Cucumber soil quality Fertilizing and mulching
What kind of soil do cucumbers like to grow? A loose, sandy clay is their best choice. But you have to remember that their roots grow deep. With numerous branching roots around the two-foot zone, their single root can extend three to four feet below the soil surface. So, underground, they take up a lot of space.
Now, your brain may be hard at work trying to figure out if cucumbers can grow in your rock or clay soil. The short answer is yes, of course, you can. Cucumbers may surprise you with higher yields in clay soils, however, they will produce the earlier crops in sandy soil (the ground heats up faster).
Depending on the pH, it is best to plant cucumbers in soils with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. If you do not know the pH of your soil, do a soil test. This way you can learn a lot about your garden.
The best way to fertilize your cucumbers:
Now, we have found that cucumbers can thrive in all types of soil, and they can not survive without water, manure, and well-rotted manure. But when should they be fertilized? It is not enough to just throw manure on them and leave them alone. There are three ways to give cucumbers the nutrients they need during the growing season.
At the time of planting
Set spaces when you start mulching (this is a hidden tip for your best cucumber harvest!) As the plants grow
Every gardener has heard of the wonders of manure. Follow the example here and get the advice of gardeners around the world, add a handful of compost to each planting hole. Yes, you can even add worm casts. If you have both worm molds and compost, throw in a little of both. Your cucumbers will thank you later.
Mulch is the best secret.
If you have sown your seeds directly, the best time to mulch them is when they are forming a few leaves. Mulch not only acts as an excellent weed barrier but also helps to regulate soil temperature.
Before you put in the straw, hay, or grass clippings add another handful of compost and worm molds so your cucumbers will love you even more. Mulch can be done when transplants are placed in the soil. Do not forget about compost.
Fertilizing cucumbers during the growing season.
Cucumbers are heavy fodder like corn, eggplant, peppers, pumpkin, and tomatoes. They are many plants that you like, aren't they? Well, if you want to see many of them at your dining table, you must first take good care of them. The key to fertilizing your cucumbers is to keep applications light and regular. Use more fertilizer and you will get a lot of leaves and some flowers - i.e. no fruit. The trick is in finding the right amount of fertilizer and the best solution. This may cause some trial and error on your part.
Apply a light dose of a liquid fertilizer every two weeks for your best cucumber harvest. Remember, once the plants begin to produce flowers, you can drop the fertilizer completely. Since then, regular watering is essential.
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