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A good harvest starts with quality cucumber seeds. Whatever the method of growing cucumbers - greenhouse or open, pre-sowing preparation is of great importance for obtaining strong and healthy plants.
Collecting cucumber seeds for seedlings
The fruits of varietal cucumbers, intended for collecting seed, are kept on the bushes until fully ripe. The largest cucumber is not removed until it turns yellow. Then it is cut and placed in a warm place for 5-7 days, until it becomes completely soft. The cucumber is cut lengthwise and the pulp along with the seeds are scraped out, which is placed in a glass container with warm water. Cover with gauze (to prevent flies) and leave to “ferment” for several days.
As soon as all the seeds have settled to the bottom, the film is removed and the jar is shaken. Empty cucumber seeds will immediately float to the surface and can be drained with water. The remaining seeds are placed in a sieve or colander, washed with clean water and dried well. To do this, they are laid out on a plate or cling film.
After the seeds have completely dried, they are placed in a paper envelope on which the name of the variety and harvest date are written. The envelope is put away in a dry place for two or three years. The best germination rate is for seeds 2-3 years old. After this period germination decreases, so they should not be stored longer.
It is possible to improve the quality of “younger” seed material. To do this, you need to create certain conditions for them. Fresh cucumber seeds are stored at a temperature of 25 degrees in a dark and dry place.
Preparing seeds for sowing
Cucumber seedlings are most often grown using the greenhouse method - under film and in a warm room. The seed preparation process consists of four stages:
- Germination test;
- Disinfection;
- Hardening;
- Stimulation of germination.
Germination test
Pre-sowing preparation begins a month before sowing in the soil for seedlings. It is necessary to select healthy, large cucumber seeds that will ensure a high germination rate. Since it is impossible even for experienced gardeners to determine this by eye, a weak solution of table salt will help to do this.
The seed material is filled with solution. After 5 minutes, those cucumber seeds that float to the surface can be removed and thrown away - they will not sprout. The remaining seeds are washed, dried and sorted by size. The largest and fullest of them will give a good harvest if grown correctly.
Warming up, feeding
After drying, the seeds need to be warmed up.This will help them ascend faster. Warming up stimulates the formation of female flowers, which means they will begin to bear fruit earlier. They are kept for a month at a temperature of 28-30 degrees. If there is no time for thorough preparation, then you can perform intensive heating at 50 degrees.
Warmed, washed and dried seeds need to be fed so that they germinate well. For this they soak in the nutritional mixture for several hours. It may contain wood ash, sodium humate or nitrophoska. Melt water is also considered an active growth stimulator. After this, they are washed again, wrapped in a damp cloth and left for a day in a dark place.
Hardening
Seeds also need to be prepared for the fact that when planted in open ground, not only sunlight and warmth await them. To do this, the seeds are gradually “accustomed” to low temperatures. To do this, the room where they wait in the wings is periodically ventilated. You can place the seeds in the refrigerator for a day.
Disinfection
The causative agents of some cucumber diseases may also be present on the seed coat. Disinfection will not only help get rid of them, but also increase the resistance of plants. Disinfection is carried out by immersing them in a strong solution of potassium permanganate. A solution of boric acid also works well.
Disinfect the seeds, as well as increasing their germination and speeding up germination, treatment with ultraviolet rays will help. Irradiation is carried out for 3-5 minutes. To be effective, you need to completely isolate the seeds from any light sources until sowing. After processing, they are placed in a light-proof bag.
Cucumber seed from the store with the designation F1 on the package does not require pre-hardening or fertilizing.To get a good harvest, it is enough to determine the percentage of germination by germination immediately before sowing in the ground. Such seeds have already gone through all stages of preparation before going on sale.
Growing seedlings
Before how to plant cucumbers in open or greenhouse soil, you need to grow seedlings from seeds. This method takes time, but has many advantages, including:
- Fast plant growth;
- Long-term fruiting;
- Guaranteed good harvest.
And for this, the seeds need to be germinated. You can learn more about how to prepare cucumber seeds and whether they need to be germinated by watching the video:
The water for germination is left to stand at room temperature for at least 24 hours. A cotton cloth soaked in water and aloe juice is laid out on the bottom of a flat dish. The prepared seeds are evenly distributed over it. Cover the top with gauze and spray with the same water. The optimal room temperature for germination is 20-25 degrees.
The first roots will appear 28-30 hours after soaking. Sprouted seeds should be immediately planted in the ground, without waiting for sprouts to appear.
Each seed is placed in a separate cup with soil. The soil can be prepared in advance by mixing the soil with peat, humus and sawdust, which must be scalded with boiling water to remove the resin from them. These cups can be made from thick plastic film or thick paper - when planting in the ground using a transshipment method, it can be quickly removed without damaging the roots and leaving a whole earthen lump. Seeds are sown to a depth of 1.5-2 cm and sprinkled with water at room temperature. Cups with future seedlings are placed in a box and covered with film.
In the first three days after sowing, the box with cucumber seedlings is placed in a warm place. The room temperature should not fall below 25 degrees. After germination, the film is removed and the seedlings are moved to a well-lit and ventilated place.
Young plants need bright daylight for 10-11 hours a day. In the absence of natural sunlight (on cloudy days), additional lighting is needed.
They begin to water the seedlings as soon as the first leaves unfurl. This must be done carefully so that water does not get on the stems, but saturates the soil. This is convenient to do with a regular teaspoon.
Seedlings ready for planting in open ground have a dense, strong stem, dark green, well-developed leaves and a strong root system.
By this time the earth should warm up to 15-18 degrees, and the air to 18-20. A few days before planting, the cucumbers are taken outside during the daytime so that the plants adapt to the natural climate.
Conclusion
The process of growing cucumbers is long and quite labor-intensive. But if you follow all the rules from collecting seeds to planting seedlings, then you can be absolutely sure that the result will more than repay all the efforts expended, and plants that have received proper care will be rewarded with a good harvest of juicy and fragrant fruits.
