Season and Field preparation

Soil

Sandy loam rich in organic matter with good drainage and pH range from 6.5-7.5 are ideal for cucumber cultivation. This crop requires a moderate warm temperature.

Season

Sow the seeds during June or January to April

Seed rate

About 2.5 kg of seeds are required for a hectare.

Seed treatment

Treat the seeds with Trichoderma viride 4 g/kg or Pseudomonas fluorescens 10 g/kg or Carbendazim 2 g/kg of seeds before sowing.

Preparation of field

Plough the field four times and form long channels at 1.5 m apart.

Sowing

Sow the seeds on one side of channel giving a spacing of 0.6 m between hills. Thin the seedlings to two/hill at 15 days after planting.

Irrigation

Irrigate the field before dibbling the seeds and thereafter once a week.

Application of fertilizers

Apply FYM 40 t/ha as basal and 35 kg of N/ha at 30 days after sowing.Apply Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria 2 kg/ha and Pseudomonoas 2.5 kg/ha along with FYM 50 kg and neem cake @ 100 kg before last ploughing.

Drip irrigation

Install drip system with main and sub-main pipes and place the inline lateral tubes at an interval of 1.5m. Place the drippers in lateral tubes at an interval of 60 cm and 50 cm spacing with 4 LPH and 3.5 LPH capacities respectively.

Field preparation

Form raised beds of 120 cm width at an interval of 30 cm and the laterals are placed at the centre of each bed.

Sowing

Sow the seeds at an interval of 60 cm distance at the centre of the bed along the laterals. Sow the seeds in polybags @ one per bag for gap filling. Spray pre emergence weedicide like fluchloralin 1 kg a.i. or metalachlor 0.75 kg a.i./ha on third day of sowing.

Fertigation

Apply a dose of 150:75:75 kg NPK/ha throughout the cropping period through split application for F1 hybrid. In respect of phosphorous, 75% has to be applied as a basal dose.

After cultivation

Hoe and weed twice or thrice.