering. In addition, rare waterings will be more uniform, water will not be splashed, splashes from the soil containing pathogens will not fall on the leaves.

That is, the plants in the greenhouse will be healthier. Mulch prevents overheating of the soil in hot weather, maintaining the temperature necessary for the crop. A crust does not form on the mulched soil, water is better absorbed under the mulch. Mulched plants develop better root systems.

Therefore, mulch, mulching is a very important technique for growing cucumbers in a greenhouse. Mulching is a process of caring for crops, which allows you to achieve high yields and facilitate the work of a summer resident. It makes it easier for summer residents to grow various crops, thereby freeing up time for rest. In addition, the use of organic mulch compounds improves the quality of the soil and increases the yield. Installation diagram of a polycarbonate greenhouse for growing cucumbers.

Features of mulching in a greenhouse

The mulching process is not a very common procedure for agrotechnical impact on crops by simple summer residents. Not all amateur gardeners know about such a useful procedure as mulching.

For the most part, they are used to destroying all the organic products that the earth produces. But this is a serious misconception, since the earth without these additives turns into concrete.

Accordingly, in order to somehow make the soil fertile, gardeners have to moisten and harrow it for many hours. And annual two-season digging in such a situation is an urgent need. In addition, every piece of land free from crops will sooner or later become overgrown with weeds, respectively, it must be regularly weeded.

Any uncovered piece of land after the next watering hardens, and this leads to the need for loosening. And in addition, moisture from the same non-mulched lands evaporates much faster, which means that watering should be done much more often. And the mulching procedure has become a very useful discovery in gardening and horticulture.

It can pretty much simplify all these unpleasant operations for processing almost all country crops. Mulching allows you to free up time for more relevant and useful things in the summer. It is worth only once a season to carry out mulching, which allows you to enrich the earth with useful substances and thereby increase the yield and its quality.

The meaning of mulching

Mulching, at minimal cost, significantly reduces the hassle of weeding, watering, harrowing, digging, and the yield increases many times over. The mulching process allows: Scheme of a pallet-bed for cucumbers from a box.

reduce watering, loosening. Mulch helps to retain moisture in the ground and get rid of the hardening of the topsoil; to refuse constant digging of the earth. This action is replaced by loosening the beds with a flat cutter. The ground under the mulch does not harden. Digging up the ground during mulching becomes not only an unnecessary exercise, but even harmful. Since sticking a cutting into the ground can destroy the integrity of the soil, kill beneficial microorganisms. In addition, the likelihood of regular weeding is reduced, since the seeds and roots of weeds do not fall into the upper layers from the lower layers of the soil; with a thick layer of mulch and preliminary thorough weeding, the risk of land overgrowing with weeds is reduced to zero; the use of organic mulch compositions (hay, straw, ground bark) significantly increases soil fertility. And this leads to saving money and time for fertilizers; the yield of cucumbers in the greenhouse increases many times with the use of mulching; the ripening period of cucumbers decreases by an average of 10 days; mulch eliminates the risk of weathering and washing out of mineral fertilizers, while cucumbers feed more intensively; mulch favorably affects the penetration of oxygen directly to the root system, and also contributes to the appearance of microorganisms necessary for the soil, earthworms; ripening and growing cucumbers are located on a mulch layer, while remaining clean. In this situation, the option of rotting and spoilage is excluded; mulch helps maintain the required temperatures for cucumbers. Maintains balance in temperature fluctuations.

Terms and methods of mulching

Mulch the soil should be in the first half of summer. At a time when the earth warmed up well. However, the ground should be carefully loosened. It is necessary to completely get rid of weeds.

At the same time, it is worth knowing that the mulch should not reach the stem or trunk of cucumbers. The mulch distributed in this way will rot by September (it will be processed by an earthworm). If elements of the bark remain on the surface (it takes more time to process), then there is no need to eliminate it. Cleaning mulch in greenhouses and hotbeds becomes more complicated. Since there are a number of nuances when preparing the land in a greenhouse:

first of all, the top layer of soil is removed; ridges are processed using biofuel.

Diagram of a trellis device for growing cucumbers. As a result, when harvesting, it is necessary to remove both the top layer of the earth and the mulch layer. If in the process of growing cucumbers, neither they nor the earth have been exposed to diseases, then it is quite possible to reuse these layers. Cucumbers, unlike other crops, are not so capricious, so all existing coatings will suit them.

Synthetic film, non-woven materials, peat, rotten sawdust, and chaff will also come in handy. But there is still an exception - it is freshly cut grass.

It contributes to the formation of rot on cucumbers and the reproduction of slugs. But the most outstanding option in terms of impact on yield is black perforated film. To do this, even before planting cucumbers, a film is spread on the previously prepared land in the greenhouse.

Holes are made in the film. It is in these holes that seedlings are planted. This method of mulching has 1 drawback - black.

It is this color that in the scorching sun contributes to overheating of the earth. The way out of this situation can be either removing the black film during the heat, or laying white material on top of it. Thus, the remaining film from last year's greenhouse cover can be used as a mulch layer.

Cucumber seeds must be planted in the ridges of the greenhouse. Next, they must be immediately covered with a regular film, which should not be placed close to the ground. As soon as the cucumbers have risen, the film is not removed, but holes are carefully made in it at the site of the shoots.

Of course, under such conditions, weed growth is ensured at the highest rate. However, weeding is not needed in this case, since the grass will not break out onto the surface, which will reduce its efforts to death and debate. And this, in turn, will provide additional feeding to cucumbers.

