How To Soak Cucumber Seeds? How Quickly To Germinate Them Before Planting And In What Should The Seeds Be Soaked For Seedlings? Soak Time For Germination

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 05:33

It would seem what else can be new in the cultivation of cucumbers. However, controversy is still ongoing about soaking seeds before planting. There are both supporters of this method and opponents. Be that as it may, germinating seeds is still one of the agricultural techniques that every gardener should know about.

In the article we will talk about how to carry out this procedure correctly, what it gives, what means are applicable for this, and whether or not to soak cucumber seeds before planting - let everyone decide for himself.

The need for a procedure

Cucumber seeds can be planted in the ground without soaking, but it is still believed that if they are germinated before planting, you can achieve faster fruiting. In addition, from the germinated seed, the cucumber seedlings are stronger and healthier.

Proponents of this method believe that even if not seedlings, but the seeds themselves are planted in a germinated form, there will also be more sense than if you just bury them in the ground without preliminary soaking. The following arguments are given in favor of such a procedure:

• so you can be sure of the germination of seeds and know for sure that the planting material is of high quality or needs to be replaced;
• there is a guarantee that in the end there will be friendly seedlings in the garden;
• if after soaking it becomes clear that the seeds are empty, you can avoid failure and, without wasting time, buy others;
• in germinated seeds, after soaking, the growing season begins faster, therefore, the first cucumbers can be harvested earlier.

Training

To get good shoots and count on an excellent harvest of cucumbers, summer residents carry out a whole range of preparatory work for the selection and treatment of seeds. Let's designate these stages.

Seed selection activities

From the available seeds, it is necessary to select empty, incomplete seeds: for this, you can use the old old-fashioned method and lower the seed in a saline solution (1 tablespoon of salt per 1 liter of water). Seeds floating upward are not suitable for planting: they are barren flowers. The seeds that have settled to the bottom are taken out and dried on a napkin.

You can calibrate and separate smaller and larger samples at the same time. Then, when sowing, the trifle is not deeply buried in the ground and the same sprouts are obtained.

Heat treatment of seeds

This procedure is carried out in different ways: one of the ways is to place the seeds 4 weeks before sowing near or on a heating device that stably operates during this period in a temperature mode of + 25-28 degrees.

When there is not much time, you can use the quick warm-up method and place the seed in the oven (+ 50-55 degrees). Such seeds will give amicable shoots with a large number of female inflorescences, which will speed up fruiting and get a better harvest and in large quantities.

Another effective way to warm seeds is to carry them with you before planting and warm them with your body heat. Experienced summer residents claim that the method works 100%, and the harvests of such seeds are given simply to envy.

Seed disinfection

The selected seed material, after hardening, is subjected to further tests. So, to destroy various pathogens, it is disinfected, for example, with manganese. A dark purple solution of potassium permanganate is made and grains are dipped into it for disinfection. Leave for up to a quarter of an hour, then rinse and send to dry on a paper towel or gauze piece.

As an alternative to potassium permanganate, which is now difficult to find on the free market, you can take hydrogen peroxide. Soak in a 3% solution (1 tablespoon of peroxide in half a liter of water) for about 10-12 hours. After that, the seeds must be rinsed under running water and dried. It is important to know: in order to avoid undesirable reactions, the peroxide solution is not mixed with other compounds, especially with other stimulants.

Top dressing to strengthen seed immunity

To nourish the seed with the necessary microelements and strengthen the immune system, it will do boric acid Is a universal microfertilizer with a wide range of effects. For the solution, you will need only 0.2 g of the product and 1 liter of hot water (the water is heated to 50 degrees). Cucumber seeds are kept in such a bath for up to 12 hours, washed again and dried.

Boron enhances flowering and has a positive effect on the formation of ovaries, gives the plant a generally healthy look.

Checking the quality of seed material for germination

In order to send only viable seeds to the ground and not jeopardize the future harvest of cucumbers, the seeds need to be tested … To do this, they are monitored in a humid environment: how actively they germinate and what is the percentage of germinated material.

The easiest way is to wrap the seeds in a wet cotton or linen cloth . The bag is placed in a warm place and at 22-28 degrees, the sprouting process is observed. The napkin is regularly moistened with a spray bottle (moisten with warm water). Shoots should appear in 3-4 days. If 6 seeds out of 10 germinated, this is considered a good indicator. But at the same time, the length of the sprout must be taken into account: only those specimens are suitable that have sprouted 3-5 cm long.

Note to summer residents: if the seeds are 2-3 years old - it's not scary. Such grains can give stronger and more united sprouts - it all depends on the storage conditions, size, variety, in the end, pre-treatment before planting. In many ways, the soaking procedure plays a decisive role: it softens the thick shell of the seed, especially overdried material.

What can you soak in?

To obtain excellent shoots at home, cucumber seeds are soaked before planting. Moreover, this procedure is carried out both for seeds for seedlings and for better germination in open ground. The essence of the procedure is to soften overdried and thick-skinned casings.

