What determines the germination of seeds and how to quickly sprout cucumbers

Every experienced gardener has his own way of sprouting seeds, which gives the best results. Someone in the old-fashioned way uses a simple wet cloth, others take the newest growth stimulants, which can "make" even seed grow with a suitable expiration date. Today we look at the germination of cucumber seeds at home, let's talk about what influences this process and how to speed it up. You will also learn about the time after which, on average, the seeds of a given crop germinate.

Factors affecting germination

Sprouting cucumber seeds for seedlings for inexperienced gardeners can be a real test, so we will begin the discussion with those factors that can affect germination.

To begin with, what is most important for the seeds of virtually any plant is moisture and oxygen. During storage, seeds are kept in dry places, but oxygen is always available.That is why the "seeds" do not die and, if the humidity is low, do not germinate.

Lack of oxygen, as in the case of other plants, leads to death, as the seeds breathe throughout the storage process. From this we can conclude: the seeds that were stored without access of oxygen, can obviously be considered "dead", their germination will be close to zero. Heat and moisture can activate seed growth. If the seeds fall into moisture, but the air temperature is very low, then such conditions cannot be called optimal, and the germination process either slows down or does not occur at all. In the case of cucumbers, the optimal temperature for obtaining fast shoots is + 18 ... +25 ° С. At this temperature, seedlings will appear in five days.

As for moisture, it is necessary not only at the stage of germination, but also after planting in the ground. Lack of moisture will lead to the death of even the strongest seeds.

Not all owners take into account the fact that any soil is a potentially dangerous environment in which bacteria and bacteria, fungi and various pests inhabit and multiply.Sowing material planted in the ground, can hit a huge number of diseases that would lead to his death.

To increase the chances, you must either choose a "clean" soil, or disinfect it before sowing with a solution of potassium permanganate or any drugs that will help destroy bacteria and fungi. It would seem that there is enough heat, there is moisture, the ground is clean, but the seedlings are very rare, or they are not at all. The problem may lie precisely in the shelf life of the seed. Seeds that have been stored for more than four years may not ascend at all.

However, one should not think that freshly harvested seeds will have perfect germination. Everything is exactly the opposite: one-year-old seeds will have the worst germination, so they need to be sown only in the second or third year.

After how many days to expect the first shoots

Above, we wrote about the day on which cucumber seeds sprout, if the planting temperature was high enough. However, it is worth considering the options when the temperature during planting is not high, and the time frame for sowing seeds is already “pressed”.

Everyone knows that cucumber is a heat-loving culture, respectively, neither special varieties / hybrids, nor additional preparation of the material "harden" the seeds so that they germinate in cold soil. It is for this reason that most of the seeds can disappear. For example, the temperature was kept around 10 ° C, and after a few days it rose to 18 ° C. It would seem that the temperature is high, it's time to do the sowing. However, the fact that the soil could not warm up in a few days was not taken into account, so you immerse the seed in the soil, the temperature of which will be, at best, 12-14 ° C. In such conditions, it will take a very long time to wait for the seedlings, and if a cold snap begins, the seeds will simply die (if they were not previously prepared for sowing).

It is worth remembering that the minimum temperature of the soil should be 13 ° C, so that the material starts to somehow germinate.

Substrate quality will also affect germination. If the soil is rich in humus and trace elements, then even at a temperature of 18 ° C, you will see the first green in a week and a half. But if the ground is poor, then the anomalous heat will not help the seedlings.

The maximum germination time is two weeks. After this period, it is possible to safely re-seeding, since the pledged material is no longer likely to germinate with high probability.

How to quickly sprout cucumbers

Next, let's talk about how to quickly sprout cucumbers. We will discuss the most effective options that will help you in the shortest possible time to achieve a proking of the material.

Stimulation

Science in the agricultural sector does not stand still, so we have the opportunity to use growth stimulants that help the seeds swell and hatch.

To begin with, what are these drugs. Growth stimulant is a special supplement based on various bacteria, fungi and plant elements that stimulate growth and also accelerate the development of the root system.

The growth stimulator is used at the initial stage, when you only get the seeds out of the package. Instead of the usual soaking the seeds are immersed in an aqueous solution with the addition of a growth stimulator.

However, not all so simple. There are growth stimulants that help plants at various stages: from spitting up to the beginning of fruiting.So, these drugs can have the opposite effect - inhibit growth and development, while destroying the plants and material.

It is necessary to use a growth factor extremely carefully, observing the norm. It is better to use not the cheapest options and give preference to more popular drugs. As for the real benefits, these drugs work "like a clock." They not only accelerate the process of spitting, but also increase the percentage of germinated seeds, therefore, if possible, it is better to use such tools, especially if you plan to plant an expensive variety or hybrid.

