Many gardeners and gardeners miss the summer season so much that even in winter they try to do something on their own balcony. And they achieve success! And sometimes there is simply no dacha, nowhere to plant plants, and you have to arrange a small one. This is not a miracle, but a common practice that gets good reviews.

Of course, such a vegetable garden can only be set up on a glazed balcony, and preferably one that is well insulated. Ideally, the balcony should be located on the east or southeast side. If the windows of the balcony or loggia are on the north side, then the cucumbers will not have enough lighting. Even if you use artificial light at home, it is not enough. The culture does not tolerate drafts, and this must be taken into account.

Planting seeds:

• You can grow cucumbers on the balcony using the seed method; when purchasing seeds, make sure that the variety is specifically for the balcony;
• If these are hybrid varieties, they must be shade-tolerant, self-pollinating, they must have short internodes, as well as compact fruits;
• You can plant seeds in a permanent container for indoor plants; it should be a container with drainage holes, and also with a special tray for draining water (it’s good if the container in which the seedlings will be is light, so that it does not overheat in the sun);
• Seeds need to be sown in universal soil, this soil is based on peat and perlite, in one container - 25 liters of soil;
• Seeds are usually sown in April-May, when daylight hours become longer.

Why shouldn't you sow seeds in winter? In this case, the process of bud formation will occur during the period when the plants are indoors on the windowsill. As a result, the ovaries may fall off and active growth of branches may begin. The cucumbers will have little light, but at the same time, it is too early to take them out onto the balcony. If the varieties are early ripening, then within a month and a half the fruits will ripen.

Containers: growing cucumbers on the balcony

It is important to prepare the planting soil correctly. Cucumbers love nutritious soil, so it can be a mixture of garden soil, in addition to rotted compost and specially created soil for garden crops. To improve the composition, as mentioned above, perlite is added to the ground.

One bush needs 5 liters of soil, no less - this is for full ripening. It is imperative to disinfect the soil. To do this, steam it with boiling water or pour it with a fungicide. At the bottom of the container you need to lay a layer of drainage 3 cm thick. Then add soil, leaving 5 cm of soil on top. After this, thoroughly moisten the soil, and after shrinkage, add soil.

Care: balcony cucumber F1, growing on the window

The care and procedures you will do for the future harvest are very important. Even though you purchase seeds of a special balcony variety, they still require care. For example, you need to shade plants on hot days so that the sun does not burn the leaves.

The rules of care also include:

• Mulching, which allows you to retain moisture in the soil - this can be sphagnum mulch;
• Also, in hot weather, you can place a container of water next to the planting to increase the humidity on the balcony;
• Evening hours are the time to generously spray cucumbers;
• Daily watering of plants is required; cucumbers love moisture.

Hybrids grown using the window-balcony method need to be pinched. Plants that are actively growing are pinched at the 11-12th leaf stage. And at the end of the season, somewhere in mid-August, containers with cucumbers need to be wrapped with covering material, the same burlap. This will prevent the plant roots from getting too cold.

Growing step by step: cucumbers on the balcony

So, cucumbers can be planted in containers on the balcony in April-May. These can be containers for flowers, sometimes cucumbers are grown in plastic bottles. Caring for them is almost the same as caring for cucumbers in a greenhouse.

Balcony growing consists of the following stages:

• Soil preparation;
• Care procedures for seeds before planting;
• Sowing seeds;
• Plant nutrition;
• Forming a cucumber lash;
• Plant care and growth control.

If some stages are described above, then it is worth describing separately the stage of feeding cucumbers. Regular watering alone is, of course, not enough. When two weeks have passed since the first shoots appeared, you need to fertilize and feed the cucumbers.

You may be interested in material about mixed planting in a greenhouse:

First feeding per 10 liters: 5 g ammonium nitrate, 15 g potassium nitrate, 30 g superphosphate, 5 g magnesium sulfate. The next feeding will occur in 10 days. The same calculation, 10 liters: dilute bird droppings 1 to 20 in water, add 20 g of superphosphate, and again 15 g of potassium sulfate.

And on the balcony the same problems can arise as in growing cucumbers on the plot. Pests and fungi are not so dangerous here, but yellowing of leaves, a small number of ovaries - all this is possible. Therefore, good care is required.

Tips for growing cucumbers:

• Once a week you need to remove the antennae;
• The soil around the stem needs to be loosened periodically;
• Pinching must be timely;
• Be sure to tie up the plant;
• Soil moisture must be maintained by special spraying;
• Maintain proper climate control.

If you install additional lighting, monitor its duration. Of course, a lot depends on the right variety. The following varieties are suitable: Khrustik, Manul, Berendey, Courage, Balagan, City Cucumber. The best varieties are hybrid, marked “balcony” or “for balcony growing.”

Balcony cucumbers: growing (video)

On the balcony you can grow a decent harvest of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and eggplants. Maybe it's time to try opening the summer season on the balcony? Great results!

Planting cucumbers in plastic bottles is a simple matter, very convenient and profitable. Cucumbers can be planted in this way in garden beds, in a greenhouse, or simply on a balcony/window sill. Usually, cucumbers are planted in 5 liter bottles - this gives the plants more space, although a good harvest can also be obtained from smaller containers.

