Indoor cucumbers: how to grow juicy and crispy fruits on the windowsill

Gardeners have been missing plants since autumn. They see seedlings, ovaries and fruits in a dream. And when they wake up, they dream about summer and sort through bags of seeds. Of course it's interesting. But it doesn't bring satisfaction. What if there is no dacha at all, but you are drawn to the land? We invite you to have fun planting and growing cucumbers on your windowsill. Believe me, you will enjoy the process and add variety to your winter-spring menu. And if you have already tried growing cucumbers on a windowsill , let's remember all the stages together. And we will definitely find something new for ourselves and get an earlier and more abundant harvest.

When to plant indoor cucumbers?

You can grow cucumbers on a balcony or windowsill all year round, and the results do not depend on the season. You can determine the time to sow the seeds and plan the harvest time in advance. For example:

• If you want crispy cucumbers for the New Year, you need to plant them starting in mid-October;
• The pimply babies sown in January will ripen by March 8th.
• From the moment the leaves form until the first harvest, it often takes about 45-50 days.

Growing cucumbers on a windowsill

1. Conditions for growing cucumbers on a windowsill
2. Growing cucumber seedlings on a windowsill
3. Cucumber varieties for growing on a windowsill

Do you know that cucumbers can be grown not only in the garden, in a greenhouse or in open ground, but also in a pot on a windowsill, balcony or loggia? This method of cultivation extends the season for consuming fresh aromatic products. With the correct selection of modern varieties and hybrids and compliance with sowing dates, you can enjoy fresh, crisp greens all year round without leaving your apartment. Provide the cucumbers with the necessary conditions, arrange a windowsill and boldly plant the seeds, starting in February.

Conditions for growing cucumbers on a windowsill

You can grow cucumbers at home quite successfully by following simple recommendations.

1. For the earliest plantings on the windowsill, hybrids are selected that are capable of actively growing and bearing fruit in conditions of low light and short days.
2. We do not recommend growing cucumbers on open balconies in large cities, especially in houses located near highways, as the greens will accumulate heavy metals.
3. No more than 3-4 cucumber plants are placed on a 1.5 m wide window.

• To create the desired microclimate on the windowsill, you need to seal all the cracks in the window and cover the window with plastic film so that when it is opened, direct cold air does not hit the plants.
• It is best to place a reflective (mirror) film in front of the windowsill, which will improve the illumination of the plants and allow you to regulate the warm air flow from the battery (by opening it slightly or, conversely, pressing the film against the window sill).

• Good cucumber yields in indoor conditions are obtained when the volume of soil per plant is at least 5 liters
  .
• The smaller the volume of the substrate, the more often it is necessary to water and the more difficult it is to maintain the necessary water-salt regime, since the soil dries out faster and at the same time the concentration of the soil solution increases.

It must be remembered that cucumber plants consume a large amount of water: in summer, in sunny weather, in greenhouses during fruiting, one cucumber plant can consume up to 6-8 liters of water per day.

• Soil drought and salt stress significantly reduce the yield and quality of greens.
• On the other hand, excessive waterlogging of the soil causes the roots to die.

• During the fruiting period, the cucumber is fertilized once every 1-2 weeks with a solution of mineral fertilizers: 2 teaspoons of crystallin or nitrophoska per 3-liter jar of water.
• Spend 1-2 cups of solution per plant, combining fertilizing with watering.
• When plant growth slows down or the first signs of lighter leaf color appear, the volume of fertilizing is increased to 3-4 cups per plant.

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Formation of cucumbers in a greenhouse and open ground

When growing a cucumber on a windowsill, a wire (trellis) is stretched above the window, to which twine (string) is tied. The stem is wrapped around the twine as it grows. Plants are formed in the same way as in greenhouses.

When sowing at the earliest possible times:

1. completely remove side shoots and female flowers in the lower 4-6 nodes of the main vine,
2. in subsequent nodes, the side shoots are pinched above the 1-2nd leaf, and in the upper part of the main lash - above the 2-4th leaf.
3. The top of the plant is carefully wrapped 2-3 times around the trellis wire, lowered down and pinched at a height of 30-50 cm from the window sill.
4. From the upper nodes of the stem, not one, but two shoots can be lowered down.

