Author's rating
Author of the article
Yakov Pavlovich
Professor, Head of the Department of Vegetable Growing
Articles written
153
Experienced gardeners have many agrotechnical techniques that increase the yield of vegetable crops. Among them, worthy of attention are recommendations that reveal how to competently and quickly germinate cucumber seeds in order to increase their germination rate, successfully adapt to open ground or greenhouse conditions, and reduce ripening time.
When should you start?
The timing of the start of preparation of cucumber seeds depends on the period of intended transplantation of the sprouted grains to a permanent place.
If you plan to cultivate cucumbers in open ground, then by the time of planting it should warm up to at least 15 degrees. It is also important that the threat of return frosts has passed.
Expert opinion
Stanislav Pavlovich
Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert
Ask a Question
The time is calculated, taking into account that on average 3-5 days pass from the time of sowing the seeds to their hatching. If germination is carried out for the further production of seedlings, then the sowing period is set two to three weeks before the seedlings are moved to the garden bed.
Why don't the seeds germinate?
There are many cases when seeds are planted, but germination never occurs. This indicates a violation of agrotechnological practices during cultivation. There may be several reasons:
- Temperature. If the thermometer reading is below 12°C, then the seeds slow down their development. The hatched material begins to rot in the cold soil.
- Planting depth. Planting at a greater depth will increase the germination time of cucumbers. If it is shallow, the seeds do not have time to shed their seed coat.
- Wet and heavy soil. A cucumber, when sown in such soil, may not sprout. Oxygen does not enter the soil well if the humidity is high. In heavy soil, a crust forms that is difficult for sprouts to break through.
- Dry soil. Insufficient watering or hot weather prevents rapid germination. Germination slows down, and if the soil is not moistened, they may not sprout at all.
- Seed preparation. Incorrect or excessive processing of planting material before sowing leads to late results. Soaked and hatched seeds must be immediately planted in the soil without preliminary drying.
- Material storage. Must be stored in a cool, dry place. If such conditions are violated, namely, with an increase in humidity, the seeds deteriorate ahead of schedule.
- Poor seed material. The seeds have already been previously infected. The fruits from which they were collected were often sick and yielded a small harvest. Hybrid varieties produce bad seeds, the harvest is tasteless, and the fruits are deformed.
When agrotechnological practices are violated, fungal diseases develop. Such infections damage the seeds and embryos. Sprout fly larvae are attracted to swollen seeds and sprouts. Penetrating inside, they eat them away.
When the ground is closed, the cucumber mosquito eats the roots. The first shoots attract mice, insects and cats. Caps and non-woven material will help protect the sprouts from pests.
Pre-treatment of planting material
Cucumber seeds require high-quality preparation before germination. Particular attention is paid to planting material prepared independently or purchased from private individuals.
Calibration
The calibration stage involves the rejection of deformed, dried, mold-affected or diseased seeds.
Important! They leave large specimens, approximately equal in size. They should be dense with a light color without spots on the surface.
Visual selection is usually carried out manually, but this method does not reliably determine the quality of seed germination. In such a situation, it is recommended to soak the grains for 10 minutes in a saline solution. It is prepared from 1.5 tbsp. l. fine table salt diluted in a liter of cool water.
The seeds that float to the surface are removed, and the remaining ones are washed with clean water. It is not recommended to dry them, placing them immediately for further germination.
Sterilization
In order to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted with seed material, the sterilization stage is practiced. If the seed is purchased in branded salons, this procedure can be skipped.
Expert opinion
Stanislav Pavlovich
Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert
Ask a Question
Use a solution of potassium permanganate with a one percent concentration heated to 22-26 degrees (¼ teaspoon of the drug should be diluted in 250 ml of water). Soak the seeds in it for 25-30 minutes, and then rinse with cool, clean water.
For the purpose of disinfection, planting material can be subjected to a heating operation by filling it with water heated to 50 degrees. The holding time is 20-30 minutes.
In order to prevent certain types of diseases, special preparations are used for sterilization, for example, “Baksis”, “Fitosporin-M” for bacteriosis, root rot, fusarium. Prepare a solution following the instructions and soak the cucumber seed for 1-2 hours.
Hardening
Soaked cucumber seeds acquire increased resistance to changing external conditions after the hardening procedure. Such planting material adapts faster after planting in open beds and is less susceptible to disease, which becomes the key to improved productivity.
See also How and how to mulch cucumbers in a greenhouse and open ground
During the procedure, seeds wrapped in a moistened cotton napkin are placed in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for 48 hours.
Important! Periodically, until pecking occurs, irrigate the fabric, preventing it from drying out.
Bubbling
In order to enhance the germination energy of seeds after 6-7 years of storage, a technique is used to enrich them with oxygen - bubbling.
Place the grains in a small bag made of gauze. Immerse it in a glass container filled a quarter of the volume with water at room temperature. A small amount of seeds can be sprinkled in and left to float freely in the liquid.