Growing cucumbers in plastic bottles begins with preparing nutritious soil and a “planting site.” Everyone has their own soil recipe. It is important that it is loose, porous, and allows air to pass well to the roots. Alternatively, you can purchase ready-made soil for growing vegetables or seedlings in the store. If you decide to prepare the soil for planting cucumbers in bottles yourself, you can use this recipe:

• 1/4 – turf soil (suitable from the garden),
• 1/4 - leaf soil (rotted leaves from any tree except oak and willow),
• 1/4 - peat,
• 1/4 - drainage mixture.

For drainage, you can use sphagnum moss, husks from sunflower seeds or grains, or eggshells. Cucumbers will thank you for a rich harvest if you add birch ash to the soil.

Now about preparing the bottle. If you plan to grow cucumbers on the balcony in plastic bottles, then you need to take a suitable container and cut off the top, and fill the resulting pot with prepared soil. It is better not to throw away the cut off tops of the bottles; they can be used to cover the seedlings in the cold season, creating a kind of greenhouse.

If we are talking about planting cucumbers in open ground or a greenhouse, then you will also need to cut off the bottom to create a kind of rim. It will need to be “drowned” 1/3 into the garden bed. Also fill the resulting container with soil, slightly short of the edge. In each such pot, 2-3 sprouted cucumber seeds or a couple of seedling bushes are planted.

Growing bottle cucumbers outdoors provides a number of benefits:

• watering savings. All water goes to its destination and does not spread over the bed;
• the plastic rim of the bottle sunk into the ground protects the roots of cucumbers from mole crickets;
• weeds do not interfere with the growth of cucumber;
• Every year prepare fresh soil that is not contaminated with any diseases.

Cucumbers on the windowsill in plastic bottles are not a myth. True, in order to get a good harvest from the windowsill, the cucumbers will have to be fed. Do not forget about active regular watering, since cucumber is a moisture-loving plant.

Growing cucumber seedlings in plastic bottles is also a profitable and convenient option. You can use both large and small plastic bottles. For a plastic bottle, as in the previous version, you can cut off the top and get a plastic cup or pot, depending on the size of the container. You can cut the bottle in half and insert the top into the bottom with the cap facing down. Pour water into the bottom of the bottle so that the neck of the top reaches it - you will get a pot with automatic watering. This way you can be sure that your seedlings will not die or get sick from lack of moisture.

The third option is how to plant cucumbers in plastic bottles: you need to put the bottle on its side and cut off one side, you get a kind of boat or shoe, which is filled with soil and then seeds or seedlings are planted if necessary.

Seedlings of cucumbers in plastic bottles cut horizontally are not advisable, since cucumbers do not like transplantation and adapt extremely poorly; it is better to plant cucumber seeds in peat tablets or pots, which can then be immediately planted in the ground without damaging the roots.

Cabbage, parsley, tomatoes, petunias and other annual flowers grow well in plastic bottles cut horizontally.

How to plant cucumbers in 5 liter bottles on the balcony

To do this, you need to prepare the container using one of the above methods, then fill it with soil and plant the cucumbers. Cucumbers love warm soil, but do not tolerate exposure to open sunlight. Therefore, you need to choose a slightly shaded place on the balcony or create a shadow artificially. By providing sufficient watering and fertilizing, you can count on getting a good harvest.

On a note

• you can plant cucumbers under a plastic bottle directly on a prepared warm bed in open ground to get an earlier harvest, and cover the top with covering material,
• growing cucumbers in plastic bottles is no different from growing cucumbers in a greenhouse or garden bed; first of all, they need moisture, warmth and light,

Growing cucumbers on the balcony is a pleasant and entertaining activity. If you do not have a garden plot, you can easily, following the recommendations, create a green vegetable garden on the loggia.

Basic growing rules

Before you get to work, you need to consider the location of the balcony, because cucumbers, like all plants, love sunlight. The north side is not suitable for planting this crop; it is better to choose the southeast or east. In addition, shoots do not like drafts, so a glazed balcony is suitable for them.

The growing process begins with the selection of seeds, because not all varieties are suitable for these purposes.

You need to pay attention to the following factors:

• the size of the resulting fruit;
• shade tolerance;
• no need for pollination;
• a note about the possibility of growing in a city apartment.

For growing cucumbers at home, hybrid varieties have been bred that adapt to balcony conditions:

• F1 “Balcony miracle”;
• F1 "Courage";
• F1 "Balagan";
• F1 "Claudia";
• F1 "Urban cucumber".

Seeds for the summer should be sown in late April - early May. If you start the germination process early, the stems may become very elongated due to insufficient sunlight. Also, the formation of buds will occur before the establishment of warm, suitable weather, and they may dry out and fall off.

In the cold season, it is necessary to provide plants with certain conditions.

1. Add additional light sources, which will increase daylight hours, which are shortened in winter.
2. Additionally, insulate the balcony or loggia with special materials.
3. Install heating devices to maintain and also to avoid freezing of the plant at night.
4. Provide good ventilation to provide fresh air without drafts.

Growing technology

To get a good harvest and tasty cucumbers in your apartment, you need to follow the vegetable growing technology step by step. It includes:

• soil preparation;
• planting seeds;
• creating conditions for the development of seedlings;
• picking seedlings and moving them into larger pots;
• mineral fertilizing;
• care until the last cucumber is harvested.

Soil preparation

Soil saturated with microelements and nutrients is the key to intensive, healthy growth of all sown seeds. It is prepared by mixing several ingredients in a certain proportion.

1 way

It is the most labor-intensive because the soil is made from 5 different components, which are taken in the same quantity - half a 10-liter bucket.

You will need:

• turf;
• compost;
• peat;
• ash;
• sawdust.

