Sowing cucumbers for seedlings. Video: cucumber seedlings in peat tablets

Vegetable growers want to get the first cucumbers as early as possible in early summer. It is not difficult to fulfill these dreams by planting seeds for seedlings. in early spring in pots on windowsills in the house, getting a run in time of about two to three weeks. But success largely depends on the conditions for the development of seedlings, on various factors that need to be taken into account when planting cucumber seeds and creating a favorable atmosphere for revealing the properties stated in the description of the variety and obtaining an early quality harvest.

Growing cucumber seedlings

In the southern regions of our country, cucumbers are sown with seeds immediately in the beds. Where the climate is cooler, only part of the seeds are sown early for seedlings. And they nurse her while it is cold, indoors. Planted in greenhouses to try the first cucumbers at the very beginning of summer. And with the onset of stable heat, the remaining seeds are sown in open ground. In cool regions with short summer apply only seedling method sowing cucumbers, for growing them in greenhouses or under shelters in the beds. And the yield directly depends on the quality of the seedlings.

It is important to find a convenient place for containers with seedlings. As a rule, this is the window sill of a window facing south or southeast. If the windows of a house or apartment face other parts of the world, the seedlings will have to be illuminated with special lamps, otherwise it will be thin, stretched and pale. Direct sunlight is best avoided by slightly shading the plants during the hours of maximum sun exposure.

Selection of cucumber seeds for sowing

The timing of the onset of fruiting and the size of the crop depend on the quality of the seeds. You can not buy seeds from random sellers. There is a huge risk of buying low-quality, expired, unknown varieties. It is best to buy hybrids from trusted companies to avoid regrading. for sowing it is better to collect your own. It must be remembered that the seeds fully germinate and grow for 3–4 years of storage, and remain viable for up to 5–6 years. For sowing, full-weight seeds without damage are selected. empty, broken, irregular shape must be sorted and discarded.

The timing in which it is necessary to plant cucumbers for seedlings

The timing of planting seeds for seedlings depends on several factors:

• Region of residence.
• The quality of the greenhouse, the presence of covering material and arcs in open beds.
• Permanent presence on the site or only weekend visits, that is, the ability to protect planted plants during unexpected frosts.

When to sow greenhouse seeds

As a rule, cucumber seeds are sown in the middle lane for seedlings in early or mid-April. From sowing to planting seedlings in the greenhouse should take 25-30 days. The planting date depends on the quality of the greenhouse (heated or not), the weather. Based on this, the day of sowing seeds is calculated. It is not recommended to keep seedlings indoors for more than a month. Overgrown plants do not take root well and will not be able to develop into a full-fledged plant.

If there is no greenhouse, seedlings are planted on a bed with installed arcs. They cover with agrospan, and on top of it, when it gets cold, they also throw a film. The shelter is folded when the temperature at night is not lower than 15 ° C.

Deadlines for open ground

In order to get seedlings in time for planting in open ground without shelter, the date of the end of late frosts and the establishment of warm (not lower than 15 ° C) nights in this region is determined, and seeds are sown 30 days before this date.

In order to stretch the fruiting of cucumbers for the whole summer until the cold weather, varieties are selected that are different in precocity, given that:

• In early ripe cucumbers, the first fruits are tied 32–45 days after sowing.
• In mid-season for 50-55 days.
• Late-ripening cucumbers are tied for 55–70 days.

Determination of time according to the lunar calendar

The days of sowing seeds for seedlings can be determined by the lunar calendar. It has been noticed that cucumbers grow best when sown in the growing moon. Or when she's in such zodiac constellations like Capricorn, Pisces, Taurus and Cancer. You need to check your actions against lunar calendar and do not sow cucumber seeds in auspicious days. The time of day for sowing does not matter.

Preparation of seeds for sowing, germination

Preparation for sowing in hybrid and varietal seeds is different. Hybrid seeds go on sale already treated with various disinfectants. They also should not be warmed up, since high temperatures stimulate the development of female flowers on future plants, and in parthenocarpic hybrids they are already female.

Varietal seeds, especially those collected with your own hands, must be warmed up and disinfected before sowing. Warm the seeds wrapped from drying in plastic bag, can be on battery central heating within 20-30 days.

There are many ways to disinfect. The simplest of them: hold the seeds for 15–20 minutes in a strong, dark purple solution of potassium permanganate, then rinse with cool water and dry.

The shorter the shelf life of varietal seeds (up to two years), the more they need to be warmed up to awaken and form female flowers. By heating them for 15–20 minutes in a thermos with water heated to 53 ° C, you not only stimulate germination, but also destroy pathogens such as bacteriosis and anthracnose.

To awaken the growth processes, the seeds need oxygen, moisture and heat. It is optimal to provide future plants with this by soaking the seeds in cotton pads or napkins soaked in melt water. Seeds selected for sowing are placed between two such disks placed on a saucer. So that they do not dry out, the container is placed in a plastic bag and tied. The temperature in the house should be 23–26 ° C. Sprouted seeds should be planted immediately in moist soil.

How to plant everything right

What soil is best to grow in

The quality of seedlings directly depends on the composition of the soil in which it is planted. Soil can be bought ready-made, but it is better to prepare it yourself. Cucumbers grow well in light, loose, moisture-intensive soil. It should not be too nutritious so that the plants do not stretch. It is assembled from several components:

• Neutral peat - 1 part.
• Turf land - 1 part.
• Compost or humus - 1 part.
• Overripe sawdust (before laying scalded with boiling water) - 1 part.
• River sand -0.5 parts.
• Furnace ash of deciduous trees - 1 tbsp. l. per 1 liter of mixture.

If hydrogel is added to the soil for seedlings, 1 tablespoon of soaked granules per 0.5 l of earth, the number of waterings will be halved and the plants will be provided with constant moderate humidity.

