Many continue to feed the cucumbers according to the spring schemes even in the midst of summer and in vain. What helped plants grow in May in June can play a cruel joke. Some fertilizers at this time are not just useless, but harmful. Especially with the beginning of active fruiting.
Nitrogen: prohibited
It would seem, the more greenery, the better. But with cucumbers, the opposite is true. Fertilizers with a high nitrogen content at the end of June do not work in favor of the crop. The leaves become more magnificent, the lashes are longer, but the ovaries are less. Nitrogen in this period interferes with the formation of fruits, since all the forces of the plant are spent on the growth of foliage. Therefore, it is better to postpone Selitra, urea and chicken until the next season.
Mineral complexes: not all are useful
Universal mineral mixtures like “nitroammophosics” may seem like a convenient solution. But such mixtures are usually created for any plants as a whole and do not take into account the features of cucumbers in the fruiting phase. And most of these complexes contain a lot of nitrogen. It is better to replace them with potassium-phosphorus compounds, aimed precisely at the formation of fruits, and not green mass.
Top dressing with chlorine: categorically impossible
Cucumbers do not tolerate chlorine. Even small doses of this element can lead to inhibition of growth, lethargy of leaves and falling out of ovaries. Therefore, carefully read the composition of fertilizers. Potassium chloride, for example, is strictly contraindicated.
Ash: not always friend
Although the wood ash contains potassium and magnesium, it greatly alive the soil. And cucumbers, on the contrary, prefer a slightly acidic environment. If the soil becomes alkaline, the plant will begin to absorb nutrients worse, problems with leaves and ovaries will appear. This is especially dangerous if you make ash regularly, the consequences may accumulate unnoticed.
Sour solutions: it is better to avoid
Sometimes gardeners resort to oxalic or acetic acid, hoping to improve the absorption of trace elements. But for cucumbers, such acids are stress. They easily violate the mineral balance in the soil, and the plant, instead of fruiting, goes into defense or completely freezes in development.
What to do during fruiting
At this stage, cucumbers need top dressing with potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. Weak solutions of superphosphate, potassium sulfate or humane drugs are suitable. Fundable top dressing is also good: spraying with microelements on the sheet, especially in the heat.
Do not rush “feed on the machine.” Cucumbers do not forgive too much. And if you want to get a generous crop, then feed wisely and at the right time.