When growing spring parthenocarpic hybrids, as well as winter bee-pollinated hybrids in late culture:

• only the lower 3-4 nodes of the main lash are completely blinded,
• further formation is carried out according to the method described above.

Shaping the cucumber helps speed up the growth of the stem:

1. in the lower 3–4 nodes, the ovaries and side shoots are completely removed;
2. in the next 1–2 nodes the ovaries are left and the side shoots are pinched;
3. Higher up the stem, side shoots are left, pinching them to the middle of the height of the trellis by 2 leaves, and higher by 3–4 leaves.

This technique accelerates the growth of the stem in height and enhances the filling of greens.

Since the first lower leaves of young plants usually form weak and small, and the stem in the lower part is thin with elongated internodes, when the plants reach the trellis wire, you can lower the twine to half the height of the window, carefully laying the lower part of the stems on the windowsill. In this part of the stems, all side shoots are removed. Subsequently, the cucumbers are formed according to generally accepted methods.

In bee-pollinated hybrids, it is necessary to manually pollinate the female flowers.

1. To do this, they pick freshly blossomed male flowers (barren flowers), tear off their corolla petals and touch the female flowers (also freshly blossomed) with their stamens.
2. One male flower can pollinate 2-3 female flowers.
3. For high-quality pollination on the window, one pollinator plant is enough.

pollinator

• Gladiator F1.

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Varieties and hybrids of cucumbers for Siberia

Growing cucumber seedlings on a windowsill

It is advisable to grow cucumbers through seedlings if it is possible to harden off young plants (for example, move the seedlings to a cooler windowsill for several days).

Soil for cucumber seedlings on the windowsill

• Place drainage material in a 2 cm layer at the bottom of flowerpots, boxes or double plastic bags, and then fill them with fertile soil with an acidity of pH 6.3-6.8, without adding 5 cm to the top edge.
• Add 2 tbsp per 10 liters of substrate. crystallina or 2 tbsp. nitrophoska, adding in each case 1 tsp. magnesium sulfate.

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The task will be made easier by ready-made substrates specially designed for growing vegetables at home, for example the Microgreenhouse nutrient soil from the Buysky Chemical Plant. Seedlings can be grown directly in the bag. The nutrient mixture contains a complete balanced composition of micro- and macroelements, which are so lacking in conditions unusual for plants. Therefore, they take root better, flowering and fruit set are enhanced. _______________________________________________

Hardening off cucumber seedlings on the windowsill

1. Hardening is carried out for 7-10 days before planting.
2. This increases the cold resistance of plants, prevents them from stretching and at the same time prevents the tendency to topping (i.e., stopping growth) when there is a lack of light.
3. When hardening, the air temperature should be 15-17°C. Drafts are contraindicated for cucumber.

Planting cucumber seedlings on the windowsill

• Seedlings are planted in containers at the age of 2–3 true leaves.
• After planting, the plants are well watered, the soil surface is mulched with cut straw, decorative chips or bark with a layer of 2–3 cm to maintain moisture and isolate the soil from external influences.
• You can immediately install a support to which the cucumber lashes will be attached.

Growing cucumbers on a windowsill without seedlings

1. When growing in summer, you can sow the seeds directly into the box.
2. After sowing, for better seed germination, the pot must be covered with film.
3. The container should be placed in a warm, sunny place oriented to the east or southeast.

Cucumber varieties for growing on a windowsill

Not all varieties and hybrids are suitable for growing cucumbers in containers or pots at home, but only parthenocarpic, shade-tolerant and resistant to temperature changes. These qualities are inherent in salad-type varieties:

1. Window-balcony F1 (has elongated fruits, up to 14–16 cm),
2. Mustafa F1 (fruits 18–20 cm long),
3. Gift of the East F1 (distinguished by bunched fruit formation (up to 4–5 greens 8–10 cm long per node).
4. Spring whim F1 (produces fruits up to 20 cm long, very fragrant, juicy, with thin delicate skin).
5. Ekaterina F1 and Elizaveta F1 produce longer fruits (up to 25–30 cm), but when grown in a window, it is better to harvest them at a size of 10–12 cm.