They need to be poured into a large container or into a film spread on the ground, mixed and moistened with a solution of potassium permanganate to disinfect the soil.

If it is not possible to prepare the soil yourself at home, you can purchase it at a specialized store.

Method 2

This cooking method uses the same ingredients, per 1 bucket of which you need to add:

• 10 – 15 g nitrophoska;
• 8 – 10 g urea.

Thorough mixing promotes uniform distribution of substances throughout the entire mass of prepared soil.

3 way

Take:

• turf and compost - half of a 10-liter bucket;
• ash – 400 g;
• lime – 50 g;
• fertilizer complex – 15 g.

Mix these ingredients until a homogeneous mass is obtained, transfer the resulting mixture into a bag and bury it to a shallow depth. After 7–10 days, the rotted mass will become crumbly and suitable for planting.

To prevent viral and infectious diseases that affect plants, the resulting soil should be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. It must be diluted following the recommendations on the package.

How to sow seeds correctly

The choice of seeds is not the main stage in growing cucumbers; it is more important to sow them correctly.

Method 1 – germination.

1. Place the seeds in a pinkish solution of potassium permanganate and leave for 15–20 minutes.
2. Fold gauze soaked in warm water into several layers and place the seeds in it.
3. Plant the hatched specimens in prepared containers.

Method 2 – planting dry seeds.

1. Make small indentations in the prepared pots (in elongated containers, the holes are made at a distance of 30–35 cm from each other).
2. Place 2 seeds in each to ensure germination.
3. Deepen the seeds 1.5 cm.
4. Lightly moisten the soil and cover with film.

For seedlings, you need to purchase special containers that have a double bottom, which prevents the accumulation of moisture and rotting of the roots, and drainage holes. You can make such a container for growing cucumbers on a windowsill at home yourself.

The soil in the pots should not remain dry; the surface should be moistened regularly (it is more convenient to do this with a spray bottle once a day).
After 3 full-fledged leaves appear, you can begin the stage of hardening the seedlings. It takes place in several stages.

1. Remove the film for several hours.
2. Sunbathing near an open window in the pre-lunch hours.
3. Take it out to the balcony after the frost ends.

Seedlings are fed twice before transplanting:

• 14 days after emergence;
• 7–10 days after 1 treatment.

The soil is completely moistened with a mineral solution after 2–3 leaves appear; 1 cup of diluted fertilizer is used per plant.

Seedling transplant

At this stage of growing cucumbers at home, you need to purchase long plastic containers measuring 60x30x20. Prepared soil is poured into each of them in a 7-centimeter layer.

If the sprouts have sprouted in peat pots, then the seedlings should be placed in a box without being removed from them. Fill with soil, lightly compact and moisten the surface.

Seedlings sown in plastic cells are transplanted with a ball of earth. To do this, you need to fill the plant with warm water, push a lump of earth through the drainage hole with your index finger and carefully pull out the sprout. Distribute the seedlings throughout the container at a distance of 35–40 cm from each other.

A long stage begins when proper care of cucumbers allows you to reap a rich harvest.

Care involves:

1. to form a cucumber lash;
2. removal of antennae once every 10 days;
3. maintaining optimal humidity by spraying dried soil;
4. loosening the soil around the plant;
5. systematic feeding with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers (once every 2 weeks);
6. foliar treatment of shoots to prevent diseases and pests (once every 2 weeks);
7. lash garter to prevent fragility.

Growing cucumbers in the cold season

Many consider growing cucumbers in winter almost a miracle, but the technology for germination and planting seeds is the same for any time of year. The only differences are in the conditions of detention.

• Indoor plants need additional moisture during the heating period. involves daily watering. To humidify the air around the cucumbers, place a container of water nearby.
• Provide additional lighting because cloudy days prevail and plants lack light.
• If there is no frost, you can open the window to ventilate the room.

How to grow cucumbers in plastic bottles

This option is recognized as the most economical, since no one has a shortage of plastic containers. You can sow seedlings in both one and a half liter and five liter bottles. For such purposes, there are special varieties - F1 “Khrustik” and F1 “Shchedrik”, which ripen quickly and are characterized by high yields.

1.5 liter containers take up less space and provide optimal hydration to the sprout.

1. Cut the bottle in half.
2. Pour soil into the upper part without covering the neck with a lid.
3. Plant a seed.
4. Pour water into the bottom part.
5. Insert the half with the soil into a container of water so that the water covers the neck.

With this method, the water is changed daily.

Holes are made in 5-liter plastic bottles, previously cut in half lengthwise, to drain excess liquid when watering.

Caring for cucumber seedlings grown in a window follows a familiar pattern.


Growing cucumbers on the windowsill and loggia brings a lot of trouble, but the result is worth it. You can plant vegetables both in winter and in summer, observing the growing conditions, because indoor cucumbers require additional lighting and moisture.

Flower pots and containers are used for planting; cucumbers can also grow in plastic bottles and wooden boxes equipped with good drainage.

Long gone are the glass kefir bottles with which Kira Bulychev’s hero traveled through time in “Alice’s Adventures” and the wooden boxes with asters along the balcony railings. A new galaxy of craftsmen and inventors has emerged, ready to make 101% use of the benefits of civilization lying under their feet. So home botanists, deprived of the happiness of owning a piece of fertile land outside the city, have adapted to growing cucumbers on the balcony in plastic bottles.