In such an atmosphere, the root system of cucumbers also develops perfectly, which means that the appearance of barren flowers on cucumbers is excluded. In addition, watering is required minimal and extremely rare. Scheme of tunnel shelter and planting. When using an organic composition, in no case should the mulch touch the stems of cucumbers.

It is in the seedling and growth stage that this should be observed. Otherwise, there is a high probability of a disease such as a black leg appearing in a cucumber culture. It is extremely difficult to get rid of it.

You will have to remove the diseased stem, respectively, and the yield will be reduced. The mulching layer should be replenished during the whole season. It should be noted that the appearance and reproduction of microorganisms in the soil leads to increased processing of the lower organic layer. And this means that the land becomes much richer and more fertile.

Mulch compositions

The scheme of growing cucumbers on the stairs. The choice of ingredients for mulching should be based on the needs of the land where it is planned to grow cucumbers. If the land is rich in organic fertilizers, then you can do without them.

But in the reverse situation, organic components will have to be introduced into the mulch. Among the components of the mulching layer may be: rotten sawdust, leaves, straw, seed husks, needles, compost, tree bark, reeds. If it is impossible to mulch for this season, you can stock up on the necessary ingredients , constantly accumulating them. And next year, having prepared the soil, carefully distribute the mulch throughout the greenhouse, on the ridges, among the bushes and trees.

3 cm of mulch will greatly facilitate the work of a summer resident. It should be clarified that for soil in a greenhouse or greenhouse, the best mulching composition is compost, straw, dry foliage. years after all possible frosts, and with the help of seedlings. In this case, the planting period comes earlier (in greenhouses) or later (in open beds). But in any case, whatever the soil, closed or open, the technology of growing cucumbers will justify itself. in mulch.

Mulching cucumbers: where to start

Mulching- the process is easy and responsible at the same time. The choice determines the state of the grown plant and its behavior - gratitude in the form of a crop or a defensive reaction.

Under annual vegetable crops, it is worth using organic mulching material. It will create the necessary conditions for ventilation of the surface layer of the soil, will retain moisture and at the same time will not allow its excess to stagnate.

The advantage of this method is also additional doses of minerals and trace elements. Chopped straw, hay or dried chopped grass is well suited as mulch for cucumbers.

The material should not contain inflorescences, and especially seed pods, be homogeneous, without traces of rot (not slippery and without a musty smell). Cucumber cultivation technology in mulch involves several stages. The easiest way is suitable for the laziest summer residents and by no means lazy beginners.

Planting plants in the ground

Seedlings of cucumbers are prepared for planting, appropriate activities are also carried out in the garden - they form holes, spill them with water. The aisles in the case of using mulch should be wide enough, the paths between the beds should also not be small.

Plants are planted, watered with warm water. All weeds nearby are removed. The surface of the ridge is leveled.

Mulching beds

The selected material, such as hay, is laid in an even layer on the surface of the formed row, avoiding the area directly next to the plants, that is, leaving a small "circle" near the stem. They mulch not only, in fact, the landing zone, but also the entire surface of the garden.

This will help in the near future to facilitate weed control in this area. Mulching layer - at least 3 cm. Back to top It is worth making sure that there are no gaps in the emerging shelter. Mulching is usually carried out without crushing and watering.

It will happen by itself the next time it rains. If natural moistening is not expected, watering should be carried out in the usual way under the plants, additionally moistening the mulch once. This will start the composting process in the bottom layer.

Further actions

Further, the technology for growing cucumbers comes down to watering, cleaning seeping weeds (if any), checking the shelter for integrity. If necessary, if bald spots or thinning of the mulch are found, the layer must be updated.

Periodically it is worth raising the hay to make sure that under it the moves of the bear or moles do not form. In the event of such an incident, action is taken. Usually, this does not happen in the beds.

But there is no need to loosen the earth and remove weeds. If the latter nevertheless appeared, they are disposed of immediately to the garden, after removing the root system and "decapitating".

Features of mulching cucumbers in a greenhouse

The technology is the same, but the need for frequent replenishment of the layer is reduced, because the process of composting in open ground conditions in mulch is more active. In a greenhouse, mulch can be laid in a large layer.

Benefits of mulching cucumbers

Cucumbers are moisture-loving vegetables, capricious in relation to the frequency and quality of watering. When these conditions change, the plant, protecting itself, quite quickly passes from the growth stage to the stage of fruit formation.

As a result, the fruiting time and, accordingly, the quality of the crop are reduced.

Such negative consequences can be leveled by mulching.

A layer of organic matter (hay, straw) retains moisture, and in general creates favorable conditions for the growth of cucumbers. The photographs show cucumbers grown by mulching with hay. 20 gherkin plants were enough for a salad season for a large family. Preparations for the winter were also completely made from the crop obtained on one bed.

Soil mulching refers to ways to improve soil characteristics and protect crops. For this procedure, various materials are used, among which one can single out organic mulch - straw. Consider in the article how straw mulching is done in the greenhouse and in the open field.

Soil mulching methods

Mulching is covering the soil with a layer of material. Mulch flower beds, garden beds and bushes. Use organic and inorganic materials. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Gardeners prefer organic materials. After all, they not only protect crops from frost and overheating, but also create a fertile layer due to their decomposition. As a result, fertility increases. To achieve the maximum effect, you need to know what kind of mulch and when to apply.

Consider in the table natural materials for mulching and their application.