Some names indicate the great popularity of cucumbers of this type in Asian countries, where they are added to a variety of dishes and even served as dessert. In Europe, “salad” cucumbers are also popular, but, unlike “Asian” ones, they have large and sparse tubercles.

During the period of mass fruiting, 15–25 beautiful, uniform, smooth (without tubercles or thorns), shiny cucumbers without bitterness in taste are formed on one plant almost simultaneously.

Timing for sowing cucumber varieties for seedlings

If you sow the seeds at the times noted for each of the groups of hybrids (see below), then the cucumber culture can be carried out without growing seedlings: the seeds are immediately sown in a permanent place in flowerpots, boxes or buckets.

Sowing cucumbers on the windowsill in February

From February 20-25 , the following heterosic cucumber hybrids can be sown in a room without the use of electrical supplementary lighting:

• Dorothea F1,
• Module F1,

• Manul F1,
• F1 relay,
• TSKHA-28 F1,
• TSKHA-575 F1,
• TSHA-2693 F1

Sowing cucumbers on the windowsill in March

Somewhat later (from March 1-10 ), parthenocarpic hybrids TSHA-442 and Senator , characterized by attractive tuberculate fruits 14-20 cm long, can be sown, as well as all of the above hybrids. If the seedlings of hybrids Module , Dorotea , Manul , Estafeta , TSHA-28 , TSHA-575 , TSHA-2693 , Gladiator are grown using electric supplementary lighting, then they can be planted in natural light on a windowsill from the third decade of January. On windows facing the west, sowing and planting are carried out 7-10 days later. Electrical supplementary lighting is carried out with fluorescent lamps LD or LB (60 or 80 W) for 12-14 hours a day, suspended at a height of 10-20 cm from the plants.

From March 10-20 , they begin sowing cucumber hybrids of the spring-summer ecotype. Parthenocarpic hybrids are preferred here:

• Mazay,
• Finist,
• Buyan,
• Virenta,
• Regina-plus,
• Arina,
• Zozulya,
• Aprilsky and others.

Sowing cucumbers on the windowsill in June

You can extend the period of consumption of fresh cucumbers “from the windowsill” if you sow the seeds a second time, in June . Suitable for this period:

• Arina,
• Moscow Nights,
• Buyan,
• TSHA-442,
• Senator,

• Farmer,
• Manul.

Growing cucumbers in containers will allow you to get your favorite juicy fruits, even if you do not have a greenhouse or do not have enough space on your site. Try, experiment, delight yourself with delicious and healthy products grown with your own hands!

What variety of cucumbers should I choose for planting in an apartment?

Growing indoor cucumbers on the balcony in winter is slightly different from planting them in open ground. It is necessary to select and buy only certain varieties of indoor cucumbers:

• Farm pollination can be carried out with a simple brush, transferring male stamens to female pistils. They have high taste, and cucumbers with black “spines” grow about 10 cm. Suitable for both pickling and simple “raw” eating.

• Shchedrik - yield is about 20 pieces, 12 cm each, per 1 harvest period. It is classified as early ripening, as the ripening period is less than 1.5 months. One ovary grows 5-8 fruits.

• Khrustik - ripens in 1.5-2 months, self-pollinates, produces a generous harvest. There are from 5 to 7 fruits on 1 ovary.

Important! The peculiarity is the wide growth of the bush, so prepare more space and support for the growing lashes.

• Onega f1 is a self-pollinating hybrid. The first fruits can please you already in the first week of the second month. Cucumbers are slightly below average in size, but you can eat them in any form.

• Brawler. Matures 50 days after planting. The downside is the need for additional lighting in winter.

• Emelya is resistant to cold, which gives it certain advantages. Originally intended for “raw” consumption, but cucumbers can be rolled and pickled.

