When growing cucumbers, gardeners often face the question of whether to pick cucumber leaves and pick cucumber mustache. Let's take a closer look at this question.
What do they do it for?
When caring for cucumbers, many agronomists recommend picking off or cutting the leaves. This procedure is done for:
- airing improvements;
- prevent root rot;
- better illumination of the plant;
- increase the yield of vegetables;
- correct formation of the plant;
- removal of diseased, sluggish and old leaves;
- disposing of barren flowers.
Did you know? The Russian name "cucumber" came to us from ancient Greece, where they called it "aguros", which means - "unripe, immature"
How to trim (cut off) leaves
There are several ways to cut cucumbers - this is a common and lightening pruning. They are used for different varieties of cucumbers. General pruning recommended to do for self-pollinating varieties. 
Lightening pruning is needed only for weak plants and plants that are sick. Let's take a look at how to correctly trim the leaves.
Read also about such varieties of cucumbers: "Courage", "Nezhinsky", "Competitor", "German", "Zozulya".
Overall
General pruning is done for self-pollinating varieties. These varieties are most cucumbers. These varieties grow best in one stem.
In this case, this main stem grows strong and can withstand a large number of fruits. You can not worry about the fact that the harvest will be small. On this main stem, side shoots are also formed. Usually there are a lot of them, and they also produce crops.
Before pruning, the plant is conditionally divided into four parts. The first part is the base of the lash at the ground, the second is the next meter of the lash (approximately 4 nodes of growth), the third is the next 0.5 meters, respectively, and the fourth part is the top.
Let's consider whether it is necessary to pick off the lower leaves of cucumbers. In the first part, it is recommended to remove all the inflorescences that are very close to the soil and those shoots that are in the sinuses. It is necessary to remove the leaves that touch the ground and turned yellow. This is done to ensure good ventilation and to prevent root rot of the plant.
On the second part of the plant, it is recommended to trim the growing point and get rid of barren flowers. In this area, leaves few leaves, and as for the fruit - they leave 3-4 pieces.
In the third part of the plant, three nodes are selected, on which 3-4 fruits will grow. At this site leave half the leaves. Other nodes can be left alone.
Such pruning ensures uniform ripening of cucumbers and make them more juicy. After such pruning increases the yield in the nodes of the whip that did not touch. In the fourth part of the plant, the growth point on the fourth leaf is cut from above. This allows the plant to grow and develop faster. Next, the antennae are fixed on the uppermost garter of the wire (or line / string).
This part of the cucumbers is constantly corrected - from time to time the antennae are fixed on the wire, while it is necessary to transfer them in a checkerboard pattern. Such actions provide uniform illumination of the plant and allow convenient harvesting.
Lightening
Let's take a look at this question: is it necessary to cut the leaves on the cucumbers with brightening pruning.
Did you know? Homeland ordinary cucumber - tropical and subtropical regions of India, the foot of the Himalayas. In those places it grows in natural conditions.Lightening pruning is recommended when the plant is weak or starts to hurt. With such pruning, it is recommended to prune absolutely all side shoots and leaves that look down or withered.
This pruning is done along the entire length of the plant. Also need to remove the excess ovary. As a result, approximately six nodes of the ovary and some foliage should remain on the plant. 
Such a radical pruning allows to improve the ventilation of the plant, increases the illumination. After pruning, nutrients are used to restore the whip and form a good crop of cucumbers.
Important! After such a procedure, a side escape may appear near the ground from the very first node. It can be left and laid out on the ground along the fence. This will help increase yields throughout the lash.
Do I need to trim (cut off) the mustache to get more yield
Many agronomists believe that pinching cucumbers, that is, pruning leaves and shoots is an unnecessary procedure. Let's look in more detail, whether it is necessary to cut only the leaves of cucumbers or also the antennae.
Cucumber postpones shoots of male and female. Male shoots grow on the main stem. These shoots are empty flowers. They do not yield crops. To increase the yield should appear female shoots that grow exclusively on the side shoots.
That is why you need to pinch male shoots from the main stem. At the same time it is recommended to leave the leaves, because thanks to them the plant absorbs useful substances. When pinching you need to leave the side shoots with flowers of the female, which give the harvest. If male shoots are not removed, then perhaps cucumbers will cause bitterness because of this.
For a big crop it is recommended to form the lash properly on the plant If hybrid varieties of cucumbers are grown, it is recommended to pinch the tops after the sixth leaf. In this case, leave three escapes, and get rid of everything else.
If you grow ordinary varieties of cucumbers, it is recommended to leave one stalk. In this case, the remaining shoots need to get rid of. Through such recommendations can increase the yield of home cucumbers.
In addition to cucumbers, watermelons, melons, zucchini, squash, pumpkins are very popular among the melons and gourds.
Tips and tricks
To increase the yield of cucumbers need to pruning leaves. The following are some expert tips that you need to follow when pruning.
Tips:
- Cut cucumber lash need not completely, but only to the point of growth. At full pruning, the shoot is injured and dries out.
- When a large number of barren flowers are formed on a plant, it is necessary to dry the soil. After remove points of growth. Pustous flowers tear off. After such actions, the nutrients go into cucumbers.
- If the leaves are trimmed for a long time, the lashes become thin and entangled.
- Every 10 days it is recommended to remove the yellowed leaves, as well as the leaves that are below the fruit. At the level of the crop, only a couple of leaves should be left on the shoot. The top of the plant does not touch.
- It is not recommended to direct the antennae of cucumbers, which are at the top of the shoot, along the hedge. As it begins to trudge along the hedge, and the harvest will be shaded.
- When growing cucumbers of not self-pollinating varieties, it is important to give the bees free access to flowers.
- When harvesting it is forbidden to touch knotted antennae and whip. Since it drastically reduces the subsequent ovary.
One of the main points when courting cucumbers is such a recommendation: be sure to provide good coverage of the top of the growing shoot.
After the upper lash reaches the upper support, it categorically cannot be directed in a horizontal plane along the trellis.
Such an action leads to the formation of a "tent" of cucumbers. This reduces the amount of light for the plant and reduces the yield.
Important! The whip, which is thrown over the trellis, grows so that even if you send it down, it will still grow stubbornly in the opposite direction. This process should be monitored at least once a week. That is, once a week you will need to direct the lash down, clinging it to the plant.
Thus, we now know exactly the answer to the question: is it necessary to cut the leaves from cucumbers and whether to cut off the mustache from cucumbers?Therefore, if you trim the leaves from time to time, you can increase the yield several times, and pruning facilitates the care of plants.