Material	Application
Grass	Apply to potatoes, bushes and trees.
Compost	Suitable for soil fertilization for all vegetable crops. Especially useful for root crops (potatoes, carrots, radishes).
Straw	Apply the material in conjunction with nitrogen fertilizer. Suitable for all vegetables, shrubs, strawberries, open ground and greenhouses.
Leaves	Suitable for mulching in greenhouses of heat-loving crops.
tree bark	Apply to shrubs, trees and flower beds.
Sawdust	Suitable for raspberries and winter crops.
Needles	Used for root crops and berry bushes. The needles oxidize the soil.
reeds	Used for trees and shrubs

Sometimes gardeners mix several mulching materials, such as straw and newsprint, or grass with sawdust. Straw is an ideal mulching material. It is suitable for all types of crops:

for heat-loving crops (cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, peppers and tomatoes);
for potatoes, cabbage, carrots, garlic and onions;
for bushes and trees;
for strawberries and strawberries.

Straw is cut and laid out tightly throughout the garden, including row-spacing.

Straw is especially suitable for nightshades, it prevents the action of pathogens and protects against decay. There are fewer Colorado potato beetles on mulched potato beds. ".

Straw mulching can be done in autumn and spring. In the autumn, when the rainy season begins, the straw will gradually rot and turn into fertilizer by spring. And in winter, it will protect the soil and crops (garlic, onion, strawberries) from frost. Unlike straw, grass mulching is not suitable for all crops. Slugs are planted in such material, and cultures are subject to rotting and fungal diseases.

Mulching with grass cannot be used for tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and cucumbers. Freshly cut grass is not used at all, since it rots, it must first be dried. One way to mulch is composting with straw. This procedure not only increases the fertility of the soil, but also improves its structure.

Step-by-step instructions for such mulching:

On the surface of the beds lay out layers of mulch, which consists of straw, manure and plant residues.
To speed up the process of decomposition and mineralization, the organic material is often watered and sprinkled with calcium and nitrogen fertilizers.
After half a month, the straw mass is plowed up or mixed with the soil.

Surface mulching with straw contributes to the saturation of crops with nutrients. Chopped straw is used for emerging crops. It is impossible to cover the soil with straw before sowing, as the substances in the composition of the mulch delay the germination of seeds.

To saturate the soil with nutrients, mulching is carried out for the winter.

Mulching outdoors

Mulching begins at the beginning of summer, as soon as the soil warms up and crop sprouts appear. Before the procedure, the soil is loosened, and the weeds that have appeared are removed. Straw is distributed around the crops with a layer of 10 to 15 cm.

Council number 2. The straw should not fit snugly against the stems of crops, it is necessary to indent a few centimeters to prevent the greenhouse effect.

How to mulch cucumbers in greenhouse conditions

During the summer season, straw is laid as it settles. If necessary, the culture is sprinkled with earth. By autumn, the mulching material partially rots. If there is no need for excess fertilizer, then the remaining straw is thrown away. For sheltering winter crops or for further decay, the mulch is left for the winter. In the spring, the beds are plowed along with rotted mulch.

In vegetable beds where potatoes, cabbage or tomatoes grew, and on which carrot or parsley seeds will not be sown in early spring, it is pointless to remove the mulch for the winter. After harvesting, the soil is loosened, part of the straw is left on the surface, and part is hidden in the ground.

When growing potatoes, the soil can not be loosened, it is enough to lay straw. When mulching bushes and trees with straw, the material is never removed. In the spring, they only loosen the soil and apply fertilizer.

Planting potatoes under straw for a high yield

Mulching strawberries to increase yields

Mulching strawberries gives a good result. Information about the timing of the procedure and its benefits in the table.

If you mulch shrubs in early spring, the development of early varieties is delayed by three weeks. Strawberries are also mulched in late autumn before the onset of frost. ". For the winter period, a layer of straw 10 cm thick is laid. During the summer mulching, the straw is cut, shaken, wetted, and then dried in the sun. Lay the mulch in a layer of 7 cm. After harvesting, the straw is collected and disposed of.

The berries remain on the surface of the straw and do not deteriorate even during heavy rains.

When mulching strawberries, consider the following recommendations:

When mulching for the winter in regions with a cold climate, straw must be raked in the spring so that the soil warms up. This will contribute to early development and accelerate the ripening of fruits.
When mulching in early spring during flowering and ovary formation, the mulch will interfere with the penetration of applied fertilizers to the roots. It is worth fertilizing crops in advance.
The best option for mulching would be rye straw. It loosens well and does not compact much. Hay is not used, as it rots and rots.
Until the ovary appears, unrotted straw is not used as mulch. It is placed on the aisles. If the straw is rotted and not strongly compacted, then it is not removed.

Especially mulching is needed for remontant strawberries, which bear fruit twice a year. The starting time for mulching depends on the climate. In the south, strawberries are covered for the winter. In the northern and central regions, mulch in the spring, before fertilizing and flowering begins. In dry regions where there is little rainfall, strawberries are mulched after winter when the snow melts.

In regions with a cold climate, mulching begins in mid-May.

Mulching the soil in the greenhouse

Mulching in greenhouses and greenhouses has its own nuances. The technology depends on the material. For tomatoes in greenhouses, hay or straw is used. Lay the mulch as follows:

Remove the top of the soil.
Form ridges for crops.
Straw is laid out between crops with a layer of 7 cm, space is left around the stem for watering.

