Greenhouses/Open field

1. Open-field

Plant density of 30,000 – 40,000 / ha.

Expected yield of 25 – 35 Ton / ha

I. Pre-plant Application

Nutrient demand (kg/ha)					Recommended fertilizers (kg/ha)
N	P₂O₅	K₂O	CaO	SO₃	Ammonium sulfate*	Single Superphosphate**	Potassium sulfate
150	160	300	65	225	750	800	600

*Other nitrogen sources can also be used, with the necessary revisions, but AS also supplies the S.

^{** Other phosphorus sources can also be used, with the necessary revisions, but SSP also supplies the Ca.}

II. Side Dressing

Month after sowing	Growth stage	Nutrient demand (kg/ha/month)			Recommended fertilizers (kg/ha/month)
Month after sowing	Growth stage	N	P₂O₅	K₂O	Multi-K	Haifa MAP	AN
1^st	Vegetative development	30	30	20	45	50	55
2^nd	Flowering – fruit-set	60	30	90	195	50	85
3^rd to end	Fruit develop. & harvest	60	30	90	195	50	85
Total		150	90	200	435	150	225

Haifa MAP = Mono-Ammonium Phosphate (12-61-0).

AN = Ammonium nitrate (33.5-0-0).

II. Fertigation*

Month after sowing	Growth stage	Nutrient demand (kg/ha/day)			Recommended fertilizers (kg/ha/day)
Month after sowing	Growth stage	N	P₂O₅	K₂O	Multi-K	Haifa MAP	AN
1^st	Vegetative development	1.0	1.0	0.7	1.4	1.6	1.8
2^nd	Flowering – fruit-set	2.0	1.0	3.0	6.5	1.6	3.0
3^rd to the end	Fruit develop. & harvest	2.0	1.0	3.0	6.5	1.6	3.0
Total		150	90	200	435	150	225

Haifa MAP = Mono-Ammonium Phosphate (12-61-0)

AN = Ammonium nitrate (33.5-0-0)

* The fertilizers should be applied every 1 – 2 irrigation cycles.

2. Greenhouse or Tunnel, growth in soil

Plant density of 18,000 – 24,000 / ha.

Expected yield of 120 – 150 Ton / ha.

Total nutrient requirements (kg/ha)
N	P₂O₅	K₂O
200 - 240	130 - 150	300 - 350

Pre-plant Application

Nutrient demand (kg/ha)			Recommended fertilizers (kg/ha)
N	P₂O₅	K₂O	Ammonium sulfate*	Triple Superphosphate**	SOP
21	80 - 100	80 - 100	100	175 - 220	160 - 200

*Other nitrogen sources, such as AN or urea can also be used, with the necessary revisions.

^{^{** Other phosphorus sources, such as DAP or SSP can also be used, with the necessary revisions}.}

Fertigation or Side Dressing

Growth stage	Nutrient demand (kg/ha/day)			Recommended fertilizers (kg/ha/day)
Growth stage	N	P₂O₅	K₂O	AN	Haifa MAP	Multi-K
Establishment	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.5	1.6	2.2
Vegetative -Flowering	2.0	1.0	2.0	2.2	1.6	4.5
Flowering - fruitset	2.5	1.0	3.5	4.0	1.6	8.0
Fruitset - harvest	3.5	-	4.5	6.5	1.6	10

Haifa MAP = Mono-Ammonium Phosphate (12-61-0)

AN = Ammonium nitrate (33.5 – 0 - 0

Secondary nutrients

Magnesium

Magnesium should be applied throughout the growing season, and adjusted according to the concentration in the soil and irrigation water.

Total required rate = 0.4 – 0.6 Kg/ha/day (MgO) preferably as magnesium nitrate (Magnisal).

Proportional rate = 20 – 40 (MgO) g/m3 preferably as magnesium nitrate (Magnisal).

Calcium

Calcium should be applied from fruit set until the end of harvest. Dosage should be adjusted according to the concentration in the soil and irrigation water.

