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Novice gardeners very often ask questions: “How to prepare seeds before growing seedlings? Are measures required to germinate planting material necessary and how to germinate cucumber seeds in such a way as to obtain a high-quality and stable harvest?”
Note that germinating cucumber seeds at the initial stage of preparation for planting in the ground is a guarantee of obtaining 100% germination and seedling germination. That is why it is recommended to germinate the seeds before planting, regardless of whether you grow cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse or open ground.
Preliminary preparation of cucumber seeds for germination
To prepare for sowing, you can use cucumber seeds from previous harvests, or you can choose new varieties of hybrids in the store. It is believed that planting material for the germination of self-pollinating varieties undergoes sanitary treatment and hardening in the manufacturer’s laboratories. But experienced gardeners advise pre-sorting these seeds before planting.
Preparation of cucumber seeds for seedlings, germination and planting is carried out according to the following scheme:
Calibration
- Sort planting material by size and color. Choose large grains with a smooth, shiny surface. The color of the seed should be uniform, without spots or inclusions;
- Dip calibrated cucumber seeds into a solution of table salt (2 tablespoons per 1 liter of water). The full-fledged seed will remain at the bottom, the empty grains will immediately float to the surface. After the procedure, be sure to rinse good seeds with running water;
- Carry out disinfection by placing the planting material in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After 20 minutes, remove the cucumber seeds and dry them in a warm room on a dry cotton cloth.
All these activities are considered preparatory for the germination of cucumber seedlings, but they must be carried out. Seedlings from hardened and germinated cucumber seeds are stronger and more resistant to sudden temperature changes and viral diseases.
Soaking and dressing before planting
In order for the seeds to hatch faster, it is recommended to carry out pre-sowing soaking. This procedure stimulates rapid swelling of the grain and pecking of the entrance.
There are several options for preparing a solution for soaking planting material. They have proven themselves equally well, so the choice is up to you. The amount of mineral and chemical substances is indicated per 10 liters of water:
- Methylene blue – 250-300 g
- 7 mg of succinic acid and 20 mg of boric acid;
- Zinc sulfate – 2 grams;
- Baking soda – 5 grams.
How long should you soak cucumber seeds?
Before planting, cucumber grains are soaked in one of these solutions for a day.Then the planting material is dried and prepared for the next procedure - etching.
Germinating cucumber seeds without dressing is not recommended, since it is this activity that helps protect the seedlings from possible fungal diseases and soil pests. By transferring cucumber seedlings grown from treated seeds into the ground, you can be completely confident that they will be resistant to cold weather in the air and soil.
For dressing, preparations such as TMTD (4 grams per 1 kg of seeds) or fentiuram (3 grams per 1 kg of seeds) are used; the procedure takes 3-5 minutes.
How to properly sprout
Very often on packages with Dutch or Chinese cucumber seeds you can read information that the planting material has been treated with thiram and cannot be soaked. Beginning gardeners confuse the procedure of germination and soaking, and plant seeds in planting containers without pre-treatment. This is a common mistake that cannot be ignored.
But the germination procedure itself consists only in placing all the cucumber seeds in a humid environment for some time. This can be a rag spread on the table or sterile (non-synthetic) cotton wool placed in a saucer. Recently, gardeners have even used ordinary toilet paper to germinate cucumbers, spread out with tape on a windowsill previously covered with polyethylene.
Preparation of a growth stimulating solution
The second important step is preparing the solution so that the seeds hatch and the germination period takes as little time as possible.
They must be diluted in warm, settled water, strictly following the instructions.
For example:
- Novosil is diluted at the rate of 1-3 drops of the drug per 1 liter of water:
- Siyanie-2 is diluted as follows: 15 grams of the drug, 15 grams of granulated sugar per 1 liter of water.
How to germinate cucumber seeds on a windowsill
Another way to germinate a seed before planting is to keep the cucumber grains “under a hood.” Most often, it is used by those gardeners who grow cucumber seedlings at home. Having moistened a thin layer of cotton wool in the prepared biostimulator solution, you need to spread it on a saucer, then place the cucumber planting material on a damp surface and cover with a glass cap or plastic bag. This will create an atmosphere of high humidity in a sealed space and will help the grain for seedlings to hatch and sprout faster.
The seeds are kept in such a small greenhouse for as long as necessary for complete hatching and seedling formation. As soon as the sprout reaches a length of 1.5-2 cm, it will be possible to begin the last stage of material processing - hardening.
Another method of germination is to place all the cucumber seeds in a spacious cotton bag, which is moistened with a stimulating solution 1-2 times a day as it dries.When using this method, remember that you must regularly check the planting material to prevent the emerging shoots from becoming tangled.
Pros and cons of germination before planting
Stimulating the pecking of cucumber seeds before planting is an important, but far from safe way to obtain strong seedlings with stable active growth. The main thing that needs to be understood when performing the germination procedure is that the solution must be prepared in compliance with the proportions indicated on the package. The drug must be moderately active so that the seeds hatch at the same time. Most often, all seeds laid out to stimulate growth sprout with an interval of a maximum of 1 hour, which is very convenient for work that involves simultaneous planting them in planting containers.
However, like any procedure that affects natural processes, germination of planting material has its disadvantages:
- Cucumber is a heat-loving plant, so all seeds should be kept at a temperature of at least 23-250C. A decrease in temperature can not only slow down the pecking process, but also completely destroy the seedling;
- During the germination process, it is necessary to monitor the seeds every day. It is very important to plant the hatched seed in time to prevent the sprouts from becoming tangled;
- Under no circumstances should sprouted cucumber grains be picked up by hand, only with pre-disinfected tweezers;
Germination of cucumber seeds must be approached with extreme care and caution. Do not forget that seeds, like seedlings, need good natural light, stable humidity and appropriate temperature conditions.
Another question that interests novice gardeners is: “How long does it take to germinate a seed?” It all depends on how correctly the cucumber seeds were preserved, and what calibration and disinfection measures were carried out. If you have chosen purchased planting material for seedlings, it is very important to understand that much depends on how conscientious the manufacturer is about the quality of the material offered. Under favorable conditions, a cucumber seed hatches within 2 to 10 days.
If you are going to grow seedlings in a greenhouse or plant cucumber seeds in open ground, remember another important stage in seed preparation - hardening. Be sure to keep the hatched planting material in a clothes bag in the refrigerator for at least a day.
Watch a short video about the method of germinating cucumber seeds that our grandfathers used.