Mulch will protect crops from disease. It should be noted that the straw does not let the sun's rays through, so it is used in unheated greenhouses only after frost, when the earth warms up. If there is heating in the greenhouse, then mulch at any time after planting seedlings.

In greenhouses, mulching is used to increase yields.

Advantages and disadvantages of mulching

Straw is used for mulching both in autumn and winter and in spring and summer. The material retains moisture in the soil and has a positive effect on the growth and development of crops even in the dry season. Strawberries and wild strawberries are covered with straw in summer to prevent burnout, and in winter to prevent freezing.

Advantages of straw mulching:

Loosens the soil and retains moisture.
Improves the structure and fertility of the soil.
Excellent material for compost.
Suppresses the growth of weeds and reduces the time spent on caring for the beds.
Protects fruits and berries from soil pollution during heavy rains.
Protects from hypothermia and overheating.

Straw like mulch is suitable for sandy soils. For clay soil - this is not the best option. The disadvantages of mulching with straw include the fact that mice start up in the straw. They harm crops.».

Answers to frequently asked questions

Question number 1. Is it true that crops under straw can dry out or rot?

This is an erroneous opinion. Straw retains moisture, but it does not contribute to debate and decay. The main thing is to carry out the procedure correctly. Straw is placed loosely on the stems of crops, leaving space for fertilization and air circulation. If mulching is carried out in the spring, then over the summer the procedure is repeated several times.

Question number 2. What are the results of mulching with straw?

When using straw, soil fertility increases, which saves on fertilizer. The yield of crops when mulching outdoors increases from 30 to 50%, and the ripening of the crop is accelerated for a period of five days to two weeks.

Question number 3. When does mulching start?

Everything depends on the tasks. Mulching is carried out in the spring, when the earth has warmed up, and the culture has sprouted and grown stronger. To enrich the soil with nutrients, mulch the soil in the fall after harvest.

Question number 4. What layer of straw is applied when mulching?

A layer of mulch of 10-15 cm is laid on the beds, over time it settles to 7 cm.

Question number 5. What is the best mulch to use for strawberries and strawberries, and when?

Chopped straw and manure mulch will do. They put it in for the winter. This type of mulching prevents the accumulation of nitrates in the berries. Straw is mulched with clean straw during the fruiting period to protect the berries from contact with the ground and rotting.

Mulching gardening mistakes

Consider the mistakes that gardeners make when mulching:

Some gardeners practice mulching in the greenhouse. This type of mulching does not always give the expected result, because not all organic materials are suitable for greenhouse conditions. The greenhouse is hot and humid, with poor air circulation. The mulching material will rot and fungus will grow, leading to disease in the crops. Mulching is not suitable for cucumbers. Straw should be chosen as the material.
Mulching with straw, sawdust and bark is carried out in combination with the application of nitrogen fertilizers. After all, these types of mulches take nitrogen from the soil, the lack of this substance affects the growth and development of plants. To prevent this, the soil is first shed with an infusion of manure or urea.
Sometimes mulching begins in early spring, immediately after sowing the seeds, in order to prevent them from freezing. This is a significant error that affects the process of germination and development of culture. Mulch only well-warmed soil. Carrying out the procedure on unheated soil, one should expect a delay in the growth of the culture. But there are exceptions to the rule, for example, potatoes are mulched immediately after planting.
Gardeners make the mistake of covering heavy soil, such as clay soil, with a thick layer of straw. The bottom of the mulch is rotting. Chopped straw is placed on clay soils with a layer of up to 2 cm. Mulch is added every two weeks.

The word mulching comes from the English mulch or mulch, which means a surface covering of the soil, which is designed to perform protective functions and improve the quality of the soil. Mulching is recognized as one of the most effective methods to maintain the health of plants, as well as to facilitate and improve their care.

What is mulching for?

It is very important to qualitatively mulch cucumbers when cultivating them in protected ground conditions. Such an event is successfully used by vegetable growers and finds the following application:

Properly selected mulch with a layer of 6 cm contributes to a multiple reduction in the growth of weeds. The use of mulch helps create shading between rows, which prevents the growth and development of numerous weeds;
the use of mulching contributes to a significant reduction in the evaporation of moisture from the greenhouse soil and reduces water consumption for irrigation;
mulch maintains the top layer of soil in a loose state, which has a beneficial effect on the root system of plants;
in the hot season, mulch can reduce the risk of overheating of the soil, and also creates the most comfortable temperature regime for the growth and development of plants;
the use of mulching in autumn protects the greenhouse soil from freezing and preserves beneficial microflora.

Currently, not only organic mulch is widely used, but also modern inorganic materials, including geotextiles or non-woven material.

The benefits of mulching

The technology of such a production operation as mulching in a greenhouse or greenhouse is very simple, but at the same time has a high efficiency and is characterized by a large number of advantages, including:

preservation of moisture in the greenhouse soil;
reduction in the number of weeds that compete with vegetable crops;
prevention of overheating of greenhouse soil in summer and freezing as a result of winter frosts;
preventing splashing of water with soil bacteria during irrigation;
soil protection from erosional changes;
protecting the soil from the formation of a soil crust and, accordingly, improving the aeration of the roots of the cultivated crop;
maintaining the friability of greenhouse soil;
the roots of cucumber bushes are not exposed;
pouring greens do not lie on the ground, but on top of the mulch, which allows them to stay clean and suffer less from moisture.

In addition, any mulched greenhouse vegetable crops are able to form a greater number of adventitious roots, which has a beneficial effect on productivity. As a rule, such an agricultural technique is used when growing parthenocarpic.

