Table of Contents
How to Grow Cucumbers in Grow Bags - By Easy Steps
Introduction
Cucumbers are creeping vine plants that are versatile culinary vegetables. They can be consumed as raw vegetables as well. Cucumber is thought to be a vegetable. But actually it is a fruit belonging to the Cucurbitaceae botanical family.
Cucumbers are rich in nutrients, soluble fiber and antioxidants but low in calories.
Amazing Health Benefits of Cucumbers
Cucumbers help in Weight Loss:
Cucumbers are watery vegetables that contain nearly 96% of water and are low in calories and hence are used as main ingredients of the weight loss diet.
Helps To Meet the Daily Fluid Needs:
As it has more water content , it helps a man to meet his daily fluid needs of the day, when consumed unpeeled.
Helps to prevent the Chronic Diseases:
Cucumbers are rich in antioxidants that reduce the risk of chronic diseases like Cancer.
Helps to regulate the bowel system:
Cucumbers are rich in water soluble fibers , it helps you to get rid of constipation and regulate your bowel system.
Helps in Diabetic care:
Many lab tests say that Cucumbers help to reduce the blood sugar level and are used in diabetic diets as well.
How to grow cucumber in grow bags using vertical trellis
As cucumbers are creeper vine plants and need support to grow. You can grow it near the fence of your garden if you have space in the ground. But when growing the cucumber plants in grow bags , you have to provide a trellis support for the plant and it will be easy to maintain and harvest.
How to Select suitable grow bags and Potting mix for the cucumber plants:
Suitable Grow Bags:
You can use an 18 x 12 size grow bag and plant 3 or 4 plants in it.
Suitable Potting Mix
Cucumbers need moist as well as well drained soil. You can mix 50% of garden soil along with 40% of cow dung compost ,5% of bone meal powder and 5 % of neem oil cake powder. A mix of coco-peat and cow dung manure can also be used as a potting mix.
How to prepare the seeds for sowing - Seed Germination Process
Collect some healthy and new seeds for planting. Selection of good seeds decides the success rate of the seed germination.
Seed germination in two ways:
You can prepare the seeds in two ways. You can directly sow the seeds in the grow bags or you can germinate the seeds in a nursery tray and then transplant it into the grow bag.
Direct Sowing Method:
Soak the seeds in water overnight and take it from water and sow It to the grow bag directly. Though ,you can directly sow the seeds from the pocket, soaking in water helps the seed to germinate quickly.
Using Nursery trays for seed germination and seedlings
Soak the seeds in water for 6 hours and sow the nursery tray one seed in each cavity of the tray. Water the plant. Within 3-4 days, you will get the seedlings ready and allow them to grow till the tenth day. Now you can transplant it carefully to the grow bags.
Recommended seed germination method
Cucumber plants love to grow directly in the grow bags and it is slightly difficult for the cucumber plants to grow when it was transplanted. So a direct sowing method is recommended for the cucumber plants.
Watering the plant
There must be consistent water supply for cucumber plants. The soil should be in moist condition. Water your cucumber regularly and don’t let the soil dry and it will affect the entire plant.
Fertilizer to grow cucumbers
You can provide nutrients by giving liquid fertilizer once in 10 days. Fish emulsion , compost tea or any kind of organic liquid fertilizers can be applied.
Pest Control over the Cucumber Plants
Spray neem oil solution once a week to protect the plants from insects.
How long until the cucumber plants get ready for harvest?
Normally, the cucumber plants start flowering in 50 day and it will be ready for harvest in 65-70 days. It depends on the variety you use , growing weather conditions and the amount of nutrients they get.
How to give trellis support for cucumber plant easily?
- Take 4 – 6 bamboo sticks and fix them around the grow bag without spoiling the roots of the plant.
- Tie each stick with a nearby stick and round the sticks with the jute thread.
- Let the plant climb into the jute threads and bamboo sticks.
FAQ
1. Why don’t my cucumber seeds germinate?
If your seeds are very old, the possibility for germination is very less. If your soil is too wet it will lead to the seed rot and will not germinate. Maintain a consistent moisture level of the soil. The climate is also be the reason for it. If the soil becomes very cold it will cause the delay in seed germination.
2. How to make the seed germination faster?
Soak the seeds in water and keep it in the wet tissue paper or paper towel and place the paper towel into a container with a lid for 2 to 3 days. You will get the super sprouts of seeds and now you can plant directly to the grow bag or nursery tray for seedlings.
3. How many seed should I sow per hole?
You should sow only one seed per hole.
4. How can I get more yields from the cucumber plants?
Pruning the side shoots or suckers from the main stem of the cucumber plant and removing the dead leaves from the plant will help you to get good yields.
5. Can hand pollination be done with cucumber flowers to get good yield?
Apart from the natural pollination by the bees , you can do hand pollination as well to get good yields.
How to grow cucumber in grow bags from seeds:
Step 1: Make a hole in soil about to half to one inch deep and Sow the seeds directly into the grow bag or transplant the seedlings to the grow bag. Plant 2-3 plants per bag to avoid crowd which lead nutrient loss to the plants
Step 2: Water the plant and make the soil to get consistent moisture
Step 3: Give liquid fertilizers once in ten days for nutrients.
Step 4: Spray neem oil solution once a week for pest control.
You can get your own home grown organic cucumbers within 70 days! You never buy the cucumbers once you taste them! Okay start growing cucumbers in a grow bag in your garden and get the cucumbers ready for your salads!
