Growing strong cucumber seedlings - an action plan from sowing seeds to planting in the ground

Have you ever wondered why some summer residents have cucumbers bearing fruit all season, while others produce few ovaries and are not pleased with the quantity and quality of their greens? It's all about the right approach to growing cucumbers!

To get the first harvest of greens as early as possible, experienced gardeners grow cucumbers through seedlings, and subsequently pay special attention to proper feeding.

Of course, before sowing seedlings you will have to think through a lot, but we will tell you what to do at each stage to get an excellent harvest!

How many days after sowing do cucumber seeds germinate?

Growing cucumbers requires attention to every detail.
Everything is important: how the seeds were prepared, at what time they were planted, and what they were treated with before sowing. No less important is the question of how many days do cucumbers sprout?

Knowing how long it takes to germinate, you can accurately calculate the timing of planting cucumbers in the ground. Let's find out the details of how quickly seeds germinate after sowing.

What factors influence the germination time of cucumbers?

To understand how long it takes cucumbers to germinate, let’s look at what the conditions should be for this to happen. Cucumbers are a moisture- and heat-loving crop, which means that temperature and humidity are important for the rapid emergence of seedlings.

Cucumbers are planted no earlier than the ground warms up to +14 - +16°C to a depth of 2 - 4 cm. Until this moment, there is no point in planting cucumbers; they will lie in the ground for at least 10 days and will sprout only when warmer weather sets in. There is no point in rushing to plant in open ground.

It’s another matter if the seeds are planted in a greenhouse. In this case, the soil is warmed up in advance: boiling water is poured on it and organic matter is added, which will provide additional heat during the decomposition process. The top of the beds is covered with film, due to which the optimal microclimate is maintained at all times.

Sowing cucumbers in open ground only seems like a simple undertaking. The main problem is not to miss the correct sowing time, when the ground and air are already warm, but the soil moisture is still quite high. At the same time, it is necessary to eliminate the risk of return frosts, otherwise the seeds in the ground will simply freeze and it will be pointless to wait for shoots.

When planting early, high humidity remains, but the temperature is not yet sufficient. With late planting, on the contrary, the earth warms up, but loses moisture. Plantings have to be constantly moistened, but this does not guarantee good germination. This is why most vegetable growers prefer to grow cucumber seedlings.

Let's summarize and list the negative factors that prevent the rapid germination of cucumbers:

1. The soil temperature is below +14°C and the air temperature is below +16°C.
2. Low humidity - dry air, dehydrated soil, insufficient watering and lack of precipitation.

On a note! Cucumber seeds in open ground will not tolerate spring frosts, no matter what variety they belong to. The temperature limit for cucumbers is +5°C; hypothermia should not be prolonged, otherwise the planting material will die.

How long does it take for cucumbers to sprout?

Now let's look at the period that cucumbers need to germinate. There are several ways to sow seeds: dry sowing, planting soaked and sprouted grains. When dry sowing on open beds, seedlings appear in 7–10 days under favorable climatic conditions. If after two weeks the sprouts have not emerged, then you will have to plant cucumbers again.

Germinated seeds germinate quickly: in open ground and in greenhouses in 3–5 days, at home in seedling cups in 2–4 days. Some vegetable growers do not germinate the seeds, but only soak them and immediately plant them in the ground. This method is used if sowing dates are missed. In this case, seedlings can be expected in 3–7 days.

Soaking and germination accelerate the appearance of sprouts, while the germination of seeds in general increases.

How to increase germination and speed up the germination of cucumbers

To ensure good germination of cucumber crops, you need to select seeds with a good shelf life. Seeds stored for two and three years germinate better.

Annual seeds harvested last season germinate well, but do not produce full fruiting, as they form more male inflorescences.

Planting material that is over 5 years old will not sprout well, because long-term and improper storage reduces its viability.

To accelerate germination, seed material undergoes preparation, which includes the following steps:

• selection of seeds and testing their viability;
• heating the grains;
• soaking planting material;
• hardening procedure;
• direct germination.

Germination

This is the final stage of seed preparation before planting. The seeds are laid out on gauze or cotton cloth and covered with material on top. Until the grains hatch, make sure that the fabric is constantly well moistened, adding water if necessary. As soon as tiny embryos become noticeable, the seeds are sown in soil or seedling containers.

How many days it will take cucumbers to sprout depends on the quality of the seeds and the degree of their preparation before sowing. Follow the recommendations given in the article, and friendly shoots will not keep you waiting.

Know the reasons for the lack of seedlings

What to do if cucumbers don't sprout? Finding out the reason, if you find out why this is happening, you can solve the problem.