• The ant matures in 38-40 days, and it belongs to the parthenocarpic species, which means that manual pollination is excluded. Please note that the bush grows greatly in width.

• Babylon - flowers are often female, from 1 to 3 flowers in a node. The cucumber is up to 28 cm long and weighs 240 g. More often, the ovary is formed in a bunch.
• Baba Masha requires special care during the appearance of ovaries. There are 7 cucumbers in one ovary, which determines the small size of the fruit, which has dark skin and high tuberosity.

• Miraculously, the maximum length of the fruit is 8 cm, but despite their miniature size, baby cucumbers taste very pleasant. It can be collected within 45 days after planting.

And a few more tips

Experienced gardeners advise harvesting when the cucumbers reach a size of 7–10 cm. If you do this regularly, it is quite possible to get a second, and sometimes a third wave of fruit ripening. Additionally, when growing, take into account:

1. If the seedlings stretch upward or only to one side, additional lighting is necessary.
2. The soil is poured into a permanent container 3 times a month.
3. If the leaves below dry out, you need to adjust the temperature and humidity.
4. When pests appear, the plant is treated and damaged leaves are removed.
5. Hybrid cucumbers recommended for home cultivation do not taste bitter, but if this happens, it means that the conditions and care instructions were not followed.
6. If these leaves turn yellow, apply fertilizer.
7. It happens that the ovary has formed, but the cucumber never grew from it; the problem is solved by adding iodine as a supplement. To do this, make a composition of 1.5 liters of water x 5 drops of pharmaceutical iodine. Watering is carried out carefully, near the edge of the container. Otherwise, the plant (stems and roots) will get burned. If the ovaries fall off, this may be the result of insufficient soil moisture.

It will not be possible to get a decent harvest on the windowsill if the apartment windows face north or west, even using additional lighting. Despite the large number of instructions, growing crispy cucumbers on your windowsill is not so difficult; it’s even easier on the balcony. It is important to water on time, form the vine correctly and regularly inspect the plant for pests and diseases.

How to process and germinate cucumber seeds

Seeds purchased in a store must undergo special treatment before sowing, which consists of certain stages:

• Checking for freshness and germination. To do this, cucumber seeds are poured into a container and filled with a salty solution (half a teaspoon of salt per glass of water). It is better to throw away pacifiers that float, but full-bodied, pot-bellied ones pass on.

• Disinfection - soak the material for sowing for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then rinse them thoroughly.
• Germination - wrap the treated and washed seeds in a wet cloth or napkin, place them in a bowl, and leave them in a warm place for germination.

When the seeds hatch, you can proceed to sowing. This will take 2-3 days.

Bush formation

Do I need to pinch cucumbers indoors?
This appointment is required. We pinch the growing point above the 4-5 leaf, which allows side shoots to develop. It is on them that the largest number of greens are formed. 2-3 lashes are enough, which are pinched over 10 leaves. It is not advisable to overload the culture with shoots. It will not have enough light and soil to bear fruit normally.

The following care rules should be observed:

1. The plant needs good lighting, so it is necessary to create a support along which the lashes will rise. The room window will be entwined with green thickets, but otherwise you won’t get a harvest.
2. Cucumbers need an abundance of moisture, not only soil moisture, but also room moisture (humid air).
   If there is a tray under the container, then water or a nutrient mixture should be poured into it, which the plant will absorb as needed. Water for irrigation should ideally be melted and warmer than room temperature. The lashes need to be sprayed as often as possible. There is another technique: we place a cloth on the battery, the end of which is lowered into a container of water. This way the fabric will be constantly wet, and the humidity will increase due to evaporation.
3. We pick the green plants when they grow to 10-12 cm. This allows the plant to bloom again and again, and the “green conveyor” will work regularly. Therefore, the resulting fruits need to be picked periodically (every day) to increase the yield.
4. The culture is intolerant of drafts and cold. Before placing the container on the windowsill, you need to seal all the cracks and place foam or a board under the container so that the cold does not penetrate through the soil.
5. Potassium-phosphorus, complex or organic fertilizing is important. Since the volume of soil is small, it is impossible to obtain a crop without adding nutrients. But you should not get carried away with minerals, otherwise they will end up in your stomach. Fertilizers are applied once every 10 days.
6. It is advisable to use mulching technique, since the roots are located close to the surface. Humus, sawdust, and peat are used. There is no need to place mulch close to the stem.

