Urea for cucumbers: rules for applying the fertilizer

Plants require nitrogen for normal flowering. Therefore, gardeners use urea to fertilize cucumbers and other vegetable crops. Gardeners choose carbamide because it is effective and affordable. But you need to use urea fertilizer correctly, adhering to safety rules.

What is urea?

It's called urea A nitrogen fertilizer, without which normal vegetation, plant growth, and development are impossible. Therefore, it is especially necessary for soils with low nutrient content. Gardeners use urea for cucumbers both on its own and in combination with other fertilizers.

This fertilizer is a chemical product. It is produced by synthesizing ammonia and carbon dioxide at high temperatures. Urea has found application not only in agriculture (Type B) but also in the food industry (Type A).

Urea contains 46% of the nitrogen available to plants. Without it, they cannot grow and develop properly.

It is necessary to feed cucumbers with urea for:

• accelerated growth of tops;
• replenishment of nitrogen content;
• increasing plant immunity;
• Providing protection against diseases and parasites—in this case, fertilizer is an excellent alternative to expensive insecticides. It can be used to kill aphids, leafhoppers, flower beetles, and other insects.

In addition, foliar feeding of cucumbers with urea does not burn the leaves of the crop.

Nitrogen deficiency and excess

Cucumbers require proper and adequate care to ensure a bountiful harvest. If nitrogen deficiency occurs, you may notice:

• growth has slowed;
• the leaves and stems turned yellow;
• during the flowering process the leaves fall off;
• ovaries are not formed;
• reduction of yield;
• the growth of lateral shoots has slowed down.

If these signs appear, then it is necessary to treat cucumbers with urea.

Excess nitrogen is just as harmful to plants as a deficiency. In this case, the foliage will grow too vigorously and become dark green. Fruit will be crooked or fail to appear at all.

How to dilute fertilizer

Urea can be used as a fertilizer for cucumbers, either diluted or dry. It dissolves well in any liquid.

If a liquid solution is required, the product must be diluted with water. The ratio of liquid to product depends on the chosen application method. The instructions are important: if they specify the dosage in grams, remember that 1 tablespoon contains 10 grams of urea, and a standard glass contains 130 grams of granulated product.

If cucumbers are growing in a polycarbonate greenhouse, the fertilizer recipe is as follows:

• water – 10 l;
• urea – 15 g;
• superphosphate – 20 g;
• potassium chloride – 15 g.

Fertilizing cucumbers at the roots in open ground requires a concentrated solution. To prepare a liquid fertilizer that can be watered or sprayed on vegetables, you will need:

• water - bucket;
• urea – 15 g;
• superphosphate – 60 g.

Fertilize the crop with this mixture only after good watering and preferably on a cloudy day.

Deadlines for contributions

Cucumbers require nitrogen during the first half of the flowering period. This period lasts from the time the foliage begins to grow until the fruiting period. Fertilizing should be done based on leaf development: as soon as the first leaf appears, the application can begin.

After the fruiting stage begins, the frequency of feeding should be reduced.

During the period from cucumber cultivation to the desired result, urea fertilization should be applied five times. However, to achieve a good harvest, it's important to determine how many times urea is applied and whether the application is timely. The timing of urea application depends on the chosen method: root or foliar application.

Applying fertilizer to the root system

Urea application is beneficial for crop development when applied correctly. Its effectiveness is enhanced when applied as deeply as possible into the soil.

Stages of root feeding:

1. Primary soil cultivation—digging—should be done in the fall or spring. Urea should be applied during this period. 10 grams of dry granules are required per square meter of the plot. They should be incorporated to a depth of 8 cm. You can divide the fertilizer into two parts, one applied in the spring and the other in the fall.
2. Sowing – urea can be used simultaneously with sowing seeds. The product should be placed in prepared holes, but avoid contact with the seeds. Add 4 g of urea to each hole, then cover with soil and sow the seeds.
3. When two true leaves appear, it's best to apply urea to the roots of cucumbers. To prepare a solution, dissolve 30% of the substance in a bucket of water and use it for watering. If growing cucumbers from seedlings, water them with urea every 14 days—this is how long it takes for the plants to adapt. To promote rooting, you can add 50 g of superphosphate to the resulting solution.
4. Fruiting Begins – Watering seedlings with urea is necessary at the beginning of fruiting. This is important because during this period, the green mass draws more nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and other elements from the soil. Therefore, it is necessary to quickly replenish these micronutrients. Gardeners prepare liquid root fertilizer as follows: dilute 30 g of urea, 20 g of potassium nitrate, and 40 g of superphosphate in a bucket of liquid. Use the mixture for watering at a rate of 1 liter per plant.
5. Mass fruiting is the time when plants consume the most nutrients. Therefore, any deficiency in beneficial micronutrients must be remedied. Otherwise, a bountiful harvest will be impossible. To avoid this, mix 10 liters of water, 15 g of urea, and 30 g of potassium nitrate. Use the resulting solution to water the cucumbers.

