How to properly plant overgrown cucumber seedlings in open ground or a greenhouse

The first thing to do if the cucumber seedlings have stretched out is to look for the mistakes made and urgently correct them. If you leave everything as it is, then soon the seedlings will die from exhaustion and disruption of the trophism of their green mass.

Beginning vegetable growers get scared and don’t know what to do if the cucumber seedlings become very elongated, become thin and gradually turn yellow. They begin to think about what to feed, what fertilizers to use. And this is absolutely impossible to do. After all, an elongated stem is the first sign that the plant’s root system is underdeveloped or damaged. Applying any fertilizers will be deadly for it. As a result of the resulting chemical burns, the roots will die and the plant will die.

Before you can fix errors, you need to find them. Therefore, read the article for common reasons why cucumber seedlings stretch and what to do with overgrown plants to correct the situation.

Remember that cucumbers are inhabitants of the tropics. This crop is extremely sensitive to insufficient levels of lighting and humidity. But the most important condition for active growth and development is well-structured, loose and moist soil from above. You cannot take soil from a garden bed in your garden and plant cucumbers in it. This soil is too dense and heavy. The root system will not develop as expected. Overextension will occur.

High-quality cucumber seedlings have a thick short stem, 4 - 5 true dark green leaves, located from each other at a distance of no more than 1.5 - 2 cm. If the length of the internodes is 5 cm or more, it is considered that the cucumber seedlings are very elongated and will not give a full-fledged deformation. This is not true. Everything can be corrected.

How to plant cucumbers for seedlings

There are subtleties in the seedling method of growing cucumbers that every summer resident should know about. It is important to choose the right seeds, process them, and prepare the soil.

Seed selection, preparation for planting

Not all seeds collected from cucumbers can be planted the next year. Seeds are stored for ten years without losing germination. But to obtain a harvest of greens, seeds three to four years old are suitable. Pay attention to the type of vegetable. Hybrids will not produce high-quality fruits. Self-pollinating varieties are suitable for growing at home. If you buy planting material in a store, then it is not pre-treated. Seeds collected by summer residents from cucumbers undergo the following procedures:

  • selection;
  • disinfection;
  • germination;
  • bubbling.

Seeds are rejected by dipping them into a solution of table salt. Empty seeds will rise to the top, and full ones will fall to the bottom.

It is necessary to disinfect the seed material to prevent the plants from getting fungal infections. Place the bag of seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for twenty to thirty minutes. Then the seeds are washed with tap water and dried.

To speed up germination, wrap the seeds in a damp cloth or a layer of toilet paper. Sprouts appear after five to seven days if the room temperature reaches 28 degrees. The emerging shoots are hardened off by placing them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for two days. The plant seedlings that have undergone the procedure are not afraid of the cold in the future.

They bubble and saturate the cucumber seeds with oxygen in order to speed up the germination process. There is an aquarium compressor in a container of warm water along with a bag of seeds. The procedure is carried out daily, twenty days before planting cucumbers.

Before planting cucumber seeds, prepare containers for seedlings. It is better to take peat cups for this. They are filled with two-thirds of the soil, consisting of peat, sand and humus, taken in equal quantities. For ten kilograms of soil mixture, add a glass of wood ash, a teaspoon of fertilizer in the form of urea, and nitrophoska.

The soil is disinfected by spilling it with a solution of potassium permanganate or boiling water. After disinfection, the soil should be saturated with beneficial microorganisms within seven to ten days.

At what depth can seedlings be planted?

The method of deepening is good enough if you plant the sprout sideways or twist it in the form of a spiral the width of the hole. There is no need to place the root very deep. It is best to plant it at a depth of 6-8 cm. If you deepen the stem, the roots will begin to grow quickly. Soon the bushes will begin to regenerate and lush foliage will appear.