The plant is fragile and the shoots break easily, so there is no need to disturb, rearrange or move it from place to place. Also, you should not pick off leaves that may shade the room; they are important for proper nutrition. But it is not forbidden to trim off the extra mustache.

Preparing the soil for planting indoor cucumbers

• The easiest way would be to buy ready-made soil for cucumber seedlings. But it’s safer to prepare the composition yourself: peat + humus + soil from the garden (1/1/4).
• Sterilize the resulting soil. For example, keep it in a water bath or hot oven for an hour. The easiest way is to pour boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate. This will help prevent the development of fungus and other parasites.

• Wait until it cools down.

What kind of soil do cucumbers need?

Cucumbers on the balcony prefer light, loose and nutritious soil. Therefore, a universal soil for seedlings is quite suitable. If there is such an opportunity, then it is better to choose a pumpkin substrate.

You can also prepare the soil yourself using the following recipe. In a container, mix equal parts compost, garden soil and turf. A little river sand is added to the mixture for looseness, rotted sawdust and ash for nutrition.

The soil cannot be used immediately for its intended purpose. It needs to be disinfected. This can be done by calcining the substrate in the oven or treating it with a liquid fungicide. For example, a solution of Fitosporin or a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Algorithm for sowing seeds of indoor cucumbers

Provided that all preparations are completed, you can proceed to sowing. To make an indoor cucumber on the windowsill pleasing to the eye in winter, do the following:

• Make a hole 1 cm deep in the center of the plastic cup.
• Place 1 seed in the hole and sprinkle with a little soil.

• Place the cups in a common deep tray, cover with cling film or glass.
• Until the shoots emerge, keep the tray in the dark and warm. The appearance of sprouts is a signal for this. that you need to move the tray to a bright place.

Where is the best place to place cucumbers?

As you know, this vegetable crop loves sunlight and warmth. It is tempting to place containers on a south-facing windowsill. But this will be a mistake, since the window glass will focus the sun's rays, which will lead to burns on the leaves of the plant.

Therefore, it is necessary to keep cucumbers on a southeast or southwest window.

ON A NOTE. Make sure that the cucumber leaves come into contact with the window glass as little as possible. First of all, they are too cold. Secondly, the leaves will burn in the sun.

Ideally, containers with vegetables should be placed half a meter from the window. Ideal - on a warm balcony. If this is not the case, then use stands or a regular table.

Conditions for keeping cucumbers

For rapid and effective development, favorable conditions should be created for seedlings:

• When the surface of the soil dries out, add settled, warm water. Water with a spray bottle so as not to wash out the roots.

• When it's cloudy or at night, add light. To do this, equip the place with special phytolamps and fluorescent lamps.

• The optimal temperature is +15 +17 during the day, and at night +13 +15.
• To humidify the air, spray water on the plants from a spray bottle or periodically hang wet towels on the radiators.
• Cucumbers grow normally indoors, even on a cool windowsill. To prevent the roots from overcooling, place the box on a piece of foam.

Prevention of diseases and pests

Irrigation with cold water, lack of light, and contaminated soil lead to diseases. To avoid diseases and pests, it is recommended:

1. Select large seeds for sowing and thoroughly disinfect them.
2. Wash the planting container with baking soda in warm water.
3. Disinfect the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate.
4. Observe the regime of light and heat.
5. Water the bushes only with warm and clean water.
6. Pinch and shape plants in a timely manner.
7. Treat cucumbers with Bordeaux mixture, wood ash solution, and whey.
8. Regularly inspect the bushes for signs of disease: dry and yellow leaves, brown spots, white bloom.

