Growing cucumbers through seedlings will allow you to get a crop much earlier than when planting seeds directly in the ground. However, the plant is rather capricious and does not like transplantation very much, so in order to succeed, you need to take into account a few simple rules.
You will need
- - seeds of cucumbers;
- - solution of potassium permanganate;
- - nutritious soil for seedlings;
- - plastic cups, peat pots or tablets.
Instruction manual
1
Planting seeds of cucumbers for seedlings must begin no earlier than mid-April, since the strongest seedlings, ready for planting in the ground, are aged 25-30 days. Pre-process the seeds of cucumbers in a solution of potassium permanganate (2 g per glass of water). This will help to disinfect them from possible diseases. Place in the resulting pink solution for 30 minutes and then rinse thoroughly in running water.
2
So that the cucumbers give sprouts friendly, let the seeds germinate. Put a damp cotton cloth on a saucer or small plate, spread the prepared cucumber seeds on it, cover it with the same moist material on top and place in a warm place. Moisturize periodically, but do not seed. Leave for 2-3 days, during which time they should hatch.
3
Since cucumbers do not tolerate transplanting, seeds need to be planted in separate cups so that when plants are planted in the soil, the roots are injured as little as possible. Plastic cups or special containers for seedlings are suitable, it is also very convenient to grow cucumber seedlings in peat pots or tablets.
4
Make a hole in the bottom of each cup and fill it with nutritious soil. The substrate should be light and moisture permeable. Make it from garden soil and humus, you can add a little sawdust and vermiculite to the mixture.
5
Before planting, wet the soil, make 2 holes to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, put one seed in each and cover it with a substrate. Place the glasses on a pallet and place them on a warm and sunny windowsill. Similarly, plant cucumber seeds for seedlings in peat pots, but they do not need to make drainage holes.
6
It is very convenient to grow seedlings of cucumbers in peat tablets. Put them in a pan and fill with water. After a few hours they swell and you can plant prepared seeds. Put them under one in the hole on the surface of the tablet. Top the seeds with prepared universal soil for seedlings.
7
Peat tablets and soil in peat pots dry out very quickly, so you need to periodically check the plantings and often water the plants. Otherwise, the seedlings will die quickly.
8
To prevent seedlings from stretching, provide good lighting. If the days are sunny, then they will have enough natural light. But in cloudy weather, in the morning and evening hours, illuminate the seedlings with fluorescent lamps.
9
2 weeks after planting, fertilize with liquid complex fertilizers. Cucumber seedlings are ready for planting in the soil, if the plant has 2-3 true leaves, seedlings are strong and squat.
note
Cucumbers do not like drafts, so rearrange them in another warm place while airing the room.
Useful advice
Water cucumber seedlings only with warm water.