How to properly plant seeds and care for seedlings

Twenty to thirty days before placing cucumber seedlings in open ground, plant the vegetable seeds in pots. Two plant seeds are placed in each container to a depth of one and a half centimeters. The soil is moistened and the containers are covered with polyethylene film. The plantings are opened slightly for ventilation every day, and after the sprouts appear, the film is removed. Maintain the room temperature at 25 degrees Celsius.

After four to five days, cucumber seedlings will appear, then the temperature in the room is reduced to 18 degrees, and at night - to fifteen.

Young shoots need light. If there is not enough natural lighting, artificial lighting is added. Fluorescent lamps are used, placing them five centimeters from the seedlings.

Cucumber seedlings are fed both fifteen days after germination and a week before transplanting into open ground or a greenhouse. The first time, take a teaspoon of urea for three liters of water. A glass of nutrient solution is poured under the bush. Fertilizers are applied a second time a week later, dissolving three grams of nitrophoska and six grams of wood ash in three liters of water.

See also

Applications and dosage of Trichopolum for spraying and processing cucumbersRead

Caring for cucumber seedlings includes moderate watering. For the procedure, use settled water at room temperature.

Post-planting care for elongated seedlings


Recently transplanted overgrown cucumbers require more thorough care than standard plantings. Basic Rules:

  1. The soil should not dry out. Cucumbers love moisture, it helps them accumulate and restore strength.
  2. Timely garter. It is better to carefully tie up thin and brittle stems immediately after planting. It is better to do this from above, without over-tightening the rope.
  3. Loosening and fertilizing. You can feed, loosen the soil and perform any other manipulations with it only after a week. During this time, the plantings adapt to the new soil.
  4. In case of sudden temperature changes and the threat of frost, even greenhouse cucumbers must be covered with perforated film.
  5. It is better to use fertilizer that stimulates the growth of the roots, and not the leaf mass of the plant.
  6. It is better to trim the primrose. This step will stimulate better development of the root system.

To properly plant overgrown cucumber seedlings, you need to follow all the rules. Otherwise, the entire crop may die.

What to do if cucumber seedlings are overgrown

To get cucumbers on time, you need to take proper care of the seedlings. After all, seedlings can stretch out and weaken. And there are enough reasons for this:

  • When there is little natural light, seedlings grown on a windowsill will be drawn to the light. Their stems will become thin and pale. Installed additional lighting lamps can cause burns on the leaves of seedlings. Suitable for extending daylight hours are phytolamps or fluorescent ones.
  • The air temperature in the room is controlled to prevent seedlings from overgrowing. For cucumbers, a temperature of 16-18 degrees is suitable, not higher than twenty degrees.

  • Density of plantings is another reason that seedlings will outgrow. Lack of space means plants lack nutrition, moisture and light.
  • Cucumbers love moisture, but should be watered sparingly. The need for moisture is indicated by the drooping leaves of the plant.
  • Nutrients for cucumbers should be normal. Excess fertilizers, as well as a lack of them, leads to the elongation of seedlings.
  • Overgrown seedlings appear if the cucumber container is too small or the soil does not contain nutrients.

Eliminating the reasons for the stretching of cucumber seedlings will allow you to grow strong seedlings.

The situation can be corrected if:

  • reduce the room temperature to 18-16 degrees Celsius;
  • increase the distance between seedlings;
  • organize artificial lighting;
  • water and feed the plant according to the rules of cucumber agricultural technology;
  • pinch the main shoot above the second true leaf, leaving a stump of half a centimeter.

If the cucumber seedlings have outgrown, then use the method of digging in the seedlings. A small depression is dug next to the stem. An elongated cucumber stem is placed there, sprinkled with earth and compacted. After this, the ground is watered. Soon roots will appear on the cucumber stem, and the upper part of the plant will become stronger.

