When to plant cucumber seedlings in 2022: timing, care

Tasty, crunchy and healthy cucumbers are a favorite among gardeners. A large number of summer residents are engaged in growing this crop. Some do this in a greenhouse, others in a country house or on the property of a private house. You can grow them without seedlings, right in the ground, but when growing seedlings, you will get the first harvest earlier. Therefore, in order to get a good, rich harvest, you should take care of the seedlings in advance.

Features of growing cucumber seedlings

The seedling method allows you to harvest cucumbers much earlier and also increases productivity. It is important to take into account weather and climatic conditions and the time of planting seedlings in open soil.

Reference. In central Russia, cucumber seeds are sown for seedlings in late April - early May , but if you have your own greenhouse, you can do this in late March - early April.

Cucumbers are heat-loving, and if planted too early, they may die or become sick on cold spring nights. First of all, this manifests itself in yellowing of the leaves. Then they will begin to dry out, and the plant will practically stop developing.

Therefore, before you start growing seedlings, you need to study all the intricacies of the matter, and then move on to further actions.

Why are cucumbers planted as seedlings and not in the ground?

In addition to those already mentioned, there are two more important reasons :

1. To achieve mass fruiting of cucumbers before the spread of fungal diseases. Diseases in cucumbers begin to worsen closer to mid-summer. And if you grow them through seedlings, then by this time the plants will already be quite strong and with good immunity, which will help them to resist all unfavorable factors well.
2. Many gardeners prefer to grow imported cucumber hybrids, the seeds of which are not cheap. And protecting ready-made seedlings from diseases and pests is much easier than protecting small cucumber sprouts grown outdoors.

Optimal conditions

Before emergence, it is recommended to maintain a temperature of about +22+26°C . Then the seedlings are placed in cooler conditions (+18+20°C) so that the young plants do not stretch out.

Important! Temperatures below +16 and above +30°C will lead to the death of sprouts .

There are several more important conditions , following which you can grow excellent seedlings:

• seeds should be planted in separate pots;
• water for irrigation should be warm;
• plants should be provided with good lighting;
• It is recommended to place containers at a distance from each other;
• as it grows, it is necessary to add soil;
• It is important to harden off the seedlings before planting.

Sowing methods

You can grow cucumbers for seedlings not only in ordinary cups, peat pots or tablets. Inventive gardeners have come up with many unusual ways with minimal effort and expense: in sawdust, boiling water, eggshells or diapers. Everyone can choose what suits them best.

In cups

The most affordable and common container for planting cucumbers is disposable plastic or paper cups. Dairy containers, bottles and the like are also suitable.

Holes must be made at the bottom of such containers. To install cups with seedlings, it is better to immediately prepare some kind of tray into which water will flow during watering.

Some gardeners use homemade pots from glossy magazines or newspapers. They are very simple to make: wrap the bottle in material and secure with tape or a stapler.

In tablets

Growing cucumber seedlings in peat or coconut tablets is a convenient novelty for many. They are made from pressed dry peat or coconut substrate. They have a lot of advantages:

• no need to waste time searching for containers and soil;
• space saving;
• good breathability;
• have additives of various nutrients in optimal proportions.

The tablets come in a variety of sizes, making them suitable for a wide variety of crops. Imported samples are often wrapped in a special mesh to prevent the substrate from crumbling. They are used in the same way as cups, on pallets.

In peat pots

Peat pots are containers made from a mixture of peat and pressed cardboard. They completely dissolve in the soil, which allows the plant to take root in the soil without problems. Two big advantages of this container:

• safe and convenient planting of fragile seedlings;
• when decomposed it becomes fertilizer.

It is important to choose pots wisely so that the root system, after planting the seedlings in the ground, can break through the walls and the plant does not die.

In a shell

This original method is not much different from growing seedlings in plastic cups, but it has an advantage: you do not need to remove the seedlings from the shell before planting, just crack it.

The only thing you need to prepare in advance is to collect egg material and several packaging grids for stability. The shell needs to be lightly pressed down from below and only then covered with soil so that the roots can develop.