How to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse (video)

The choice of material for mulching in the greenhouse

As vegetable growing practice shows, mulching cucumber or greenhouse allows you to increase productivity by at least a quarter and reduce the ripening period of a vegetable crop. The main condition for high efficiency is the competent choice of material for mulching greenhouse beds. When choosing, you should pay attention to the practicality of the material, and also take into account the possibility of improving the quality characteristics of the soil in the greenhouse.

As a mulching material for greenhouse cucumbers, you can consider:

dry and high-quality straw;
peat;
rotted sawdust, supplemented with nitrogen fertilizers;
chaff;
coniferous needles;
clean fallen leaves.

You can use other organics, except for fresh cut grass, which provokes the defeat of cucumbers by rot and slugs. In addition, it is allowed to use mulching with inorganic materials, among which black perforated films, as well as lutrasil, are most in demand.

When and how to mulch greenhouse cucumbers

It is necessary to carry out soil mulching in the greenhouse at the very beginning of summer, when the soil is already well warmed up. If black film or non-woven material is used for mulching, then planting cucumber seedlings or sowing seeds is carried out in greenhouse ridges already covered with inorganic material. For this purpose, cross-shaped holes should be cut in the coating, the corners of the material should be bent inward and seedlings or seeds should be planted.

The soil must be completely cleared of weeds and qualitatively loosened. When spreading the mulch, it is recommended to adhere to a layer thickness of 6 cm. However, the mulch should not touch the stems or trunks of cucumbers, and violation of this requirement often causes blackleg damage to plants.

Properly used organic mulch will most likely rot by the fall, eliminating the need to remove it for the winter. If the mulch layer has been preserved after harvesting, then when carrying out harvesting work, not only the mulch, but also the top layer of soil should be removed. This feature is associated with the risk of soil damage by pathogenic bacteria. But after high-quality processing, the removed layers can be used in the garden.

The mulching layer requires timely replenishment throughout the season. As a result of natural fertilization, the greenhouse soil improves and becomes more fertile.

Most vegetable growers and horticulturalists know mulching as a series of care activities for cucumbers and other vegetable crops that contribute to a higher and higher quality yield while reducing labor costs. In addition, the process of mulching in a greenhouse or greenhouse is characterized by such an important plus as an increase in the activity of earthworms and beneficial soil bacteria.

How to get a rich crop of cucumbers in a greenhouse (video)

Most often, material for mulching greenhouse beds under cucumbers accumulates throughout the season. Organic components are more effective and help to increase soil fertility. However, working with inorganic mulch is much easier, and the effect in terms of volume and quality of the crop is about the same.

According to agricultural standards, mulching cucumbers in a greenhouse is not considered a mandatory procedure, but it has many advantages. There is no need for regular weeding of the plots, since they will no longer be overgrown with weeds often and strongly, moreover, moisture evaporates much faster from non-mulched land, and constant watering can cause diseases, rotting of the root system of seedlings, hardening and dry crusting of the topsoil.

What is mulching cucumbers

Mulching cucumbers

Mulching is a cucumber care procedure that allows you to increase yields and improve soil quality. Mulch - covering the top layer of the earth with an organic composition of rotten leaves, straw up to 6 cm in thickness. It helps:

improve soil quality;
perform protective functions against drying out of the inner soil;
facilitate plant care in the future.

The main goals of mulching:

repeated reduction in the growth of weeds, evaporation of moisture from the soil;
creating shading in the aisles that can interfere with the growth of weeds;
reduction of water consumption for irrigation and the incidence of cucumber diseases due to minimization of the total air humidity in the greenhouse;
providing a beneficial effect on the root system of seedlings;
minimizing the risk of overheating of the soil on hot days;
retaining moisture in the soil, supporting the looseness of the topsoil, preventing the appearance of a crust on the surface;
equipping shallow roots with a sufficient amount of oxygen, nutrients;
facilitating tasks for gardeners, because cucumbers will have to be weeded much less often;
prevention of exposure of the roots of cucumber plants;
creating a more comfortable temperature regime for the growth and development of seedlings;
protection of greenhouse soil from freezing with the preservation of beneficial microflora in the autumn period of the year.

On a note! It is enough to carry out only 1 procedure per season, as the quality of the crop will noticeably increase, you can get it 10-15 days earlier.

Also, the mulch will prevent the washing out of mineral fertilizers from the soil, improve the penetration of oxygen to the root system, prevent rancidity of cucumbers and rotting on the bushes.

Mulching steps

Depending on the option of planting cucumbers: in a greenhouse, greenhouse or open ground, certain methods of mulching are distinguished:

solid with covered landings with a continuous layer of mulch;
ordinary - the best way with widespread use and mulching directly rows with cucumbers;
nesting option with the production of mulch around the circumference of plants, which provides good weed control, although saving the soil from moisture evaporation is no longer observed.

Advice! It is better to carry out mulching for the first time in the last days of spring, when the soil has already warmed up enough, but still remains wet.

It is important to observe, correctly carry out the stages of mulching cucumbers in order to avoid harming seedlings and soil instead of the intended benefit. It is desirable to plant seedlings between rows, leaving wide paths:

Remove weeds from the treated surface and the old layer of mulch, if left on the beds from the winter.
Let the area dry.
Water the soil, apply fertilizer.
Loosen the soil up to 12 cm deep.
Lay an even layer of dense mulch material (no more than 5 cm thick) around the circumference of the stem, not compacting near the roots and leaving an open area near the sprouts so that rapid decay does not occur.
By the end of the season, the old layer of mulch should turn into humus. If unrotted compost remains, then it is advisable to burn it, as pests can be populated.