Features of packaging and planting seedlings

For cucumber seedlings, it is especially important to maintain the integrity of the root system. If, when transplanting grown seedlings, the tender suction roots that are not restored are damaged, the development of the ground part will stop until new roots grow. Therefore, plants planted later directly into the ground with seeds often outstrip seedlings in development and fruiting. Container for cucumber seedlings should ensure the integrity of the roots during transplantation. For this, peat-humus or paper pots are suitable, which, dissolving in the soil, enable the roots to continue their development after being transferred to a greenhouse or garden bed without delay in recovery.

The simplest and most affordable containers for seedlings can be made from old newspapers, folded in 3-4 layers, wrapped around a jar. The resulting container is filled with soil mixture by 2/3 and watered. A seed with a hatched root is very easy to damage. Therefore, they take it carefully, with tweezers, put it on a damp surface and sprinkle it with soil on top, deepening it by 1.5–2 cm. After that, water it again. Before germination, the temperature in the room should be at least 23 ° C.

Sowing cucumber seeds for seedlings - video

When transplanting finished seedlings in the ground, a paper or peat-humus pot is placed in a hole made according to its size, and watered abundantly. The walls of the pot get wet, and the roots grow freely further.

Peat-humus pots are not always of high quality, they may turn out to be too strong, and the roots of the plant will not be able to develop. Therefore, before sowing seeds, you need to check the ability of the walls of the pot to soak by immersing it in water for several hours.

Necessary conditions for seedling growth

Grow good seedlings possible, subject to certain conditions. The most important are light, a certain air temperature, moisture and nutrition.

Light mode

In April, when cucumber seeds are sown for seedlings, the day is still not long enough. And indoor conditions do not give plants the level of illumination that is required for normal plant growth. If the house is too warm, the seedlings will turn out to be elongated, pale, weak. She needs additional illumination with special lamps. Ordinary houses are not suitable for lighting, they have the wrong spectrum. For the proper development of cucumber seedlings, LED lamps with a blue and red part of the light spectrum are needed. Plants need to be illuminated for at least 12 hours a day.

It should be remembered that plants need at least 6 hours of complete darkness for normal growth.

Temperature regime

After the emergence of shoots, so that the seedlings do not stretch, the temperature in the room should not be higher than 20–23 ° C during the day and not lower than 18 ° C at night. Cucumbers stop growing already at 15 o C, and at temperatures above 28 o C, seedlings are strongly drawn out, especially with a lack of light. The room in which the plants are located must be ventilated, given that drafts for cucumbers are detrimental. When planting seedlings in the ground, it is desirable that the bed warms up to 18 ° C, and night temperatures do not fall below 15 ° C.

Feeding and watering cucumber seedlings

Plants should be fertilized as soon as the first true leaf appears. Nitrogen fertilizers can cause undesirable increased growth and elongation of seedlings. Cucumbers at this time it is better to give mineral dressings. Best infusion wood ash. To make it, 0.5 cups of ash is poured into a glass of boiling water, insisted for a day, mixed with 5 liters of water, filtered and watered with this solution once a week. Top dressing is carried out on moist soil. Plants are watered in the evening and fed in the morning. Pour 0.5 cups of infusion into one pot. As a foliar top dressing, it is useful to spray seedlings with Humat EM. One such feeding is enough. Seedlings are watered regularly, only with settled warm water, avoiding strong waterlogging, but also preventing the soil from drying out. The leaves and the central shoot are not moistened to avoid diseases.

Caring for young animals before disembarkation

From germination to planting, seedlings grow 25-30 days. All this time, they monitor the air temperature and the illumination of plants. It is important to maintain a constant moderate soil moisture, feed the seedlings with fertilizers. During these 30 days, it is enough to carry out two or three root and one foliar top dressing of cucumbers. To prevent diseases, it is useful to spray the plants every week with a pink solution of potassium permanganate with the addition of boric acid(powder at the tip of a knife for 3 liters of solution).

How to save stretched seedlings - video

The future harvest of cucumbers depends on the quality of the seedlings. Fulfilling simple rules of care, supporting correct temperature By highlighting, watering and fertilizing their plants, vegetable growers lay the foundation for further abundant fruiting.

Cucumber yields are highest when grown in a greenhouse. But what to do if you live in the city, and in the country you are only in summer period? In this case, you need to use the tips for growing seedlings of cucumbers from seeds. This method is extremely convenient and effective not only for greenhouse owners, but also for people without specially equipped premises for growing seedlings. Read more about growing cucumber seedlings at home and will be discussed in this article.

Cucumber seedlings - growing at home

It is desirable to start sowing seeds in the second half of February - this is the most favorable period. If you are growing seedlings for open ground, then you should take care of harvesting your favorite seed varieties in advance. Proper storage allows planting material to be stored for at least eight years, but seeds with an exposure of two to three years are considered the most fertile.

Long-term storage of cucumber seeds must be accompanied by certain rules. The first one is temperature regime. For optimal storage the temperature in the room should not be below +20 degrees. The second rule is that the air in the room must be dry. Before planting the material in the ground, in without fail it is necessary to sort the seeds, hardening and disinfection in special antimicrobial solutions.

Important! To obtain high-quality and healthy seedlings, use seeds of self-pollinating hybrids. Otherwise, if you select seeds from your own crops, the result will be just as good, but you will have a little more work to do.

Soil preparation

In order for the plant to grow actively, and fruiting to be of high quality, you need to sow seeds in soil that is very similar in mechanical and chemical composition to the soil in which cucumbers will grow in the future. This will improve the adaptation of the roots of the young plant to the new environment after transplanting.

Cucumbers like to grow in an environment with moist air, but at the same time they are afraid to spend the night with wet leaves - this can lead to the development of fungal diseases. Prolonged hypothermia or excessive heat can also affect seedlings, causing the development of a "black leg". This form of the disease is accompanied by the appearance of root rot on the base of the plant. Unfortunately, the affected plant can no longer be saved, so it must be immediately dug up and destroyed. It is also necessary to destroy the soil in which the affected seedlings grew - sources of the disease accumulate in it. The rest of the seedlings do not need to be removed, just treat them with fungicides.