The main options are:

1. Soil temperature below 12 degrees . Under such conditions, the seeds begin to mold and die.
2. Excessive deepening of seeds . If they are at a depth of 3 cm or more, then the risk that the sprouts will not be able to break through increases significantly. Plant no deeper than 2 cm.
3. Dense soil . Most often this is clay soil, on which a dense crust forms as the surface dries. If you do not loosen it, the cucumbers may not break through to the surface.
4. Humidity disturbance . If the soil is very dry, then the seeds simply do not have enough moisture for normal development. And if there is too much moisture, the sprouts often begin to rot and die.
5. Improper seed preparation . If you overexpose them in disinfecting or stimulating compounds, then there is a high probability of a chemical burn.
6. Violation of storage rules . If you place the seeds in a plastic bag, they will die without access to air.

Preparing for germination

Before the procedure, planting material is carefully prepared.

Calibration

Select grains from healthy plants that are not affected by diseases. If these are not available, you will have to purchase them at a garden store.

When selecting, the following nuances are taken into account:

• the background should be green;
• the grains must be from the female type of plant, as they will give a good harvest;
• The planting material must be completely dry, dense and complete before planting.

To prepare a saline solution, pour 3-5 g of salt into 100 ml of water, then drop the seeds into it. Those that float up are empty, they are thrown away.

Sterilization

Plant diseases are transmitted along with planting material, so the sterilization stage is important. They refuse it only if they use purchased seeds.

Homemade seeds are sterilized in this way:

1. Take a 1% solution of potassium permanganate and immerse the grains in it.
2. The water in the solution should be warm – +20-26°C.
3. Keep the seeds in the solution for 15-20 minutes, then wash them under running water.

There is a second method of sterilization - heating. Planting material is immersed in warm water (+50°C) and the grains are kept for 20-30 minutes. This time is enough to get rid of viruses or fungi remaining on the seeds.

Hardening

It is necessary if the seeds are planted directly in open ground. The air temperature will be low, so it will be difficult for the plant to adapt to weather conditions. If you plant seeds in the hot season, hardening will not be required.

Procedure:

1. The container is placed in the refrigerator at a temperature of 4-6°C for 12 hours so that the planting material adapts to the conditions. You can do this at night.
2. Similar manipulations are carried out for 2-3 days until the seeds germinate.

Bubbling

Allows you to accelerate the emergence of seedlings. The essence of bubbling is to saturate the planting material with oxygen, which has a positive effect on overall germination.

To do this, you will need an aquarium compressor and a container of 0.5-0.7 liters, or a regular glass jar.

Procedure:

1. Fill the container 1/4 full with water.
2. Dip a small amount of grains into the water so that they float freely in the jar.
3. Lower the compressor tip to the bottom of the container and turn it on.
4. This processing of grains lasts for 18 hours.
5. After bubbling, dry the planting material.

The process increases germination rate to 100% and guarantees rapid seed germination - in 3-7 days.

Let's start sowing

In each glass you need to place 1 germinated seed at a 2-centimeter depth. After which, until the cucumbers sprout, the temperature is maintained close to 27 0. And after that they reduce the daytime temperature to 20 0, and the night temperature to 15 0 for 4 full days.

A preliminary culling of the crops is done, and after that the 20-day-old seedlings can be planted either in a greenhouse or in open ground. For open ground - early June. If home growing is planned, then the process of additional lighting takes first place.

In open ground or a greenhouse, you need to make holes equal in size to the dimensions of a glass with cucumber seedlings. Between holes - no more than 200 mm.

After which all the wells are spilled with a weak potassium permanganate solution - half a gram per bucket. For each well you need to prepare 1 liter. similar solution. One day before planting, the glasses with cucumber sprouts should be thoroughly drained. This must be done to better extract the clod of earth with the sprout.

If the stem is stretched out, you should cover it with traditional peat or wet sawdust.

In the middle zone of the country, cucumbers begin to be planted in open ground, without shelter, not before May 25, right up to the beginning of June. In this case, dry cucumber seeds are used.

Swollen seeds can be planted in the first ten days of the first summer month. At this time, the soil temperature should not be less than 15 0 at the depth of the seedling cup (120 mm).

Sow cucumber seeds to a depth of about 3 cm, as in the case of seedlings. The distance between seeds must be maintained within 100 mm. The timing of germination of plantings is very dependent on the ambient temperature;

• in hot, sunny weather and temperatures close to 25 0, sprouts will appear in 3 days;
• when the temperature drops to 20 0, the sprouts will slow down their development and will not appear until after seven days;
• if the cold snap continues, you will need to look for ready-made seedlings on the market.

Video: how to plant and grow cucumber, first shoots 5 days

Complex conditions were announced. What are they? They help cucumbers to sprout as early as possible by following the rules of care, but with constant adjustments during the growing process. You are working with a living mechanism, which, of course, contains certain stages of development that need to be completed in the appropriate amount of time, but they are still amenable to influence and can be disrupted, accelerated or improved by you

In most cases, when any problem arises with crops, experienced gardeners immediately advise paying attention to the quality of care. It’s worth going over the rules for caring for cucumber seedlings or seedlings again to understand where the possible mistake lies, and it’s even better if you memorize in advance all the possible nuances and consequences if you carry out the care system one way or another

So, to summarize, let us draw your attention to the fact that with proper sowing and high-quality planting material, cucumbers, after planting, sprout according to the protocol in a week or produce earlier sprouts if the growing process was slightly accelerated or actively aimed at germination. In any case, the main goal of planting is not the speed of germination, although this factor cannot be completely ignored, but the result that we will ultimately eat, enjoying the taste of the grown vegetable

So, have a good landing, and know how to set priorities correctly, just like how to properly care for what you put your soul into.