Fact! To reduce the growth of weeds in the future, it is better to cover the beds with mulch completely (at least 3 cm deep), leaving no gaps. After covering with mulch, plantings should not be watered, although at the beginning of composting seedlings it is advisable to slightly moisten the mulch layer with water.

It is impossible to root cucumber seedlings strongly when using mulch from hay, straw, peat due to possible infection with a black leg, which will later be difficult to get rid of. It is better to use needles, sawdust, straw, fallen leaves.

The choice of raw materials for mulching

Mulching with fallen dry leaves

When choosing organic raw materials, you need to take into account the composition of the earth, and also understand: what is the best way to mulch cucumbers in a greenhouse, whether it is worth equipping with fertilizers or the soil is quite fertile, does not need subcorks.

The best ingredients for mulching greenhouse cucumbers:

tree bark;
seed husks;
needles;
reeds;
straw;
rotten sawdust;
cake;
pine bark;
eggshell;
fallen dry leaves.

Many beginners do not know how to mulch cucumbers in the open field. Straw is a great ingredient in urea formulations and can greatly improve the quality of your mulch. If sawdust is used, it is recommended to combine it with nitrogenous fertilizers.

Often summer residents care about the appearance of the beds, so you can buy decorative wood chips with different colors and multiple uses. The trellis will become a decoration of the garden, if the paths between the rows of cucumbers are mulched with wood chips (layer thickness - 5-6 cm). The main thing is to observe dosages and proportions.

Reference! As a mulch for cucumbers, almost any improvised covering material is suitable. It can be organic or inorganic: cardboard paper, pug, agrofibre, polycarbonate, transparent film, non-woven or synthetic coating.

Cucumbers are a heat-loving crop and are planted in a greenhouse early, so the film is an indispensable inorganic for growing seedlings. Most often, gardeners cover the seedlings with transparent polyethylene, which creates the necessary greenhouse effect for the rapid emergence of sown seeds in the greenhouse. But it is undesirable to use fresh grass for mulch due to the possible appearance of slugs and the formation of rot on seedlings.

Experts give advice and explain: how cucumbers can be mulched, how to carry out the procedure correctly:

It is advisable to start mulching the land in the greenhouse at the beginning of summer, after the soil has warmed up thoroughly.
Non-woven fabric or black film with slitted cross hole types should be used for greenhouse rows covered with inorganic material.
Mulch exclusively loosened, weed-free soil.
It is impossible to allow mulch for cucumbers to touch the basal (trunk) part, so that the black leg does not get damaged.
Throughout the summer season, it is worth adding a mulch layer in a timely manner in order to increase soil fertility and improve the qualities of the natural composition of greenhouse soil.
Mulch creates optimal conditions for ventilation of the surface layer of the earth, equips the soil with microelements and minerals, retains moisture, but does not allow excess water to stagnate.
Fallen leaves can only be used in hot weather to protect the soil from temperature changes. In the rain, the foliage quickly rots and can provoke the development of a black leg, gray rot in cucumbers.
It is not recommended to use manure in its pure form for cucumbers, because. can burn the root system of seedlings in the heat. Best combined with straw (1×1) or used in cold climates, rainy summers.
A good mulch for cucumbers is a mixture of fern, yarrow, nettle, green manure with nitrogen and trace elements.
You can not leave mulch on the beds throughout the year. The soil needs to be given a rest, for which the remaining layer of mulch should be removed in the fall. As the harvest progresses and in the spring, as the soil warms up, it is advisable to mulch the cucumbers again in open ground.
If an inorganic mulch is used, film is the preferred option for cucumbers. Paper and cardboard will quickly become damp and rot.
Any color of the plastic film for cucumbers can be used, although transparent is better so that the seedlings are visually visible. After pecking the seeds of cucumbers, you can make cuts on the film above each sprout and do not remove the covering material until the fall. Some summer residents use black perforated film. But it greatly overheats the soil in the heat. If there is nothing to replace, then it is desirable to lay white material on top of black.
It is possible to introduce organic matter for the first time with the emergence of seedlings of cucumbers in the greenhouse. Throughout the season, as the layer settles, gradually add new mulch.
The mulch should be laid out on loose ground and free of weeds. Usually, organic matter is completely processed closer to autumn, so when re-growing cucumbers (2 times in 1 season), the mulch layer should be left untouched. If the first signs of cucumber diseases appear, then the top layer of mulch should be removed immediately so that the root system does not get infected.
You can also stock up on mulch in advance: mow the grass, spread the freshly cut grass to dry completely.

Cucumbers are an annual vegetable crop. Mulching is important because it increases the activity of beneficial bacteria and earthworms in the soil. This is not a difficult, but responsible process. If done on time, the plants will definitely thank you with a good harvest in the end.

I wonder why gardeners and gardeners invariably prefer bare soil? Just because the beds and other plantings look a little neater this way, or because in this form they testify to the greater industriousness of their owners? To be honest, I don’t know the answer to this question and I have never seen a single gardener or gardener “live” who would mulch his garden and vegetable garden.

Of course, I believe that this happens in principle, but, apparently, even now a modest minority of owners of six or more acres resorts to mulching, and all the rest stoically throw away and burn everything that their land produces outside the plan, just like many other organic wastes. As a result, the soil turns into a real stone, and it is necessary to water, loosen and weed the planting almost non-stop. Yes, and spring digging of ridges with this approach becomes a necessity.

