The best time to plant cucumbers for seedlings

Growing any vegetable begins with its planting, so it is important to know about all the intricacies of this process. Knowing when and how to plant tomatoes or cucumbers on seedlings, you can safely count on a generous harvest in the fall. Let's look at this issue more closely.

What you need to grow

In addition to the seeds of cucumbers, you will also need other components for planting: capacity, the correct composition of the soil and suitable climatic conditions. But first things first.

Substrate for cucumbers

If you want your seedlings to bring a rich harvest, you should immediately think about the ground in which you plant them. The most suitable substrate for seeds will be a mixture of humus, mullein and sod land in a ratio of 7: 1: 2. You can also use a soil mix consisting of mullein and peat (1: 4), adding 30 g of urea or ammonium nitrate, lime (30 g), potassium salt (6 g) and superphosphate (20 g) to a bucket of this composition.

Considering that cucumbers are very "harmful" and "capricious" plants, poorly tolerated transplant in open ground (often get sick and poorly take root in a new place), then their seedlings have to be grown without picking. Therefore, individual plastic cups that remain from yoghurts or sour cream are most suitable for the role of seed tanks, the main thing is that their volume should be not less than 400 ml, with a height of 12 cm. develop and it will slow down its growth. As an alternative, you can use special peat tablets or egg shells.

Climatic conditions

Not the last role in the cultivation of cucumbers and temperature indicators play. Immediately after planting in the pots, the temperature in the room for germination should be + 20 ... + 25 ° C, but further it can be slightly reduced to + 20 ... + 22 ° C during the day and + 15 ... + 16 ° C at night. .

The best time to grow

Experienced gardeners in the issue of growing different crops listen not only to the advice of manufacturers, but also to popular beliefs and even recommendations of astrologers, because if you do everything correctly, you will be provided with a good result. Let's proceed from this logic, and we will try to determine the best time to grow cucumbers.

According to the manufacturer's recommendations

Given the climatic location of our country, most seed growers are advised to plant cucumbers at a site closer to the middle of April, and sometimes even at the beginning of May (based on this, the time of sowing seedlings can be determined). In this regard, much depends on how quickly warm weather sets in your area and the soil warms up. The ideal option would be the presence of a greenhouse with done warm beds.

If all these conditions are met, and you live in the southern regions, then you can try to move the seedlings to open ground in March.

All carefully calculated and knowing the weather in advance, you can easily calculate the favorable time to start growing cucumbers.

By lunar calendar

A rather interesting option is the orientation towards recommendations of the lunar calendar, which each year may differ significantly. According to the forecast for 2017, a conditionally favorable time when it is possible to plant cucumbers for seedlings is considered to be March 4 and 5 (the most favorable numbers for this month are 1, 6, 7 and 29-31), as well as April 1 and 2 9, 10, 27 and 28 numbers). With a later sowing, it is necessary to focus on May 26-27 (2-3 numbers are conventionally favorable this month). For June, the most suitable time for solving the problem will be the 8th and 9th numbers, although in the extreme case, it is possible to carry out the procedure 3-4.

It is also interesting that many gardeners "consult" with the lunar calendar not only in the matter of planting cucumbers, but also in the further care of them. For example, despite the fact that these plants need regular watering (during the period of active fruiting, the introduction of liquid into the soil should be done every three days), this procedure should be very careful, especially when the Moon is influenced by Gemini and Libra.In 2017, this time falls on 4-5 and 13-14 March, 1 and 9-11 April, 7-8 and 16-17 May, 3-5 and 29-30 June, 1, 10-11 and 29-30 July, 16th and 25-26th of August. At the same time, fertilizing is best done on the following days: in March - 4-5, 9 and 13-16, in April - 12-13 and 22-23, in May - 19-23, in June - 8-9, in July - 20-21 and 24, and in August - 3-4 and 9-12 numbers.

The importance of choosing the right one

Having figured out when to sow cucumbers, it's time to move on to the question of how to choose the most appropriate seeds for planting in your area. The fact is that all the varieties of this plant are divided into pollinated by bees and parthenocarpic, which is important to consider when buying seeds. The last option for tying does not need pollination by insects, which allows them to grow in small greenhouses.

For cultivation in open soil, you can buy varieties of both groups and their hybrids (denoted as F1), but some nuances should be taken into account. For example, bee-pollinated cucumbers tolerate low air humidity and are resistant to the effects of sun and wind. At the same time, parthenocarpic varieties rarely bitter and do not form seeds.

