How and when to plant cucumber seedlings

In warm climates, cucumbers grow well and bear fruit without seedlings. However, in the middle zone it is still better to prefer the seedling method of growing crops.

First, you need to purchase seeds suitable for a specific climate zone, pay attention to the properties of the variety and, of course, the shelf life. It is better to choose seeds that have been subjected to disinfection treatment and calibrated.

To speed up the growth process of seedlings, seeds can be soaked in a special solution, for example epin.

You can buy ready-made soil mixture for cucumbers, or you can prepare it yourself from 1 part turf soil, 1 part peat and 1 part humus. The well-loosened mixture is placed in cups, moistened, a hole 2 cm deep is made in the center, a seed is placed and added dropwise.

The tray with cucumbers is placed in a dark, warm place (25-28 degrees C) until germination, then moved to a bright, cool place.

When to plant cucumber seedlings?

Cucumber seedlings are grown for about three weeks, but no more than 30 days, after which they are planted in a permanent place. A week before planting, seedlings can begin to be hardened by placing them in a cool place with a temperature of 12-15 degrees C.

The plants themselves will tell you when to plant cucumber seedlings by the appearance of two full-fledged leaves.

The bed for cucumbers is prepared in advance, carefully dug up with humus and moistened. Holes 30-40 cm deep are dripped under the plants, into which a layer of humus mixed with soil is placed, and cucumber seedlings are planted on top.

An early harvest of cucumbers can be obtained provided there is sufficient heat and moisture.