The soil mixture for seedlings should consist in equal proportions of:

• sand;
• peat;
• humus soil.

Drainage is placed at the bottom of the tank - this helps to eliminate excess moisture. The role of drainage can be sunflower seed husks, expanded clay or other materials that can absorb various substances.

Capacity selection

Preparation of planting material and soil in the process of growing cucumber seedlings are, of course, important stages. But this does not mean that you do not need to pay attention to other nuances, such as choosing a container for seedlings.

Important! Cucumber roots are very sensitive to transplantation. It is advisable to use plastic cups, peat pots or as planting containers.

Properly selected capacity will help prevent damage to the plant root during transplantation. It will also protect the seedlings from various diseases caused by a sharp change in weather conditions. Once you have selected a suitable container, it should be about 70 percent filled with prepared potting mix. In the process of plant development, it will be necessary to increase the volume of soil in the tank.

Rules for planting cucumbers in cups

The procedure for planting cucumber seeds in cups is very similar to sowing in peat tablets or boxes. The main advantage of this method is that there is no need to transplant seedlings into separate containers (picking), since the seeds are initially planted in individual cups. The procedure does not take much time, besides, the subsequent care of the plants is simple and not laborious. But still you need to follow some rules and recommendations.

Table. Step-by-step instruction planting cucumber seeds.

Steps, photo	Description of actions
	Make 2-3 holes in the bottom of the cups. This can be done with a heated soldering iron or a hot nail. Or, as in the example, with ordinary scissors.
	Place the seedling cups in a box or on a pallet for convenience.
	Fill the cups with the pre-prepared soil mixture, leaving it about 1 cm to the rim. The empty space at the top of the cups is left specifically so that you can then water the plant without any problems.
	Place one seed in each cup, submerging to a depth of 2 cm. If you plant several seeds instead of one, then the growth of seedlings will not be as fast.
	After you sow all the seeds, the pallet or box with cups must be moved to a warmer place, the air temperature in which will not fall below +23 degrees. Do not forget to water the seedlings 4 times a month.
	The appearance of the first seedlings should serve as a signal for you to transfer the containers to a light and warm windowsill. Just before that you need to make sure that there are no drafts there. If necessary, close possible gaps with cotton wool and tape or find another window sill without drafts.

You can additionally use fluorescent lamps to speed up the process of plant development. In the process of seedling growth, the lamp will need to be periodically lifted up. To get the most tangible effect, you do not need a lot of powerful lamps, 1-2 for 60 or 80 watts will be enough. The schedule for the use of additional illumination lamps looks something like this: sunny days the lamp should shine from 7 to 10 in the morning, and also from 16 to 18 in the evening. In cloudy weather, of course, the lamp or lamps must run continuously all day.

Phytolamps - LED lamps for plants

Most often, additional illumination of culture is needed in winter time when daylight hours are very short. And to improve the conditions for growing seedlings or indoor flowers, as well as crops living in year-round greenhouses, should be used.

Growing seedlings in peat tablets

A peat tablet is a small washer made of compressed peat, in which there are special pits for seeds. First, the tablets are thrown into the water, where they absorb moisture and swell, increasing in size. It is best to grow seedlings of cucumbers in peat tablets from 5 to 8 centimeters in diameter - this is the best option.

The main advantages of peat tablets:

• peat retains moisture well, so the grown seeds are protected from fungal bacteria;
• rooting and growing seedlings require much less time and effort;
• the roots will receive enough air due to the friability of the peat;
• picking plants is not accompanied by their damage, as can happen when transplanting from containers; this is due to the fact that the plant is placed in the ground along with the tablet.

Instructions for planting seeds in tablets:

• place on a pallet with sides or Plastic container the right amount of peat washers;
• pour warm water into the container about 1.5-2 centimeters from the bottom and wait until the tablets begin to swell;
• place swollen washers in a special seedling box;
• in the recess of each of their tablets, put one seed, covering with a small amount of peat;
• cover the box with glass or plastic wrap;
• transfer to a warm place where the temperature will not be lower than +20 degrees;
• using a spray bottle, periodically moisten the seedlings, make sure that the soil does not dry out.

Growing cucumbers from seedlings, you can count on good harvest about 10-14 days earlier than at sowing seed material straight into the ground.

Aftercare

After sowing seeds, you need to constantly monitor the temperature in the room - it should not fall below +20 degrees. If it rises above +26 degrees, then you need to take the seedlings out of the room and ventilate it. Also protect plants from drafts, because they are detrimental to seedlings.

Liquid mineral fertilizers are used only after a couple of true leaves appear on the stem. To prepare the solution, you need to mix 10 grams of nitrophoska and 3 liters of warm water. Pour the prepared fertilizer under the root. Make sure that it does not get on the leaves and stem, as nitrophoska can cause burns. If this does happen, immediately wash off the solution with water from a spray bottle.

Before transplanting the grown seedlings into the ground, it must be fertilized again about 2-3 days before transplanting. For this purpose, you can take a solution of mullein (10 parts of water fall on 1 part of mullein). After planting seedlings, water them regularly. warm water(approximately every other day) at the rate of 3 liters per plant. Between watering procedures, you need to loosen the soil.

Seedling disease control

Irrigation of seedlings and loosening of the soil alone will not be enough for the rapid growth of the plant and good yields, because in the process of development the plant may be subject to various diseases.

What to do if the seedlings turn yellow

There are several reasons for this phenomenon, among which tightness. The fact is that the entire container is filled with the roots of the seedlings, which is why they lack nutrition and space. In this case, you need to place the seedlings in a larger container, filling it with fresh soil mixture. If you forget to fertilize the soil, then the plants may also turn yellow over time. It can also be affected by the lack of light. Each of the reasons can be easily eliminated, but it would be better if such a problem does not appear.

