Cucumbers are more convenient to grow in a seedling way. Pre-planted seedlings speed up the process of fruiting, seedlings are strong and viable.
To avoid mistakes, you need to choose the right time when planting cucumbers on seedlings and carry out the entire procedure correctly. Seeding, watering, placing containers with future plants - the future harvest depends on these important little things.
The topic of today's article is cucumber seedlings: when to plant, approximate dates when sowing cucumbers for seedlings, how to plant cucumbers for seedlings correctly?
When to plant cucumber seedlings?
Cucumbers belong to fast-growing crops. In order for plants to develop normally, do not delay the laying of flower buds and the formation of ovaries, you need to choose the right time when to plant cucumber seeds for seedlings. In the greenhouse or garden beds need to move strong, developed, but not overgrown seedlings.
When to sow cucumbers for seedlings? A countdown is recommended for sowing time. You can start planting seedlings when the soil warms up to 15 degrees. According to folk signs, this time falls on the massive flowering of dandelions. However, seedlings moved to a not too warm soil will grow slowly, and sudden short frosts can kill it.
It is better to move the transplant to a later date - end of may or beginning of june. The plants are moved to the open beds even later. Much depends on the climate zone. Amateur gardeners should focus on the experience of colleagues from their region.
Determining the time to move the seedlings to a permanent place of residence, you can calculate the optimal time when to plant cucumbers on the seedlings. In most regions of Russia it is better to sow them in the 20th of April or early May. The necessary condition of the seedlings will reach in 3 weeks.
The maximum term for growing seedlings at home is 1 month. A further delay in transplantation significantly reduces crop yields.
Seed sowing rules
For proper planting of cucumbers for seedlings need to prepare:
- Tanks for seedlings. It is advisable to plant the seeds in a small individual container, which allows to exclude a pick. Brittle Root Cucumber System does not tolerate transplant. Ideal - medium-sized cups made of extruded peat or peat tablets.
TIP! Suitable cardboard or plastic containers, empty containers from under kefir or yogurt, as well as improvised pots rolled up from plastic film.
- Pallet for individual containers. It should not be too small so that the cups do not tip over. You can use a high-sided plastic tray, a cake package, a food container or a small cardboard box.. The latter option is convenient for cucumbers planted in peat pots. For peat tablets, it is better to use not too deep pallets of eraser.
- In advance mixed soil. Cucumbers prefer light nutrient soil. A mixture of garden soil with humus or peat will do; for relief, a little perlite or vermicult can be mixed into the substrate. Mineral supplements will increase the nutritional value of the substrate: urea, potassium sulfate, superphosphate or wood ash.
- Watering Sprayer. It does not wash away the soil, evenly moistening it and not contributing to the stagnation of moisture. Saplings can be watered and a teaspoon.
- Plastic film or glass. Serves to cover the tank with planted seeds. Keeps necessary temperature and level of humidity, without interfering with access of light.
- Plates with the name of varieties or plastic stickers. Needed if planted different varieties and hybrids of cucumbers. Stickers are mounted on pots or pallets, the plates are stuck in the ground.
How to plant cucumbers for seedlings at home?
Before planting, seeds are sorted, empty and warped are rejected. For the best germination, seeds of 2-3 years old are used. It is worth choosing the largest seeds, they guarantee strong and viable seedlings.
For self-collected seed decontamination is recommended, purchased seeds are usually not treated. Some gardeners sprout seeds, others prefer to plant them dry. Good results are obtained by short-term soaking in an aqueous solution of growth stimulant. Read more about seed preparation before sowing.
It is recommended to ignite the soil before planting., process over steam or freeze for disinfection. You can spill the soil with a hot, dark pink solution of potassium permanganate. This procedure kills harmful microorganisms that affect the health of seedlings.
Pots or other containers are filled with soil. Pre drainage holes must be made in the lower part of the tank. The soil is lightly crushed.
1-2 seeds are placed in each pot. When using seeds of rare varieties that have already proclaimed, it is reasonable to sow them one by one. If dry sowing material of mass species is used, it is better to plant seeds in pairs. This will reduce the percentage of marriage, will save cups and scarce space on the windowsill.
Seeds are buried 1.5-2 cm. Sprouted seeds are planted very carefully, fragile shoots are easily damaged. For their placement is to use a wooden peg. In the ground is a small hole, it laid out a seed.
Dry seeds deepened with your fingers. The soil is sprayed with warm distilled water from a spray bottle. It is recommended to use soft water: thawed, rain or boiled.
Cups or pots are installed on the pallet. Do not put them too close, but containers should not overturn.
The pallet can be filled with expanded clay, it will reliably hold the pots and serve as a drainage. Landings are closed with plastic wrap and placed in heat. Usually shoots appear in 5-6 days.
If peat tablets are used for planting, the scheme changes slightly. Pressed peat is placed in a deep container and filled with hot water. When the tablets swell and turn into columns, they are placed in a plastic tray. Cucumber seeds are placed in the holes located at the top of the tablets. If necessary, they can be deepened with a toothpick or other suitable tool.
In the peat tablets is better to plant dry seeds.. Tender seedlings can be injured when forced into deep peat. Watering a wet substrate is not necessary. The tray with the tablets covered with plastic is placed in a warm place before germination.
Immediately after sowing cucumbers on the seedlings, the pots are labeled with labels or labels indicating the varieties. This is especially important when planting new, not yet tested plants or especially valuable hybrids. It is recommended to enter data on seedlings in a separate notebook. Indicates the number of pots, their numbers, planting time and other important points.
Sowing seedlings need warmth, humidity and bright light. They are moved to the window sill of the south window, protecting it from drafts. For greater reliability, glasses should be closed with a dense transparent film, which prevents the penetration of cold air.
Planted seeds periodically sprayed with warm distilled or boiled water. Watering planting from a watering can is not recommended, water jets can erode the soil. If the soil settles, you can add a little substrate without tamping it.
It is possible to pour the soil only after the seedlings appear on the surface and the leaves are turned. In the first days of planting, you can cover the film, then it must be removed so that the sprouts are strengthened and grow.
If 2 seeds were sown in a pot, the weakest seedling should be removed. You can not pull it out, the roots of a stronger plant may suffer. The rejected sprout is carefully cut with a sharp knife above the ground.
Properly planted seeds germinate quickly and develop well. Young seedlings, ready to move to the beds, should be strong, bright green, not too stretched. Such seedlings are a guarantee of an excellent harvest, which will not take long to wait.
So, we discussed when to plant cucumbers on seedlings at home, how to properly plant the seeds of cucumbers on seedlings?
Useful materials
Check out other helpful cucumber seedlings articles:
- How to grow on the windowsill, balcony and even in the basement?
- Tips for growing in various containers, particularly in peat pots and pills.
- Find out the planting dates depending on the region.
- The reasons why the seedlings are pulled out, the leaves dry and turn yellow, and what diseases are affected?
- All the secrets of the correct feeding of young shoots.
