Soaking cucumber seeds before planting: what, how to do it right and whether it is necessary

Cucumbers are a fairly popular crop that many summer residents grow on their plots. To get a good harvest, it is recommended to prepare the seed in advance for planting. That is why most vegetable growers soak cucumber seeds before planting.

Do I need to soak the seeds

Some gardeners wonder if cucumber seeds should be soaked before planting them in the soil. Definitely necessary, since this procedure allows several times to improve the germination of planted seeds. Also, when soaking, the yield of cucumbers planted in a greenhouse improves.

Often the refusal to pre-soak seeds is the main reason why cucumber seeds do not germinate.

Calibration

Before you start germinating seeds, you should do the preparatory work.

Before planting in the ground, it is imperative to calibrate. This procedure is carried out in order to select for planting only the largest seeds, which contain the most nutrients. First, all planting material should be selected according to its size. To do this, all the seeds are passed through a fine sieve to weed out the smallest seeds.

After that, you need to use a saline solution. For its preparation, 20-40 grams of s alt are added to a liter of water. The mixture is thoroughly mixed, after which selected cucumbers are added to it. If the seeds floated up within 10 minutes, then they must be disposed of, since the floating seeds are unsuitable for planting. All other seeds are quickly washed with water and dried.

How to soak cucumber seeds for disinfection

To ensure that germinated seedlings do not suffer from certain diseases in the future, it is necessary to deal with the disinfection of seed material. Quite often, a solution prepared from manganese is used for this. Before soaking cucumbers in potassium permanganate, you should familiarize yourself with how to do it correctly.

First, all the seeds are laid out on the surface of gauze or fabric material. After that, manganese is added to boiling water so that the liquid becomes a little pink. Make sure the mixture is not too concentrated as this can ruin the seed.

When the solution has cooled to room temperature, all cucumbers in gauze are placed in a container with liquid. Some are interested in how much time should be taken for soaking in potassium permanganate.15-20 minutes will be enough for disinfection. After processing, all cucumbers are quickly removed from the container, washed and dried.

Also, before planting in open ground, cucumbers of F1 hybrid varieties are soaked in hydrogen peroxide. To do this, the day before planting, all the grains are placed in a small bag of gauze and dipped in a weak solution. They should be soaked for 20-40 minutes. This time should be enough to clear the grains of bacteria. After that, all the grains to one are taken out of the bag and dried.

How to properly soak seeds in biologically active solutions

Many are interested in whether it is possible to soak the seeds before planting in open ground in biologically active solutions. Definitely possible, as they contribute to better growth of bushes when growing cucumbers.

To make seedlings sprout faster, it is recommended to use the following preparations:

• Epin. Epin contains a large number of nutrients that contribute to better germination of cucumbers for seedlings. If you soak cucumbers in this liquid, they will become more resistant to diseases and weather conditions.
• Zircon. Some vegetable growers argue that vegetables should be soaked in Zircon before planting. This drug is made from chicory acid, which accelerates the development of adult bushes and allows seeds to germinate quickly.
• Humate. The composition of this product includes humic acid and potassium s alt, which accelerate the germination of seeds by 2-3 times. To use the drug, it is enough to pour it into a small container and place the seed in the liquid.

How to soak cucumber seeds using folk recipes

Sometimes vegetable growers refuse to use purchased soaking products. In such cases, it is recommended to familiarize yourself in advance with what else you can soak cucumber seeds in.

Aloe juice

To ensure the fastest sprouting procedure for cucumbers, you can use aloe juice. This liquid contains a large amount of immunostimulants, which not only improve plant growth, but also protect it from diseases.

Before preparing a solution with aloe, one lower leaf is cut off and wrapped in a newspaper or towel.

Then the cut leaf is placed in the refrigerator for a week and a half, after which you can start squeezing the juice. This must be done by hand, without the use of any metal tools.When all the juice is squeezed out, it should be mixed in a ratio of one to one with boiled water. The prepared mixture is poured into a small plate, after which it will be possible to place the seeds in the fabric into it. During the procedure, it is better to transfer the container with soaked cucumbers to a warm room.

Ash

For soaking, gardeners use ash solutions. The ash contains minerals that stimulate the growth of vegetables. It is easy to prepare an ash solution on your own. 100 grams of straw or wood ash is added to a liter container with water. The prepared liquid is infused for two days, after which it is used to process grains. Soaking lasts 5-8 hours.

Mushroom decoction

Fans of folk recipes often soak cucumber seeds in mushroom broths.For its preparation, dried mushrooms are used, as they are rich in useful trace elements that contribute to the germination of seed. During the preparation of the broth, hot water is added to the pan with dried mushrooms. The container with the mixture is covered with a lid and infused until the water has completely cooled. Soak the seeds in mushroom broth for no longer than six hours. Having finished processing, we plant prepared cucumber seeds in the ground.

Potato juice

Potato juice products are often used during the sprouting of vegetable grains before planting them. To prepare a remedy from potato juice, 2-3 raw potatoes must be frozen in advance in the freezer. After two days, they get out and completely thaw. After that, all the juice can be squeezed out of them. It is poured into a plate where the soaking will be carried out.

Vodka

Some summer residents prefer to soak seed material in vodka. In this case, it is not recommended to use a solution that is too concentrated so as not to damage the seeds.

To prepare a liquid, 500 ml of vodka is added to a liter of water. The mixture should not be infused, and therefore seeds selected for cultivation can be immediately placed in it. They should be soaked in the solution for no longer than 20 minutes. This time is enough for the complete dissolution of the essential oils that cover the seeds. After the procedure, it is recommended to rinse the seed several times and dry it thoroughly.

Conclusion

Almost all lovers of fresh vegetables grow cucumbers. It is no secret that it is necessary to prepare all planting material for sowing in advance. To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with the main methods of processing grains and determine how many days you should soak them.

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