Possible reasons for pulling cucumber seedlings

The most likely reason why cucumber seedlings are growing upward is a lack of sunlight. Under natural conditions, cucumber sprouts are illuminated by the sun for 12-14 hours. The lighting intensity is at least 8000 lux. If cucumber seedlings are placed on a windowsill without additional lighting sources, then they lack both brightness and duration of lighting. Signs of lack of light, even if the seedlings are standing on the window:

  • the leaves on the cucumbers lose their brightness and become pale green;
  • the stems stretch and bend towards the light source.

Thickened planting of seeds can provoke stretching of cucumbers immediately after germination. Seedlings shade each other, the roots do not have enough nutrition, and as a result, the plants become elongated.

Expert opinion

Stanislav Pavlovich

Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert

Ask a Question

Advice. Cucumbers grow quickly and do not tolerate picking well. It is recommended to sow the crop directly into cups, separately. In an individual container, the roots of the plant actively grow; the above-ground part does not develop as intensively.

Other reasons for pulling young plants:

  • high room temperature (above +25 degrees);
  • a large amount of nitrogen fertilizer in the soil;
  • excessive watering.

These three factors provoke rapid growth of cucumbers. The seedlings quickly outgrow, the stems become thin and are unable to hold large leaves. The cucumber falls to the ground, the roots can no longer supply food to the overgrown stem and the seedlings wither.

Important! Cucumber seeds are sown for seedlings 30-36 days before planting in the garden. Earlier sowing of the crop leads to excessive elongation of plants.

How to plant cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse

To obtain early harvests, cucumber seedlings, after the appearance of the first true leaf, are transplanted into a greenhouse. Conditions are created for planted seedlings when:

  • the air temperature does not fall below fifteen degrees at night and twenty during the day;
  • humidity is seventy or eighty percent;
  • organize additional lighting with lamps with a power of five hundred watts per square meter of the room;
  • Daylight hours last twelve to fourteen hours.

Overgrown seedlings do not tolerate transplantation well and take root with difficulty. Experienced vegetable growers advise cutting off the plant's vines before planting overgrown cucumber seedlings. It will be easier to transfer cucumber seedlings into the ground - they will not break.

Cucumbers take a long time to recover from damage to the root system. We replant the cucumbers so as not to break off the roots, with a distance of twenty-five centimeters from each other.

Pinching shoots also plays an important role. It is carried out when lashes appear on the shoots of the first order. They are pinched above the first ovary. If there are no ovaries in the axils of the first three leaves, then the entire second-order shoot is removed. To better illuminate the cucumber lashes, they are directed vertically, organizing the tension of the cords. Cucumber vines are tied to them. Along a vertical wire, the shoots will curl themselves.

See also

Description of the cucumber variety True friends, features of cultivation and careRead

Cucumbers planted in a greenhouse require proper care in the form of:

  • abundant watering once or twice a day;
  • spraying plants with warm water;
  • applying organic and mineral fertilizers every ten days;
  • formation into one or two stems by pinching;
  • adding a layer of soil two to three centimeters onto the exposed roots of the cucumbers.

An experienced summer resident will not be afraid to replant elongated cucumber seedlings in a greenhouse, receiving a harvest of greens in the early stages.

Agricultural technology that prevents stretching

There is modern agricultural technology for growing cucumber seedlings, which completely prevents the seedlings from stretching. If you follow her recommendations, you can grow strong and healthy seedlings of this vegetable crop with your own hands.

So, it all starts with proper preparation. The seeds are soaked in growth activators, disinfected and hardened. The soil is structured and made breathable. Sowing is carried out to a depth of 2 cm. When filling the cup with soil before planting, remember the possibility of pulling. Fill it only halfway. After the emergence of shoots, as the stem grows, constantly add dry airy soil to the cotyledon leaves. This will promote rapid growth of the root system.

If you foresee this, then you will know what to do if the cucumber seedlings in cups have stretched out. Therefore, do not overdo it - you will always have time to add more soil.