Total required rate = 2 – 4 Kg/ha/day (CaO)

Proportional rate = 80 – 120 (CaO) g/m3

When proportional fertigation setup is available

Nutrients should be applied at the following rates during the indicated physiological stages.

Physiological stage		N	P₂O₅	K₂O	CaO	MgO
Establishment	Ratio	1	0.7	1.3	1.3	0.8
Establishment	Rate (mg/liter = ppm)	60 - 80	44 - 55	70 - 110	84 - 100	50 - 66
Flowering and production	Ratio	1	0.4	1.5	0.65	0.3
Flowering and production	Rate (mg/liter = ppm)	180 - 220	75 - 95	280 - 320	110 - 140	50 - 66

Micronutrients should be maintained at the following levels (ppm) in the nutrition solution throughout the growth period:

Fe	Mn	Zn	Cu	B	Mo
1 - 1.5	0.5 - 0.8	0.1 - 0.3	0.05 - 0.1	0.3	0.05

For the fertigated solution EC should not exceed 2.2 dS/m and pH should be maintained at 5.5 – 6.5.

3. Greenhouse or tunnel, growth in soilless culture

Special consideration for practicing of fertigation in soilless grown cucumbers

Cucumbers can be grown in greenhouses in a number of soilless media such as perlite, rockwool, peat, etc. When growing cucumbers in soilless media special care must be taken in monitoring the nutrients that the crop receives. The following factors should be taken into account: (Avidan, 1998)

pH. The pH in the nutrient solution should be maintained at a level of 6.0 – 6.5. The pH can be lowered by the use of acids. Adjustment of pH levels can be accomplished by slight changes in the nitrate/ammonium ratio in the nutrient solution.
Electrical Conductivity (EC). The difference between the EC of the nutrient solution and the drain water should not exceed 0.4-0.5 dS/m (depending on the properties of the water supply).
Nitrate (NO₃^-). The level of nitrate in the drain water should be 500 –600 ppm depending on the nitrate level, which changes according to the growing season.
Nitrate/ Ammonium ratio should not be lower than 5 : 1.
Nitrite (NO₂^-). The level of nitrite should be zero, because its presence in the growth medium impairs roots functioning and causes browning.

In addition, it should be borne in mind that a high level of either ammonia or ammonium interferes with the ability of the roots to absorb K (Schenk and Wehrmann, 1979).

Growth stage	Nutrient requirements (g/m3 = ppm)					Recommended fertilizers (g/m3 = ppm)
Growth stage	N	P₂O₅	K₂O	CaO	MgO	Multi-K	MAP	AN	CN	Mg. * sulfate
Establishment - flowering	180	90	180	100	40	400	150	160	380	120
Flowering Fruit-set Production	240	90	170	200	80	800	150	-	760	240

^{*This source of magnesium was selected to provide the sulfate to the medium.}

Parameter	Nutrient solution	Root environment
EC (dS/m)	2.2	3.0
pH	5.5 - 6.5

Micronutrients should be maintained at the following levels (ppm) throughout the growth period:

Fe	Mn	Zn	Cu	B	Mo
0.9	0.55	0.32	0.05	0.25	0.05

A complete guide for the nutrition of cucumbers in greenhouses on rockwool is given in the end of this recommendation.

4. Foliar sprays

Nutritive Foliar Application

Multi-K at concentrations of 1.5%-2.0% in water were found to be the most effective nutritive solution for boosting vegetative and production response of the plants. However, the safe concentration should be determined by spraying the solution onto a small area a few days prior to the actual treatment to assess whether there may be any adverse effects.

