To get a stable result, you have to work hard. Gardeners, engaged in the seedling method of growing cucumbers, face various difficulties. One of the common problems is pulling cucumber seedlings. She becomes tall, looks unattractive, and grows weakened. With this condition of the planting material, it is unlikely that you will be able to count on a good harvest of cucumbers. Many plants break when transplanted. The rest require additional care and investment. Naturally, questions arise: “Why is this happening? What reasons lead to cucumber seedlings stretching? Why did she outgrow?
Biologists explain this by the fact that the cells change their placement at the moment the plant is stretched. They move from horizontal to vertical. At the same time, their number remains unchanged.
Therefore, cucumber seedlings become much thinner, paler and weaker. It is more often affected by diseases and pests, and absorbs nutrients worse. There are not very many factors that lead to the stretching of seedlings. All of them are related to the influence of the external environment. Therefore, this does not depend on the variety of cucumbers and the quality of the seeds. The difficulty lies in the fact that it is not always possible to immediately determine why the seedlings have stretched out.
Healthy and high-quality seedlings always look strong and squat.As soon as the external growing conditions change, delicate plants respond instantly.
Therefore, proper and competent care will not lead to the appearance of elongated and weak shoots. Pulling cucumber seedlings is not a disease. If the process has not gone too far, then everything can be corrected. You need to find out the reason, and then take measures to correct the situation.
We identify unfavorable factors
The main reasons for pulling cucumber seedlings are:
- Insufficient lighting. A banal reason. Usually, this is due to the fact that cucumbers begin to be grown in the cold season. There is not enough natural lighting, and installing additional lighting requires knowledge. Conventional incandescent lamps are not able to provide the desired effect. The worst thing is that the leaves and stems of cucumbers can get burned from the heat generated by the lamps. To prevent the seedlings from becoming too overgrown and stretched out, it is better to purchase special phytolamps. The option is not very economical, but the only replacement can be light bulbs - “housekeepers”. Home innovators install timers on them to keep the plants from overheating.
- Temperature violation. Under the influence of heat, the growth of cucumber seedlings increases. At a temperature lower than the required one, the root system develops strongly - we get the same result. If the time to transplant the cucumbers has not yet come, the sprouts will stretch out. The optimal temperature for growing cucumber seedlings is 16°C above zero. If a violation of the thermal balance is combined with insufficient light, then it stretches very much.
- Too dense sowing. With good seed germination, the plants lack light, space for growth, and nutrients for development.The sprouts interfere with each other, the cucumber seedlings stretch out. Without correcting the situation, it will not be possible to save the harvest. When the seedlings are in cups, the containers must be positioned so that the cucumber leaves do not touch each other. Otherwise, the innate competition of plants will lead to elongation of stems.
- Frequent watering. Cucumber seedlings do not tolerate large amounts of moisture. It is recommended to water no earlier than the leaves begin to droop slightly. They signal a lack of moisture. The vital forces of the plant are stimulated.
- Incorrect amounts of nutrients for feeding. A lack or excess of certain components is often the reason that seedlings stretch. Young seedlings require precise proportions of potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.
- Tight container and poor soil. In such conditions, the seedlings stretch no less. Before sowing, you should choose the right pot size and prepare a nutrient mixture.
Many gardeners are faced with pulling cucumber seedlings. Therefore, you should know in advance what to do when such a symptom appears. Better yet, don't let it happen.
We apply the rules of prevention
Experienced vegetable growers know some nuances that help avoid pulling stems or quickly correct the situation.
- Dropping. This method can be used when the cucumber seedlings have already stretched out. How to do? A small depression is dug next to the stem. A long stem is placed in it, carefully sprinkled with earth, compacted and watered. The upper part will rise towards the light, and new roots will appear on the stem under the soil. When slightly stretching cucumber seedlings, you can simply add a little soil.It should be dry and warm. This will help prevent excess moisture from retaining.
- Air temperature stabilization. Cucumber seedlings grown at home may suffer from heating devices or nearby windows. You will have to find a place not to reduce the amount of light, but to optimize the heat indicators.
- Increasing the distance between sprouts. It is better to do this immediately when sowing the seeds. And with an increased density of grown seedlings, you will have to very carefully thin out the plants. Special care is needed here to avoid damaging the surrounding roots. This technique is carried out only by experienced gardeners. For beginners, it is better to change the growing conditions without touching the seedlings.
- Providing enough light. A very important factor. You will have to try to create comfortable conditions for the cucumbers. And it’s better to do this before sowing the seeds. Additional lighting helps a lot. In the greenhouse it can only be used in the morning and evening. During the daytime there will be enough natural light. It must be taken into account that daylight hours for cucumber seedlings must last at least 18 hours. Even with good lighting, but a short “daylight hours”, it stretches out.
- Proper hydration. Abundant watering will lead to vigorous plant growth. If there is still a lot of time before planting, the stems become thinner and elongated. The second negative factor of drinking plants too much is the development of diseases. An optimal balance is required. Overdrying and overmoistening are equally unacceptable.
- Eating according to the rules. Fertilizing is always carried out to obtain good planting material. There are complex fertilizers for seedlings. The main thing is that it dissolves well in water.This will ensure that all plants receive the same amount of nutrients. Organic fertilizers are often used - bird droppings, humus. Naturally, you will have to make an infusion. In their pure form, such fertilizers are not suitable for plants. In the absence of complex or organic fertilizers, use a mixture of ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfate, superphosphate (1:3:4). Two tablespoons of the mixture per bucket of water is enough.
- Topping. This method is very effective for seedlings of short-fruited cucumbers.
Each of the above methods will give its own result. A set of measures will save the seedlings from being pulled out. The main thing is to do it on time. But first try to find out why this happened.
Good luck and good harvests, dear gardeners!