How long will it take for the seeds to germinate?

Many people are concerned about the question: how many days do cucumber seeds take to germinate? The main factor for determining timing is soil temperature.

Germination of cucumber seeds begins at a soil temperature of 12-13°C. The optimal conditions for germinating cucumbers is a soil temperature of 20-25°C above zero, then the first shoots will appear after 4-6 days.

How many days will cucumber seeds germinate if the temperature is 18°C? The first shoots will appear in 10 days.

How long does it take for cucumber seeds to germinate if the weather gets worse? In this case, shoots will appear after 1.5-2 weeks.

If after 14 days the first shoots have not appeared, you can re-sow.

Poor germination is achieved by planting material that has overwintered outside. Fresh seeds do not germinate well, and if they are 4-5 years old, they may not germinate at all. For good germination, take 2-year-old seeds.

Conditions for growing cucumbers

In a polycarbonate greenhouse

To ensure a guaranteed harvest, polycarbonate-coated structures are used - this is due to the material’s ability to retain heat and transmit the entire spectrum of solar radiation

The design of the greenhouse includes windows for ventilation, which is important for growing. In a greenhouse it is easy to create the microclimate necessary for plants. Seeds can be planted for seedlings in mid-April; seedlings can be planted a month later, on May 15

Important! Planting should not be frequent; it is recommended to plant from 2 to 4 plants per 1 square meter to provide enough air and light. How to germinate cucumber seeds

How to germinate cucumber seeds

Cultivation of a southern heat-loving crop requires the creation of certain conditions:

• Temperature;
• Humidity;
• Lighting;
• Nutrition.

For germinating cucumber seeds, the acceptable level of soil moisture is 60%, air humidity 80% at a temperature of 25 to 28 degrees. When growing and forming fruits, a sufficient temperature level is from 17 to 28 degrees. The humidity level can be maintained by placing a bucket of water in the greenhouse or periodically spraying the structure with water. At a temperature of about 30 degrees, it is necessary to ventilate the greenhouse and open the windows.

Important! Cucumbers need light soil, containing up to 40% organic matter, such as humus, compost, and peat. To obtain maximum yield, it is necessary to ensure:

To obtain maximum yield, it is necessary to ensure:

• Formation of shoots;
• Variety selection;
• Garter;
• Watering and fertilizing.

On the windowsill

Cultivation on a windowsill or balcony allows you to admire flowers and herbs and have vegetables for salads and snacks.

To grow on a windowsill you need:

• Select a variety of self-pollinating (parthenocarpic) hybrids;
• Sow in waves: after the first batch - a month later, after a month and a half - the second and so on up to four times;
• It is recommended to plant the first planting in September in order to get the first harvest in November;
• The temperature should be 21-24 degrees during the day, 18-19 degrees at night; if necessary, the plants can be heated, for example, with incandescent lamps;

Cucumbers on the windowsill

It is necessary to maintain a humidity regime with a sufficient amount of water, but without excess, it leads to diseases.

A ready-made mixture from the store works well as soil, but you can prepare it yourself: for 2 parts of garden soil, take one part of river sand and one part of humus, add a little sawdust. The composition must be disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, heated for 30-40 minutes at 120 degrees or spilled with very hot water.

Note! The germination of cucumbers (how many days they will germinate) depends on the quality of the seeds. Purchased planting material can be treated with stimulants, pickled and ready for germination; it will sprout quickly

Homemade preparations are treated with potassium permanganate or 3% hydrogen peroxide, soaked, germinated or immediately placed in the ground.

Sowing is done in holes up to 2 centimeters, soil is poured on top, watered and covered with film. After soaking, the seeds are planted in the same way, but two grains are placed in a hole. When 5-6 leaves appear, a garter and supports for the plants are necessary, and pinching is also necessary to limit growth.

Vegetables on the windowsill need fertilizing; it is better to do it with a mixture purchased in a store, which indicates the frequency of use of the mixture and the proportions.

In the open ground

For cultivation in open ground, you should choose suitable varieties. It must be remembered that hybrids are more resistant to disease, but planting material will have to be purchased every year. Yields can be achieved if the variety is chosen correctly, taking into account climatic conditions and the purposes of growing vegetables.

Germinating seeds in the ground

Important! Seeds are sown in the beds in the last 10 days of May, although planting can be done until mid-July. A well-lit area is suitable for this.

Squash and pumpkin crops should not grow in this place in front of the cucumbers.