A cucumber in a plastic bottle is by no means a boat in a bottle. Everything is much more prosaic. Simply, disposable containers, with the frugality inherent in some, are not thrown into the trash container, but cut off by 2/3 and turned into a container for growing cucumbers.

Basics of circumcision

People's experience, multiplied by tens of thousands of followers, has led to the conclusion that the most suitable for growing cucumbers on the balcony is a plastic bottle with a capacity of 5 liters, cut to 2/3 of the height.

Why is there an emphasis on rational bottle cutting? For a simple reason - 99% start cutting an empty plastic bottle, poking a hole in it and... Some with a knife, some with scissors, they try to draw a straight line. The bottle crumples, bends, plays under your hands. The result is that the beginning never coincides with the ending.

Fill the bottle with water, close the lid and place it in the freezer overnight. Or put it on the balcony if you are preparing for planting in winter. In the morning you will have an ice piece that is easy to handle and does not “play” in your hands, which can be easily and carefully cut around the perimeter with a hacksaw.

We arrange protection. To do this, take any hose - from a “dropper”, a thin medical probe, a high-pressure rubber hose or a corrugated channel for electrical wiring ∅21-28.5 mm. Cut along one side with a sharp stationery knife. To ensure that the cut is relatively even and not in a spiral, pre-fix the ends of the hose stretched along the length with nails.

After this, the hose cut to length is put on the edge of the cut plastic bottle. It turns out a bottle with a donut-protector against injury to cucumber vines.

We continue to conjure

Unlike humans, plants are guided by the principle: keep their feet (i.e., roots) damp and cold, and their heads (i.e., crown) warm. Most 5 liter plastic bottles are clear or blue or green. Only beer containers are dark brown and UV protected. This is exactly what we need. But... Not all lovers of fresh cucumbers are fans of beer. Dark beer bottles V-5 liters - one or two and too many.

No problem! Take a roll of baking foil and measure 520 (± 20 mm). Cut and knead lightly to create an uneven surface. Cover the perimeter of the bottle using double-sided tape.

You've got the perfect container for growing cucumbers. The roots will not be exposed to UV radiation. Hot sun - excessively warm and dry out the soil, cool nights - excessively cool.

Soil for roots

The best option is a ready-made soil mixture “for vegetable crops”, packaged in plastic bags.

Its advantages are its standardized composition and the absence of weed seeds, pest larvae and pathogens.

But, if you want to bring land from somewhere unknown, we are talking about those who do not have their own land for growing vegetables in beds, then the composition of the soil for cucumbers is approximately the following:

It is advisable to add 1 teaspoon of perlite or vermiculite, or expanded clay sand (fraction 0-5 mm) to the mixture. In addition to adding airiness to the soil, they serve as moisture-retaining agents.

Add wood ash or a couple of tablespoons of fluff lime per 5 liters of soil.

The finished soil mixture is disinfected in a steam bath for 30 minutes with a soil layer on a sieve of 40-50 mm. After steaming, the soil is allowed to rest and restore beneficial microflora for 2-3 weeks.

The soil is ready for planting!

Seeds for soil

The choice of varieties for growing on the balcony depends entirely on personal preferences. But it’s hardly worth growing “gherkin” varieties of cucumbers. The harvest from 5–10 roots, which can be placed on the balcony without damage, will be very small.

It is much more practical to grow “salad” varieties on the balcony, which produce large, thin-skinned and early-ripening cucumbers.

All seeds must be disinfected in an aqueous solution of potassium permanganate (1:1000), or treated with growth stimulants - sodium hummate, immunocytophyte, epin or agate-25, which also destroy the harmful microflora contained on the seeds.

Seeds that have undergone “plasma” treatment (green, pink or yellow) cannot be processed.

After processing, the seeds are washed with running water and placed in a paper napkin in a saucer with water. Cover with a larger container or cover with cling film with perforations made with a needle and place in a warm (+22-25°C) place for germination.

After 2-3 days, you will be able to admire the delicate white roots of future cucumbers.

In the pot

If you follow the topic of the article - in a bottle. You should not delay planting sprouted seeds. Otherwise, you can injure the delicate roots.

3, maximum 5 seeds are planted in one 5 liter container. After germination, 1–2 of the strongest plants are left. The rest are either removed or placed in another container if it’s a shame to throw them away.

The containers are covered with the cut off “tops” of plastic bottles, after removing the lid. The result is micro-greenhouses. Cucumbers are not as demanding of light as tomatoes or eggplants, but the illumination of sprouted cucumbers should not be neglected. If you planted the seeds in March or April, they need artificial lighting. For this, either “bio” lamps are suitable - a trick for gullible beginners, or ordinary fluorescent lamps with a power of 40 W. collected in a “package” of 3 lamps. 2 – warm light and 1 – cold daylight. The radiation spectrum of such a “package” is close to Sunlight - 5400 K. The lamps are placed at a distance of 25-30 cm above the tops of the plants.

During this period, cucumbers are regularly fed with mineral and organic fertilizers, preferably in liquid form. They provide microelements necessary for growth.

After the appearance of 3 permanent leaves, you can begin to form the side branches of the cucumber. To do this, carefully cut off the third permanent leaf 1-2 mm from the stem with a blade or a stationery knife. After the cut site dries, a side shoot will begin to develop in the axil above the leaf. Then, as the stem grows, after 3-4 permanent leaves, the operation is repeated. You should not form more than 3 side shoots on one stem.

Bush formation

Cucumbers are creeping plants, but have tendrils, with which they actively cling to everything that grows above them, trying to win their niche under the Sun. The most rational method of growing cucumbers on the balcony is to use a trellis to which you will tie the vines growing from a plastic bottle.