Then the aquarium compressor tube is placed under the bag and air is supplied. In this position, bubbles filled with oxygen completely surround the grains. Leave for 18 hours.
Bubbling accelerates germination and guarantees high germination.
How to care for cucumbers after planting in open ground: growing rules
After the plants grow a little, they will need to be thinned out, leaving the strongest shoots.
Thinning is carried out according to the scheme indicated on the package of seeds.
Next, you need to take proper care of the plants in order to get a rich harvest:
- Regular watering and fertilizing.
- Tying the stems.
- Mulching and loosening the soil.
- Pinching, pinching and shaping the bush.
- Fighting diseases and pests.
Our website also has an article about growing cucumbers: Growing cucumbers in a greenhouse...
Watering
Until the shoots appear, there is no need to water the cucumbers, since the moisture does not evaporate thanks to the covering material. However, if the soil dries out at the slightest degree, the seeds may die, so it is necessary to control the soil moisture level.
Next, watering should be competent and regular:
- Use exclusively warm, settled water (above +18 degrees).
- The procedure is carried out early in the morning or late in the evening.
- Moisture should not fall on the leaves so as not to provoke the development of diseases.
- The soil must be soaked deeply for the root system to develop properly.
More details about watering cucumbers in the article: How to properly water cucumbers in a greenhouse and in open ground...
Top dressing
Cucumbers can bear fruit for a long time, so they need to be provided with adequate nutrition during growth and fruiting.
Cucumbers need a lot of macro- and microelements, so they may lack those provided during sowing.
Important! You should not apply a lot of fertilizers into the holes at once, since the crop must receive nutrition as it grows.
Examples of mineral and organic fertilizers
Mineral:
Option 1:
- water – 10 l;
- ammonium nitrate – 1 teaspoon;
- potassium sulfate – 1 teaspoon;
- superphosphate – 1 tbsp. spoon.
Option 2:
- water – 10 l;
- urea - 1 tbsp. spoon;
- superphosphate – 1 tbsp. spoon.
Advice! Superphosphate will stop the rapid growth of seedlings in height, the seedlings will be plump and strong.
Organic:
After the first shoots of cucumbers, many vegetable growers prefer to introduce organic fertilizer.
- Fresh droppings or slurry are diluted with water 1:1.
- Leave the mixture to ferment for a week.
- The solution with bird droppings is diluted with more water - 1:20, and slurry - 1:10.
- 50-100 ml of one of the mixtures is applied to the root of the seedlings.
Now there are many ready-made Agricola-type fertilizers for cucumbers. However, you can cook them yourself.
How to feed cucumbers in the article: How to feed cucumbers during flowering and fruiting...
Garter
To ensure that all bushes receive enough light, cucumbers must be tied to horizontal or vertical trellises to prevent fungal diseases and simplify planting care.
Read more in the articles: How to tie cucumbers in a polycarbonate greenhouse and How best to tie cucumbers in open ground.
Mulching, loosening and hilling
In order for moisture to evaporate more slowly and to reduce the number of waterings and prevent the growth of weeds, the soil around the stems is mulched with straw, hay or rotted sawdust. Or, initially, cucumbers are planted on black spunbond.
If you do not mulch the plantings, then you need to regularly remove weeds and loosen the soil after each watering to avoid the formation of an earthen crust.
Important! Loosening must be done very carefully, since the roots of the cucumbers are close to the surface of the earth at a depth of 5 cm.
With frequent watering and application of liquid fertilizers, the root system is eroded and it is exposed. Therefore, when loosening, it is necessary to hill up the exposed roots. This helps protect the root system and develop lateral root shoots.
Formation: pinching and pinching
The formation of bushes must be approached very responsibly, since this is an important stage in caring for the plant. The amount of harvest depends on these procedures. After pinching, the bush begins to form side shoots on which ovaries will appear.
By pinching, you can remove excess shoots that shade the plant and take away nutrition.
Watch the video! Pinching and pinching
Germination methods
Cucumber seeds are often germinated at home. Various methods are used.
On a damp cloth
The simplest method for growing strong cucumber seedlings is the use of a moistened textile napkin.
Spread it on a plate and spread the grains evenly over the surface. Irrigate them with slightly warmed water. Cover with another damp patch. In such conditions, germination lasts 4-5 days.
Important! Do not allow the textiles to dry out by spraying them with warm water if necessary.
In the sawdust
In such excellent moisture-absorbing material as sawdust, cucumber seedlings feel comfortable.
But it must be borne in mind that this substrate is depleted in nutrients, so immediately after the formation of sprouts, the plants are transplanted into prepared beds or into pots with a soil mixture.
On toilet paper
To germinate cucumber seeds at home without soil, it is convenient to use toilet paper, which easily absorbs and retains moisture for a long time.
Spread several layers of paper on a saucer. After moistening, lay out the seeds, leaving a small gap between them. Place the prepared container in a plastic bag, which is left warm for 2-3 days.
In the peat
Peat tablets are offered specifically for germinating seed material. This is compressed peat that takes the shape of a washer with a hole in the center.