If cucumber seedlings begin to stretch

This can happen for two main reasons - high temperature or poor lighting in the room where the seedlings are located. Monitor the temperature regime, periodically ventilating the room to reduce the temperature. Also, do not forget about additional lighting in the form of lamps. Follow the recommendations for seedling care, and your seedlings will grow healthy and strong. If the seedlings are still stretched out, then do not panic ahead of time. Eliminate possible reasons, and the plants will soon recover.

Plants start to rot

This phenomenon is considered the most common. There are several main reasons, it can be black leg, root rot or fungal diseases. The black leg, as a rule, occurs under special conditions that combine high temperature indoors and frequent waterlogging of the soil. As a result of this, the seedlings of the plant lie down due to rotting of the base of the stem. If you notice that any of the plants has begun to rot, remove it / them immediately, and transplant the still healthy seedlings into separate cups filled with sterile soil. For prevention, you can mix soil mix with wood ash before sowing.

To get a good harvest of cucumbers, you can apply various agricultural practices. One of them is the planting method, namely sowing seeds and growing seedlings of cucumbers at home, which allows you to get fruits 1-2 weeks earlier than with direct planting in the ground. But before proceeding with the procedure, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the terms and rules of its implementation.

How to choose a good variety of cucumbers

Note! The site already has a number of detailed review articles about the most popular and best varieties of cucumbers:

How to properly plant cucumber seedlings

Planting cucumber seeds for seedlings requires certain practical skills and strict adherence to all recommendations. This is due to the fact that the cucumber is a rather capricious vegetable that will not tolerate ignoring the rules of cultivation. Therefore, before starting work, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the basic rules for sowing, as well as determine the timing of sowing.

By the way! Cucumbers are very common without pre-sowing for seedlings, even in regions with a relatively short summer (in the Moscow region, Leningrad region).

When to sow seedlings: optimal timing

Note! The site already has a detailed article about, including favorable days for landing in 2019 according to the lunar calendar.

Pre-sowing preparation of seeds

Immediately before planting, you need to properly prepare and process the seeds of cucumbers, but each gardener decides which procedure to choose based on his experience and preferences. To understand why to do this and what to do, it is necessary to study common methods.

By the way! Cucumber seeds remain viable for 5-6 years, but it is better to sow 3-4 years that have already lain down (if you collected and harvested them yourself).

Before starting the preparation of cucumber seeds, they need to be calibrated. Suitable for planting large, even seeds with light shade (without any dark spots).

Important! There is no need to prepare the seeds of cucumbers purchased in the store and having an unusual shade of the shell, as they are already pre-processed by the manufacturer, they are also called coated or granulated, glazed.

It doesn't matter if the seeds are collected by yourself or you bought them in a store, you must definitely spend them disinfection. In this case, it is recommended to use "" (according to instructions). This will help neutralize the remaining pathogens on the outer shell of the seeds.

Also disinfection cucumber seeds can be held in pink (1%) solution of potassium permanganate. Then rinse under exceptionally warm water.

However, potassium permanganate is a very weak and ineffective disinfectant. Where is the best place to prepare the solution? Zelenki(1 ml of 1% pharmacy solution and dissolve in 100 ml of water), or disinfect in Chlorhexidine(take 0.05% pharmacy solution). If you are a supporter of organic farming, then your choice is garlic infusion (2-3 crushed cloves pour 100 ml of water and let it brew for a day) and 50% aloe juice (to get 100 ml of solution - take 50 ml of juice and 50 ml of water) . Etching time - 30 minutes. After that, be sure to rinse the seeds under clean (filtered, bottled) water.

In order to speed up time seed germination, you can use the simplest way - soak. To do this, the seeds must be wrapped in a damp cloth (or put on cotton pads), put on a saucer or in a jar, close the lid (cover with foil, wrap in a bag). Then put the seed container in a dark and warm place with a temperature of +24..+28 degrees. After 1-2 days, when sprouts appear, cucumbers can be planted in the ground.

Video: preparing cucumber seeds for planting - soaking

What soil is suitable

The substrate for sowing cucumbers for seedlings should be light and nutritious, as regular watering of the plants will be required to prevent stagnant water. Therefore, for planting can be purchased at the store ready ground universal purpose for growing seedlings vegetable crops, and even better, a special one for growing seedlings of cucumbers (also suitable for zucchini, squash and pumpkins).

And also a suitable soil mixture can be prepared by yourself by mixing the components in a certain proportion.

For example, this recipe:

• sod land - 25%;
• leafy soil or peat - 25%;
• humus 25%;
• sawdust (rotted) or sand, vermiculite (in other words, any baking powder) - 25%.

Important! A week before sowing cucumber seeds for seedlings, it is necessary to disinfect the soil.

For this, soil is needed roast in the oven(a couple of hours at a temperature of about 70 degrees), and also shed with a solution potassium permanganate richly color pink, or use a more powerful drug "" (according to instructions).

Video: how to make a substrate for seedlings with your own hands

What containers to plant

Cucumbers form a superficial root system with numerous thin shoots, damage to which leads to long-term recovery of seedlings. Therefore, when growing cucumber seedlings, it is necessary to plant immediately in separate containers, which will reduce stress during further transplantation into open ground.

The most acceptable types of containers and containers for planting cucumbers for seedlings:

• This type of container recent times gaining more and more popularity among gardeners. Cassettes consist of individual cells that are interconnected. You can choose containers of different volumes and sizes, based on further placement on the windowsill or shelving. If necessary, the cassettes can be bought complete with a lid and a tray, which is very convenient. The thickness of the material from which the containers are made allows you to release the root of the seedling without special efforts, and also, if necessary, it can be cut with ordinary scissors. The disadvantage of cassettes is that they quickly break and bend in the event of further transportation of seedlings.

