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A gardener who decides to sow seedlings will receive the first cucumbers earlier and reap more harvests. But in order for plants to develop properly, be strong and healthy, they need suitable conditions. It's important to choose time for sowing seeds, and then for planting plants in open ground.
When to sow seeds
Seedlings need to be sown at the optimal time. Plants should be sufficiently developed, but they should not be allowed to become overgrown at home. It takes about three weeks for seedlings to grow.
Therefore, time for sowing should be allocated 20-25 days before the planned planting in the soil.
It is recommended to plant cucumbers in a bed under a film on May 10-15, and in open ground from June 2 to June 10. Based on this, you can sow seeds for seedlings in the second half of April for a bed under a film and in May for planting in open ground.
What seeds are best to take for seedlings?
Before how to grow seedlings, you need not only to determine the timing of sowing, but also to choose the right cucumber seeds. They remain viable for up to 5 years. To get a bountiful harvest, it is preferable to take three-year-old seeds.Their development will take a little longer, but such sprouts are better able to resist cucumber diseases. Their flowering is predominantly female.
To save seed germination It is important to comply with storage conditions. The air temperature should be 15 degrees, air humidity within 50-60 percent.
Do I need to soak seeds before planting?
Whether the seeds were soaked before planting determines when they will germinate. Hatched seeds grow faster.
Germination requires a moist environment. Cucumber seeds are placed on wet gauze or cloth and moistened on both sides. They should always be kept damp, but not soaked in water.
The second condition for seed germination is warmth. The cup in which they are soaked should be placed next to the battery or lamp. If the temperature reaches 30 degrees, germination can be expected within a day. However, if it drops to 15 degrees, the seeds may not sprout at all, or it may take a long time before a root appears.
Theoretically, the seeds can be sown directly into the soil. In this case, it is impossible to test them for germination.
How to speed up seed germination
To speed up seed germination, in addition to soaking (which is performed immediately before planting), there are several other procedures. Some of them are listed below.
- Calibration. In essence, it is the selection of seeds. First, their external parameters are assessed. To check germination, the seeds are placed in a vessel with salt water and mixed. Those suitable for sowing will sink to the bottom; those that float should not be used. Good seeds are selected and dried.
- Hardening. This procedure is necessary in order to increase the resistance of plants to temperature changes. To harden the seeds, they are kept in a moist environment until they swell. This takes about six hours. Then they are kept in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Then leave for 12 hours at room temperature. It is necessary to change the temperature regime in this way within five days. During this time, the seeds must be moistened.
- Disinfection. Possibly in two ways. During hydrothermal disinfection, seeds are alternately placed in hot (approximately 50 degrees) and cold water. The duration of the procedure is 10 minutes. The second method is chemical disinfection. The seeds are kept for 10 minutes in a 10% solution of hydrogen peroxide, heated to a temperature of 35 degrees.
- Warming up. This procedure is carried out before sowing to increase seed germination. They are hung in a fabric bag next to a radiator or other heat source and kept for 3-4 hours.
Carrying out these procedures for seed treatment is not difficult at all. But they can increase resistance to adverse weather conditions and pests.
How to choose and prepare a container for seedlings
When choosing a container for future seedlings, it is worth considering that cucumber is a rather capricious crop. Plants do not tolerate root damage. Therefore, they are planted in separate pots.
The modern market offers peat tablets, peat and coconut pots. A good option for short-term seed germination is egg shells. A simple and affordable method is to grow seedlings in plastic yogurt or mayonnaise jars.
If the plants are grown in a common pot, it is worth providing a piece of 8x8 or 10x10 cm for each sprout. However, a separate container is preferable.
It is recommended to fill the pot as follows:
- cover the bottom with a two-centimeter layer of sawdust;
- fill the nutrient soil with a layer of 5-7 cm, but in such a way that a couple of centimeters remain to the edge of the container.
For nutritious soil, you can take peat and humus in equal proportions. For enrichment, you can use superphosphate (a quarter cup per bucket of soil) and wood ash (2 cups per bucket of soil).
Recommendations for keeping seedlings
The optimal container volume for seedlings is from 300 to 500 g. For convenience, all jars can be placed on a pallet or in a box. Below are some useful tips.
- Several holes need to be made in the bottom of the containers to allow oxygen to reach the roots.
- When filling the jars with soil, you need to leave a couple of centimeters to the edge. When the seedlings are watered, the water will not overflow from the top.
- There should be one plant in each pot, then it will have enough water and light. Sometimes two seeds are planted, and then the more developed sprout is left, the second one is cut off.
- Until the sprouts have sprouted, the containers with seedlings are left in a warm place and watered twice a week.
- When the seedlings have appeared, the seedlings are placed on a bright windowsill. If there is not enough light, you should take care of the lamp.
- In the future, watering should be carried out based on the dryness of the soil. Excessive watering can lead to root rot or blackleg disease.
- Seedlings need to be protected from drafts and cold air. If it is freezing outside, it is better not to leave containers with sprouts on the windowsill.
One of the key conditions for growing seedlings is sufficient lighting. If the sprouts do not receive enough light, they begin to stretch and weaken. In this case, you need to make the lighting more intense. If there is a lack of sunlight, you can use lamps.
If the seedlings are kept warm, the first true leaf can be expected on the third day. Depending on the temperature, these periods can be longer - up to a week. After the first leaf appears, growth accelerates. At this stage it is time to plant the seedlings.
What conditions are needed for the growth of cucumbers?
When calculating the timing of sowing seeds and planting seedlings, it is important to take into account the climate of your region. Cucumbers are heat-loving plants. They are also very demanding of moisture. In general, for abundant fruiting, this crop requires the following conditions:
- suitable humidity level;
- good lighting;
- heat;
- nutritious soil.
For optimal growth of cucumbers, an air temperature of about 25-30 degrees and a soil temperature of 20-25 degrees are needed. When it gets colder, the growth of the bush slows down. When the temperature drops to 10 degrees it stops.
Regarding the soil, loam with a neutral pH is preferable. For good growth you need soil with humus.
Seedlings should be planted in a well-warmed bed in the evening. Before planting, be sure to water the soil. Ideally, for a bed with cucumbers you need a well-lit place where there is no wind. You can also install arcs and cover newly planted plants with film.
To quickly get a fresh harvest of cucumbers, you should first sow the seeds for seedlings. It is necessary to comply with the conditions and timing of sowing. Plant the seeds three weeks before the planned transplant into open ground.During this time, the plants will have time to take shape. But seedlings should not be allowed to grow overgrown at home. You can plant it after the first full leaf appears.