Expert opinion
Stanislav Pavlovich
Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert
Ask a Question
Before sowing, the tablets are placed in a container with water for 10 minutes. After swelling, the grains are placed in the holes, deepening them by 1-1.5 cm.
You can increase the germination rate of cucumber seeds by purchasing peat cups. They are filled with loose nutrient substrate. Seedlings in such a pot are subsequently transplanted directly into the ground without picking, which guarantees 100% survival rate.
In a rolled-up cigarette
Among the new products, we can offer a method of growing strong cucumber seedlings in diapers or rolled-up cigarettes.
Spread the moisture-proof film on a flat horizontal plane. Toilet paper is placed on it in two or three layers. Moisten it with a biostimulator solution. Along one of the long sides, departing 1.5 cm from the edge, lay the grains, maintaining intervals of 5 centimeters. Roll up a cigarette. Place it in a transparent container into which a little water is poured. On average, seedlings appear after three days.
In coconut substrate
Before starting sowing, tablets made from coconut fibers and shavings must be soaked in boiling water.
Expert opinion
Stanislav Pavlovich
Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert
Ask a Question
When the substrate swells and cools, seeds are placed in it. The container is left in a warm place.
All not
You can use dried grass clippings. The hay is doused with hot water and after some time, hot, transferred to a container.
The seeds are laid out at intervals of 2 cm, buried in the loose extract. Place the container covered with film in a warm place.
See also Growing cucumber variety Far Eastern 27
What preparations to use to stimulate plant growth?
There are several drugs that can speed up the germination of cucumber seeds. These include:
- "Kornevin". This is a popular drug used not only to stimulate plant development, but also to protect seedlings from diseases. To create a solution, add 2 grams of “Kornevin” to a liter container of liquid. The seed is treated once 2-3 days before planting.
- "Silk." It is used to process the seeds of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. "Silk" improves the development of vegetable crops and increases their yield. The drug also strengthens the immunity of vegetables and protects against fungal pathologies.
- Sodium humate. To prepare a solution for germinating seeds, add 55 grams of the drug to five liters of heated water. Before use, the mixture should be infused for about 5-6 hours.
The necessary conditions
It is recommended to germinate cucumber seeds under certain conditions. The main goal is to achieve a high degree of germination.
Temperature
It is recommended to keep containers with sown cucumber seeds in a warm place.
A friendly pecking is observed at a temperature of 23-26 degrees. This indicator should not be allowed to drop below 19 degrees, but excessively high temperatures slow down germination and do not allow viable seedlings to develop.
Lighting
It is possible to independently grow strong seedlings of such a light-loving crop as cucumbers if, after sowing, the container is placed in a lighted place.
Expert opinion
Stanislav Pavlovich
Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert
Ask a Question
If you choose a window sill, then provide protection from possible drafts and burning midday sun rays.
Watering
It is dangerous to overdry the substrate in which cucumber seeds are germinated. In this case, the development of seedlings slows down significantly.
It is necessary to irrigate the seeds every two days using warm water poured into a spray bottle.
Protection of crops from pests and diseases
The key to a rich harvest is preventive measures designed to prevent crops from being damaged by harmful insects and diseases.
For this purpose, special preparations are used for treatment, for example, “Baktofit”, “Ordan”, “Fitolavin”.
Mistakes when planting cucumbers
Knowing how many days it takes for cucumbers to sprout, and not receiving results after all the permissible periods have passed, you should study the reasons why such consequences are possible. This will help avoid mistakes in the future.
Cucumbers love warmth. That is why they require a temperature of 23-27 degrees for rapid germination. At 15-17 degrees you can also expect results, but it will take longer. If a cucumber seed falls into an environment where it is below 12 degrees, you should not hope for a harvest.
Most likely, at such a low temperature for cucumbers, all the work will be in vain, since the seed, instead of germinating, will begin to mold.
The quality and condition of the soil for planting cucumbers is of great importance. The soil should not be too heavy; this will ensure uneven germination or even death of the sprout, which will not be able to break through the heavy crust on the surface.
The soil should be well moistened. Lack of moisture will slow down the germination process and can also lead to drying of the embryonic root. However, excessive moisture, which is most often characteristic of more clayey soil, should also be avoided.
No less attention should be paid to the condition of the seeds; pre-sowing preparation should be carried out carefully, in compliance with all recommendations.
The process from preparing a cucumber seed for planting to obtaining an excellent harvest requires some knowledge and effort. But by giving it the proper time, even the most inexperienced novice gardener can achieve pleasant results.
How many days will it take to expect the first shoots?
When optimal conditions are created after soaking, cucumber seeds hatch already on the third to fifth day.
Expert opinion
Stanislav Pavlovich
Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert
Ask a Question
It must be taken into account that different varieties and hybrids germinate unevenly over time. Place them in different containers.
Important! Seedlings are planted in the ground only after stable warm weather has established. In conditions of frequent temperature fluctuations, a film cover is provided.