The bed is prepared in the fall, dug up, organic matter, 6-8 kilograms of manure, compost and potash fertilizers are added, 6-7 grams per square. It is better to grow seedlings in peat cups; buy soil or prepare it by mixing equal parts of humus, soil, peat with the addition of sawdust and wood ash. Planting is done with the sprouted end up 1.5-2 centimeters, covered with paper. After germination, the seedlings are kept indoors for 3-4 weeks at 22-28 degrees, before planting they are hardened and planted in the ground.

Sowing

Puccini cucumbers

Soaking, germination and stimulation are elements of preparation for sowing. But you need to prepare not only cucumbers for planting, but also the soil itself.

Several significant stages can be distinguished.

1. Choosing the right sowing time. It depends on where and in what condition the cucumbers are planned to be planted. If the seedlings are kept at home, in the warmth and under the rays of the sun (otherwise the cucumbers may not sprout), then they should start around mid-April - the seedlings ripen in about four to five weeks. If you plan to plant cucumbers directly in open ground, then you should plant them closer to the end of May, beginning of June, when there will definitely be no sudden temperature changes.
2. Preparation for sowing, which includes choosing a site, preparing film (if an analogue of a greenhouse is created), preparations for cultivating the land, as well as fertilizers.
3. Soil cultivation. In the spring, before sowing, the soil is dug up, humus is added, and the soil is also disinfected and fed. Cucumbers are fed with mineral fertilizers, such as superphosphate (amount - 40 g per square meter of bed), potassium salt (25 grams per 1 m, if wood ash has not been used before), ammonium nitrate (15 g per meter) and specialized mineral fertilizers. After fertilizing, you can also additionally disinfect the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
4. Immediately before planting, the beds are additionally heated by pouring a small amount of hot water into each hole.

Cucumber seed germination rate

The culture came to us from the tropical zones of Africa and Asia, and therefore is a heat-loving plant.

Planting in an open area will require sufficient warming of the soil and the absence of upcoming frosts. Compared to greenhouse conditions, sowing in unprotected soil occurs three weeks later.

• Cucumber shoots are observed by the end of the first week of planting - after 4–6 days.
• When sown in heavy soil, the time for sprouts to hatch is extended by 3–4 days.

Germination phase

The quality of planting material has a great influence on germination, so before planting, bad seeds - empty, damaged or stained - are discarded.

This is facilitated by various factors, for example:

• mechanical damage to the seed shell;
• drying out;
• damage by pathogenic microorganisms;
• early growth.

Sufficient watering, the required temperature, and ventilation of the area will help the seed to hatch.

Beginning of the growing season

Proper development of the seed at this stage largely depends on the level of soil moisture.

1. The beginning of the plant's growing season is characterized by the seed being saturated with moisture to a certain amount.
2. Then the swollen grain opens the skin, there is an increase in enzyme activity and a large consumption of oxygen.

However, for the processes to proceed, it is necessary to create the following humidity conditions:

• at least 40% must be contained in the ground after planting the seeds;
• no less than 80% - when the grains swell.

The air temperature at this time should be approximately +25° C. When it decreases, the seed material may become moldy after swelling, which affects the impossibility of further vegetation.

Seed development

At this stage, leaves form in the embryo, the seed coat opens and the seedling begins to grow.

The process is accompanied by various chemical reactions that break down starch, oxidize fat-like substances and other organic compounds. At the same time, the formation of proteins and aminocarboxylic acids occurs. As a result, an embryonic root develops, which will absorb nutrients from the soil.

Under the influence of the environment, the embryo is freed from the skin. However, when planted deeply, the seeds are not able to free themselves from the shell, so sometimes roots sprout in the skin. The latter dries out under the influence of sunlight and the sprout withers

You can correct the situation using a sprayer, after which the soft shell is carefully removed by hand.

Life cycle of a cucumber seed

Any seed requires plenty of moisture to develop, and cucumber seeds are no exception. For the embryo to appear, cucumber seeds require a humidity of at least 50 percent. And after the seed swells, humidity of up to 80 percent or more is required.

It is worth taking into account the air temperature, it should reach 25-30 degrees Celsius. By observing all the conditions for the favorable development of the seed, we can observe the opening of the seed coat.

In all this, the development of the seed embryo plays an important role. As a result, a root is formed, thanks to which the plant independently feeds on nutrients from the soil. At this time, the root gets rid of the peel quite easily.

There are a large number of ways to pre-prepare seeds for sowing. If you use several at once, it will only harm the seeds. You also need to be careful in preparing the soil before sowing, otherwise the seeds will die. That is why you need to take a competent approach to preparing sowing.

How to quickly germinate cucumbers

Let's look at the most effective ways to help germinate cucumber seeds in a short time.

Stimulation

Modern technologies in the agricultural sector allow seed material to quickly swell and germinate. Growth stimulants help with this. What are these drugs, and what effect do they have on cucumber seeds?

