How to transplant young cucumber seedlings
Often, summer residents grow vegetables using seedlings. The method brings quick results in fruiting. Transplanting cucumber seedlings, or picking, is a crucial moment in the growing process.
Transplanting young seedlings of cucumbers
Transplant rules
Seedlings are ready for replanting 25-30 days after sowing the seeds. In this case, a pair of dark green leaves and a weak root system have already been formed. This allows you to transplant cucumbers without damage.
Growing region
When transplanting, the region of growing vegetables is taken into account. So, in the southern regions, planting in open soil can occur much earlier than the established dates. In the northern part, the temperature can fluctuate, and the transplant should be postponed for several days. The main thing is that the plants are strong, with proper care they will give a good harvest.
Transplant timing
The timing of replanting depends on the place of disembarkation:
- greenhouse - 2-3rd decade of April;
- open ground with a film - 3rd decade of May;
- open ground - 1st decade of June.
Temperature
The optimum temperature for disembarkation should be at least 15-16 ° C. If the temperature drops and stays below 12 ° C, the plants will slow down and die. The root system at this temperature is not able to absorb water with nutrients. Nutrition occurs through the leaves, and since the transplanted cucumbers practically do not have them, the seedlings cannot receive nutrients.
Soil preparation
Seedlings of cucumbers in a new place take root for a long time. In this case, the roots are susceptible to diseases and pests. To protect the plants, the soil is prepared.
To disinfect the soil, a solution of potassium permanganate is used. For 2 buckets of water, 1 g of manganese is diluted and the land is cultivated. This destroys the larvae living in the soil.
It is recommended to treat the beds with a phytosporin solution. This is done in the spring or fall.
The soil is fed. Before digging the land, rotted manure or compost is introduced.
A week before transplanting cucumbers, fresh manure is applied to a depth of about 5 cm so that it can warm the soil, but not burn the plant roots.
Open ground transplant
Transplanting cucumber seedlings is more like transshipment. The bottom line is that a growing seedling in a container is not dug out of the ground, but taken out with it. This method does not injure the root system.
Transplant should be done carefully
You can place seedlings in three ways:
- simple (row spacing - no more than 60-70 cm);
- ribbon (seedlings are placed in a row at a distance of 80 cm from each other);
- wide-row (plants are 30 cm apart, the distance between rows is 1 m).
It is not worth planting seedlings deeply. Seedling roots should be close to the surface. Deepening to the very leaves leads to root rot.
The planting site should be well lit so that other plants or trees do not create shade. It is better to plant on a cloudy day and in the evening.
If the seedlings were grown in pots or plastic cups, they are easy to reach. Such a container is predominantly tapered. The soil should be dry; to remove it, it is enough to turn the container over and shake it. The plant will get along with the soil without damaging the roots.
If the seedlings grew in boxes, the ground is pre-watered. Only after that, the seedling is carefully dug out together with the soil. This is best done with a small shovel rather than with your hands. It is not worth squeezing and compacting an earthen lump, because the roots may not straighten out. This leads to the death of the seedling.
The pit for planting cucumbers is watered, and the seedling is carefully removed from the pot or glass along with the earth. After planting seedlings around it, they compact the earth with their hands. To preserve moisture, the planting site is sprinkled with dry earth or straw.
Transfer to the greenhouse
The transplanting of cucumbers into the greenhouse begins at the end of April and depends on the configuration and climatic regime of the greenhouse. If the greenhouse is heated, enough light penetrates into it, it can be transplanted at a temperature of 13 ° C above zero.
The transplant process will take place in several stages:
- Soil preparation. Add bird droppings and superphosphates. Wood ash and urea are often added to fully feed the seedlings.
- Preparing the beds. The beds are prepared in a week. To protect them from drying out, they are covered with plastic wrap. The holes are placed at a distance of 50-60 cm. In order for the plants to receive a sufficient amount of heat and sun, they are staggered.
- Planting seedlings in the ground. They are carefully removed and moved to a new location. Sprinkle on top with dry earth or peat with sawdust.
- Maintaining cucumber lashes. To do this, a wire with a height of 1.5-2 m is pulled along the bed.
The irrigation system plays an important role in transplanting seedlings into the greenhouse. Hose watering is not recommended: the jet of water erodes the soil and young shoots damage the roots.
The greenhouse maintains an optimal temperature regime. During the day it should be at least 20 ° С, and at night - 18 ° С. With the formation of fruits, the temperature rises to 20-24 ° C. The temperature difference negatively affects the taste of the crop.
The humidity in the greenhouse should be at least 80%, and the fruiting period should be 90%. Cucumber bushes are periodically sprayed. If there is not enough heat and moisture, the fruit will be bitter and gnarled.
If vegetables used to be sick in the greenhouse, it is necessary to completely replace the soil. A bleach solution is used to disinfect the greenhouse. 400 g is diluted in 10 liters of water, the walls are whitened with the resulting solution, paying special attention to the frame.
Seedling care
Watering
Watering is very important for plants.
One of the main conditions for plant growth is watering. In the first days after transplantation, it is especially important. Pour gently under the bush through a watering can or kettle. The water is preliminarily heated to 25 ° C. Warm water prevents disease.
Clay soils are rarely watered, but quite abundantly, because they retain moisture longer. Sandy loam and light soils require frequent watering in small doses.
Lighting
The transplanted plants are covered in the first week in sunny weather. For this purpose, use film, mesh or cardboard boxes, plastic bottles. Under the shelter, a steam effect is created, which allows the seedlings to take root better. But with this method, the soil is poorly ventilated: the sun's rays can heat the surface to a high temperature, at which the seedlings will simply die.
To support the cucumber lashes, trellises are installed. Plants braided on them will receive a sufficient amount of sun.
Top dressing
Periodically loosen the soil, remove weeds. Foliar dressing provides useful substances and accelerates the growth process. Cucumbers are sprayed with a urea solution, diluting 5 g per 1 liter of water. Such a top dressing is done in cloudy weather; when it is sunny, the plant gets burns.
No more than 3-4 dressings are carried out per season:
- after transplantation, no more than 60 g of superphosphate and 1 tbsp. l. urea per 10 liters of water;
- during the flowering period, 20 g of potassium nitrate, 40 g of superphosphate and 30 g of ammonium nitrate are added to 10 liters of water;
- during fruiting 2 tbsp. l. potassium nitrate is diluted in 10 liters of water;
- to increase the yield, add a solution of 10 liters of water and 1 tbsp. l. baking soda.
You can feed cucumbers with organic fertilizers. Organic matter, for example, droppings, is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 8. Fertilizer is applied after watering or rain, most of the solution is poured in small portions under the root.
In order for the cucumber lashes to branch out, pinch 5-6 true leaves.
Conclusion
For the transplantation of young cucumber seedlings to be successful, you need to know three main things: when to transplant, how to prepare the soil and transplant correctly. Knowing these secrets and carefully replanting seedlings, you can get a good and tasty harvest.