Cucumber is a heat-loving plant, originally from India, growing in natural conditions. This valuable and useful culture is rich in magnesium, potassium, and carotene and vitamins of group B. Cucumbers are grown in almost every garden, both in open ground and in hotbeds, but in order to achieve high yields you need to know a number of subtleties in their cultivation.
Starting in February, you can begin sowing seeds for seedlings with further transplantation of sprouted cucumbers into open ground. Considering the fact that cucumbers love shade - they can be grown on the windowsill in the house and on the apartment balconies. Land for seedlings need to harvest in the autumn in order for it to freeze well, and two or three weeks before planting, the ground must be transferred to heat (house or apartment) so that it warms up well.
When and how to plant in February
Need before landing cucumber seeds should be dipped for a few hours in slightly salted water of room temperature. Now you can engage in sowing seedlings directly. You can use any plastic, cardboard or even paper containers so that one container is at least half a liter in volume.
Read more about seed preparation before planting.
In every such cup one grain drops to a depth of three, four centimeters from the surface of the ground, then all containers are covered with a plastic bag and do not open within three days. After the specified period, the packages are removed, and begins abundant watering of plants.
Be sure to use extra lighting.especially in the dark. Extending daylight prevents the plants from pulling up and their deformity. Illumination can be purchased in specialized stores or design your own hands.
The maximum time for transplanting cucumber seedlings to the ground is three weeks, if you delay this process longer, the plant will simply outgrow. Two or three weekly seedlings must be carefully handled in the ground, trying not to damage the very fragile root system.
For this you need one day not to water the plants, after which they easily come from the tank. February seedlings are a very early way of sowing, respectively, you can enjoy the harvest in late March or early April, but it is worth remembering that such seedlings are planted only in a warm and carefully prepared greenhouse.
How to plant cucumbers for seedlings in February, we have already figured out, it remains only to answer the question when to sow seedlings. For this you can use the lunar calendar..
Need to know that it is not recommended to sow and plant in the new moon, as well as on the waning moon, but the growing moon - it's time for all types of planting and sowing.
The 2nd, 4th, 10th and 12th days of the rising moon are considered ideal. for the proper planting of cucumbers for seedlings. The calendar of planting cucumbers for seedlings is as follows: favorable numbers 4, 5, 10 and 28, unfavorable numbers 11.24, 26.
When and how to plant cucumbers in March
The technique of planting cucumbers on seedlings in March is not too different from the usual one, however, there are some nuances. Seeds before planting can be soaked in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate or in slightly salted water. Planted in containers at a shallow depth (about three centimeters).
March seedlings It is necessary to cover an additional about three hours a day.in the morning or in the evening in the dark. A week after sowing, seedlings can be fed once, using peat or ekosil peat oxide.
Important! The optimum temperature for the harmonious growth of seedlings at night + 14 °, not lower, the daily rate is about + 20 °.
The timing of fruiting is largely dependent on the cultivar and the climate in which it grows, but growing cucumbers in greenhouses and greenhousesgiving birth can be expected in 50-65 days after planting seeds.
Planting cucumber seeds in March on the lunar calendar is no different from the February one: to plant only on the growing moon on the 2nd, 4th, 10th, 12th day.
When and how to plant in April
The most convenient month for cucumber seedlings is - April. Especially if there is no opportunity to plant a plant in a greenhouse. In the open ground April seedlings can be planted in mid-May.
No need to additionally light seedlings, since the light day in April is already quite long. It is enough to put the containers with seedlings on the most eastern sill of a house or apartment and young plants will have plenty of light and heat. Seedlings are watered a little less often than this in February or March because the heating in the apartments is already turned off, the air humidity rises and the seedlings no longer need too much moisture. Drying is not necessary to allow. Seedlings are watered about once every two days, but abundant.
After transplanting seedlings to open ground, it is necessary to monitor the soil and constantly irrigate the plant abundantly. Saplings are planted at a distance of 50 - 60 centimeters from each other. It is necessary to remove substandard fruit ovaries, tie up tall stems and feed the crop (about four times during the whole season) for a full and fertile harvest. Watering and loosening cucumber plants in the best option is desirable every four days, both during flowering and throughout the fruiting.
Useful materials
Check out other helpful cucumber seedlings articles:
- How to grow on the windowsill, balcony and even in the basement?
- Tips for growing in various containers, particularly in peat pots and pills.
- Find out the planting dates depending on the region.
- The causes of common diseases, as well as why the seedlings stretch out and the leaves dry and turn yellow?
- How to calculate the time of sowing seeds, as well as when to plant seedlings in open ground?
Harvest is ready in the morning, then they are the most juicy and strong. Cucumbers are broken as often as possible (every other day) - this will somewhat increase the yield and the formation of new fruits. Harvest year to you!