Growth stimulants are used as soon as the seed is taken out of the packaging envelope. In this case, the seeds are not soaked in the usual way, but are immersed in a special solution containing stimulants.

Such drugs have a strictly defined purpose:

• for pecking;
• for seedling growth;
• for fruiting.

It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that such drugs can also inhibit the development and growth of the crop, having a negative effect on the plant. Therefore, stimulants are used with extreme care, carefully monitoring compliance with the specified norm.

Some experienced gardeners prefer natural stimulants to ready-made preparations. These include:

These are natural biostimulants of growth and will not harm the germinated seeds.

Ready-made preparations are used in this way:

1. Prepare the solution following the instructions on the package.
2. Seeds are placed in the prepared solution.
3. The planting material is kept for up to 10-12 hours.

After the procedure, it is necessary to check the effectiveness of the stimulator.

Soak

The most common and “ancient” methods of germination include soaking. Let's look at two ways to prepare cucumber seeds for seedlings.

In the first case, damp natural fabric is used. Seeds are placed in it. Planting material must be protected from light, so one part of the damp cloth is used to cover the seeds. The wrapped seeds are placed in a plastic bag - preventing oxygen from entering and raising the temperature. For the second method, use a glass jar

Cucumber seeds are placed inside a damp natural cloth and then carefully placed in a jar. The jar is tightly closed with a silicone lid and placed in a dark place.

In both of these cases, the planting material will germinate within a few days. During this period, they especially monitor the optimal conditions for seed pecking and try to prevent the seeds from becoming covered with fungus.

In order for the seeds to hatch, you only need to take water at least 25˚C.

Sowing

It was already noted above that after sowing it is necessary to cover the beds with cellophane film, which helps create a semblance of greenhouse conditions and increases the temperature of the substrate. Sometimes, even if the preparatory work was carried out correctly, cucumbers do not sprout. Why is this happening?

Seeds that fall into the soil find themselves in an unfavorable environment. This is especially dangerous for cucumber seeds that will be grown without seedlings. To protect planting material from rotting and disease, the beds should be prepared. They are treated with a special drug that destroys pathogenic flora.

To increase the immunity of young plants and provide them with resistance to diseases, special immunomodulators are used.

If you exclude errors when preparing seeds and germinating them, you can find out in advance how many days cucumber seeds will germinate after sowing. However, the timing of the appearance of the first shoots may be influenced by factors beyond human control.

It is important to monitor the planting calendar and weather conditions

See more details here:

Without exaggeration, cucumber can be called the favorite crop of vegetable growers. There is hardly an eccentric among gardeners who will refuse to eat freshly picked crispy greens. Cucumbers are easy to care for and bear fruit abundantly, so they can be grown either in seedlings or without seedlings in open ground, under a film cover, in a polycarbonate greenhouse, and even on a windowsill. Perhaps the most difficult test in this fascinating business is the agonizing wait for seedlings. How long does it take for cucumber seeds to germinate and is it possible to speed up this process?

At what depth should cucumbers be planted and when will they germinate?

Cucumbers are grown both by seedlings and without seedlings.

The seedling method allows you to get a harvest of cucumbers 2 weeks earlier when planted directly in the garden bed. They begin to sow seedlings in the 20th of April.

1. Prepare containers or pots.
2. Place about 2 cm of sawdust at the bottom of the pot.
3. Pour 5-7 cm of nutrient soil, leaving an edge of about 2 cm on top.
4. The distance between plants should be 8-10 cm.
5. Plant one seed in each pot.
6. Sprinkle with soil 2 cm.
7. Water and place in a warm, well-lit place.

On day 4-5, cucumber shoots appear. After 20-25 days, when the daytime air temperature rises above +22 ºС, and the night temperature is about +17 ºС, the seedlings can be planted in the beds.

Important! It is better to plant in open ground in the evening.

Sowing without seedlings directly into a greenhouse or garden bed is carried out from May 17 to May 21, when the air temperature warms up to +15 ºС.

You can sow dry seeds or sprouted, slightly sprouted seeds. Seeds that have sprouted more than 0.5 cm when soaked will not be able to grow into a strong plant, so they are removed.

1. Make grooves about 2 cm deep.
2. The distance between the holes is 35-40 cm.
3. The furrows should be watered.
4. Place the seeds in them, wide side down.
5. The distance between seeds is 15-20 cm.
6. Cover with soil.
7. Water carefully.

Important! Insufficiently warmed soil can destroy plants, so early sowing is done with dry seeds.

If the seeds are sown too often, then when 2-3 true leaves are formed, the seedlings are thinned out by carefully pinching the stem of the plant. Excess seedlings are not removed by the roots, so as not to damage the weak root system of neighboring plants.

Under good conditions, seedlings will appear in 4-5 days. If the soil is heavy or the seeds were sown deeper than 2 cm, seedlings will appear no earlier than 6-8 days.