• Peat cups (pots). Ideal for growing cucumbers seedling way, as they allow planting without releasing the roots from the container, that is, without stress for the plants. But when growing in peat cups, an additional watering tray will be required, as the moisture will evaporate from the containers very quickly. When transplanting into the ground, it is necessary to slightly crush the container, which will accelerate the decomposition of the shell and will not prevent further growth of the roots.

• Peat tablets. They are distinguished by a balanced composition and give quick, friendly shoots of cucumbers. But the capacity will become small very quickly, and therefore it will be necessary to carry out further transplantation of seedlings, which is not always possible, and even less recommended. In addition, the moisture in the tablets evaporates quickly, so when growing in them, it is necessary to water the crops often and make sure that the root does not dry out.

Video: sowing cucumbers for seedlings in peat-humus tablets

• Plastic pots and glasses. The most popular type of planting containers, but the inconvenience is that you need to make drainage holes yourself. For cucumbers, you should choose containers of at least 300 ml, and preferably 500 ml, so that the plants have enough space and land for full growth. But when watering, an additional total container (pan) will be required. When planting, containers can be cut with scissors so as not to disturb the root.

Video: seedling containers - pros and cons

Planting algorithm: instructions for direct sowing for seedlings

Planting cucumbers for seedlings should be carried out sequentially. Only in this case will a positive result be guaranteed. Step-by-step instructions for sowing cucumbers for seedlings at home:

• put drainage on the bottom of the landing tanks with a layer of 1 cm, which will allow excess water to escape unhindered;
• fill landing tanks substrate by 1/2 (for subsequent sprinkling of the earth), or for 2/3 (without sprinkling);
• pour abundantly with warm water;
• compact the soil and level;
• put seeds;

Advice! Many gardeners put 2-3 seeds at once, in order to subsequently select the strongest ones, and get rid of the rest (thin out).

• sprinkle with a layer of earth 1-1.5 cm and compact again;

Or make indentations of 1-1.5 cm in advance and spread the seeds in them.

• moisten the soil well from above with a spray bottle.
• cover the crops with plastic wrap or a transparent lid, and then put them in a dark and warm place with a temperature of + 22-26 degrees. After 2-5 days, friendly sprouts will appear.

Video: the easiest and easiest way to sow cucumbers for seedlings

You can also watch this video from one of the most popular bloggers of amateur gardeners on planting cucumbers for seedlings:

How to care for cucumber seedlings

After the appearance of the first shoots, the shelter will need to be removed, and the temperature of the content should be lowered to + 18-20 degrees (for 2-5 days), rearranging the containers with seedlings on a light windowsill, which will slow down the growth of the aerial part and give the opportunity to develop roots.

In the future, for growing cucumbers through seedlings, some maintenance rules should be followed.

Temperature

Maintain the following temperature regime:

• in the afternoon - 22-25 degrees (if sunny) and 20-22 (if cloudy);
• at night - 16-18 degrees.

But at the same time, it is required to protect the seedlings from drafts and, when airing the room, cover them in advance.

For a full-fledged vegetation of seedlings of cucumbers, the daylight hours should be about 10-12 hours.

As a rule, in April-May, problems with natural lighting no longer, the daylight hours are long, which means you won’t have to use additional lighting.

Of course, if you do not have a southern window sill, or at least a southeastern or southwestern one, but even more so in cloudy weather, it is better to highlight the seedlings.

Another thing is, if you want to grow cucumbers on the windowsill in winter to get a crop at home, you can’t do without tinting here.

thinning

If you have sown several seeds in one container, then when you notice (usually this is already visible at the stage of the appearance of cotyledon leaves) that one of the plants is noticeably stronger, you will need to quickly get rid of the rest, and you do not need to pull them out along with the roots, because you can damage the selected strong plant, but simply cut with scissors at soil level.

Pouring the earth

During the entire period of growing seedlings of cucumbers, you will need to add soil 1-2 times as the shoots grow. At the same time, you should not sprinkle the stem above the cotyledon leaves.

Worth knowing! This technique (sprinkling the earth) contributes to the development of additional roots on plants, which subsequently increases the yield of this crop.

Features of watering and humidity

Worth knowing! Unlike peppers or tomatoes, cucumbers are more moisture-loving plants.

Cucumbers are very demanding on watering and, with a lack of moisture, they significantly slow down their growth, so it is recommended to ensure that the substrate is always there. slightly wet.

This does not mean that you need to water every day. This is wrong, so you will destroy the seedlings. You need to water when the top layer seems to start to dry out, but it should remain slightly damp.

In addition, it is necessary to spray the foliage 1 time in 3 days to increase the humidity.

Note! You need to use warm water (about 25 degrees) and settled.

Picking seedlings of cucumbers

Dive cucumbers Not recommended, since their root system very susceptible to even minor damage. Therefore, it is recommended to initially plant plants in spacious containers. Moreover, cucumbers have a very short period of growth before fruiting, which means that in principle there is no particular point in bothering with a pick.

But if it is necessary to transplant, it should be carried out very carefully when the seedlings are approximately 10-14 days old, or rather, when the plants have 2 well-developed cotyledon leaves. Naturally, take plants only with earthy clod trying not to break it. And after that, the seedlings should be sprayed with a solution "Epin" for quick recovery after the resulting stress.

Video: picking cucumbers

Or you can watch a video about picking seedlings of cucumbers from Lenya:

top dressing

As a rule, during the cultivation of seedlings of cucumbers, it will need to be fed 2 times.

The first feeding is recommended when the seedlings have 1 true leaf. Any nitrogen fertilizer will do, for example, if you allow the use of mineral supplements, then with a solution of ammonium nitrate or urea (3-4 grams per 1 liter of water). And if you are a supporter of organic farming, then you can prepare a solution of mullein (according to the instructions, or 1 to 10) or bird droppings(according to the instructions, or 1 to 15-20).