Cucumbers in plastic bottles should be placed in such a way that the overgrown bush does not interfere with movement on the balcony. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to care for them or constantly move them. Something no plant likes.

Hooray! We have bloomed!

At the very beginning of the flowering stage, cucumbers (buds) should be treated with ovary stimulants. Since only parthenocapic plants that do not require artificial dust are used for growing on balconies, treatment with “Ovary” or “Bud” will increase the chance of the formation of small cucumbers - greens, which in 1-2 weeks will appear as a fragrant delight on your table.

During the flowering period, cucumbers should be protected from direct sunlight, shading them with a translucent screen during the midday hours. For example, with agricl stretched over a frame.

During the fruiting period, plants require increased watering and fertilizing.

By regularly watering and feeding your pets, you can get a harvest until the autumn frosts.

Considering the fertility of cucumbers and the speed of fruit growth, you can get a very respectable harvest from 10 bushes over the summer.

Results

In fact, growing in plastic bottles does not carry even a hint of creativity. This is just the use of waste disposable material for utilitarian needs.

But for those who are passionate about gardening on the balcony, such containers can be a useful help.

Let's wish them good luck!

Every year, during or after the snow melts, many people think about vitamins. From time to time there is a desire to eat spring cucumber salad. Without chemicals, our own.

Unfortunately, not everyone has a dacha, and an apartment doesn’t seem to be suitable for making a dream come true, so you have to wait until cucumbers grow in other people’s local gardens and buy them from them. But in fact, cucumbers are the same houseplant, and why can’t you grow them on a windowsill? In the end, there is nothing complicated, you just need to follow the techniques.

Which variety should I choose?

Breeders say that for growing cucumbers in an apartment, take self-pollinating varieties, that is, hybrids. Hybrids are two crossed varieties of cucumbers. This is done to improve taste, cold resistance and increase yield.

These cucumbers are perfect for salads and winter wraps. Likewise, they are resistant to sudden temperature changes. They are also very easy to care for. Fortunately, such cucumbers are allowed to be sown at different times of the year.

In winter, it is necessary to maintain the light regime artificially.

Start.

First, the selected seeds must be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for approximately 20 minutes at room temperature. Then we pour the seeds into a damp cloth and wait for germination, at the same time preparing the soil for sowing.

Priming.

The soil mixture must necessarily consist of soil, humus and peat in equal proportions. It is advisable to add small sawdust. Already sprouted seeds are sown individually in glasses to a depth of 2 cm.

Sakhalina built a greenhouse from plastic bottles

Also, the room temperature should be at least 22 degrees.

Care.

During the growth of seedlings, it is necessary to carry out two feedings. After 15 days, after 10. In total, the plant grows for 26-28 days.

Watering.

Cucumbers love water, so the soil should be kept moist. As you might guess, you need to water the plant often, but do not overdo it, otherwise the roots may begin to rot. The plant cannot withstand this and may die.

To prevent this from happening, make holes in the bottom of the cup and place the seedlings on a tray to drain excess water. If the seedlings are located in the southern part, then make sure that they do not get burned. It is preferable to cover the window with newspaper. As you can see, there is nothing complicated.

If you follow all the conditions for caring for this plant, then soon your own, tasty, crispy cucumbers may appear on your table. And then salads.

(Babicheva Victoria) Amateur gardeners know how eagerly they await the first cucumber in the garden beds and what a pleasure it is to add it to a spring salad! It turns out that you can bring yourself such joy in a house or apartment in the winter.

Growing cucumbers on a windowsill in a room or on a loggia is a very real task. By adhering to exactly simple rules, this activity is doomed to success.

Determining a suitable location

The most important conditions under which balcony cucumbers will develop well and bear fruit are a constant temperature: above eighteen degrees during the day and fifteen at night, and sufficient lighting. Therefore, it is correct to use window sills and loggias located on south and southeast side. This way you can make the most of natural solar heat and light. Tip: It is worth arranging a place for growing cucumbers at home in such a way as to completely eliminate drafts.

Choose a variety

Breeders have developed balcony cucumbers, varieties of which are well adapted for closed ground, are resilient and not capricious. For home plantings it is reasonable to choose varieties that do not require pollination(parthenocarpic hybrids): Dragonfly, Dubrovsky, Barnaulets, Courage, Matrix, Parus, Balcony Miracle F1.

Varieties Aprilsky, Zozulya and Kukaracha bear fruit without the participation of insects, but can also be pollinated by bees. If you still prefer a bee-pollinated variety of cucumbers, recommended by experts for growing on windowsills, for example, Gribovsky, Ladoga, Fregat, Olimpiada, then during flowering you should take care of artificial pollination. To obtain male flowers, pollinators are planted: Hercules, Ermine.

These varieties have mixed flowers, so they can be used both as pollinators and as independent hybrids. For fertilization to occur, the male flower, which has stamens, is picked and applied to the female flower, which is distinguished by the presence of a pistil. The purpose of pollination is to get pollen from the stamens onto the pistil, which is what bees do in nature. If this event is not carried out, the flowers will simply fall off.

Growing seedlings

Success in growing cucumbers on a windowsill and on a balcony or loggia depends on careful compliance with all agricultural technology requirements. There are no trifles here.

Seed preparation

We germinate the seeds

The seeds are disinfected, treated for the purpose of preventing diseases, and allowed to lie in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for up to twenty minutes. After this, the seeds are germinated: they are wrapped in cloth and kept lightly moist.