Consider factors affecting germination

You need to know on what day the first sprouts appear; without soaking, the period increases on average by two times

Germination is most influenced by:

Quality of planting material. If you have bad seeds, then even under ideal conditions germination will be poor or even non-existent. Therefore, you should purchase seeds that are 2-3 years old, they are better than fresh ones

It is also important to store them correctly; if they are kept in a plastic bag without access to oxygen, they die quite quickly.

Soil moisture. For seed germination, the presence of moisture is very important; if there is none or very little, the process slows down.

And if the moisture disappears after the sprout breaks through, then it simply dies and does not break through to the surface. Excess water is also undesirable; the soil should be moist, but not wet, otherwise there is a great danger that the sprouts will begin to rot, which will inevitably lead to their death.

Soil temperature. Cucumbers germinate best at temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees. If it is lower, then growth slows down very much, and if the soil is heated to less than 13 degrees, then the seeds will not grow at all. In this case, the temperature of the soil, not the air, is important; it must be taken into account that the soil warms up much more slowly. Therefore, it is advisable to measure the temperature before sowing.

Once the plants have grown a lot, they are much better able to resist adverse effects.

Soil quality. Seeds need a lot of nutrients in the soil to develop. Therefore, the beds are pre-prepared and generously fertilized with humus or rotted manure. You can additionally add organic matter to the beards for planting so that the sprouts receive maximum nutrition at first. The breathability of the soil is also important; it must be loose so that the seeds have enough oxygen. Sprouts do not penetrate well through the hard crust and often simply do not germinate.

Lack of pathogens and pests in the soil. At the sprouting stage, cucumbers are most vulnerable and are often damaged by diseases or destroyed by various pests. Sprouts are especially often damaged by ants, so they should not be in the garden bed. The soil can be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate; it must be watered from a watering can at least three days before work.

Proper seed preparation. If the preliminary work is carried out correctly, the time for emergence of seedlings is reduced significantly.

Therefore, it is very important to disinfect seed material and treat it before sowing. It’s even better to germinate the seeds so that the sprouts don’t have to break through the shell, and they just start growing.

Seeds must be properly prepared and planted in prepared soil.

The author of the video talks about his experience of sowing dry seeds in the ground. They began to sprout on the sixth day after planting.

Prepare seeds correctly

	Purchase quality planting material Choose seeds from trusted producers. Avoid shopping at markets and street stalls; planting material there is most often of low quality. Pay attention to the expiration date . It is best to use seeds that are 2-3 years old; they germinate best and the plants grow and develop faster. When harvesting seeds yourself, it is important to store them correctly . Use breathable containers
	Check seeds for germination Prepare a solution from a glass of warm water and half a teaspoon of salt. Stir until the crystals are completely dissolved. Place the seeds in the liquid and stir until thoroughly wet . How long should you keep it on? Half an hour is enough, after which the floating seeds are thrown away, and the settled ones are rinsed in clean water.
	Carry out disinfection Prepare a solution of potassium permanganate as in the photo or a solution of hydrogen peroxide at the rate of a tablespoon per glass. You can purchase special disinfecting compounds for these purposes. Drop the seeds and let sit for about half an hour or more if you have a special preparation . Remove and rinse well with water
	Treat with growth stimulants There are many drugs on sale that are intended for seeds.. They increase germination, increase resistance to disease and adverse conditions. Prepare the solution according to the instructions . Each option has its own characteristics, so you need to study the information on the packaging. Soak the seed material for the specified time
	Soak the seeds before planting To make seedlings appear faster, it is better to plant soaked seeds. Their shell becomes softer and it is much easier for sprouts to break through. You can simply place the seeds in damp material for a day . This is a quick option that significantly improves germination and plants appear several days earlier. You can wait for the sprouts to appear . This usually happens in 3-4 days. It is necessary to moisten the material daily and monitor germination. Such seeds germinate 3-5 days after planting.

Seedling care

When caring for seedlings, it is necessary not only to fight pests and diseases, but also to provide the best conditions for rapid growth and development. Watering. Young plants need to be watered quite often, using small volumes of water. At the initial stage, 10 liters per square is enough, but at the stage of fruit set, you need to pour a bucket under each bush. It is also worth remembering that not only you can introduce moisture, but also the weather, so you should not flood already wet soil

Pay attention to the water temperature. In no case should it be below 10 ° C, otherwise you will slow down the growth and development of plants

Loosening. The soil needs to be loosened regularly if mulch has not been laid. This must be done, even if you have good crumbly soils that have excellent drainage properties.

Important! During loosening, you cannot move the “whiskers” to another place. They can only be lifted

Feeding. Feeding is required even if you have real black soil on your site. Without additional fertilizers, you will, at a minimum, deplete the soil, reducing its value for other crops significantly.

Cucumbers need to be fed about five times per season. This is done not only to increase productivity, but also to improve immunity, which gives us better resistance to disease.

For organic matter, use mullein solution (1 liter per 10 liters of water). The best minerals to use are urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate.

It is also recommended to spray the aboveground part with complex mineral fertilizers every 20 days to increase the concentration of basic substances in the green part.

