Cucumbers are one of the most common vegetable crops, which are cultivated both on an industrial scale and in almost every household plot. Everyone has long been accustomed to the fact that cucumbers are propagated by sowing seeds. At the same time, only the cultivation methods differ: seedlings or non-seedlings, in open or closed ground.
But what if the weather was bad and most of the seedlings died from the cold, or the seeds were of poor quality and germination was too low. In such cases, it is usually too late to finish sowing, and it is ineffective. Propagating cucumbers by cuttings or rooting stepsons will help increase the number of plants and extend the harvest until the first frost. Those same stepchildren who are torn off and thrown away or sent to compost. But this is an excellent planting material, which is indispensable when it is necessary to replace a plant and to increase the yield.
How to root cucumber shoots?
Propagation of cucumbers by stepsons is possible in two ways: cuttings and layering. They differ in the sequence of actions. When cutting, the side lash is first separated and only after the roots have formed, the stepson is rooted. Reproduction by layering, on the contrary, begins with the formation of the root system, and only after this the lateral shoot is disconnected from the main stem, and it becomes an independent plant.
Cutting method
For the full development of the central stem, the plant needs to be formed. To do this, remove the side shoots. But not all stepsons are suitable for rooting, so choose the strongest and healthiest vines. Technology:
- Take a container (preferably dark in color) with a small amount of clean well or rain water; you can also use regular, but settled water. Stepchildren are placed in the container, leaving 2-3 top leaves on them, or cuttings are cut from them, each of which should have one branch from 2 to 5 cm in length.
- In order to create comfortable conditions, the container is placed in a shaded place.
- To ensure that the plant spends all its energy on forming roots, all small green shoots and tendrils are removed, and large leaves are carefully trimmed, reducing them by at least half.
- It may take from five days to two weeks for the root system to form.
- The water in the container is not changed, but updated regularly. In this case, you need to ensure that the water level is 1.5–2 cm.
- When white roots form on the cuttings, it means the seedlings are ready and it’s time to transplant them into the ground.
- First, you can transplant them into cups with a nutrient mixture or immediately plant them on a previously prepared bed.
- Dig a hole and add a nutrient composition. Carefully place the seedlings there so as not to damage the roots. You can place 1-3 lashes in each hole. Afterwards, the cucumbers are lightly sprinkled with earth, poured generously with warm water and topped with soil.
In the future, they adhere to standard agrotechnical methods for caring for cucumbers.
Method of propagation by layering
This method is more suitable for growing cucumbers in a greenhouse or at home. Layerings root more reliably, but much more slowly than cuttings. Technology:
- To propagate cucumbers by layering, seeds for seedlings should be sown so that fruiting begins no later than the end of May.
- After the seedlings get stronger and begin to bear fruit, pinch off the tops of all the vines. After which the plant will begin to actively form side branches.
- All leaves are removed from the central stem.
- When the branches grow at least 2 cm, are covered with leaves and buds, the central stem is bent to the ground, secured in this position with wooden pins and sprinkled with humus on top, while the branches remain on the surface. The humus layer should be 1.5–2 cm.
- After 2–5 days, the cucumber cuttings will begin to take root, and after another two weeks the vine can be divided into several parts.
In the first 3–5 days after transplantation, the cuttings need abundant watering and a decrease in temperature to +18–20 degrees.Further, they need the same care as all other cucumbers.
Cucumbers obtained from rooted stepsons produce the first harvest within a month after transplanting to a permanent place of residence.
Reviews
Galina Lepishina, Moscow:
“Last year the summer was cold, many cucumbers died. She was saved only by rooting her stepsons.”
Svetlana Tomina, Kostroma:
“When I moved to the dacha, several cucumbers broke. I poked the stems into a jar of water and they sprang roots. I planted them in the garden, they grew healthy and were pleased with the harvest.”
Vasily Velyutin, Ivanovo:
“We had no use, our stepsons didn’t give us roots. It’s safer to sow the seeds again, let them be there by August. Better than wasting time."
Irina Berdina, Stupino village:
“Recently, every year, when forming cucumbers, I break off the side vines, shorten them and immediately put them in a jar of water. In a week I get full-fledged seedlings. So, if a cucumber gets sick or dies, there is always something to replace it.”
Marina Chernova, Samara:
“I know that tomatoes can be propagated by cuttings; they produce roots themselves. But I didn’t know that about cucumbers. I just added layerings.”
