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If you grow cucumbers, you are surely looking for a variety of fertilizers to make the yield as large as possible. However, you can prepare such fertilizer yourself at home. Their great advantage is that you can choose the components according to your judgment and the plant’s needs. You will find yeast, ash, bread, chicken manure, onion and various infusions useful.
Yeast stimulates growth and protects against pests
One of the most effective homemade fertilizers is yeast. Dissolve one packet in ten liters of water and leave it for about three days in a warm place. Fertilize the plants with this fertilizer two to three times per season. Half a liter will be enough for one plant; ideally pour it onto soil warmed by the sun. This fertilizer not only stimulates growth but also protects the plant from pests.
Wood ash contains all the important substances that cucumbers need for growth. You can use dry ash to lightly sprinkle the soil before watering, or an ash infusion. To prepare it you will need about two days. Mix two to three tablespoons of ash with one liter of water and let it stand. You can of course adjust the amount as needed.
A loaf of bread or chicken manure
Another great alternative is fertilizing cucumbers with bread. Soak a loaf of bread in water overnight, in the morning mix it with ten milliliters of iodine and dilute with water at a ratio of one liter of the mixture to ten liters of water. This fertilizer is applied as a spray on the leaves. Chicken manure contains iron, copper, sulfur, manganese, zinc and cobalt. Dilute it with water at a ratio of 1:20 and, stirring occasionally, let it stand for several hours. Water with it three times per season and use half a liter of fertilizer per plant.
Onion can be used for both root and foliar fertilization. It is prepared from twenty grams of onion skins and five liters of warm water. Let the mixture stand for four days, then filter it. You can use this fertilizer not only for cucumbers but also for other vegetables, for example tomatoes. The fertilizer stimulates their growth and protects them from attack by various pests.
Apply foliar fertilizer in the morning
If we decide to apply it to the leaves, do so in the morning, because water on the plants overnight promotes the development of mildew. Cucumbers do not tolerate chlorine, so it is ideal to water them with rainwater or well water. Loosening the soil is also important, but since cucumbers have shallow roots, extra care should be taken when doing so. Harvest cucumbers as soon as the fruits ripen so the plant has enough time to produce more.