Other methods. Growth stimulants are often used not only at the seed germination stage, but also at the development stage. When the plants first emerge from the substrate, they will be very weak. It is pointless to use a large amount of fertilizers at such a time, since an undeveloped root system simply will not be able to absorb fertilizers in the amount necessary for rapid growth and development.

There is a way out of this situation - root system growth stimulants. Firstly, you will reduce the application of fertilizers, which increases the cost of obtaining products, and secondly, you will allow plants to receive nutrition from a larger area, which will give good results even in soils with average fertility.

You can also use other stimulants that increase the mass of the green part and speed up the harvest. In this case, it is better to give preference to natural preparations that do not poison the soil and products.

Did you know? The cucumber plant came to us from India. Under natural conditions, a wild variation of the crop grows at the foot of the Himalayas. Wild cucumber fruits are very small, and many of them are not edible at all.

Varieties of balcony cucumbers

For your attention, some varieties of cucumbers that were bred specifically for growing vegetable gardens on balconies or loggias.

This is for example:

• Stresa;
• Cucaracha;
• Biryusa;
• Gribovsky;
• Barnaulets;
• Courage;
• Dubrovsky;
• Matrix;
• Sail;
• Balcony miracle, etc.

I would like to dwell in some detail on this variety: cucumber - a balcony miracle

This is a fairly new variety of seeds, but it has already earned special attention from lovers of gardening on the balcony. This variety is self-pollinating, early ripening

It has a small tuberculate fruit, bright green in color, about 7 cm in length. Its taste is without bitterness.

This variety is self-pollinating and early ripening. It has a small tuberculate fruit, bright green in color, about 7 cm in length. Its taste is without bitterness.

How to speed up germination

Seeds of crops such as carrots, celery, parsley take a very long time to germinate, because the essential oils present in their shells prevent the flow of water to the embryo. Therefore, the seeds of these plants must be treated before sowing.

I put the seeds of these crops on a gauze (one gauze - one vegetable), place it in a saucer and pour a thin layer of vodka (40°). I leave them there for 15 minutes. During this time, most of the essential oils will dissolve. Then I rinse the gauze with seeds in cool water several times. I dry it until it becomes friable. All. You can sow. Thanks to this processing method, the seeds will sprout much faster.

Material used from the newspaper “Niva Kubani” with the supplement “Nivushka” 2014, No. 19 (305)

Germinating seeds in plastic containers

To quickly and easily germinate cucumber seeds you will need:

• dishes with a lid: a lunch container or a plastic container for cakes;
• highly absorbent material: gauze, cotton cloth, even cotton pads are suitable for removing makeup;
• warm water.

The container for germination is selected so that it is easy to close and open, does not allow air to pass through and cannot break if dropped.

Cucumber seeds

Two pieces of cloth (or two disks) are soaked in water, the seeds are laid out on one so that they do not touch, and the second is covered on top. The resulting “pie” is leveled at the bottom of the container and closed tightly. Precisely tightly, because at this stage the main thing is to maintain high humidity inside the container. If hatched seeds encounter a lack of moisture, the embryos in them will inevitably die.

The container with soaked seeds is stored in a warm place, but not in the sun. The box is ventilated several times a day: opened for a few minutes. You can wave your hand over it a little to create a flow of air.

During airing, check the moisture content of the fabric and, if necessary, spray it with a hand sprayer with warm water. It is not recommended to pour water from a glass or watering can: this can flood the seeds, depriving them of air.

Video: We sow CUCUMBERS for seedlings in peat-humus tablets. Shoots on the third day!

Usually, cucumbers are planted either directly as seeds in a soil mixture or as seedlings, and the sowing time and conditions vary slightly, which affects both the germination time and when the cucumbers sprout. Let's consider the conditions for planting cucumbers for seedlings

First of all, it is important to note that cucumber seedlings are grown either at home or in greenhouses - the latter are used most often - which allows the seeds in the soil substrate to develop somewhat faster than those that were planted in open soil or in a greenhouse immediately after jumping seedling stage

Planting cucumbers in open ground soil provides completely different rules of the game. If the conditions were met correctly, then the cucumbers will sprout after sowing on the 7th day. Sometimes, if suitable complex conditions arise, cucumbers can sprout green sprouts on the third, fourth or fifth day. It is believed that this is quite early for the cucumbers to grow, but the phenomenon itself does not have a negative character; rather, it is even very good, because your crops will be the first among many vegetable crops and crops of competitors.

Sprout germination phase

The germination of a cucumber sprout is the most delicate phase, because with a high probability this may not happen for one reason or another. In order to understand the reasons, it is worth familiarizing yourself in more detail with what a cucumber seed is and how it ripens.