Within two days, the seeds hatch. An experiment was carried out: a sprouted cucumber seed was planted in a pot, and an unsprouted cucumber seed was planted in another container. In the second pot the sprout appeared a day later than in the first. Still, experts advise not to neglect the germination stage in seed preparation, because you may end up with a non-germinating seed and then your time will be wasted.

Container and soil

It is convenient to plant seeds for seedlings in disposable cups. The soil mixture is sold in stores, or you can prepare it yourself. Mix the following in equal quantities: crushed sawdust, turf soil, humus, peat.

Add a teaspoon of urea, a glass of ash, and two teaspoons of nitrophoska to the bucket of the composition. Before planting, the cups are disinfected over steam or rinsed with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Seedling

Cucumber seedlings ready for transplanting

Provide a hole at the bottom of the cups to avoid stagnation of water. They are then filled with soil mixture. A seed is planted in each cup to a depth of about two centimeters. You should not sow seeds before February. The best time is from February to April.

The desired temperature for seed germination is approximately 230. As soon as the sprouts appear in the cups, they are provided with good lighting. It will take about a month before transplanting the seedlings to a permanent place. During this time, in order for it to turn out healthy and strong, competent care is necessary.

Top dressing

Should feed the sprouts twice. The first feeding should be carried out two weeks after the seedlings emerge, and the second – another week later. One seedling receives feeding in the amount of a glass.

A nutrient solution is prepared by placing a tablespoon of urea in six liters of water.

Watering

Cucumbers are very moisture-loving. The soil is kept moist. Watering is carried out daily. Prerequisite: water at room temperature, pre-settled.

If the seedlings have additional lighting, then they are watered twice a day. What else can you grow with cucumbers? For example, greens.

How to grow dill on a windowsill, read our separate article. If you decide to plant vegetables on your balcony, but it is still not glazed, then we recommend reading our article about sliding windows. Due to their design, the opening of these windows will not be interfered with by pots and containers standing on the windowsill. A small cellar can be useful for storing vegetables on the balcony. http://balkonsami.ru/interer/blagoustroystvo/pogrebok-na-balkone-svoimi-rukami.html - and how to make it yourself, read our article.

Transplantation to a permanent place

The presence of two true leaves on the seedlings gives a signal that the sprouts can be replanted. Containers for growing cucumbers on a balcony or windowsill should have a volume of five to eight liters.

You can take large plastic water bottles and cut off the top, use ceramic pots, flower boxes or film bags. The container must have holes for water drainage.

Growing cucumbers in plastic flower boxes on the balcony

Drainage made of expanded clay, small crushed stone or broken brick is laid at the bottom. The containers are filled with a nutrient soil mixture of the same composition that was used for growing seedlings. Before planting cucumber seedlings on the windowsill, the soil is spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate.

The sprouts are removed from the cups with a lump of earth and transplanted into prepared pots. Tip: The containers should not be filled to the top with soil, but a few centimeters of the height of the pot should be left free. This is necessary so that if the roots of the plants become exposed over time, it will be possible to add earthen mixture.

Care

Taking care of cucumber beds will be a pleasure. The freshness of foliage, yellow flowers, not to mention the first emerald fruits, will delight you with contact with living nature, when everything is still dull outside. In addition, observation and discipline will come in handy.

Garter

Cucumbers are a vine, so they require a garter. A wire is pulled over the plant at a height of one hundred and seventy centimeters from the soil surface.

The twine is tied to the wire, lowered down to the seedling, walked around it and raised the twine back onto the wire. Such a garter will not damage the plant and will give it support.

We tie up balcony cucumbers

Pinching

The cucumber vine is formed into one stem. To do this, the mustache on the plant is regularly removed. The main stem is pinched when it reaches full growth, allowing the conditions to reach the wire.

Side shoots are removed so that the green mass does not take away the strength of the plant; they will be needed for the formation of fruits. The remaining shoots are pinched above the ovary, leaving one leaf.

Top dressing

Cucumbers need feeding, especially when they begin to bear fruit. Among the basic rules for growing cucumbers on a windowsill is that once every ten days you need to feed the plants with mineral fertilizers. They love cucumbers and natural nutrition, for example, wood ash, infusion of eggshells or tea.

Watering

An important aspect of plant care is regular watering. It is carried out twice a week. Holes in the container and drainage at the bottom will prevent unwanted stagnation.

The water, as for seedlings, must be settled and at room temperature. Note: If you have never grown cucumbers at home, then it is good to keep a diary, recording all your actions. It will be easy to analyze mistakes and create a unique experience.

Pest extermination

You must be prepared that when growing balcony cucumbers, pests will attack the garden beds. The problem must be identified and the problem can be dealt with. In pest control, it is advisable to do without chemicals.

Spider mite

The plant is sprayed with garlic tincture. The crushed head is infused in a liter of water for about an hour and a half. The solution should be filtered.

For better adhesion to the surface of the seedling, fifteen grams of soap are dissolved in the tincture.

Aphid

At home, you can prepare a remedy for aphids - a tobacco decoction. Approximately a pack of cigarettes will provide the required amount of tobacco per liter of water. Empty the cigarettes into water and boil for up to ten minutes. After this, another liter of water is added to the broth.

When applied to the leaves, the aphids die.

Whitefly

To combat it, you can use a tobacco decoction, but it is prepared stronger. A vacuum cleaner will help fight whiteflies. You can use it to collect pests from leaves by turning it on at the lowest power.