Stimulants are used as follows: they are mixed in the proportion indicated on the package with water, seeds are immersed in the solution for 10-12 hours, after which they check the effectiveness.

Soak

This is the most common method of germination, which has been used since time immemorial.Consider several options for how to soak the seeds of cucumber seedlings.

The first method involves using wet natural fabricin which they put the seeds. The material should not get light, so one part of the wet tissue to cover the seeds from above. After that, wrapped seeds are placed in a plastic bag to reduce the access of oxygen and increase the temperature. For the second method will require glass jar. The seeds are wrapped in a damp cloth and placed in a jar. The jar is closed with a silicone lid and put in a dark place.

Both in the first and in the second case the seeds will germinate for several days, while it is necessary to maintain optimal conditions, otherwise the material may become covered with fungus or rot.

The first thing you should pay attention to is water quality and temperature. It is best to use rainwater. And not due to the fact that this is a natural option, but for the reason that there is no chlorine and harmful impurities in rainwater. If it is not possible to take rain, then use the separated one. The water temperature must be at least 25 ° C, otherwise there will be no germination.

Sowing

Above, we said that after sowing, it is necessary to cover the beds with cellophane film in order to create greenhouse conditions and increase the temperature of the substrate.

Next, we will understand why cucumbers do not sprout after sowing, if at the preparatory stage everything was done correctly. Once again we recall that cucumbers fall into an unfavorable environment, which is especially dangerous for them if the seeds are grown in a seedless way.

In order to protect the seeds from disease and rot, you need to water the beds with special preparations that destroy pathogenic flora. You can also use special immunomodulators that increase the immunity of immature plants and resistance to diseases.

Do not forget that the seeds like to feed the rodents and many other pests that live in the soil. To protect against them, you need to plant the seeds into ordinary plastic cups without a bottom, or use non-woven covering material from which the caps are made to protect our seeds.

Seedling care

When caring for seedlings, it is necessary not only to combat pests and diseases, but also to provide the best conditions for rapid growth and development. Watering.Young plants should be watered often enough, while using small amounts of water. At the initial stage, 10 liters per square is enough, but at the stage of fruit set, you need to pour a bucket under each bush. It is also worth remembering that not only can you bring moisture, but also the weather, so you should not pour over the already moist soil. Pay attention to the water temperature. In no case should it be below 10 ° C, otherwise you will slow down the growth and development of plants.

Loosening. The soil should be regularly loosened in the event that no mulch was laid. This must be done, even if you have good crumbly soils that have excellent drainage properties.

Feeding. Top dressing is obligatory even if you have real black soil on the plot. Without additional fertilizers, you at least deplete the soil, reducing their value for other crops at times.

Feed cucumbers need about five times per season. This is done not only to increase yields, but also to improve immunity, which gives us better resistance to diseases. From organics use a solution of mullein (1 l per 10 l of water).Of the "mineral water" is best suited urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate.

It is also recommended to spray the above-ground part with complex mineral fertilizers once every 20 days in order to increase the concentration of the main substances in the green part.

Other methods. Growth stimulators are often used not only at the stage of seed germination, but also at the development stage. When plants emerge from the substrate, they will be very weak. To use a large amount of fertilizer at this time is meaningless, since an undeveloped root system simply cannot absorb fertilizer in the quantity necessary for rapid growth and development.

There is a way out of this situation - root system growth stimulants. First, you reduce fertilization, which increases the cost of obtaining products, and secondly, allow plants to get food from a larger area, which will give a good result even in soils with average fertility. You can also use other stimulants that increase the weight of the green part and speed up the harvest. In this case, it is better to give preference to natural products that do not poison the soil and products.

Why do not sprout cucumbers

Now decompose the reasons for the lack of germination.

1. Seeds were poorly prepared for planting.
2. Material has been damaged by bacteria, fungus or pests.
3. The land is too cold.
4. Lack of moisture.
5. Very poor ground.
6. Bad planting material.
7. Soil pollution by waste or poisons.

It is also worth considering the fact that you will never achieve absolute germination of seeds. Even the best stimulants increase germination only by 30-35%, so this fact should be taken into account.

Summarizing all the above, we can conclude that you can germinate by eliminating errors during sprouting and planting, but there are also factors beyond your control.

We discussed the main problems faced by gardeners when sowing seeds, learned about how many days the seeds of cucumbers sprout. It should be understood that if planting is carried out in a greenhouse, then almost all factors that you cannot influence are excluded. For this reason, listen to our recommendations and watch the weather conditions, and not the landing calendar.