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Cucumber is a heat-loving crop; the vegetable itself comes from India, and, as you know, it is much warmer there than in our climate. That is why it is necessary to plant seeds for seedlings only at certain times, on favorable days. In this matter, you must strictly follow the instructions, because in the spring snow and sudden cold snaps can come as a surprise, and they are destructive for cucumbers. Let's talk about what a beginner should do and not make a mistake.
The most important rule
Perhaps even an extremely inexperienced person in this matter knows that cucumbers can be planted in open ground when the threat of frost has completely subsided, and even at night the temperature does not drop below 12 degrees. This is the most important rule.
Of course, there are persistent hybrids that can withstand minor temperature fluctuations, but only minor ones, by 2-3 degrees. If there is a serious cold snap, the seedlings will feel extremely uncomfortable. What signs indicate this?
- leaves turn yellow;
- plants wither.
Good advice for those who are growing cucumbers for the first time: it is better not to rush and shift the sowing days than to regret later that some of the seedlings died.
Methods for growing cucumbers
Methods for growing cucumbers can be strictly divided into two types:
- planting seeds in open ground;
- growing cucumber seedlings.
Each of the methods is good in its own way, and it makes no sense to advocate for one of them. As practice shows, the first method is used more often in the south of Russia, and the second - in the middle zone and in other regions where the weather is unstable.
Gardeners who grow cucumbers from seedlings agree that with this method the plant bears fruit longer and suffers less. This method is ideal for use in northern regions. Favorable days are also important for this.
As for planting seeds in open ground, the soil is prepared in advance. You can somewhat insulate the soil layer by adding manure, compost or peat. Read carefully what soil temperature is indicated on the seed package. Some hybrids require soil warmed up to 12 degrees, and some - up to 15. This method is quite simple. If the temperature regime is observed and high-quality watering is maintained, the seedlings will be friendly and resistant to many diseases.
As for the second method, there are nuances here.
Preparing seeds for planting
In the northern regions, this method of growing cucumbers is most popular. There, cucumbers most often grow in greenhouses. To do this, they also choose a specific day for sowing.
Today it is customary to either buy cucumber seeds in stores and markets, or prepare them yourself. Under the right storage conditions, you can maintain the quality of seeds for up to ten years, however, the most productive are those that have been stored for 3-4 years at temperatures up to +15 degrees and a relative humidity of no more than 60%.
When purchasing seeds in a store, give preference to trusted manufacturers.
If you purchased store-bought seeds, you do not need to prepare them for planting. They have already gone through all stages of preparation. Your own seeds must be prepared for planting, and the preparation consists of several stages:
- selection;
- soak;
- hardening.
Whole, full-bodied seeds are selected for sowing. The next stage is soaking. It is necessary to speed up germination. To do this, the seeds are either placed in a damp cloth and not allowed to dry, or poured with water at room temperature, and the water should only cover them.
Hardening of seeds is necessary to increase resistance to cold. If you live in a warm climate, this process can be omitted. The seeds need to be kept for one day in a damp cloth at a temperature of 0 to -2 degrees. Sprouted seeds cannot be hardened.
Growing seedlings
After preparation, the seeds must be planted separately and wait for seedlings. For sowing use:
- plastic cups;
- small plastic bags;
- eggshells;
- peat tablets.
Even for planting seeds for seedlings, it is better to select favorable days according to the lunar calendar, which we will discuss below. The growing rules are:
- You need to use light nutritious soil;
- cucumber seedlings are grown at temperatures from 20 degrees;
- there is no need to pick it, since cucumbers do not like transplanting and get sick for a long time after it;
- if the sprouts stretch out, this means that they do not have enough sunlight (you can use additional lighting for the cucumbers);
- it is necessary to count the days from sowing to planting seedlings in the beds (as a rule, this period ranges from 21 to 30 days);
- high-quality seedlings should be below 30 centimeters with dense dark leaves and strong stems.
When transplanting into the ground, it is important that the plant is easily removed from the cup without being damaged, otherwise it will take a long time to adapt to new conditions. Do not plant the plants too close to each other, otherwise the cucumbers will lack air and sunlight.
Cucumbers love moisture and rich soil. Watering is carried out only with water at room temperature; seedlings and adult plants should not be watered with cold water.
This can lead to serious consequences.
One of the ways to grow cucumbers is presented in the video.
From year to year, gardeners do not change the tradition of planting cucumber seeds and use the lunar calendar.
Favorable days for planting seeds
As a rule, all gardeners are well aware of the timing of planting cucumber seeds in their region. In general, everyone uses this very rule, but you shouldn’t forget about folk wisdom. Favorable dates for planting cucumbers:
- for the south of Russia - this is until the beginning of May, and cucumbers for seedlings can be grown already at the end of March;
- for Moscow and the region - starting from the end of May and ending at the beginning of June, not earlier (in early-mid May, cucumber seedlings can only be planted in greenhouses);
- in the Urals, cucumbers can be planted in open ground only in June; as a rule, the sowing day is chosen before the 10th;
- in the Leningrad region, the situation is this way: cucumber seeds are planted in greenhouses (film, glass without heating) no earlier than May 20, and the film can only be removed on June 10, sometimes this day is postponed for a week.
The lunar calendar occupies a special place in the life of every summer resident and gardener.
Lunar calendar and folk wisdom
Every living thing on our planet depends on the moon, including cucumber seedlings. Plants react to its phase, which is why using a calendar for sowing and choosing that very day is justified. It is adjusted annually and published both on the Internet and in specialized magazines.
Let's describe favorable days for sowing cucumbers for next year 2019 in a special table. This will help you quickly navigate through a huge amount of information.
As for unfavorable dates, they are also described in the calendar. They concern not only sowing cucumbers, but also work in the garden and vegetable garden in general. You only need to remember a few rules. You cannot sow, plant or work in the garden on the following days:
- on full moons and new moons;
- when the Moon moves from one zodiac to another;
- if the Moon is located in the signs of Aquarius or Leo;
- on days of eclipses.
Additionally, gardeners use the folk calendar. It is time-tested. According to him, the sowing of cucumbers began on the day of Job the Pea (Christian saint, date - May 19). At the same time, peas were also planted. To this day, gardeners use other signs:
- if May 27 is a clear day (Sidor Bokogrey), then the summer will be warm and the cucumber harvest will be rich;
- if it is cold on this day, the whole summer will be rainy;
- if June 1 is rainy (Ivan the Long Day), then June, on the contrary, will be dry (this is important when growing cucumbers);
- June 2 (Timofey Gryadochnik's day) is well suited for sowing cucumbers in the north of the country;
- The last day for planting cucumbers according to the folk calendar is June 5 (Levon Borage Day).
You can believe in these signs or ignore them, but it’s worth taking a closer look at them. Our ancestors have been collecting them for centuries to determine the exact sowing days. Today this is popular wisdom.
Conclusion
Choosing days favorable for sowing cucumber seedlings is not a difficult task, but you need to take care of this in advance. When all the work is done efficiently, the cucumbers are planted with passion, you should definitely expect a rich harvest. This is no longer a sign, but a rule for those who are not used to wasting time.