Features of growing in winter

Lighting

At home, plants will not have enough natural light, especially during the winter months. Therefore, in order to grow cucumbers on a windowsill in winter, you should provide additional lighting lamps.

As soon as the seedlings sprout, in order for them to be strong, it is necessary to ensure that the backlight lamps work from eight in the morning until the evening (twelve hours). The best option would be to use phytolamps, but regular fluorescent lamps will do the same.

When growing cucumbers in winter, additional lighting is required.

A lamp is hung above the plant at a distance of about fifteen centimeters from it. When the seedlings grow in a permanent place, it is necessary that the lamp can be raised higher along with the growth of the seedling. In March, four hours of additional light will be sufficient.

Insulation

Growing cucumbers on a windowsill in winter requires a constant temperature of approximately 200. Therefore, the window is insulated for the winter, and the window is covered with polyethylene. It's good if the room has plastic windows.

Growing cucumbers on a balcony or loggia is only possible if they are well insulated and heated. In our article “We insulate a balcony with our own hands,” you will find various ways and techniques on how you can make your balcony warmer yourself. In order to create additional lighting on the balcony for growing cucumbers, you need to install a socket there. Instructions for this work are described here.

Air humidity

Steam heating dries out the air, and this is not good for cucumbers. Therefore, air humidification measures are necessary. Pallets with pebbles are placed under the plants, which are regularly moistened.

Air humidifiers are used. Place a wet cloth on the battery. These actions will not only help the cucumbers, but will also improve the overall microclimate of the room. Working on beds on the windowsill is exciting and not at all difficult.

By providing proper care for your “green pets,” you can collect up to thirty delicious cucumbers from one plant!

Cucumbers on the windowsill growing video

Here we invite you to watch a video on the topic of our article on how to grow cucumbers on a balcony or windowsill. In the video you can watch the chronology, from seed germination to harvesting the first harvest.

Cucumbers on the windowsill photo

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Planting cucumbers in plastic bottles.

Planting cucumbers in plastic bottles is a simple matter, very convenient and profitable. Cucumbers can be planted in this way in garden beds, in a greenhouse, or simply on a balcony/window sill.

Usually, cucumbers are planted in 5-liter bottles - this gives the plants more space, although a good harvest can also be obtained from smaller containers. Growing cucumbers in plastic bottles begins with preparing nutritious soil and a “planting site.” Everyone has their own soil recipe.

It is important that it is loose, porous, and allows air to pass well to the roots. Alternatively, you can purchase ready-made soil for growing vegetables or seedlings in the store. If you decide to prepare the soil for planting cucumbers in bottles yourself, you can use this recipe:

• 1/4 - turf soil (suitable from the garden), 1/4 - leaf soil (rotted leaves from any tree except oak and willow), 1/4 - peat, 1/4 - drainage mixture.

For drainage, you can use sphagnum moss, husks from sunflower seeds or grains, or eggshells. Cucumbers will thank you for a rich harvest if you add birch ash to the soil. Now about preparing the bottle.

If you plan to grow cucumbers on the balcony in plastic bottles, then you need to take a suitable container and cut off the top, and fill the resulting pot with prepared soil. It is better not to throw away the cut off tops of the bottles; they can be used to cover the seedlings in the cold season, creating a kind of greenhouse. If we are talking about planting cucumbers in open ground or a greenhouse, then you will also need to cut off the bottom to create a kind of rim.

It will need to be “drowned” 1/3 into the garden bed. Also fill the resulting container with soil, slightly short of the edge. In each such pot, 2-3 sprouted cucumber seeds or a couple of seedling bushes are planted. Growing cucumbers in bottles outdoors provides a number of advantages:

• watering savings. All water goes to its destination and does not spread over the garden bed; the plastic rim of the bottle sunk into the ground protects the roots of the cucumbers from mole crickets; weeds do not interfere with the growth of the cucumber; prepare fresh soil that is not infected with any diseases every year.

Cucumbers on the windowsill in plastic bottles are not a myth. True, in order to get a good harvest from the windowsill, the cucumbers will have to be fed.

Do not forget about active regular watering, since cucumber is a moisture-loving plant. Growing cucumber seedlings in plastic bottles is also a profitable and convenient option. You can use both large and small plastic bottles.

For a plastic bottle, as in the previous version, you can cut off the top and get a plastic cup or pot, depending on the size of the container. You can cut the bottle in half and insert the top into the bottom with the cap facing down.

Pour water into the bottom of the bottle so that the neck of the top reaches it - you will get a pot with automatic watering. This way you can be sure that your seedlings will not die or get sick from lack of moisture. The third option is how to plant cucumbers in plastic bottles: you need to put the bottle on its side and cut off one side, you will get a kind of boat or shoe, which is filled with soil and then plant seeds or seedlings if necessary. Cucumber seedlings in plastic bottles cut horizontally are not advisable, since cucumbers do not like transplantation and adapt extremely poorly; it is better to plant cucumber seeds in peat tablets or pots, which can then be immediately planted in the ground without damaging the roots Cabbage, parsley, tomatoes, petunias and other annual flowers grow well in plastic bottles cut horizontally.

How to plant cucumbers in 5 liter bottles on the balcony.

To do this, you need to prepare the container using one of the above methods, then fill it with soil and plant the cucumbers. Cucumbers love warm soil, but do not tolerate exposure to open sunlight.

