Cucumbers, one of the most popular crops, are eaten with pleasure all over the world. Whether as pickles, salad, soup or vegetables, they are crunchy and delicious. Especially when you can harvest them fresh from your own garden. It doesn't matter which of the forty types of cucumbers - patience is required when sowing cucumbers.

Cucumber sowing at the right time

Sow cucumbers before the beginning of March is not worth it. With a lack of brightness, the seedlings form weak shoots, the cotyledons of which suffer from a lack of chlorophyll. That means they lapse. Correct timing is therefore important .

Anyone who sows cucumbers in the greenhouse or on the windowsill in good time has several advantages. The plants start flowering earlier and deliver cucumbers that are ready to be harvested more quickly. In addition, the cucumber seedlings are protected from wind, weather and snail attacks. Fast-growing, early-ripening, bitter-free varieties such as:

  • Cucumber Heike F1
  • Mini cucumber Picolino F1
  • Gherkin Restina F1

What do you need to sow cucumbers?

  • seed trays or seed pots
  • Potting soil or substrate
  • Viable cucumber seeds
  • Mini watering can or spray bottle
  • Mini greenhouse or foil

The best start for cucumber sowing

You can use yogurt pots or pots made from peat or egg cartons. Compostable containers are particularly practical because the young plants can be planted directly later without damaging the root balls. Special seed soil is suitable for filling the containers. This is finer and less nutritious than potting soil and activates root growth.

The substrate should be damp but not soaking wet. Sow cucumbers in doses by placing 1 to 2 cucumber seeds in each container. Cucumbers are dark germs. Therefore cover the seed thinly with sifted soil and spray with warm water.

To ensure the necessary warm, humid climate, place the seedlings in a greenhouse or covered with foil in a south-facing window. If the window sill is cold, place a heating mat under the seed. The ideal soil temperature for germination is 20° degrees. Now air the cucumber seedlings briefly every day to avoid mold growth. And then? Just wait and see;-).

What to do when the first cucumber seedlings sprout?

Germination time depends on seed quality and external conditions such as light, temperature and humidity. 1 to 2 weeks later, when the first pair of cotyledons appear, remove the cover. Now it is important to keep the substrate moist without waterlogging. After the last night frosts you can plant the cucumbers in the garden. For this purpose, select the optimal location with sufficient planting distance in good time.

tips and tricks

Discard seedlings that are weak or misshapen. They are not suitable for cultivation. Put vigorous young plants outside a few hours longer each day to harden off.

Category:

Vegetable garden