In boiling water

Only plastic containers are suitable for this method. If you heat plant in paper cups, peat pots or tablets, they may turn sour.

When using boiling water, the seeds are not just disinfected - they are steamed well and will produce more female flowers in the future. This will have a beneficial effect on pollination and the number of fruits. For the same purpose, cucumber seeds can be sown in hot sawdust.

About when picking makes sense

By the way, there is no need to replant the plant itself if the cucumber seeds are sown immediately in separate cups. Cucumber seedlings, planted in separate containers, develop well, and after 25 days they are ready to move to a permanent place.

In this, cucumber seedlings are radically different from tomato seedlings. Tomatoes need replanting; thanks to this, their root system is better formed. Picking cucumber seedlings is justified in the following cases:

1. There are a lot of cucumber seeds, there are questions about germination, but there is no time to germinate them. Dry seeds can be sown in a container. Plant the strongest seedlings in separate cups after full-fledged cotyledon leaves are formed.
2. If you have a polycarbonate greenhouse, you can sow several seeds into a hole at a time. In the cotyledon phase or 2 true leaves, cucumbers can be picked in a greenhouse. Plant excess seedlings in other holes, one in each.
3. It makes sense to save a diseased plant by replanting. Use new soil and a new container for this.
4. Transplanting overgrown cucumber seedlings is justified. Lack of sunlight causes plants to stretch out. If you transplant frail, elongated seedlings into another container and deepen them almost to the cotyledons, you can slow down the growth of the above-ground part and stimulate the formation of additional roots. Stimulates the growth of new roots by pinching the central root to a third of its length.

Planting cucumbers for seedlings

Many summer residents know that cucumbers do not tolerate transplantation well due to possible damage to the root system. But still, they are in no hurry to immediately plant cucumber seeds in open ground, because they want to get the first harvest of cucumbers 2-3 weeks before the main harvest. And this is quite possible with the help of seedlings.

When to sow seeds

Cucumbers are heat-loving plants, so the main criteria for transplanting seedlings into the ground are air and soil temperatures. The soil temperature should not be lower than +15 degrees, but the development of plants in this case will be slow.

It is better to wait until the soil warms up to +25°C. To speed up this process, you can bury sawdust, hay and manure into the beds to a depth of about half a meter and cover the beds with dark film.

Important! Growing seedlings should not take more than three weeks, otherwise you may end up with overgrown plants. Based on this information, you can calculate when to plant cucumber seedlings.

If cucumbers are planted in a greenhouse (around May 15), seedlings should begin to be prepared around April 20. If the seedlings are planted directly in open ground , the seeds for seedlings can be planted in early May.

Favorable days according to the lunar calendar 2022

If you focus on the 2022 lunar calendar, it is recommended to plant cucumber seeds for seedlings on the following favorable days:

• March 5, 20, 21, 24, 25;
• April 9, 10, 15, 16, 17;
• May 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

Sowing dates in regions

It is recommended to observe the following approximate dates for planting cucumber seeds for seedlings in different regions of Russia:

• In Siberia and the Urals - in early May . In this area, frosts occur even in early June, and seedlings are usually planted in a greenhouse, so the sowing date may be shifted to an earlier date.
• In Moscow and the Moscow region - from mid-April to early May , depending on the weather in a particular year. And in the St. Petersburg region, sowing should be carried out no earlier than the end of April.
• In the southern regions of Russia, it is customary to sow seeds in the second ten days of March , and in Crimea, seedlings can begin to be prepared even in early March. The weather conditions in these parts allow the plants not to freeze.

How to choose containers

For sowing cucumber seedlings, it is best to use individual containers .

The cups must have a volume of at least 0.5 liters and drainage holes so that excess moisture comes out when watering. The walls and bottom of such glasses can be covered with paper so that when planting, you can easily pull out the plant and not damage the earthen ball.

You can use peat pots with a volume of at least 300 milliliters. When transplanting, the seedlings are planted in the ground with a pot, which will dissolve after a while.