If not properly cared for, indoor cucumbers develop powdery mildew. White spots appear on the leaves, which can be removed by spraying with Previkur. Another disease, copperhead, appears as deep brown spots on fruits and leaves. The copperhead cannot be treated; infected bushes and cucumbers are removed.

Whiteflies and aphids are dangerous pests. Miniature white insects reproduce quickly and settle on the inside of the cucumber leaf. Because of them, the bushes dry out and cucumbers lose their taste. A tobacco-based decoction helps get rid of pests.

Transplanting indoor cucumber seedlings

With the development of the root system, seedlings of cucumbers, like indoor tomatoes, require a larger area, therefore, when the cucumbers form 2 true leaves, they can be transplanted into flower pots with a volume of 4-5 liters. Picking is best done in cloudy weather. The procedure is:

• Fill the containers for planting halfway with the substrate, and initially place drainage on the bottom.
• Water it, make a hole.

• Carefully remove the seedlings and move them into the hole without disturbing the earthen ball.
• Immersion is necessary up to the cotyledon leaves of the cucumber.
• Once finished, cover the plants with thin paper or cloth for 2-3 days to allow them to adapt.

How to help a plant with healthy feeding

At the beginning of growth, when 2-3 true leaves appear, the plant is “treated” with nitrogen fertilizer. Next, mineral fertilizers and vermicompost are alternated every two weeks. The cucumbers themselves will tell you what to feed the plants on the windowsill.

• If growth has stopped, water with urea.
• If the leaves turn yellow, use fertilizer with potassium or ash.
• Phosphorus promotes root development, which should be limited from the beginning of flowering.

To avoid diseases, the leaves are sprayed with a solution of Fitosporin.

Important! By the way, you should spray the leaves with settled water regularly, every morning... ✍

Molding an indoor cucumber bush

To grow an indoor cucumber large and developed, it is customary to form it into 1-2 large vines, so all the shoots that develop to the sides on the central shoot must be pinched.

It is better to tie up already grown bushes. A construction mesh with large cells stretched over the window is suitable for this. The lashes will grow along it, clinging with tendrils. This cucumber curtain will look fresh and spring-like.

Features of indoor care

To get cucumbers, the plants need to be properly cared for.

• Cucumbers need long daylight hours. They are placed on southwest or southeast windows. In autumn and winter, plants are illuminated using special lamps.
• The best temperature for the growth of cucumbers is 20-25°C. Sudden temperature changes harm their development.
• Water the cucumbers every day, preferably in the morning, with settled water at room temperature. The soil should not dry out, but the plants should not be over-watered either.
• Cucumbers are fed with complex mineral fertilizers once every week and a half. When flowering, spray well with a solution of boric acid (1 gram per 1 liter).
• Bushes need shaping. Usually they are formed into one or two stems, removing all excess stepsons.
• The stems of the plant must be tied to supports, which can be very different. Nets, trellises, pegs or garter to the eaves are used.

Feeding indoor cucumbers

• Feeding indoor cucumbers begins from the time when the first fruit ovaries appear on them. Dissolve 100 g of wood ash in 1 liter of hot water. Water the soil.
• Dry yeast can significantly increase the yield of cucumbers. 100 g yeast + 2 tbsp. sugar + 10 liters of water. Let it brew for a couple of hours, and after that the starter is diluted in 50 liters of water. This mixture should be watered around the seedlings.

Harvesting is simple. Do not overexpose ripe fruits to the vine; pick them carefully, trying not to damage the stem. Also remove crooked, underdeveloped, damaged specimens.

As you can see, growing cucumbers on a windowsill is quite a simple matter. If you have life hacks or procedure secrets, be sure to share them in the comments.