Therefore, you need to choose a slightly shaded place on the balcony or create a shadow artificially. By providing sufficient watering and fertilizing, you can count on getting a good harvest.

On a note:

• you can plant cucumbers under a plastic bottle directly on a prepared warm bed in open ground to get an earlier harvest, and cover it with covering material on top; growing cucumbers in plastic bottles is no different from growing cucumbers in a greenhouse or in a garden bed, first of all they need moisture, warmth and light,

Let's take a closer look at all these stages.

Sowing seeds

Any process of obtaining any vegetables and fruits involves sowing seeds. In our case, the first sowings can begin at the end of December or mid-winter, but only under such circumstances when you can reliably control the necessary temperature parameters.

In this case, you can get the first cucumbers already in the first half of April. If you cannot guarantee this, then you need to postpone sowing. But it should be remembered that seedlings need to be sown in one month because it is after this time period that the seedlings should be planted in a permanent place of growth. Planting seeds is considered the most critical stage. In order for them to germinate, the following manipulations should be carried out:

• the seeds need to be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and kept in this solution for about 20 minutes; after treatment with potassium permanganate, they are laid out on damp gauze; the seeds should begin to germinate. At the moment when their noses crack, the seeds are ready for sowing in cups or pots.

Soil preparation

The second, but not unimportant, stage of this process is soil preparation. It must be prepared until the seeds crack. The soil is placed in pre-prepared containers.

The ideal soil composition for normal growth of cucumbers should include humus, turf soil, peat, and sawdust crushed to dust. All components must be taken in equal proportions. You can improve the soil mixture by adding to it one glass of wood ash, half a tablespoon of urea and a tablespoon of nitrophoska.

After the above ingredients have been added to the prepared soil mixture, they should be mixed well. Before placing the soil mixture for balcony cucumbers in a container, it must be washed well with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Also, to disinfect the container, you can hold it over steam for about half a minute. Instead of the soil mixture, you can use the soil itself.

This is considered a more accessible and economical way. It must be harvested before winter. In the fall, humus and turf soil should be prepared (either in equal proportions, or three parts to one).

You also need to know that for one bucket of the prepared mixture you need to add two glasses of wood ash, as well as 5-6 grams of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen fertilizers. Don't forget to add 20-60 grams of lime.

Then the resulting mixture must be mixed well and then placed in plastic bags. Remember that the soil for balcony cucumbers should be loose.

Proper preparation of the soil mixture will significantly increase the chance of getting an excellent harvest from your balcony.123

Balcony cucumbers grown in early spring will be a worthy addition to your dining table.

Seed care

In any literature devoted to questions of how to grow cucumbers on the balcony, much attention is paid to caring for the seeds. For normal growth of balcony cucumbers, you must first create the necessary conditions for seed germination. As mentioned above, cucumbers on the balcony are grown in pots or similar containers.

One seed is sown in a separate container. For better plant growth, the seeds need to be deepened by a maximum of 2 cm . After you have finished planting the seeds, place the container with them in a warm place (an insulated balcony or loggia).

The temperature regime for balcony cucumbers should be 23-26°C. In such conditions, balcony seedlings should be kept for 26-28 days. During this period, several feedings are carried out.

The first subcortex of balcony cucumbers at this stage is carried out two weeks after the first shoots appear. The second time it is carried out as additional feeding.

Any garden mixture or complex mineral fertilizer is suitable for this. Caring for cucumber seeds on the balcony does not end there. When the first sprouts of sprouted seeds appear on the surface, the container with them must be moved to a well-lit place.

That is why a balcony is perfect for these purposes. But if it is not insulated, then you can use a window sill.

If there are plastic windows, drafts will not be a hindrance. For normal growth of cucumbers on the balcony, sprouted seeds should grow at a room temperature of 18-20°C during the day; at night, this indicator can be reduced to 15°C. If these rules are not followed, the balcony seedlings will develop correctly.

Planting seedlings

When the seedlings reach the optimal age, they are planted on a balcony or loggia. For these purposes, small boxes are used, it is best that they are narrow and long: no more than 20 cm in height, 30 cm in width, and 60 cm in length.

The previously prepared soil mixture is placed in the boxes. You can take a mixture from cups with sprouted seeds. On a closed balcony or loggia, boxes with seedlings are placed absolutely anywhere. The only condition is sufficient lighting.

But on an open balcony they should be placed only in the corners. This will protect them from possible sharp gusts of wind. Before planting seedlings in the soil mixture, it must be watered with a warm solution of potassium permanganate .

Before planting directly (approximately 15-20 minutes), water it with water at room temperature. This will sufficiently moisten the substrate. Make small holes in the soil mixture and plant seedlings in them.

It is best to plant it with a clod of earth, this way you will definitely prevent damage to the delicate roots. Then the seedlings are grown for an average of 30-45 days. At the moment when the third true leaf appears, pinching is carried out in insect-pollinated varieties.

For hybrid species this procedure is not carried out. When full leaves appear, the seedlings can be transplanted into larger boxes.

Care

For further normal growth, the plant needs constant care in the future. Caring for cucumbers grown on the balcony includes the following procedures:

• periodic removal of the tendrils - to form one stem; the top of the main shoot must be pinched, but only after the entire shoot has grown to the wire; removal of all lateral shoots, since they do not participate in the formation of fruits; pinching of the remaining shoots; protecting cucumbers on the balcony from gusts of wind; periodic watering of the plant; preventive spraying with chemicals to ensure protection against pests and diseases.