Cucumbers are one of the most sensitive vegetable plants and a few things have to be taken into account when growing them. In this guide you will find out whether outdoor cucumbers are sensitive to too much rain and how you can protect the plants from too much water from above.
Do cucumbers need rain protection?
Special breedsas well asFarm and outdoor cucumbersalso tolerate intermittent rain well and neednospecialrain protection. However, varieties that are normally grown in greenhouses should definitely be protected from excessive rainfall.
Which types of cucumbers can survive without rain protection?
You should prefer to plant cucumber varieties outdoors that arerobust against plant diseasesandpests. Deliver good yields:
- Cleopatra,
- Salome,
- Tanya,
- Delicacy,
- Jazzers,
- Swing.
There are also some new varieties of classic cucumbers that are suitable for outdoor cultivation. For example, the following have proven themselves:
- Selma Cuca,
- Burpless Tasty Green,
- Germany snakes,
- White Wonder,
- Long de Chine.
Which rain protection has proven effective?
If you only grow a few cucumber plants, you can use commercially availabletomato covers as rain protection. Place these tube-like films over the outdoor cucumbers and weigh them down with stones at the bottom.
If the plants are still small, you can protect them from heavy rain showers with slit film. These special films create a protected, warm climate that is very comfortable for the vegetables. Water and air, on the other hand, penetrate through the slits that grow with you, so that the plants are optimally supplied.
How can I build a rain cover for cucumbers myself?
You can build arain protection, similar toatomato house, using long slats and mesh foil. This is easy to move and can be used again every year.
- Drive four roof battens into the ground at the corners of the cucumber bed.
- For the roof of the rain protection, put the strips together to form a rectangle.
- Attach the greenhouse film to it with the stapler.
- Screw the resulting rain roof to the base frame.
- Make sure there is a slight slope so that the rainwater can run off.
Tip
Water cucumbers correctly
Cucumbers need about 12 liters of water daily. To prevent the cucumbers from tasting bitter, the plants should be watered daily in the morning with lukewarm water. This also ensures that the leaves are dry by nightfall, which effectively prevents the dreaded downy mildew infection.
