Subtleties of preparing cucumber seeds for planting in open ground

It is not enough just to care for cucumbers to get a quality crop.Of great importance is the seed material, so its preparation before planting should be approached very carefully.

Preparation for planting begins with the choice of varieties of the future culture. Different types of cucumbers are suitable for open ground and greenhouses. To organize the beds on the plot, it is best to choose such hybrid varieties as Razgulay, Arkhangelsky or Mikhalych. It should be understood that greenhouse varieties do not bring a lot of crop, if used in open ground.

Plants for open ground do an excellent job with weather disasters, they are not afraid of drops and sharp drops in temperature at night, while greenhouse cucumbers start to hurt and slow down in growth.

Therefore, first, the gardener needs to decide what he is planting the culture for, in order not to remain disappointed. There are self-pollinated cucumber species, however, this is not very important, since bees and other insects do their work.

Cucumbers bred by the selection method can be initially resistant to various diseases, for example, Picas is completely immune to powdery mildew, demonstrates high yield and large fruits. For fresh salads this is an amazing option, but pickles are tasteless.

Preparing for sowing of cucumbers in open ground is necessary already at the beginning of spring, since the planting period may differ in different regions. The first thing you should pay attention to is the temperature of the warming up of the earth. The heat-loving culture and the more the soil warmed up, the faster the first shoots will appear on the surface. In the cold, the seeds do not germinate.

You can equip the beds with grooves that will protect crops from temperature changes or put manure under the ground and cover with plastic wrap. Inside this mini-greenhouse will create favorable conditions for the germination of cucumbers.

In the south of the country, landings are made at the beginning of May, since at this time there are no strong temperature drops. In other regions of the country are also guided by the weather. If it is constantly warm outside + 15ºС, then the culture will not grow, although it will not die. Growth is observed in early spring only during the day, at night cucumbers accumulate strength. When the air temperature is +25 ºС, the seeds quickly grow, but the gardener is required to constantly monitor the quality of irrigation of the soil. In a dry land, the culture will not grow and will quickly throw foliage, and then completely wither.

Before planting cucumber seeds in the ground, they need to be prepared and processed to protect them from diseases. It is necessary not only to warm them up properly, but also to process and temper.

Pre-sowing warming gives an opportunity to get a good harvest to any summer resident. According to agricultural technology, this method allows to reduce the number of barren flowers on the bushes, as well as to accelerate the process of ripening culture. However, not every gardener knows how to properly conduct the procedure, so you should follow the rules. The heating temperature should be at 25 degrees with a plus sign.

Hardening is the next step in the preparation of cucumber seeds. This method began to be used in the 19th century, when gardeners noticed that crops produce more yield, and ripening occurs much faster due to the fact that the plant is prepared for rapid temperature changes.

Hardening is indispensable for the middle zone and the northern regions. It stimulates flowering even at low air temperatures for this crop.This method has not found industrial application, despite positive results. Now it is used in breeding, because it is possible to shorten the period of obtaining healthy seeds from the moment of planting. In modern agricultural technology, the tempering process is called vernalization.

The principle is to activate physiological processes in germinated seed under the influence of low temperature. Thus, defense mechanisms are activated, the hormone balance changes in the right direction, and growth inhibitors accumulate. In simple terms, sugar accumulates and the plant's cold resistance increases. Such planting material can be planted in open ground ahead of schedule and even if the spring is cold and prolonged.

It matters what temperature is observed at the time of swelling of the seed, as a rule, it is room temperature. The pre-emergence period for the culture is the most vulnerable, therefore an emphasis is placed on a higher temperature. It is worth noting that low temperature will cause a stunted sprout to grow, which becomes weak or even begins to rot. In practice, this can be seen when already germinated seeds are planted in cold soil. That is why it is worth hardening the seed before it germinates.

There are two ways how to temper cucumbers. After swelling, the seed is placed in the cold, a refrigerator can be used. Enough 12 hours at a temperature of 0 to +2 degrees. The next 12 hours the seeds should be in the room at a temperature of 20 degrees with a plus sign.

The process is repeated for several days, it is best to hold the planting material in such conditions for 5 days. Be sure to ensure that the seeds remain wet, but they should not be in the water. The unviable will die, so natural selection takes place.

The second method involves constant exposure to low temperatures for a period of from two to seven days. Humidity is the same, the temperature is lower, the less the seeds are kept in the cold. Experts in the field of agricultural engineering say that much in the process of hardening depends on the grade, mode, conditions. For a long time, a positive effect was studied by scientists and it was found that culture samples taken from the southern regions responded better to hardening than those from the northern part.

Cucumber seeds have such a feature as: when the temperature is lowered, nitrogen-containing substances are produced that negatively affect the further development, as they cause activation of pathogenic microorganisms. Hardening can reduce the negative impact. When the greenhouse complexes appeared, they stopped using this stage of seed preparation, but it is still relevant today in the matter of planting planting material in open ground.

Disinfection is a stage that should not be missed when preparing cucumber seeds for planting. Although it is a preventive measure, it can significantly reduce the risk of infection of adult plants with many diseases. The cheapest solution is manganese, in which you need to immerse the seeds. Ten grams is enough for the same amount of water. In the absence of manganese, streptomycin can be used. In both cases, the seeds must be in solution for a day, after which they are washed under running water.

You can prepare the solution yourself, using crushed garlic. On a glass of warm water is enough one grated cloves. As soon as he infusions and cools down, he is diluted with a liter of liquid and the planting material in gauze is dipped into the prepared solution. After thirty minutes, the seeds are taken out and dried. Such drugs as NIUIF-2 and TMTD have proven themselves well.

It is necessary to prepare seeds at home correctly, it does not matter whether it is planted in a greenhouse or open ground. Every gardener should competently approach the issue of processing, because inept actions can spoil the planting material. As practice shows, the quality of the seedlings and the amount of the harvest depend on the quality of the preparatory work carried out in the future. First of all, carry out the selection of empty seeds, for this they are immersed in salt water. Those that surfaced will never give germs, so they are removed.

It is necessary to calibrate in size, since small ones should be planted to a shallower depth, no more than 1 centimeter. When buying seeds, be sure to pay attention to the following characteristics:

• number of seeds inside;
• shelf life.

High-quality processing will allow you to get good seedlings, and in the future to increase the yield, so she should pay special attention. Even a novice gardener will easily cope with the task if he follows the advice of professionals. There are some gardeners who carry the seeds on the body in a sachet for a week and claim that then they give a quality crop, but this method of heating is not confirmed scientifically.

Planting material can be fed with ash solution. He is an activator and helps the plant to activate its vitality faster. As other stimulants, the results of the humate and Epin showed excellent results. They can be found in a specialty store, they are available for sale at an affordable price.

See the video below for the technology of preparing cucumber seeds for planting in open ground.