All the seed is in need of water, but first it must be warmed up, for example, on a battery for two days. The next step is to place them in a container with a large amount of water without salt (it is better to prepare melt or rain water for these purposes) and leave the grains to swell at room temperature for about 18 hours.

This time should be enough for the shell to soften. But often the seeds that are put up for sale in specialized stores may already be processed, which the seller informs the buyer about on the package.

If this is soaking for germination, then the scheme is somewhat different: in this case, it is necessary to use special preparations so that roots appear faster and sprouts are used.

Germination occurs correctly under the influence of growth stimulants.

Zircon

This biological substance is classified as a useful supplement that stimulates growth at the cellular level. Zircon is particularly active in root germination, although it is generally believed to have a beneficial and curative effect on plant development.

If you delve into its biological capabilities, the following points can be highlighted:

• through seeds it develops in seedlings resistance to stressful situations, for example, associated with transplantation or diseases;
• promotes the formation of strong and healthy roots;
• in general, it influences the processes of plant growth.

Just 1 drop of this substance is dissolved in 150 ml of water. The seeds should be in the solution for 10-12 hours.

Humat

Biostimulator "Humat" contains sodium and potassium … First, it is recommended to prepare a mother liquor by mixing 1 g of the substance in 100 ml of water. Then, if necessary, working solutions are prepared at the rate of 1 ml of mother base per 100 ml of water (for germination, you can take 2 drops).

Before soaking, the solution is warmed up to 18 degrees, the seeds are kept for exactly one day. In addition to the prospects for good growth, stress resistance is also laid in the seeds.

Epin

This agent is both an adaptogen and a regulator, which allows you to maintain a balanced composition of nutrients in cucumber seedlings . In addition, "Epin" develops a stable reaction to high humidity , which is important when the garden is flooded due to floods or heavy rains.

It also makes plants more resilient during hot weather, drought or cold. The seeds are kept in this biostimulator for up to 20 hours at a room temperature of 20-23 degrees Celsius. After processing, they can be planted immediately in the ground or germinated.

Honey stimulation

Honey water is also a great biostimulant … One teaspoon of honey is enough for a glass of water to create the right solution for soaking cucumber seeds.

Processing takes place for 6 hours: seed material is lowered into a container with honey solution and kept for a specified time.

Potato juice

Potato juice also suitable for biostimulation and acceleration of the growth of seed material in cucumbers . To prepare it, you need frozen potatoes. Several tubers are placed in the freezer, then allowed to thaw and the starch juice is squeezed out of them.

Once frozen, it is not at all difficult to obtain this component from potatoes. The seeds are soaked in potato juice and kept for at least 8 hours.

Ash

Wood ash is already known as a storehouse of valuable trace elements, it also helps to speed up the growth of cucumber seeds. Take 1 liter of boiled water and dilute 2 large tablespoons of ash powder in this volume.

The solution is given the opportunity to infuse for two days, and then the seed material is soaked in it and the grains are kept for planting for 5-6 hours.

Aloe

To strengthen the immunity of future shoots and stimulate seed growth, cucumber seeds can be treated with aloe juice. Get juice from the stems as follows:

• it is advisable to take only ripe leaves (lower);
• they are wrapped in parchment paper (you can use ordinary paper, but more tightly so as not to get wet) and left in the cold for two weeks;
• after 14 days, squeeze out the juice, which is combined with a small amount of pure water (melt water is best suited for such a solution).

Withstand cucumber seeds exactly one day before planting.

Other stimulants to accelerate germination that may be at hand in a home environment are vodka or any other alcohol-containing product, including pharmacy tincture. In an alcohol base, the seeds are kept for no more than 20 minutes.

Possible mistakes

In order not to be disappointed in future seedlings, novice vegetable growers should familiarize themselves with the most common mistakes that are made when processing seed material before planting and not only.

Seeds can grow poorly due to improper soil preparation. Before planning cucumber beds on the site, you need to well clear the area from bears, wireworms and other pests. And, of course, the seeds will show poor germination at a relatively cool temperature (8-9 degrees Celsius), even if they themselves are prepared according to all the rules.

Normal germination can be achieved when it is more than 20 degrees outside, so do not rush to plant seedlings or sow seeds in open ground in early spring

Do not deepen the seed too much: 3 centimeters for a cucumber seed is already a lot.

Bury large specimens at a distance of 2 cm, and deepen smaller ones to a level of 1 cm, otherwise they will not have the strength and energy to "break through" the soil and grow. Before soaking the grains in special solutions, you need to hold them for 20-30 minutes in ordinary water - this way the effect of the biostimulant will be stronger.

Do not use water to prepare seed soaking solutions from a tap or well with a high content of salt and other substances … All you need is clean water. If there is no distilled one on hand, melt the snow or fill it up in the rain.

Do not soak pelleted seeds purchased in specialized retail outlets - they have already been processed . If you wet them again, the enveloping structure of the shell will simply dissolve. Choose any seed preparation method and get a good harvest of cucumbers.