If possible, it is better to choose the most convenient method - peat tablets. There is no need for soil, processing or any additional equipment. In the case of cucumbers, tablets are selected from three centimeters in size. They need to be filled with water: they will swell and be ready for sowing.

The seedlings are planted in the soil along with the tablets; the roots can easily penetrate the peat shell.

What soil to use

Soil for growing cucumber seedlings can be purchased at a specialized store or you can prepare the soil yourself at home. To do this, mix the following ingredients in equal proportions:

• turf land;
• sawdust;
• peat;
• humus.

Selecting a variety and seeds

Every year there are more and more varieties and hybrids of cucumbers. And many of them can be grown through seedlings. When choosing, you need to take into account the conditions in which the crop will be grown. In addition, varieties are selected according to the type of growth and quality of the fruit.

There are varieties that are considered universal , but in most cases they all differ in purpose. Therefore, the gardener should decide which varieties he is going to deal with. Everyone has their own preferences and advice here is meaningless.

salad-type
cucumbers, the early-ripening hybrid “April F1” is valued - its fruits are long, thin and smooth. Also popular are varieties such as “Graceful”, “Phoenix”, “Altaisky Early 166” and some others.

Important! Cucumbers of these varieties are not suitable for canning and pickling - in brine they become soft and voids form in them.

Among the traditional pickling varieties are “Cascade”, “Mig”, “Voronezhsky”, “Muromsky 36”, “Nezhinsky”. There are also a large number of hybrids that are ideal for canning: “Spring F1”, “Claudia F1”, “Marinda F1”, “Christina F1”.

Picking rules

If picking is unavoidable, competent execution of a clear sequence of the transplantation process is required. Otherwise, it will not be possible to save some of the plants that do not have great health and growth vigor. Only the youngest crops need to be picked. As a material, it is necessary to choose seedlings that are no more than 7-30 days old (counting from the moment the first greenery appears on the soil). In addition, you can be guided by the appearance of the seedlings - they must have two cotyledon leaves.

• Preparing containers for cucumbers. The size of the containers must be selected slightly larger than those originally selected for sowing the cucumber. Cups made of paper or peat would be optimal, due to the fact that when replanting, removing the soil can have a bad effect on the development of the plantings. And in such cups you can easily place the plant in the soil.
• Soil preparation. As a filler, you can use a substrate from the store, which is optimal for vegetables or just cucumbers. You can also choose a self-prepared mixture consisting of turf soil, rotted sawdust, organic fertilizer and peat. Preparing the mixed mixture should begin in the fall so that the mixture has time to rot. It is possible to use only ash added to the turf soil. Whatever soil you choose for replanting, the main conditions are looseness, air and water capacity, and nutritional value of the soil. Otherwise, after watering, nutrients will not be able to penetrate to the entire depth of the soil.
• Pouring soil into prepared containers. Filling should be done two-thirds full, after which the container is left for a couple of days to allow the substrate to compact. If necessary, you need to add more soil if there is a lot of free space left after compacting the soil.
• Before picking (2-3 hours before), the soil in the container should be watered with warm water (not lower than room temperature), followed by deepening by 2-3 cm.
• Before picking, the plants are watered with warm water (2-3 hours before transplanting). When watering, it is necessary not to overdo it so that the soil does not separate from the root system and at the same time becomes saturated with moisture. Otherwise, it will not be possible to plant seedlings in a container without damaging the root system.
• Removal of small seedlings must be done carefully. It is necessary to avoid touching the fragile stem with your fingers so as not to damage it, as it is very brittle. It is optimal to hold the seedling by a lump of soil between the roots or in the area of ​​the cotyledon leaves. Digging up seedlings should be done with a small round spatula, a regular tablespoon or long tweezers. In this case, it is necessary to dig not along the entire length of the working tool, but gradually going deeper under the root.
• The root of the extracted plant should be examined. If traces of infection or suppuration are found on it, it must be thrown away. If the roots of the plant are very long, they must be pinched, cutting off the long central shoots. This will provide the opportunity for the development of lateral roots, providing the seedlings with strength and strength due to uniform development.
• Place the seedlings in the prepared hole. The soil should be lightly compacted around the plant stem. This operation has a positive effect on the active adhesion of the root to the soil and on the adaptation of the plant to a new place.
• Planting cucumbers should be accompanied by abundant watering. In this case, pre-settled water is used.
• Upon completion of planting, all seedlings should be covered with thick white fabric. Such material will protect plants from drafts and ensure normalization of soil temperature, creating favorable climatic conditions.
• It is necessary to avoid significant deepening of cucumber plantings into the soil, as this will lead to the stem rotting, which will reduce the growth of the plant. The optimal depth is to fill the seedlings up to the knee - the inflection line that can be found on the stem.