When the first true leaf appears, the plant is transferred to a larger pot. Try not to damage the root system. After 3 - 4 days, add a liquid solution of potash and phosphate fertilizers. They stimulate root growth. After another 2 days, feed with a solution of humic acids (organic fertilizers). When the third leaf appears, it is again transferred to an even larger container.

Inexperienced summer residents ask whether it is possible to bury elongated cucumber seedlings and to what extent? Yes, you can bury cucumber seedlings, but only up to the cotyledon leaves. Try to act carefully so as not to break the fragile stem. Before digging, thoroughly wet the clod of soil so that the vegetative parts of the cucumber restore their natural turgor. Before replanting, make sure that the plant is not affected by spider mites or fungal diseases.

Before picking cucumbers, if the seedlings have stretched out, select wide containers. If the stem is stretched excessively, it is not advisable to immerse it deep into the ground. Optimally, place it spirally or obliquely at a depth of up to 5 cm from the surface.

Is it possible to plant overgrown seedlings in open ground?

In order for the elongated cucumber seedlings to take root, it is necessary to carry out the procedure of placing them in open ground, following the rules:

  • If the seedlings are in peat pots, then you don’t have to worry about how to plant overgrown cucumber seedlings. It is placed in the hole along with the container. When removing seedlings from containers, it is necessary to take care of the integrity of the plant roots.
  • Before planting cucumbers, add humus to the holes, thoroughly mixing it with turf soil. The prepared wells are moistened. This must be done in advance.
  • Seedlings are planted in the morning or evening. It is better to transplant cucumber seedlings into open ground on cloudy days.
  • After the cucumbers are planted in the ground, they are watered.
  • After three or four rows of cucumbers, it is recommended to sow corn and peas in two rows. These crops are needed to increase soil and air temperatures and protect cucumbers from wind and frost.

If cucumber seedlings do not take root well, you need to know what to do. The rules of care include procedures known to every summer resident:

  • Water the cucumbers generously in the first week after planting. Reduce the frequency of watering before flowering begins. After the ovaries have formed, moisten more often, wetting the plants from above. On hot days, moisten the soil in the morning and evening. The water is heated to a temperature of 20-25 degrees. The top layer of soil is moistened to a depth of five to eight centimeters.
  • Long-climbing types of cucumbers are pinched above the third or fourth true leaf. This leads to the appearance of side shoots and the formation of a large number of female flowers, and then fruits.
  • Fertilizing is done with mullein, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:8. Among mineral fertilizers, preference is given to ammonium nitrate (30 grams), superphosphate (25 grams) and potassium salt (10 grams), diluted in ten liters of water. The second time they are fed using a solution of ammonium nitrate and potassium salt.
  • On hot days, cucumbers are shaded with shields made of twigs and shingles for three to four hours.
  • After exposing the lower part of the stem, the cucumbers are rejuvenated. Having rolled the lower part of the bare stem into a ring, leave it for a week and then cover it with earth. To feed cucumbers with carbon dioxide, piles of fresh manure are laid out next to the beds.

You can get a vegetable harvest from overgrown seedlings if you know what to do when pulling out the shoots.

What to do and how to help the plant

Even from overgrown cucumbers you can get a good harvest if you change the conditions in which the plant is kept in time.

Light mode

You can correct the situation with a lack of light by installing backlighting. They use special phytolamps with a red-violet spectrum of rays. You can buy them at garden stores. Such lamps do not heat the air around them and provide seedlings with light in the required range. In addition to phytolamps, you can use fluorescent (fluorescent) lamps.

Attention! Household incandescent light bulbs are not suitable for illuminating cucumbers. They produce a lot of heat and little light.

The lamps are hung at a distance of 15-20 cm above the seedlings. It is enough to turn them on for several hours in the morning and evening, extending the daylight hours to the required 12-14 hours. An inexpensive time relay will relieve the vegetable grower from the need to turn the light bulbs on and off every day.