A cucumber seed is a slightly elongated white formation, inside of which there is an embryo that is reliably protected by the seed coat. This shell protects the seed from negative factors:

• Mechanical damage
• Drying out
• Early germination
• Damage by certain microorganisms

In order for a shoot to appear in open ground or a greenhouse, conditions are needed that will force the peel to open. For this to happen, it is necessary to ensure sufficient watering, create the desired temperature and good ventilation. As for lighting, cucumber seeds germinate equally well both in light and without it.

How to increase germination and speed up the germination of cucumbers

In order to increase the germination rate, seed material is prepared in advance, in several stages. They start by selecting viable seeds, then they are heated, soaked and hardened. As a result, after sowing and proper care of the vines, you can get a bountiful harvest.

Selection and viability testing

First of all, the grains are inspected, removing dark, thin and damaged ones. The remaining seed is placed in a weak saline solution for up to 20 minutes. The seeds that float to the surface are discarded, the rest are washed and dried with a cloth before moving on to the next stage.

Warming up the seeds

Why is heating required? This event not only improves germination and disinfects the seeds, but also prepares for the dry season. The grains are heated for 3 days at a temperature of about 40 degrees in the oven or under a regular incandescent lamp. Farms use incubators for eggs.

To do this, the grains are placed in a fabric bag, which is attached to the radiator pipe. If the time is tight, the seeds are heated with hot water for two hours. It is more convenient to use a thermos, which will maintain a constant temperature of approximately 50 degrees.

Soak

Before soaking, the seed material is disinfected for two hours with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or brilliant green. You need to soak in the nutrient solution for up to 12 hours, then place in settled water for another 12 hours. Soaking allows the grains to be saturated with moisture and nutrients, which will speed up germination, strengthen immunity and increase yield.

What to do if cucumbers don’t sprout

There may be several reasons why the cucumbers did not sprout at all. Not only people who are far from gardening, but also experienced gardeners may not achieve the desired result.

The reasons why sprouts did not appear can be divided into three groups - because of problems with the soil, with the climate, and because of mistakes made during preparation for sowing. Before you start worrying, you should wait two weeks after planting - the maximum time for sprouts to appear.

The main reasons why seeds may die:

• Cucumbers may not germinate due to soil diseases or the presence of small pests.
• Cucumbers may not germinate due to sudden temperature changes.
• They may initially be of poor quality.

If the cucumbers have not sprouted within two weeks, you need to re-seed the area very quickly. Before this, you can carefully dig a hole or several and check what happened to the previous seed. If it is gnawed, it may be worth moving the beds to another area. Perhaps the seed has not begun to germinate, and then you can choose a more unpretentious variety. It is necessary to water the cucumbers with warm water - this can also affect the seedlings.

When re-seeding, it is better to first germinate the cucumbers and additionally treat the soil with fertilizers.

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Pre-sowing seed treatment

If all conditions are met, high-quality cucumber seeds germinate in due time without additional processing. However, over material whose germination is in doubt, you will have to “conjure” a little:

• At the first stage of the preparatory work, the seed material is sorted: the seeds are poured onto paper and sorted by hand, discarding damaged and shriveled specimens. The selected material is immersed in a solution of table salt (50 g / 200 ml) for 30 minutes. During this simple procedure, full-bodied seeds will sink to the bottom, and “dummies” will float to the surface. After “bathing” in the solution, the seeds must be washed, since salt is harmful to the germination and development of embryos.
• The next step is soaking. Dissolve 1 tbsp in 1 liter of water at room temperature. a spoonful of sifted wood ash and 1 teaspoon of nitrophoska. The resulting “cocktail” is poured over the seeds and left in a warm place for 10–12 hours.
• Seeds soaked in a nutrient solution are immersed in hot (50–60°) water for 5–6 hours. You can also warm up the seed near a heating radiator (30 days) or in the sun (20 days).
• Seeds ready for sowing are pickled in a solution of potassium permanganate or a biofungicide preparation (Fitosporin, Planriz).

To soak seeds, gardeners also widely use biogrowth stimulants: “Baikal-M”, “Agat-25K”, “Bigus”, “Ambiol”. Among the folk remedies that have proven themselves well:

• Nettle infusion. A half-liter jar is half filled with chopped young leaves of the burning plant, poured with warm water and left for a week.
• Boric acid solution (20 mg of the drug per 1 liter of water).
• Yeast infusion. Powdered yeast (25 g) is dissolved in warm water and left for 2-3 days.
• Baking soda solution (1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water).
• Potato juice. A large peeled tuber is frozen, grated on a coarse grater, and the juice is squeezed out of the resulting mass through gauze.

In any of the listed solutions, cucumber seeds are soaked for a day.

Sorting cucumber seeds

Following some techniques helps novice gardeners understand how to quickly germinate cucumber seeds:

• Choose planting material that is even in size and uniform in color;
• Dip the selected cucumber seeds into a pre-prepared solution (30 g of table salt dissolves in 1 liter of water). Empty seeds unsuitable for planting will float. The remaining genetic material is washed in clean warm water;
• It is necessary to soak cucumber seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This technique allows you to kill pathogenic fungi and bacteria located on their surface.