The sunny weather whispers that it is time to sow cucumbers, but I hold on and wait for favorable days.

Nothing tastes better than crispy cucumber from the home garden. It is especially pleasant when vegetables are happy with a rich harvest. Cucumbers in this regard unpretentious, but to care for them a little and create favorable conditions for their growth still have. Before sowing seeds in open ground, you must first understand, When to sow cucumbers in 2023. We'll talk about that today.



When sowing cucumbers in 2023, cucumber is thermophilic and more willing to grow at temperatures above 14 degrees. Seeds of cucumbers germinate more actively when the soil has a temperature of at least 10 degrees. If you sow them in the cold ground, seedlings can not wait. And if they do, they will grow for a long time, so there is no need to count on a rich harvest.



The best time to sow cucumbers in the open ground - The third decade of April and the following May. Usually during these months, the soil is already warm enough for a comfortable growth of the vegetable.

Features of sowing and cultivation of cucumbers

1. The garden should be well lit by the sun and located in a quiet place. Cucumbers are good to plant on an altitude.
2. Follow the principle of crop rotation and do not sow cucumbers on the site where melon crops grew last year. They should not be very close to each other on the site. Otherwise, cross-pollination will occur, and vegetables will not taste good.
3. It is good to sow cucumbers after onions, potatoes, cabbage, garlic, pepper or tomatoes. They feel great in the neighborhood with corn, cabbage, tomatoes and legumes.
   
   
   
   
4. The soil should be fertilized and loosened before sowing. For fertilization, humus or fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium are used. It is advisable to choose a good day for sowing according to the calendar.
5. Processed purchased seeds cannot be soaked, because all substances useful for growth and protection will be washed away. If you choose varieties with different ripening dates for sowing, then you can have fresh cornichons in the kitchen all summer.

It is also important to observe the distance between the rows at least 0.7 meters. Seeds are laid in the ground to a depth of 2 to 4 cm, retreating 10-15 cm. After sowing, the holes in the rows are covered with soil and watered. As the cucumber stems grow, the plants are pinched and trimmed.



In dry weather, cucumbers are watered every day at the rate of 300-500 ml of water per stem. After the appearance of ovaries and during flowering, the irrigation rate is increased by 10 times. It is recommended to moisten the soil in the morning or evening, water for irrigation must be heated.

Along the rows are put supports, on which then the cucumber stems will be splashed and raised. This will help to avoid certain diseases and make harvesting convenient. Sometimes cucumber stems need help with weaving, so it is recommended to tie them.



Gardeners practice growing cucumber seedlings. In this case, when the earth warms up optimally, you will not drop seeds into the soil, which will germinate for at least 1-2 weeks, but ready-made seedlings.

When to grow seedlings, you can sow seeds in open ground and for seedlings according to the sowing calendar. Favorable in April are the following numbers: 3rd and 4th, 8th and 9th, 15th, 17th and 18th, 26th and 27th. In May, there are more such days: 1st and 2nd, from 5th to 7th, from 12th to 15th, 19th and 20th, 23rd and 24th, 27th and 28th.



For seedlings, it is better to use peat pots. Then during the landing, you will not damage the tender roots. Seedling cucumbers at first should be covered until the seedlings are acclimatized.

If you follow the advice and adhere to the recommendations for growing vegetables, then achieving a high yield of cucumbers is quite simple. Good luck!