See also: How to properly form cucumbers in open ground and greenhouses

Watering mode

Cucumber is a well-known water feeder, but in a limited pot space, when receiving excessive watering, the seedlings become thin and long. It is recommended to water seedlings no more than once every 2-3 days. The soil in the glasses should remain slightly moist, but not wet, between waterings.

Important. Water for watering cucumbers is heated to 20 degrees. Tap water is left to stand in an open container for 2 days.

Temperature

Growing strong cucumber seedlings in a city apartment is not easy. In early spring the air in the room is hot and dry, which is not to the plant’s liking. The optimal air temperature for the crop is +22 degrees during the day and +19 +20 degrees at night.

It is recommended to spray seedlings with warm water several times a week to increase air humidity to 70%.

Closeness

As mentioned above, it is recommended to sow cucumbers immediately in a separate container. In a common box, the seeds are placed at a distance of 3-4 cm. It is necessary to pick the seedlings when the second true leaf opens on the seedling.

After transplanting, the plants are placed on the table so that they do not touch each other and do not shade their neighbors with leaves.

Top dressing

When preparing a soil mixture for cucumber plants, use 4 components in equal parts: humus, turf soil, peat and sand. Fertilizers are added when mixing the components, giving preference to a complex mineral composition (OMU, Fertika, Fasco).

After 2 true leaves appear, cucumbers can be fed with a complete mineral fertilizer containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in equal proportions. Fertilizers containing a high percentage of potassium will have a positive effect on overgrown seedlings: potassium humate, wood ash (birch ash is especially rich in the element), infusion of banana skins.

Important! It is impossible to introduce a solution of fresh manure into the soil.

Some gardeners successfully use the drug Atlet. It is sprayed on overgrown young cucumbers to slow down the growth and strengthen the plant.

See also Growing cucumber variety Far Eastern 27

Prevention methods

To prevent improper formation of cucumber seedlings, it is worth creating the most favorable conditions for them.

Temperature adjustment

Cucumber is a heat-loving plant; for normal growth and development it needs the right microclimate. The culture develops well at a temperature:

  • during the day - from 24°C to 30°C;
  • at night - from 16°C to 18°C.

It is thanks to temperature that shoots develop and roots grow.

On a note!

It is believed that the more branched the root system, the more fertile the bush. And the satisfactory condition of the shoots indicates the seedling’s ability to bear fruit longer.

Cucumber is very picky about changes in temperature conditions; when the temperature drops to 10°C, the plant may go into hibernation. At the same time, it “starves” because the root stops normally absorbing moisture and minerals. Low temperature leads to irreversible changes in living tissues.

At an ambient temperature of 3°C, three days are enough for the culture to die. Excessive heat also negatively affects development. Most often this manifests itself in the death of leaves, but may be due to pollen infertility. Therefore, do not allow critical drops or increases in temperature.

Lighting adjustments

For the normal development of any plant, good lighting is necessary, especially a light-loving one like a cucumber. It is the wrong light that is the most common reason for seedlings to stretch.

If natural lighting is insufficient or there is no access to it, then it is quite possible to create artificial lighting. The main thing is to take into account that sunlight contains a lot of blue rays, which are beneficial for seedlings. Therefore, do not use regular incandescent lamps for additional lighting, as they do not contain these rays. Such lamps contain powerful heat and infrared rays, which, on the contrary, interfere with normal photosynthesis.


Phytolamps have proven to be quite effective.

They eliminate the lack of lighting very well and are relatively economical. Cucumber seedlings respond well to lighting with these devices and produce good growth. But due to the fact that the light from the lamps is lilac-pink, they are not suitable for growing, for example, in an apartment, because they will bother the eyes of the owners. To use them, you need specially equipped premises or rooms where people rarely visit.

The most effective at the moment are considered to be arc sodium lamps: HPS, HPS and Reflax. Unlike phytolamps, their light is orange-yellow, which is not so irritating to the human eye. Another positive aspect is that the lighting intensity of sodium lamps completely covers all the needs of plants. It is also very convenient that they are economical and one sodium lamp is enough for a one and a half meter window sill.

