8 UNFORGIVABLE Cucumber Growing Mistakes You Can Easily AVOID!
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How to avoid falling out with cucumbers?
Let's figure out what not to do in a cucumber garden.
1) Sowing the wrong varieties.
Cucumbers have a surprising property: they can form fruit without pollination. This phenomenon is called parthenocarpy, and the varieties are called parthenocarpic. Conversely, cucumber varieties that don't possess this property are called bee-pollinated. When planted in a greenhouse without pollination, the latter will not produce fruit. The moral of the story: in greenhouses, you should use parthenocarpic varieties, and in open ground, you should use both. Why use parthenocarpic varieties in open ground, where bees and other pollinators are seemingly plentiful? But who knows what the weather will be like when the cucumbers are actively flowering? Therefore, parthenocarpic varieties are always useful in the garden.
2) Sow only one variety, and only the most modern one.
There should always be several bee-pollinated varieties, and at least one should be "old-fashioned." The fact is that modern cucumber varieties are distinguished by the predominant production of female flowers, which will produce cucumbers. However, they cannot thrive without male flowers. And it is precisely old or traditional varieties, such as Nezhinskie, Zasolochny, Kustovoy, Slavyansky, and others, that will yield a large harvest across the entire cucumber bed.
3) Sow cucumbers only in spring.
Spring is the traditional time for sowing most vegetable crops. However, to extend the cucumber harvest, you can sow them even in July! Sow the earliest varieties now, and they will reward you with fresh cucumbers until the end of September!
4) Overwatering.
Cucumbers are a real water-drinker. But don't overwater them. In cloudy weather, it's best to refrain from watering, as this can cause disease outbreaks. And in dry and hot weather, water cucumbers sparingly and only with warm water. The advice to mulch the beds and water sparingly is sound in every way!
5) Overdoing nitrogen fertilizers.
Chicken manure, manure, humus and liquid composts, urea, saltpeter, ammonium, and ammonia are all sources of nitrogen for plants. And although cucumbers, unlike tomatoes, aren't prone to becoming overweight, overfeeding them with nitrogen is contraindicated. This will promote the accumulation of nitrates in the fruit. So, during fruit formation, definitely avoid ammonia and use natural fertilizers. Don't forget to feed cucumbers with iron chelate—it promotes proper nitrogen absorption.
6) Delayed harvesting.
Cucumbers are prized when young, when they are sweet and tenderly crunchy. However, I prefer more mature cucumbers—those with "seeds" and a thicker skin. They're high in fiber and zinc (very beneficial for men's health, and helps women maintain youthful, beautiful skin, hair, and nails). I also find them more fragrant. However, delaying harvesting can lead to a sharp decline in yield.
7) Too frequent and intensive visits.
Too frequent visits to cucumber beds can damage the plants, which in turn can lead to the development and spread of diseases. Try to avoid checking and tending to your cucumber beds several times a day. Try to combine weeding, fertilizing, watering, and other maintenance with harvesting.
8) Avoid bitter cucumbers.
Although there are now varieties that are never bitter, many others produce bitter fruit in response to heat, drought, and other adverse conditions. Cucurbitacins, the compounds responsible for the bitter taste of cucumber skin, are renowned for their beneficial properties. Firstly, they possess strong antimicrobial properties, which contribute to the better preservation of homemade cucumber preserves. Secondly, it is cucurbitacins that are responsible for cucumbers' most beneficial effects on the skin: they smooth wrinkles, lighten blemishes, and refresh and rejuvenate. Furthermore, cucurbitacins have been found to possess a wide range of beneficial biologically active properties: antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and anthelmintic. So, bitter cucumbers should definitely not be neglected; on the contrary, they are worth taking both internally and externally.
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