Important! If you initially prepared a nutritious soil rich in nitrogen, in other words, made a sufficient amount of humus or compost, then you can skip the first top dressing.

The second top dressing, as a rule, is performed 3-4 days before planting seedlings on permanent place. In this case, it is necessary to use a complex mineral fertilizer, in which there are all the main macroelements in approximately equal amounts. Or you can use the following composition: 3-4 g of urea or ammonium nitrate, 3-4 g of superphosphate and 2-3 g of potassium sulfate (potassium sulfate) per 1 liter of water. This will provide nutrition for young cucumber seedlings and strengthen their immunity before planting in the ground.

Hardening seedlings before planting in a permanent place

5-7 days before planting the seedlings in a permanent place (in a greenhouse or open ground), you should start hardening the seedlings so that they can adapt to street conditions, which are noticeably more severe in contrast to domestic ones. To do this, cucumber seedlings need to be gradually (starting from 1 hour to a day) taken out into the open air (in the same greenhouse or porch) or on outdoor balcony(loggia).

Important! In this case, the temperature should not fall below 5-7 degrees.

Video: important points in preparing cucumber seedlings for planting in the ground

Possible diseases of cucumber seedlings

When growing seedlings of cucumbers at home, certain problems may arise that need to be responded to in time. To understand the cause of the oppression of seedlings, you should familiarize yourself with the most common causes.

• Yellowing leaves cucumber seedlings can be caused low nitrogen or lack of calcium and other micronutrients. Sometimes this is the result of development downy mildew.

Video: why the leaves of cucumber seedlings turn yellow

• On the leaves of seedlings may appear light spots and some of them will start to wilt. These could be signs cucumber mosaic virus. BUT viral diseases it is almost impossible to cure plants, you will have to quickly remove diseased specimens and plant new ones.
• Sometimes cucumber seedlings begin fade sharply, which is a sign of development root rot. This is due to the cold content of plants at high humidity soil. It is difficult to eliminate the disease, it is better to carry out a new planting of seeds.

Thin elongated stems plants show lack of light. Therefore, it is worth adjusting the conditions for keeping seedlings.

Video: what to do if cucumber seedlings stretched out

When to plant seedlings of cucumbers in open ground or greenhouse

It is necessary to plant seedlings in the ground when the soil warms up well, and the night temperature will be strictly above +15 degrees, and the soil will warm up to +12 degrees.

Therefore, in the South, it is recommended to plant seedlings of cucumbers in open ground from the 2nd decade of April, in Middle lane(Moscow region) - from the 2-3rd decade of May, and in more northern, Ural and Siberian gardeners, it is better to start planting in open ground only from the end-May - the beginning of June.

Concerning appearance seedlings, then strong seedlings of cucumbers should look in the following way:

• 20-25 cm in height;
• 7-8 mm stem thickness;
• 5-6 real leaves.

Video: planting seedlings of cucumbers in open ground

How to grow cucumbers in open ground: a selection of useful materials

To get a healthy and rich harvest of fragrant greens, you need to properly care for them, namely, to carry out the main agrotechnical measures for their cultivation.

Why there are no ovaries on cucumbers, although they bloom, but turn yellow and fall off: reasons and what to do

Important! If you are faced with the cucumber ovaries turned yellow, withered and fell off, in other words, did not develop into full-fledged fruits, we strongly advise you to read.

Pinching or pinching cucumber lashes

By the way! About, how to pinch cucumbers to increase their yield, detailed

Watering rules

Some novice summer residents sometimes make completely unnecessary mistakes because of which they lose part of their first harvest. If you do not know how to properly water cucumbers, then be sure to check out.

What to feed during flowering and fruiting: the best fertilizers

Cucumbers are able to bear fruit for a sufficiently long period of time, which means that they (bushes) must be regularly provided with good nutrition throughout the entire period of their growth and especially fruiting.

How to get rid of aphids: effective ways to fight

Which main pest of cucumbers? That's right, this aphid. Therefore, every gardener should know Classmates

How to grow cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse.

From the article you will learn when it is better to plant cucumber seeds and what kind of care you need to provide seedlings to get a generous harvest in the greenhouse.

When to sow cucumbers for seedlings for a greenhouse?

Cucumbers are in demand all year round. We add this heat-loving vegetable fresh to various salads, and pickled and pickled cucumbers bring variety to a boring dinner or become the main ingredient in pickles.

delicious cucumbers can be grown in your own garden, and a greenhouse will provide a year-round crop. In addition, the cost of grown with my own hands cucumbers will be many times less than vegetables bought in the supermarket.

In winter, the price of a green vegetable increases three times, although the taste and quality of a store-bought cucumber deteriorates during this period. "Their" cucumbers will fill the kitchen with an incomparable spring smell and taste will not disappoint him.

How to choose a greenhouse?

Have you read inspiring articles about growing seedlings in greenhouses and decided to run to the store for varietal seeds? Take your time, because first you need to find out some important points:

• will you be able to create and maintain in a greenhouse suitable conditions for heating
• how a certain thermal regime will be observed

A bountiful harvest can only be obtained by maintaining a special thermal regime. A greenhouse in which there is no heating is possible if the temperature inside does not fall below 13 degrees.

• The frame for a good greenhouse is plastic or another new modern material.
• The advantage of plastic over other materials is obvious: it will not rot like wood or rust like metal.
• Glass is laid on top of the frame, which will provide the plants with a sufficient amount of sunlight.
• An alternative option is film or polycarbonate.

Video: How to make a polycarbonate greenhouse with your own hands?

When to sow seeds?

Often, gardeners bypass the process of planting seedlings, immediately sowing seeds in the greenhouse. Optimal time for sowing seeds - from the 20th to the 28th of April.

In three weeks, the seedlings will grow so much that they can be planted in all the beds of the greenhouse.

