CROP GUIDES: CUCUMBER – cultivation in the open field or under cover (in soil or organic substrates) – fertigated plantations

Cucumber is a species very sensitive to periodic water shortages in the soil. Therefore, it is very important to ensure optimal soil moisture.
Irrigation systems enable adequate water supply to plants. Drip irrigation is especially effective. Drip irrigation system enables use of fertigation – supplying plants with nutrients supplied with fertilizers dissolved in water.
This keeps the plants in good condition, ensures good yields and extends the fruiting period.
Fertilizers recommended for fertigation must be of very high quality, especially excellent solubility in water, practically no insoluble parts and high concentration of nutrients – DROPFERT® 18/18/18, DROPFERT® 4/40/13, DROPFERT® 9/10/36, MIKRO PLUS, MIKRO PLUS ULTRA.
For the fertigation of crops in the field conditions, you can also use universal fertilizers of PLONVIT® series: PLONVIT® OPTY, PLONVIT® NITRO, PLONVIT® PHOSPHO, PLONVIT® KALI.

By using a fertigation system, you can also apply a biopreparation containing beneficial microorganisms – BACTIM^® FERTIMAX.
Bacteria and beneficial fungi living in the root zone increase plant tolerance to soil diseases and resistance to abiotic stresses. They allow better use of fertilizers and less use of pesticides. They delay the ageing process of plants. The result is improved yield size and quality.

Fertigation, although it is a very effective method of fertilization, does not eliminate the need to foliar treatments – foliar feeding and biostimulation.

• Foliar fertilization is complementary treatment in case of macronutrients, (foliar feeding covers only a small part of plant nutritional requirements. Foliar treatments support supplying plants with major nutrients:
  • nitrogen (N) – PLONVIT® NITROMAG or PLONVIT® NITRO
  • phosphorus (P) – GROWON® or PLONVIT® FOSTAR or PLONVIT® PHOSPHO
  • potassium (K) – PLONVIT® KALPRIM or PLONVIT® KALI  
  • magnesium (Mg) – MIKROKOMPLEX®
  • sulphur (S) – PLONVIT® SULVIT or PLONVIT® BOROSULF
• Foliar application – support supplying cucamber with calcium (Ca), which is a low-mobility nutrient in the plant (OPTYCAL, PLONVIT® CALCIUM TURBO).
• In terms of micronutrients, foliar fertilization is the primary and the most effective way of providing them to plants:
  • boron (B) – MIKROVIT® BORON TURBO or MIKROVIT® BORON
  • copper (Cu) – AMINO ULTRA® Cu 24 or MIKROCHELAT™ Cu-15
  • iron (Fe) – AMINO ULTRA® Fe-20 or MIKROCHELAT Fe-13
  • manganese (Mn) – AMINO ULTRA® Mn-22 or MIKROCHELAT™ Mn-13
  • molybdenum (Mo) – MIKROVIT® MOLYBDENUM
  • zinc (Zn) – AMINO ULTRA® Zn-24 or MIKROCHELAT™ Zn-15.
• High yielding of cucumber plants and a long harvest time also require supporting of plant growth and tolerance to stresses which could ensure yield quantity and good quality

INTERMAG’s wide range of products allows you to design your own individual fertilisation and biostimulation programme, taking into account local soil conditions, cropping intensity, crop development stage and product availability.