Increasing the amount of soil and fertilizing

The cucumber has a shallow root system and receives most of its nutrients from the surface layers of the soil. In this regard, it needs to be fed periodically. It is advisable to start fertilizing only when the first true leaf appears. There is no point in doing this before - the seeds will not absorb nutrients.

Cucumbers need to be fed no more than three times before planting in open ground or a greenhouse, but if the seedlings are weak, then you can add 1-2 more procedures. The very first feeding is carried out with organic matter (possibly with the addition of minerals):

  • manure diluted with water 1:1;
  • superphosphate – 20 g.


Feeding cucumbers
If there is no organic matter, then you can make the following mixture:

  • ammonium nitrate – 7 g;
  • superphosphate – 15 g;
  • potassium sulfate – 8 g;
  • water – 10 l.

Ready-made mixtures are also suitable - potassium (sodium) humate, Effecton and the like. For the second and third feedings, the amount of minerals needs to be increased - approximately twice. You can also add spraying solutions with microelements.

Due to the shallow location of the cucumber roots, as the seedlings grow, you can add soil to the container with it. This will enable the plant to grow its root system and green mass.

Planting cucumbers

It is necessary to plant seedlings if the seedlings appear in a crowd and prevent each other from fully developing. This is also done if the container is too small and the roots are cramped.

The planting algorithm is simple: prepare clean dishes and disinfect the soil for replanting. Carefully remove the seedlings from the old container and separate the stems from each other. We do everything very carefully so as not to damage the plants and their roots. We plant one seedling in each glass and cover it with prepared soil. If the soil is dry, you can water it a little with warm water. Next, we follow all the rules of care.

Advice from experienced gardeners

To grow healthy seedlings and prevent them from stretching, you need to follow several recommendations from experienced gardeners:

  1. Select loose, light soil rich in nutrients for sowing. This can be a store-bought substrate for seedlings, or a personally mixed mixture of peat, sand, and humus.
  2. Before sowing, disinfect the seed material in potassium permanganate, Alirin-B, Fitosporin-M, Gamair-SP and carry out calibration.
  3. Sow in containers with drainage holes that allow air access to the root system.
  4. Maintain a sowing depth of 1–1.5 cm.
  5. Until seedlings emerge, keep the crops under film, ventilating them daily.
  6. When growing, make sure that the above-ground parts of the plants do not touch each other.
  7. Start the procedure of hardening the sprouts 5–7 days in advance.
  8. Plant seedlings in a permanent place when they reach the age of 25–30 days.

We recommend learning how to prepare cucumber seeds for planting in a greenhouse or open ground.

So, when growing cucumber seedlings, a problem such as stretching may arise. If it is detected in time and the cause is eliminated, then you can count on a full harvest.

Features of planting elongated cucumbers

If none of the actions, including pinching the second leaf, helped, you can try planting the elongated sprouts. However, this must be done in a certain way. First, you need to harden it - take the sprouts outside every day for 3-4 hours, hiding them from direct sunlight.

There is no need to water them before moving the sprouts into the ground. It is better that the soil in them is dry. Planting is carried out according to a 30–50x60 cm pattern. The holes are fertilized with complex fertilizer or superphosphate. The root system of the sprouts with an undestroyed earthen ball is carefully transferred to the holes and sprinkled with soil.

Planting depth - to the place that was above the soil when growing in pots. Then the soil is lightly compacted and watered with warm water. The tops of the plants are tied to a trellis or support, placing the stem in a loose position. Additionally, side shoots are tied.

Find out more about how to plant cucumbers in open ground.

If at the time of planting the sprouts have buds, they must be removed. Their presence will negatively affect the harvest and can lead to the development of diseases and shedding of ovaries. Soon after planting, you can fertilize with yeast for better growth and fruiting.