Features of greenhouse agricultural technology

• They opt for greenhouse varieties of cucumbers.
• When planting seedlings, be sure to add at least a bucket of well-rotted compost or manure into the hole, with the addition of 10 g of phosphorus, 5 g of nitrogen, 15 g of potassium per 1 m².
• When planting, cucumber seedlings are placed at a distance of 40 cm from each other , leaving a meter between the rows. Water generously.
• Equip trellises and supports.
• The cucumber bush is formed as if grown at home.
• Remove yellowed and deformed leaves.
• First feeding after 4 weeks. For each plant, 1-2 liters of 0.3% aqueous phosphorus-potassium solution is consumed. During the fruiting period, fertilizing is carried out every week.
• At optimal air temperatures, watering is carried out at the rate of 2-3 liters of water per bush.

Soil and container

First, seedlings are grown. To do this, it is advisable to plant the sprouted seeds in disposable plastic cups. They need to be filled with a special soil mixture, which is sold in any flower shop or supermarket. You can prepare the soil for seedlings yourself. You need to take equal proportions of peat and humus, turf soil and crushed wood waste (for example, sawdust); mix everything well.

About a glass of ash, nitrophoska (2 teaspoons) and urea (1 teaspoon) are added to the bucket volume of the resulting mass. Once again, everything is mixed well and the soil mixture for planting seedlings is ready.

Attention! Before filling the glasses with soil, it is advisable to disinfect them too (rinse with the same weak manganese solution).

You need to make holes in the cups using an awl or a nail so that there is no stagnation of water during watering. Now you need to fill the soil and plant the cucumber seeds at a depth of about 2 cm (the soil needs to be slightly moistened before planting). Now the cups need to be covered with film, you can install glass on top. For the entire period until the seeds germinate, you need to ensure a temperature of +23 degrees (not lower).

We transplant the seedlings to a permanent place

As soon as the seedlings have two leaves, they can be planted in permanent containers.

The container where cucumbers will be grown should be from 5 to 8 liters in volume. These can be ceramic pots, boxes or plastic bags, cut-off and large plastic water bottles. You also need to make holes in the bottom so that water does not stagnate after watering.

The bottom of the container is filled with shards, sea pebbles or small crushed stone, expanded clay (this is drainage). Then the soil mixture is poured, exactly the same as we used for the seedlings, and watered a little with manganese solution. A plant is taken from a plastic cup along with a lump of earth and planted in a prepared container. A few centimeters up to the height of the container should be left free; do not fill the soil up to the very edge. During germination, cucumbers may have exposed roots. In this case, it will be easy to cover them by pouring fresh soil mixture.

Preparing the seeds for planting

Open the package, take out the seeds and the first thing we will do is disinfect them. This is a kind of prevention against all kinds of diseases. Prepare a weak solution of potassium permanganate, dip the seeds in it and let them sit for a while (20 minutes will be enough).

You can also treat the seeds with special growth stimulants. Their components increase plant immunity, impart stability and increase productivity. Most often, sodium humate or the drug “Baikal EM-1” is used.

Now you need to wrap the seeds in a damp cotton or gauze cloth and keep them in a slightly moistened environment for a couple of days (you can put the cloth with the seeds on a saucer, into which, if necessary, add a little water), during which time they should hatch. Someone may object - why do this, well, just think, the seeds will begin to germinate two or three days later if they are not pre-soaked. However, experts strongly recommend not to lose sight of the germination stage. After all, you may come across a seed that does not germinate, and then you will simply waste your time planting it and waiting for it to grow.

We provide seedlings with proper care

As soon as the sprouts begin to hatch in the glasses, you need to remove the film (or glass) and place the seedlings on the windowsill, where the temperature may be lower (about 20 degrees), but good bright light is required. Let the seedlings sit in glasses for about a month.

During this period, you will need to feed the plants a couple of times.

1. The first feeding is 10-14 days after seed germination.
2. The second one is in a week. You need to take 6-7 liters of water, add 1 tablespoon of urea and pour this solution into all the glasses with seedlings (half a glass for the first and second time).

Cucumbers love moisture very much. They need to be watered daily, and if the seedlings are still illuminated additionally, then watering should be done twice a day. The soil mass should always be in a state of light moisture. Water should be used at room temperature and pre-settled.

Here's how to prepare yeast dressing for cucumbers.