My dacha neighbors are no exception and are guided by the principles of the majority. At the same time, they still look at my completely mulched beds and the space under the bushes and trees, and this is almost twenty years old, as another whim of the “strange mistress”. And they still don’t understand that if I hadn’t mulched these very beds, I would simply have died of fatigue right there, on the site. Why?

Everything is very simple: any soil free from plants very quickly overgrows with weeds (and they need to be weeded), and uncovered soil after each watering or rain is almost cemented (and it has to be loosened). In addition, water from non-mulched areas under the rays of the sun evaporates very quickly, which means that plants have to be watered much more often. As a result, from spring to autumn, the most stubborn gardeners, who, alas, are few, are engaged in watering, weeding and loosening, methodically moving from bed to bed, and they no longer have time for all other work. And for this hard labor they receive a very modest harvest, because watering, loosening and getting rid of weeds are only a small part of the entire list of things that need to be done in order to get a harvest. Less persistent gardeners at one stage or another stop fighting and gradually become “happy” owners of plots covered with couch grass and wood lice. Unfortunately, a similar outcome in horticulture happens all the time.

But everything can be different if you take into service some tricks to simplify gardening life and, in particular, mulching. Believe me, it is much easier to carry out this, in the opinion of the majority, completely unnecessary work, in order to then free up a lot of time on other technological operations - weeding, loosening, watering and digging. In addition, this technique will increase soil fertility and make crops more significant. In other words, thanks to mulching, labor costs in gardening work will decrease, and their efficiency will increase.

How Mulching Can Make Your Garden Work More Efficient

Mulching- this is a very beneficial technique in terms of reducing labor costs and increasing productivity, since with its widespread use, gardeners and gardeners greatly simplify their lives and increase the efficiency of their work.

1. The amount of irrigation and loosening necessary for the development of crops is significantly reduced, because mulch increases the soil's ability to retain water and avoids the formation of a soil crust that forms after irrigation.

2. It becomes possible to abandon the autumn and spring digging of the soil (it is replaced by loosening the ridges with a flat cutter, which is faster and less laborious), since the soil under the layer of mulching material remains loose, and digging is already completely unnecessary and even harmful (due to the destruction of the soil structure and death of earthworms and microorganisms) operation. Moreover, the refusal to dig not only reduces the time for preparing the beds, but also reduces the number of weeds on them, since the seeds from the lower soil layers can no longer fall into the upper soil layer.

3. To some extent, the time spent on weeding is reduced, but only if the mulching is done after thorough weeding, and the layer of mulching material is thick enough.

4. When using organic mulch (straw, hay, shredded bark, etc.), soil fertility noticeably increases, which saves time on preparing and spreading compost over the site.

5. The yield of vegetable crops is significantly increasing, for example, according to Polish experts, the yield of cucumbers in the open field with the use of a mulching film is 30-50% higher, and tomatoes - 20-50% higher than in areas without any mulching.

6. Harvest ripening is accelerated by about 5-13 days.

7. The total time required to maintain the garden and garden is noticeably reduced.

How and when to mulch the soil?

Mulching should be started quite early (at the beginning of summer), but only after the soil has warmed up (the exception is mulching with a black film), while the soil must be loose. If weeds have already grown in the areas chosen for mulching, then they will have to be removed first. Then, mulch is spread over the prepared soil around the cultivated plants in a layer of 3-5-8 cm (in many cases, the thicker the layer, the better). However, it should be remembered that the mulch layer should not reach the trunks or stems of the grown plants a little.

Organic mulching material decomposed at the beginning of summer will be partially or even completely recycled by earthworms and microorganisms by autumn. If some fragments of mulch, for example, bark, which requires much more time to rot, remain, then removing them for placement in compost (as many experts advise) is most often completely unnecessary. Of course, from the ridges on which seeds are supposed to be sown next spring (carrots, parsley, lettuce), the remaining mulch will have to be removed. In all other areas occupied by bushes, raspberries, potato and cabbage plantings, this operation is completely pointless. For example, potato areas and areas for cabbage and beets after harvesting will just need to be loosened well with a flat cutter. In this case, part of the mulch will be partially buried in the soil, part will remain on the surface. The presence of such unrotted fragments of mulch in the soil will in no way interfere with planting next year, it will be even better, since the soil will warm up faster. As for the bushes and raspberries, it’s not worth thinking about removing the mulching material at all, because you don’t need to dig up the soil under these crops - just loosening the thawed soil in the spring is enough. With greenhouses and greenhouses, taking into account the nuances of their specific preparation, the situation is more complicated: first, the upper part of the soil is removed there, and then ridges on biofuel are formed. Here you will have to remove the mulching material together with the top layer of soil (or separately) and use it depending on the situation (that is, the diseases that have occurred).

Which mulch is best?

It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously. Here you need to proceed from your needs and capabilities. The best mulch is the one that improves the soil the most with the least amount of input during the summer. If the soil is poor, you can not do without organic matter. If the soil is rich in organic matter, inorganic material is also suitable.

Of course, I guess that readers immediately thought that there was absolutely nowhere to get this coveted mulch. Nowhere - only because you did not think about it. If you think about it well, then, probably, there are many options. It is only necessary to give preference to the most accessible materials (according to the laboriousness of their extraction, price, etc.) and actively use them. It can be leaves, hay, straw, needles, leaf litter, stale sawdust, seed husks, semi-rotted manure, compost, reeds, bark from sanded trees and other materials. You just always need to keep in mind the need for mulching and, if possible, accumulate the appropriate materials, and then distribute them in beds, in greenhouses, under bushes and trees. Even a small (only 3 cm) layer of mulch will make life much easier.

