A limited range of crops is grown in greenhouses, so summer residents often plant cucumbers after tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.
But experienced agronomists are in no hurry to plant cucumbers after peppers and eggplants. And there are two reasons for this.
Reason one: soil depletion
Unlike tomatoes, which can grow even on poor soils, peppers and eggplants are as demanding in terms of nutrition as cucumbers. Over the course of a season, these two crops greatly deplete the soil. And then an equally voracious cucumber is planted in the same place. It will experience starvation. Of course, this problem can be solved by adding a large amount of organic fertilizers, but if this is not possible, it is better to find another place for the cucumbers.
Reason two: spider mites
Spider mites can cause serious problems in a cucumber bed. These insects feed on plant sap, which leads to a deterioration in the quality and quantity of the harvest, and sometimes even the death of the plant itself.
And most of all this pest loves eggplants. It is on them that the first representatives appear, which quickly suck the juices from the leaves of the "blue ones", then move to peppers, and only then to not very tasty tomatoes.
The problem is that the spider mite loves cucumbers almost as much as eggplants and peppers. And the following season, having overwintered in the garden, it will eagerly pounce on the new "dish" that a caring person has planted for it.
If there is a need to plant cucumbers after eggplants or peppers, then special attention should be paid to the fight against spider mites. And first of all on eggplants and peppers.
If you do not want to use chemicals to combat spider mites, you will have to use preventive methods. This means that you should regularly check your plants for mites, maintain optimal humidity and temperature in the greenhouse. Spider mites love thickets, so do not postpone weeding. They also do not like calendula, so it is worth planting it in the garden bed.
It is also worth paying attention to biological preparations that destroy the pest, but do not harm humans.