Planting cucumbers in the soil

As mentioned earlier, the holes must be prepared in advance. It is advisable to put ash, fertilizer or sawdust in the hole. The holes need to be watered with warm water and cucumber bushes should be placed there using the deepening method.

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You need to sprinkle the soil so that you get a small mound. If you do not leave a hole, it will be inconvenient to irrigate and fertilize the vegetable. To minimize moisture evaporation, we recommend covering the hole with grass or straw.

How to plant overgrown seedlings (video)

Elongated seedlings will give good results if they are transplanted correctly into open ground or a greenhouse. There are several options for successfully planting a seedling in the ground. The soil itself must be prepared in advance and fertilized with the necessary nutrients and watered with warm water.

Feeding cucumbers should begin 7 days after planting in open ground or a greenhouse. It is important to ensure that there is no excess moisture, otherwise the root system will rot and the plant will disappear.

Overgrown cucumber seedlings can produce a high yield, provided they are planted correctly. The reason for stem stretching is insufficient lighting, high temperature and humidity, as well as densely planted seedlings. It is important to follow the rules for growing the crop and further caring for it in order to get a high-quality and high yield of cucumbers.

Rules for growing seedlings

Proper care will keep plants healthy

To prevent cucumber seedlings from growing too long, it is enough to pay attention to the process of germination and take timely measures.

Space

Correct selection of containers helps prevent seedlings from growing too long. It's worth taking a closer look at:

  • material - it must be durable, moisture-resistant and non-toxic;
  • shape – preference should be given to square and rectangular;
  • depth - there should be a free space of 2-4 cm from the length of the roots.
  • drainage – the presence of drainage holes protects the soil from stagnation of moisture and subsequent acidification.

Lighting

Proper placement of containers with cucumber seedlings allows you to optimize the flow of light. The seedlings should be on the windowsills most of the time, and should receive additional light in the morning and evening hours.

To do this, use fluorescent, LED lamps or cold (4500-15000K) and warm (1000-4500K) spectrum lamps.

Conventional incandescent lamps are not suitable for these purposes due to their low efficiency.

Nutrition and processing

Vegetable crops grow fully in loose substrates with humus or mixed in equal proportions with turf, peat and sand.

The optimal amount of nutrients required for feeding cucumber seedlings is (per m²):

  • 15 g ammonium nitrate;
  • 10 g potassium salt;
  • 12 g superphosphate.

Fertilizing is carried out when 3-4 leaves appear on the sprouts.

Pests and diseases do not affect the outgrowth of seedlings, therefore treatments against them are not preventive measures against the pulling of seedlings, but act as a means of increasing the immunity of weakened plants.

Temperature

The optimal temperature for seedlings grown without additional lighting is 18-24°C during the day and not lower than 14°C at night.

Seedlings that receive a lot of light during the day and are accustomed to warmth require 24-28°C during the day and 14-20°C at night.

Dive

Supporters of diving are advised to observe the timing of its implementation, which will not only prevent the seedlings from overgrowing in length, but can also correct the situation.

The optimal time for planting seedlings is no earlier than 15 and no later than 20 days from the moment the first shoots appear.

Why did the cucumber seedlings outgrow?

This situation, of course, is not pleasant, but there is nothing tragic about it. Moreover, it can be corrected and there are methods to do this.

However, most often this happens due to bad weather conditions. That is, the calendar time when you need to plant cucumbers has already arrived, but it is still very cold outside or the snow has not yet melted.

So, preventative measures can be taken. For example, start watering less or lower the temperature of the water for irrigation. You can also try trimming the roots when cutting the plants, but this must be done very carefully.

But one way or another, seedlings sometimes outgrow. It is clear that cucumbers will not bloom in an apartment, but their vines can become too long. Therefore, it will be difficult to replant the plant, but let’s figure out how to plant overgrown cucumber seedlings.

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