• The substrate in which the seeds are planted must be of high quality. It is better to cook it yourself: in the fall, fallen leaves are harvested and laid out in a greenhouse. In winter, the foliage layer will gradually begin to settle and in the spring the soil will be ready for planting seeds.
• Plant the seeds in a large container.
• The seed is immersed in pre-made holes in the ground (depth - 1-1.5 cm).
• Each seed is lightly sprinkled with earth, as if a little “pinched” from above.
• Perlite, seedling mix or vermiculite is sprinkled on the seeds sprinkled with earth.

Preparation and soaking of cucumber seeds for sowing seedlings

Buying expensive branded seeds is not enough to get a rich harvest of delicious vegetables. Seeds for sowing must be prepared by performing a few simple manipulations.

The process of preparing seeds for sowing includes the following items:

• selection of full-weight seeds
• calibration
• disinfection
• use of wood ash for seed treatment
• hardening

Starting the first point: we select full-weight seed.

• Seeds need to be thrown for 3-5 in a glass of water ( optimum temperature- room). The second immersion of the seeds should be done in salt water (3 grams of salt per liter capacity of water).
• Next, you need to pour water with seeds 1-2 times so that defective specimens emerge. The remaining seeds are washed and laid out on paper to dry.
• Readiness of seeds is determined by their good flowability. This procedure is required to increase seed germination.

The second point is seed calibration, is also required to increase their germination. Seeds need to be sorted out, decomposed into three parts. In one - the smallest, in the other - medium in size, and in the third - large. It is necessary to sow seeds in fractions.

What is the process of seed disinfection and why is it necessary?

Disinfection of seeds will get rid of the "invasion" of any spider bugs and prevent the development of diseases. The disinfection process is as follows:

• the seed is heated for 3 hours at 60 degrees C.
• the heated seed is dipped into a solution of boric acid and potassium permanganate (0.2 g of acid and 1 gram of potassium permanganate are added to a 10 l capacity of water) and kept in it for 15 minutes.
• seeds are washed with clean water.

In the absence of acid and unwillingness to mess with chemistry, gardeners use a different method - the seeds are irradiated with ultraviolet rays. This method of disinfection significantly reduces the risk of disease, increases germination and germination. Ultraviolet rays help good growth and development of plants.

What is the essence of the method?

• UV treatment lasts 1-5 minutes
• seeds are placed in a dark bag that does not transmit light (photo paper)

Treat seeds and wood ash:

• To do this, prepare a solution of 2 tablespoons of ash and 1 liter of water.
• The solution is infused for 2 days, and then the seeds are immersed in it for 3 hours.
• After processing, it is necessary to dry the seed well.

Seedlings of cucumbers in cups

The seed hardening process is as follows:

• the seed is wrapped in a cloth previously moistened with water and well wrung out, or covered with wet sand until the seeds swell.
• the temperature regime should be maintained at the level of 20-25 degrees.
• "Naked" seeds (even if there are not many of them) are placed wrapped in the same rag on the top shelf of the refrigerator, where they should stand for several days
• the lower shelf will slowly thaw.

Let's move on to seed soaking process, which contributes to the rapid spitting of seeds and germination. The seed should be soaked for a day, and then remove the remaining water. Seeds are ready to be transferred to the beds!

Helpful Hints:

• it is better to plant seeds that were harvested 2-3 years ago (their ovary is more abundant)
• seeds that have stood for a longer time in storage lose their germination
• injured and small seeds have less germination than full-weight ones

At what depth should cucumbers be planted for seedlings?

So, we hardened the seeds. Now we are preparing the beds:

• we make a hole, the width and depth of which is 30 cm.
• fill the hole with humus 15 cm layer of humus
  we pour a hill of substrate and manure, which acts as a drainage.
• we lower 2 seeds into each hole: planting depth - 2 cm, distance between seeds - 10-15 cm, distance between rows - 50 cm.
• sprouted plants need to be thinned out by removing one sprout.

Growing seedlings of cucumbers in peat pots, plastic cups and eggshells

Grow cucumber seedlings in peat pots or disposable cups simple and inexpensive. Cups are used to obtain early seedling and transplanting it into ordinary soil without damage.

• Peat pots are a container made from a mixture of peat with pressed cardboard.
• Seeds can be planted in single medium-sized cups, or purchased connected in 2 or more pieces.

• Large cups should not be used: the substrate in them may turn sour, and in small seedlings it will not develop normally.

For planting seeds, prepare:

• planting material
• potassium permanganate, from which you need to make a solution of low concentration (2 g per glass of water)
• nutrient soil
• containers (plastic cups, peat pots or tablets)

Planting material is immersed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour, washed under running water.

We spread the seeds on a saucer, putting a moistened cloth on top and bottom (it is better to use cotton for this purpose). Seeds should stand like this in a warm place for 2-3 days, while we do not forget to moisten them from time to time. We are waiting for the seeds to hatch.

• If you have gone through all the steps of preparing seeds for planting from the previous section, then you can skip this step and proceed immediately to planting seeds in containers.
• We make holes in the cups and fill them with a nutritious light and moisture-permeable substrate (garden soil is mixed with humus, sawdust (a little) and vermiculite are added).
• We moisten the soil a little, make 2 holes 1.5-2 cm deep. Throw 1 seed into each hole and fill it with soil from above. We will put the containers with planted cucumber seeds in rows on a pallet and take them out on the windowsill if it is sunny. If not, then choose a warmer place.

Planting seeds in peat tablets is carried out in a similar way. But there are some differences:

• Place the peat tablets on a tray first and pour water into it. After the tablets swell (after a few hours), it will be possible to plant the seed in them.
• The seeds are laid out in special holes in the upper part of the tablet and covered with a universal substrate for seedlings.
• So that peat tablets or substrate in peat cups do not dry out quickly, you need to periodically water the seedlings. If this is not done, then the plants will simply die.