True, it should be remembered that slugs can appear in the mulch from freshly cut grass and putrefactive processes can develop, so this mulch can not be used for all crops. For example, heat-loving crops cannot be mulched with grass - cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, peppers and tomatoes, which are prone to the development of various rots, as well as cabbage because of the danger of slugs, but potatoes are quite possible, the result will be very good. It is also good to mulch the soil under bushes and trees with freshly cut grass or hay, but ordinary reeds will also work as mulch under trees. For ridges with carrots, garlic, onions and other similar crops, it is better to use coniferous needles or old sawdust, for cabbage - straw, and it is good to mulch the soil in greenhouses and greenhouses with compost, straw and leaf litter. However, compost and straw are generally ideal mulching materials that are suitable in almost all cases.

Mulching materials and their application

organic mulch	Where to apply
Peat	It can be used for mulching a wide variety of areas.
Bark	Bark from skinned trees is well suited for mulching areas in raspberries, as well as soil under trees and shrubs. Shredded bark is a very interesting solution for decorative mulching of flower beds, alpine slides, etc.
semi-rotted manure	In combination with sawdust, it can be used for mulching cabbage plantings.
Compost	It is ideal for mulching beds with root crops: carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, parsley, etc.
Straw	It is an excellent material for mulching potatoes, cabbage, soil in greenhouses and greenhouses, strawberries, soil under trees and shrubs; used in conjunction with nitrogen fertilizers (for example, urea).
Sawdust	It is used for mulching any area, but only in combination with nitrogen fertilizers and in limited quantities.
Mowed grass, hay	Perfect for mulching potatoes, as well as the soil under trees and shrubs.
Needles	It is a good tool for mulching ridges with root crops (carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, parsley, etc.), onions and garlic, for strawberries and berry bushes.
Leaf litter and leaves	They are a very good material for mulching plantings of heat-loving crops in greenhouses and greenhouses (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, cucumbers, watermelons, melons), as well as pumpkins and zucchini.
reeds	It can be used for mulching the soil under trees, and in chopped form - under shrubs.

As for inorganic mulch, in some cases it can also be used, although mulching with organic materials is, of course, more effective. Why? The fact is that inorganic mulch does not increase soil fertility (which means that you need to make a good dose of humus in advance). When using it, it is necessary to calculate in advance what and how to plant and where to make holes for plants, since it is already problematic to plant additional crops on mulched ridges.

At the same time, in a harsh climate (as, in particular, in our Urals), the use of inorganic mulch in the form of a film turns out to be effective in growing heat-loving vegetable crops that are planted as seedlings at a considerable distance from each other and do not require hilling, for example, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, beans? corn, etc. However, in greenhouses, such mulch is good only in spring and early summer, and when the heat sets in, the film should be removed to avoid overheating of the soil. In addition, it makes sense to use black covering material on strawberry plantations and in decorative and recreation areas, and in the latter case it is reasonable to put covering material on soil fragments on top of which decorative materials are poured (decorative wood chips, decorative sand and stones, etc. ).

Svetlana Shlyakhtina, Yekaterinburg

Good afternoon I heard that it is possible to artificially maintain the desired level of humidity when growing vegetables in a greenhouse. I am a beginner gardener, last year I planted seedlings of cucumbers for the first time. I got tired of pulling weeds, and something was wrong with watering, the soil dried up all the time. Apparently, the cucumbers clearly lacked moisture, although they often watered. On the other hand, I'm also afraid to flood. I heard that mulching can help. This is true? And if so, what is the best mulch for cucumbers?

Indeed, cucumbers are a very capricious culture. They are especially demanding on the level of humidity, heat, top dressing. As for the mulch for cucumbers, its use helps to solve a whole range of problems. It does not allow moisture to evaporate, protects the soil from weeds, and prevents the occurrence of unpleasant diseases such as root rot or black leg.

In the greenhouse, you can use peat, old humus, sunflower husks or pine nut shells. These additives will not only protect the soil, but also feed the seedlings.

Mulching with straw or freshly cut grass is not recommended. Such a backfill is good for potato ridges; in a cucumber greenhouse, grass will promote the reproduction of pests. In addition, a moist grassy environment causes root rot, which is detrimental to cucumbers.

Mulching can be started immediately after the emergence of seedlings or the transfer of seedlings to the greenhouse. Peat or other material is spread over the soil in a thin but dense layer. The entire space between plants is filled up. It is important to ensure that the mulch does not come into contact with the stems. All weeds must be removed before backfilling.

During the season, organic mulch is sprinkled several times, it successfully replaces mineral fertilizers. You can water the plants under the root or by sprinkling, wetting the entire soil well. This moisture option allows nutrients to penetrate the soil, nourishing the roots of cucumbers.

An alternative may be mulching with a covering material. The simplest and most affordable option is a dense polyethylene film, preferably opaque. It is convenient to use in open beds. A film or breathable non-woven material covers the ground before sowing seeds, additionally warming up the beds. After planting cucumbers, holes are cut around the plants through which watering is carried out. The film reliably covers the soil, protecting cucumbers from night cold, pests and weeds. Plants can be watered much less frequently, which is especially convenient for people who do not have the opportunity to take care of plantings daily.

No related entries found.