Nutrition database for cucumber

	concentration
	Rockwool		Rockwool (reuse drainage)		Plant – dry matter (7-8%)
Parameter	Nutrient Solution	Root Environ.	Nutrient Solution	Root Environ.	Guiding Range	Deficient	Excessive
EC (mS/cm)	2.2	3.0	1.7	3.0
	(mg/l)		(mg/l)		(%)
NH₄	22.5	9.0	18.0	9.0
N-NH₄	17.3	6.9	13.8	6.9
K in sap					0.59 –0.63	0.18
K	312.8	312.8	254.2	312.8	3.13 – 3.91	2.35
Ca	160.4	260.7	110.3	260.7	2.41-3.21	1.20
Mg	60.8	103.3	36.5	103.3	0.24-0.49	0.24
N, total					4.20 – 5.60
NO₃	992.0	1116.0	728.5	1116.0	1.86
N-NO₃	223.9	251.9	164.4	251.9	0.42
S, total					0.32
SO₄	132.1	336.4	96.1	336.4
P					0.62 – 0.93	0.47
H₂PO₄	121.3	87.3	121.3	87.3
Si	21.1	16.9	21.1	16.9
Na					0.06 – 0.07
					mg/Kg (ppm)
Fe	0.838	0.838	0.838	1.396	83.8 – 111.7
Mn	0.549	0.385	0.549	0.385	54.9-164.8		> 549.3*
Zn	0.327	0.458	0.327	0.458	49.0 – 143.8	26.1
B	0.270	0.054	0.270	0.540	54.0 – 75.6	43.2	> 108.0
Cu	0.048	0.095	0.048	0.095	10.2	8.9**
Mo	0.048	-	0.048	-	0.96 – 9.59	0.29

* in old leaves

** in young leaves; in old leaves deficient at Cu 5.08 mg/Kg DM

Important note: The a/m database was prepared to fit Dutch conditions (low transpiration and low EC of the water). Some modifications may be required to correspond to your local conditions.

sources: N. Straver. Nutrient solutions for vegetables and flowers grown in water or substrates. 10th Ed. 1994.

C. de Kreij, Sonneveld C., Warmenhoven M.G. and Straver N.A. Guide values for nutrient element contents of vegetables and flowers under glass. 3rd Ed. 1992

Macro elements removed by 1 ton marketable product

N	P	K	Ca	Mg	S
---------------------------------------------------Kg / ton-----------------------------------------
4.0	1.0	6.0	1.0	1.3	1.0

Source: Kinoch: VOLHOUBARE LANDBOU, RSA. Processed by Frans Lourens, Haifa, RSA May, 1999.

Cucumbers – Mineral analysis values

	In leaves
Nutrient	Average value	Critical level
	(%)
N	2.90
S	0.30
P	0.52
K	2.90
Mg	0.54
Ca	2.20
Na	0.08
	(ppm)
Fe	140
Al	90
Mn	115
B	45
Cu	16
Zn	35
Mo

Greenhouses/Open field

Fertilization of cucumber in various growing methods

Either grown in open field, greenhouse or tunnel, Haifa's fertilizers supply all the required nutrients in order to improve yield and marketabilitz

1. Open-field

II. Side Dressing

II. Fertigation*

2. Greenhouse or Tunnel, growth in soil

Pre-plant Application

Fertigation or Side Dressing

Secondary nutrients

3. Greenhouse or tunnel, growth in soilless culture

4. Foliar sprays

Nutrition database for cucumber

Macro elements removed by 1 ton marketable product

Cucumbers – Mineral analysis values

GET THE VERY LATEST FROM HAIFA

Greenhouses/Open field

Fertilization of cucumber in various growing methods

Either grown in open field, greenhouse or tunnel, Haifa's fertilizers supply all the required nutrients in order to improve yield and marketabilitz

1. Open-field

II. Side Dressing

II. Fertigation*

2. Greenhouse or Tunnel, growth in soil

Pre-plant Application

Fertigation or Side Dressing

Secondary nutrients

3. Greenhouse or tunnel, growth in soilless culture

4. Foliar sprays

Nutrition database for cucumber

Macro elements removed by 1 ton marketable product

Cucumbers – Mineral analysis values

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