Picking in a greenhouse

When growing greenhouse cucumbers using the seedless method, 3 to 5 seeds are sown in a hole. After germination, no more than one plant should be left in the hole. It is better to pick cucumbers in a greenhouse in the phase of 2 true leaves.

The principle of transplantation is the same as for home seedlings. The main thing is to keep the lump of earth on the roots intact and replant it in moist soil.

In open ground, densely planted cucumbers can be picked in a similar way. Cover transplanted cucumbers from the sun for several days. White covering material is suitable for covering.

When planting cucumbers in a greenhouse, the seedlings are planted in a permanent place according to the recommended planting pattern. When growing hybrids in one stem, the holes are placed at a distance of 30 cm from each other. The optimal density is 3 bushes per square meter.

Seedling care

The key to success in growing strong and healthy seedlings is an individual approach and attention to detail. You just need to adhere to certain requirements and care properly.

Features of care

It is important not to forget to ventilate the crops daily. The first few times it is recommended to do short ventilation - 15-20 minutes.

Then, every day you need to gradually increase the time the seedlings spend in the open air. Maximum – up to one hour.

Temperature

Immediately after planting the seeds, it is necessary to ensure a temperature regime of +22+26°C . This temperature must be maintained until the first shoots appear.

As soon as the seedlings appear, the containers with seedlings should be moved to a cool place. The temperature in it should be +18 degrees. Lowering the temperature will have a beneficial effect on the development of the plant.

Important! It is necessary to protect seedlings from drafts.

Lighting

Until seedlings appear, plants generally do not need light. When the sprouts hatch, it is best to place containers with seedlings on the windowsill. For normal development and growth, they need sunlight from 12 to 14 hours .

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to provide plants with the required amount of natural light. In such situations, special lamps for additional illumination will come to the rescue. And in cloudy weather, it is recommended to illuminate the plantings with them for the whole day.

Advice! If possible, seedlings should be placed on a south or southwest windowsill.

Watering

Seedlings need regular watering. Without moisture, the plant is delayed in growth and development. Watering should be done every time the top layer of soil dries.

Important! Over-irrigation is also dangerous for plants as it can cause root rot.

In addition to the main watering, it is recommended to spray the leaves with a spray bottle once every three days.

Top dressing

Cucumbers can be fertilized when the plants have two or three true leaves. It is recommended to fertilize seedlings in the morning or evening, preferably in cloudy weather.

Important! Plants should be watered the day before feeding. Do not fertilize when the soil is dry, otherwise you can burn the roots of the plants.

You can feed cucumber seedlings with a mixture that contains the following ingredients: water, calcium nitrate, potassium sulfide, superphosphate. Properly prepared fertilizer will help grow healthy and strong seedlings.

How and when to transplant seedlings into open ground

It is necessary to plant cucumber seedlings in open ground at a stable air temperature of at least +18+22 degrees and a soil temperature of at least +15+16 degrees. In this case, the following rules must be observed:

1. It is necessary to disinfect the soil about a month before planting.
2. The planting hole must be deep.
3. It is recommended to put a quarter of a bucket of humus and a tablespoon of wood ash at the bottom.
4. The seedlings must be planted together with a lump of earth, sprinkled with earth and thoroughly compacted.
5. After planting, the beds must be watered generously.