• Usually plants have enough sunlight, but in cloudy weather, seedlings need to be "lighted up" in the morning and evening. To do this, use fluorescent lamps.
• If you did not forget to water the seedlings, and the sprouts are developing well, then 2 weeks after planting the seeds, you need to feed. For this, liquid complex fertilizers are used.
• After 2-3 strong leaves appear on each plant, the seedlings are strong and squat, they can be planted in the ground.

Video: Growing seedlings of cucumbers in eggshells

How to distinguish seedlings of cucumbers from zucchini?

There are several ways to find out which vegetable is planted in the garden - zucchini or cucumber:

• if the plant has released only cotyledon leaves, then they are large in zucchini, and smaller in cucumber
• real leaves of zucchini are rounded, while cucumbers have a sharp tip
• rub the leaf of the plant: the cucumber leaf is odorless, and the squash has a specific aroma that is difficult to confuse with anything

How to grow cucumber seedlings on toilet paper?

Growing seedlings on strips toilet paper is as follows:

• The film is cut into ribbons 10 cm wide (you need as many ribbons as you can fit toilet paper strips with planted seeds).
• A ribbon of toilet paper is laid on the strips of film (it is better to fold thin paper in half).
• Spray paper strips with water.
• Next, you need to step back from the edge by 1 cm and spread the seeds. Planting material should not be in contact with each other, therefore it is necessary to place the seeds at a distance of 2.3-3 cm from each other.
• The seed is covered with a layer of paper, sprayed with water, and again covered with plastic tape. The multilayer tape is rolled up, fixed with an elastic band and placed in a plastic container with the seeds up.
• A little water is poured into the container (so that the seeds do not drown, water is poured so that it does not reach them). Moisture will flow to the seeds from the toilet paper.
• The container in which the seed roll will be stored is located in a warm place. The seeds will germinate in a week.

What kind of care do sprouts need in a toilet paper roll?

• It is necessary to periodically fertilize the plants with a weak solution based on humic acids.
• After the appearance of the first leaflet, top dressing will be required again.
• Plants with two true leaves can dive.
• The roll is carefully unrolled and the polyethylene layer is removed. Seedlings are separated from each other by cutting toilet paper and planted in cups with earth. After that, the seedlings are grown as usual.

Cutting strips of polyethylene

Benefits of germinating seeds on toilet paper strips:

• all sprouts are strong
• when transplanting, there is no injury to plants
• sprouts grow faster

Video: Technology for applying seeds to paper tape, "toilet paper"

What temperature can cucumber seedlings withstand?

• Cucumber seeds germinate at a temperature of 10-12 C. For normal growth and development of leaves, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 15-16 degrees.
• Cucumber seedlings require a special temperature regime. Happy normal temperature for sprouts - from 25 to 30 ͦ C, at night the temperature is slightly lower and normally it should be from 15 to 18 ͦ C.
• If the temperature drops (for example, beyond +10 degrees during germination), then the seedlings stop growing and begin to turn yellow and rot.

Temperature, °C
	air		soil	Illumination, hour
growth phase	daytime (the period when the backlight is on)	night (backlight off)
Sowing - seedlings	27	27	24-25	-
First 3 days after germination	24	24	23-24	24
next 2 days	23	22	23	20
Follow-up to 3rd leaf phase*	21-22	20-21	22	18*
The day before planting in the greenhouse	19-20	17-18	22	-*
First 2 days after landing	21	21	21	-
Subsequent period	21	19	20-21	-

Planting seedlings of cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse

After 25 days after sowing the seed in plastic cups or peat pots, cucumber seedlings can be planted in a polycarbonate greenhouse.

An additional layer of film or other will help to ensure a comfortable climate. protective coating, which covers the greenhouse.

Further care of seedlings consists in carrying out the following operations:

• soil loosening
• ventilation
• copious moisture (automatic drip is used)
• feeding

Plants in a polycarbonate greenhouse should be watered in the morning twice a week, and additionally if the day is sunny. Used for irrigation warm water. Otherwise, various diseases may begin to develop.

Water should not be poured directly on the leaves, otherwise burns will appear. Therefore, it is recommended to use a drip irrigation system.

The soil should be loosened (carefully so as not to damage the root system), breathable. This will ensure the development of the roots, which means that the plant will grow well.

It is important to ventilate greenhouses by simply opening the windows.

How to enrich the soil with organic matter?

• fertilize the soil with manure
• decayed garbage, peat, sawdust are also used as fertilizer
• also apply mineral fertilizers

Top dressing of cucumbers should be done a maximum of 5 times per summer:

• feed during the flowering period for the first time
• during the fruiting period - 4 times

Also introduced into sandy soil nitrogen fertilizers. In the floodplain - potash. Cucumbers should be fed with ammonium nitrate in early spring (applied to previously made furrows).

Lighting in greenhouses seedlings of cucumbers

Lighting seedlings of cucumbers is necessary in winter period even if the room is heated. As soon as shoots appear, it is necessary to provide them with additional illumination.

• Breaks between periods of natural and artificial lighting adversely affect the development of plants.
• Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the continuity of lighting with the help of a light relay, which reacts to a decrease in the intensity of lighting and automatically turns on the lamps.
• natural and artificial lighting should add up to 12 hours.
• Plants need to arrange periods of complete darkness (6 hours a day).
• The temperature difference between the dark and light periods should not exceed 6-8 degrees.

How to plant cucumber seedlings in open ground?

Have the sprouts grown up and are they ready to “relocate” to the open ground? Plants will survive the transplant and will please bountiful harvest, if you take into account some of the nuances. You will learn about them from the video.

Video: Planting seedlings of cucumbers in the ground

Video: How to properly plant seedlings of cucumbers in open ground?

Feeding seedlings of cucumbers at home

How to feed seedlings of cucumbers? At what temperature regime is it better to feed the seedlings and what care should be provided to the sprouts after feeding? Watch about this video.

Video: Growing cucumber seedlings. Feeding cucumber seedlings