Regardless of the stage of application, it's best to apply fertilizer in the morning and evening. Then, water the soil thoroughly.

Foliar feeding

Vegetable growers resort to this method of urea application if the crop is sickly or if buds and leaves have begun to fall. Foliar fertilization is most effective during drought or low temperatures, as it nourishes the plant.

The advantages of this method:

• the period of active fruiting increases;
• Spraying cucumbers with urea helps the beneficial substances get directly into the stems and leaves;
• cost-effectiveness – urea goes directly to the crop being processed, not to the soil, feeding not only the plant but also the weeds;
• the immunity of the vegetable increases;
• can be used at any time, regardless of the stage of formation and development of the cucumber.

To avoid causing harm, you need to know how to apply fertilizer and also maintain the correct dosage:

1. Water the cucumbers with a solution prepared by diluting 5 tablespoons of urea in water. Follow the instructions carefully, otherwise you may burn the plant's leaves.
2. Avoid watering during rainfall or during midday. The best times are morning or evening.

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For greater efficiency, urea can be added with manure or other types of fertilizers and microelements.

Seedling treatment

You can spray cucumbers with urea during seed germination and during transplanting. It's important to remember that too much nitrogen promotes the growth of green mass, resulting in large tops and leaves, and small fruits.

Gardeners can apply fertilizer to their gardens when tilling the soil before planting seedlings or immediately before planting. In the former case, it's advisable to apply the fertilizer twice a year: in the fall and spring. The fertilizer should penetrate the soil to a depth of approximately 8-10 centimeters. Use no more than 10 grams of urea.

In the second case, the granules are poured directly into the prepared holes. This must be done in a way that avoids contact between the seeds and urea. Failure to do so will slow down germination and crop development. Therefore, the granules are first placed in the soil and then covered with soil. Only then are the seeds added.

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Processing greenhouse cucumbers

Fertilizing cucumbers in a greenhouse is best done in two stages, the first of which occurs before the onset of the growing season.

The second stage is necessary if signs of nitrogen deficiency are noticeable. If the greenhouse maintains the required temperature and receives regular watering, cucumber leaves should remain green throughout the fruiting period, not yellow and curled. If negative changes occur in the growth and development of greenhouse plants, the soil and leaves should be treated.

For the solution you need:

• dilute 50 g of urea in a bucket of water – root feeding before vegetation;
• Dilute 15 g of urea in 10 liters of liquid to spray stems and leaves.

The optimal time for treating greenhouse cucumbers is evening, as this will help avoid burning the plants.

You can also feed cucumbers with dry granules. However, they should be applied cautiously, a few centimeters from the roots. The application rate should not exceed 7 grams of urea per square meter of area. Water afterward. This method is quite risky, so carefully consider the potential consequences before using it.

What to look out for

To achieve the desired result from fertilizing cucumbers with urea, you must:

• alternate root and foliar application of fertilizers - two weeks should pass between procedures;
• Do not exceed the recommended dose. It is better to add more liquid to the solution than the substance;
• Avoid using urea and ash simultaneously to fertilize cucumbers. It's best to first spray the plants with a solution of the latter, and then use carbamide after 14 days.
• do not mix fertilizer with calcium nitrate;
• Mix phosphates with urea immediately before use.

Additionally, the type of soil where cucumbers are grown should be considered. For example, sandy soil does not retain nutrients well, so plants should be fertilized in small amounts but frequently. In clay soil, the amount of fertilizer should be reduced, as clay retains nutrients for a long time.

Precautionary measures

Urea is not harmful to humans, but in some cases it can cause side effects such as allergies or intolerances. Therefore, it's best to use personal protective equipment when administering this substance. You will need:

• gloves;
• mask;
• respirator.

If the solution gets into your eyes, rinse them with plenty of water. Keep dry granules out of reach of children and animals, and away from food.

To get a bountiful and delicious cucumber harvest, it's important not only to use various fertilizers but also to follow the instructions precisely. This will prevent damage to the plants.