Excellent varieties of cucumbers for open ground are deservedly considered varieties "Vyaznikovsky 37", "Altai early 166", "Elegant and Murom 36". More greenhouse are varieties "Manul", "Friendly", "Magnificent", "April" and "MOVIR-1".

Among the new varieties is to provide hybrids:

• "Baba Masha" - Partially parthenocarpic, bee-pollinated variety with a yield of up to 13 kg per 1 m², which is excellent for blanks and is highly resistant to various diseases.
• "Without the hassle" - as in the previous version, you can harvest up to 13 kg of crop from just 1 m² of plantings, starting its harvesting in early summer and ending in the middle of autumn. Great for cooking marinades and pickles.
• "The Magnificent Five" - refers to the early parthenocarpic hybrids, whose yield is often 15 kg per 1 m². Fruits are well stored both fresh and in the form of canned food.

Such hybrid varieties are well suited for planting in open ground or greenhouses such as:

• "Baby" - ultraearly, bee-pollinating variety, the fruits of which ripen together as early as 40 days after the first shoots.They are not bitter and are excellent for both salads and preservation.
• "Twins" - the early ripe grade differing in rather high rates of productivity (from 1 m ² to 13 kg of fruits). This bee-pollinating hybrid tolerates temperature drops and is highly resistant to diseases. Fruits are laid beams, not bitter and can be used for any culinary needs.
• "Khrum-Khrum" - Another early hybrid bee-pollinating, ideal for creating a wide variety of blanks. It tolerates droughts, high temperatures, but needs good watering for good yields.
• "Apetitny" - high-yielding hybrid of universal purpose, referring to bee-pollinating variants with medium early ripening. He feels well both in open ground and in the soil under temporary cover from the film.
• "Baby" - early ripe, bee-pollinating hybrid variety, at the same time outstanding crop of cucumbers (fruits reach 7-10 cm in length). They do not turn yellow, do not outgrow and can be used for any culinary purposes. Due to its high disease resistance, the “Baby” can be grown not only in the garden (in open soil), but also in greenhouses, and with not very favorable conditions.
• "Antoshka" - Parthenocarpic hybrid of medium early ripening. Suitable for cultivation in an open, but protected soil, where there is a friendly formation of a universal crop. Like the previous hybrid, “Antoshka” tolerates sharp temperature drops in day and night temperatures, and also grows quietly with a lack of light.
• "Preschool children" - parthenocarpic hybrid of cucumbers, characterized by an average ripening period and relatively long fruiting. Fruits do not outgrow or turn yellow, they cope well with diseases and are ideal for long-term transportation. Fresh, fruits can be stored up to 10 days, but they can also be used for conservation.

Virtually any of these varieties can be grown in protected soil, under built greenhouses and greenhouses, or you can just on a bed (in open ground). However, there is an option that experienced gardeners use in their practice: seedlings are planted under temporary shelter (made from a special covering material or a conventional film), and with the arrival of stable heat it is removed from the bed.

Care Tips

Growing cucumber seedlings, even knowing when to plant them properly, you can not do without information about the features of caring for these naughty plants. First of all, you need to know that they need frequent watering (but do not overdo it, otherwise there is a high probability of the formation of fungal diseases), regular feeding and hilling several times a season, which only contributes to the development of the root system. In addition, varieties that grow in open soil usually pinch over a 5-6 leaf, which perfectly stimulates the formation of lateral lashes.

As for the greenhouse options, they regularly pinch the side of the lash, located above the first ovary. To simplify the care of plants and improve water and temperature conditions, beds with plantings should be mulched.

Do not rush to water the newly planted cucumber seedlings, otherwise its stem will be thin, and the root system will not be able to develop well.The rest of the watering should be carried out with partial drying out of the soil and without delay. The water temperature for this procedure should be at least + 18 ° C.

All excess fruits that have reached 5-7 cm in length should be removed so that no more than 10-18 cucumbers grow on a single plant. In greenhouse conditions, the room should be constantly aired.

To increase the abundance of fruiting and improve pollination by attracting insect pollinators to the garden. To do this, during flowering, the plants are sprayed with a solution of boric acid (about 2 g) and sugar (100 g is enough), diluted in 1 liter of well heated water.In addition, you can hang jars of honey in the trees (for 1 teaspoon should be 1 glass of water). To protect beneficial insects from poisoning, spraying of pesticides during the flowering of the garden should be completely eliminated.

Adhering to these simple rules, you can achieve from your plantations stable and abundant fruiting, and all personally grown cucumbers will be not only tasty, but also useful.