When to plant cucumber seedlings in 2024

Content

1 How to prepare the soil
2 How to prepare seeds
3 What are cucumber seeds planted in?
- 3.1 Alternative methods
4 Planting seeds in cups and caring for seedlings
5 When to sow and plant seedlings

Since the fall, real gardeners have been thinking about how they will plant seedlings for the next season. After all, a lot needs to be done in advance: prepare the soil, collect organic fertilizers, stock up on containers for seedlings, choose seed material. Planting cucumbers for seedlings is no exception. In order to enjoy fresh cucumbers in 2024, the owners are already beginning to prepare for the new gardening season. What stages does the preparation consist of, and what unconventional methods of growing cucumber seedlings are known today - everything is covered in this article.

How to prepare the soil

As you know, the best soil for cucumber seedlings is a self-prepared substrate. Therefore, already in the fall, the owner must determine a place on the site for future cucumbers. Onions and garlic are considered the best predecessors of cucumbers, but you can also replant cucumbers in the same place.

This mixture should consist of 40% of the same soil in which the seedlings will be planted later.

A lot has been said about how to properly prepare soil for cucumber seedlings - there are a lot of videos and recommendations from experts

Briefly this process can be described as follows:

On the ground, the top layer (turf) is removed from the site.
The soil is placed in a linen bag and placed in the cold for one month (so that the frost kills everything weeds and illnesses).
The rest of the time, the soil must be kept warm, not only harmful but also beneficial microorganisms develop in the soil, it must rot.
Before planting seeds, sand, peat and sawdust are added to the ground, this will give it the necessary looseness and nutrients.
A few days before sowing cucumbers, the soil is watered with a weak solution of manganese.

How to prepare seeds

Seeds for cucumbers should be chosen not fresh, from the last harvest, but two or three years ago. Almost all seed material today is treated with fungicides and antibacterial substances; in order for their effect to be maximum, the seeds must be purchased fresh.

If the owner prefers purchased seeds, it is better to purchase them in late winter or early spring.

When planting seeds for seedlings, adhere to the following rules:

First, seeds of early parthenocarpic or self-pollinating hybrids are sown in pots, which are then planted in greenhouses or greenhouses;
After 2-3 weeks, you can sow the seeds of bee-pollinated cucumbers intended for open ground.

What are cucumber seeds planted in?

In 2024, no new products are expected among containers for cucumber seedlings. Standard methods:

disposable plastic cups;
paper pots for cucumbers;
peat glasses;
peat tablets.

Everyone probably knows how to use disposable cups - in order to transplant seedlings into the ground, the containers are cut.

Peat glasses are also no longer considered exotic; you just need to crush the containers before planting them in the ground so that they decompose faster and do not interfere with root growth.But you can learn how to use peat tablets from the video instructions:

Important! The soil in peat cups often dries out, this is due to the fact that the peat absorbs moisture too much. To prevent cucumbers from becoming “thirsty,” the cups are placed in a plastic tray, where excess water will accumulate, which the plants will feed on.

Alternative methods

Now there are many master classes and videos on how to grow seedlings in unconventional ways. The most popular ones include the following:

Planting cucumber seeds in eggshells. In principle, this method does not differ much from the standard method of growing seedlings. The only difference is that the plant will not be able to stay in a small shell for a long time; its roots will not fit in the container. Compared to the usual 3 weeks, such seedlings will grow on the windowsill for only 7-10 days, but sometimes this period is enough to get the very first, early cucumbers as quickly as possible. The seedlings are planted together with the shells, this is the advantage of the method - the roots of the cucumbers will not be damaged during transplantation. You just need to gently knead the shell so that the roots can grow through it.
Seeds in “diapers”. “Diapers” are made from polyethylene, cutting it into small squares. A little soil is poured onto one corner of such a square, a cucumber seed is placed there and the soil is sprinkled with a little water. Then the “diaper” is rolled into a tube and tied with an elastic band. Now this bundle needs to be placed vertically in a low, long box and wait for germination.
Cucumber seedlings in sawdust. For this method, you need to take ordinary flower pots or plastic pallets, on the bottom of which lay plastic film.Pour sawdust on top, which must first be doused with boiling water. Place cucumber seeds in the hole at regular intervals and cover with sawdust. Sawdust must be constantly watered to maintain its moisture, and also fertilized with cow manure dissolved in water.
In newspapers. One of the most economical methods is to plant seedlings in newspaper pots. You just need to roll cups from newsprint and plant cucumber seeds in them, as in a regular container. It is necessary to replant cucumbers into the ground directly with paper cups, but you just need to take into account that after getting wet, the newspaper breaks very easily - replanting must be done very carefully.

Attention! All these methods have been tested by thousands of gardeners, and have a right to exist. Hundreds of reviews and dozens of video reports speak about the effectiveness of alternative methods.

Here is a video about planting seeds in shells:

Planting seeds in cups and caring for seedlings

Soil is poured into prepared glasses or pots and watered with warm water. Now you can place the germinated seeds there. They are carefully transferred to the ground and sprinkled with a small layer of soil.

Now it is better to cover the cups with polyethylene and place them in a warm place. The film will create a “greenhouse effect”, regulate humidity and maintain temperature. In such conditions, the seeds will germinate faster - the first shoots can be seen already on the third day after planting the cucumbers.

The film must be removed when the first shoots appear. If you miss this moment, the seedlings will turn yellow and become frail. When the cucumbers begin to grow, the soil will need to be poured into the cups several times.

It is very important to monitor soil moisture and room temperature.The optimal condition for cucumber seedlings is a temperature of 20-23 degrees.

Also, seedlings need to be fed several times.:

When the first leaf appears.
On the day the second leaf appears.
10-15 days after the second feeding.

Fertilizers for feeding seedlings are sold in specialized stores, but you can prepare it yourself: superphosphates, bird droppings, potassium sulfate and ammonium nitrate. All this is mixed and added to the soil with the seedlings.

When to sow and plant seedlings

In 2024, as in past seasons, many gardeners are paying attention to the lunar calendar. For sowing cucumber seeds next season there will be favorable the following days:

Without exception, all farmers need to take into account the climate in the region of their residence and the growth rate of certain varieties.

Advice! In order for the cucumbers to be healthy and tolerate transplantation well, the seedlings need to be hardened off. To do this, a week before planting in the ground, take it out onto the balcony, into the yard, or open a window.

In the 2024 season, no special new products or rules for growing cucumber seedlings are expected.

Advice! The main thing to remember is that seedlings can be planted in the ground only when the plant has developed strong roots and two dark green cotyledon leaves have grown.

You can learn about new methods and exotic techniques for growing cucumbers from the video: