August is a wonderful time in the life of a gardener, when it is time to harvest a late harvest. But some annual crops require special care this month, otherwise they will not bear fruit well. Such are cucumbers, in the agricultural technology of which fertilizers are of great importance in August.
Fertilizers for disease prevention
Against the backdrop of high humidity and cold nights, cucumbers are at increased risk of fungal infections, such as powdery mildew.
The most valuable elements for disease prevention are calcium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. All of them are contained in ash, to obtain which you can burn not only firewood, branches, but also vegetable tops and sunflower stems. To prepare the product:
- 180 g of ash is poured into a bucket;
- pour 8 liters of hot water;
- infuse the liquid for 4–6 days.
Next, water the cucumbers as usual.
In addition, to normalize moisture in the root zone, it is recommended to mulch the soil both in open ground and in greenhouses, using straw, mowed lawn grass, and hay.
Fertilizer to increase yield
Yeast is an excellent tool for enhancing the development of cultivated plants, and therefore the fruiting of cucumbers. To speed up the formation of the harvest, it is recommended to use fresh yeast, preparing a nutritious “cocktail” from it according to the following recipe:
- 100 g of yeast are dissolved in 1 liter of warm water;
- add warm water, bringing the volume to 10 liters.
The main thing is not to overfill this product, so as not to destroy the plants. 1 liter is enough for 1 bush. For greenhouse plants, the consumption of the product can be reduced by half.
Fertilizing with superphosphate and potassium sulfate can also be effective - they are simply added to the water for regular irrigation at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. for every 10 l.
Rules for applying fertilizers in August
If daytime temperatures are not abnormally low, which are at around +8...10 °C, cucumbers definitely need root feeding. If it’s cold in August, they are useless, since the underground part of the plants will not be able to absorb them.
For cucumbers in open ground, fertilizers are applied early in the morning so that the sun warming the ground facilitates their absorption. For greenhouses it is possible in the evening.
To summarize, we can say that caring for cucumbers in terms of fertilizing in August is not difficult. It is enough to show a little care, and they will “respond” with good health and abundant fruiting!