Possible diseases of seedlings

Cucumber seedlings are mainly susceptible to fungal diseases, and less often to viral infections. Misfortunes such as wilting of seedlings and death of roots may also occur. As a result, the plant may die.

Seedlings can be attacked by diseases:

• blackleg;
• root rot;
• ascochyta;
• powdery mildew;
• mosaic.

The main causes of illnesses:

• excessive watering and stagnation of water in conditions of elevated room temperature;
• violation of temperature requirements.

Ways to fight:

• disinfection of seeds and soil;
• compliance with recommended watering requirements;
• maintaining the correct temperature and fertilizing regime;
• spraying with antifungal drugs.

Common mistakes

1. The biggest mistake is to grow seedlings for as long as possible and plant already mature plants with ovaries on the site. Such a seedling has an overgrown root system, so it will almost certainly be damaged during transplantation. In addition, in this case, the seedlings will get used to “home” conditions, so they will take root in the open air for a long time and may even die.
2. Another mistake is non-compliance with the heat treatment of the seed and the application of large amounts of fertilizer . Because of this, deformation of the cotyledons occurs, which will then affect the harvest.
3. Also, gardeners often neglect temperature and lighting , simply maintaining average values ​​throughout the entire time of growing seedlings. Because of this, the plants will stretch out and be very fragile.

Reviews from gardeners about picking cucumbers

Vladimir Alekseev, 67 years old, Belgorod, pensioner. I plant cucumbers every year, my whole family loves them. I grow vegetables only in seedlings and always with picking. I don’t know who is there and what they are saying, but my greens always take root perfectly after picking. And then the fruits turn out tasty and crispy.

Nadezhda Chizh, 38 years old, Nizhny Tagil, accountant. I am an amateur vegetable grower, I plant cucumbers in a greenhouse at my summer cottage. I have never picked seedlings, but a neighbor advised me to try. Perhaps I did something wrong, but more than half of my seedlings were lost, although the cucumbers always bear fruit well.

Marina Vitkova, 46 years old, Shchelkovo, seller. Although picking is considered optional for cucumber seedlings, I always do it. The procedure strengthens the roots, and in general the plants become more resistant to negative factors. I definitely recommend picking cucumber seedlings.

If you are new to growing cucumber seedlings, or have never planted seedlings before, experiment and try picking. If you follow all the rules, there will be no problems with the transplanted plants. They usually take root well in their new “living space.”

Advice from experienced gardeners

These tips are designed to help lay a healthy and strong foundation for the future cucumber harvest:

1. You need to plant cucumber seeds with their nose up, since the sprout grows from there. If you plant the seeds upside down, the seedling will have to spend time and effort getting rid of the seed coat. There is even a possibility that he will not be able to do this at all and will die.
2. Germination of seedlings can be accelerated by covering the containers with paper or newspaper. The soil under this material will not be washed away and the seeds will not be exposed. This will also provide sufficient humidity and air access - ideal conditions for the germination of cucumber seeds. After germination, the material must be removed.
3. It is advisable to write down everything related to sowing seeds and growing seedlings. This will help you avoid common mistakes in the future. The records can include: where and when the seeds were purchased, when they sprouted, what percentage of germination occurred, when the cotyledons and true leaves appeared, how many days it took to grow the seedlings, and when they were planted in a permanent location.

Is it necessary to pick cucumbers?

There has always been debate among vegetable growers about whether it is possible to pick cucumber seedlings. Discussions on this topic will continue, because everyone has their own opinion and growing experience on this matter.

Information on how to plant cucumber seedlings may be of interest to summer residents who have no experience in growing them. An experienced gardener will grow a good harvest in both cases. For those who know well how to pick cucumbers correctly, there are no problems.

For the information of novice gardeners: the term “dive” is simply translated into ordinary language. This is the usual transplantation of plants planted with seeds in boxes or greenhouses to a new place (a separate pot, bed).