Cucumbers are heat-loving crops that need to be planted in the soil under certain conditions. The timing of planting depends on many factors. At the same time, many people are interested in when to plant cucumber seedlings in 2023, as well as the timing and features of plant transplantation. In this case, it is worth focusing on the lunar calendar and climatic features of the region.
Lunar calendar schedule
Gardeners know that to get a good harvest of cucumbers, you need to focus on the lunar calendar. It helps determine which lunar phase is most suitable for planting cucumbers.
Lunar cycles have a good effect on the growth and development of the plant. When planting seedlings on optimal days, the vegetable will be more resistant to parasites and diseases. It will bear high-quality fruits and develop quickly.
Landing work is always carried out on a young and growing moon. If the month is old, it is not recommended to perform them. There are a total of 4 phases of the moon's growth. However, not every one is suitable for sowing. So, the main phases include the following:
- New moon - in this phase the root system develops well. Therefore, during this period you can safely plant seed material. It is important to consider that it lasts only a day.
- Full moon - at this stage it is best to spray, apply fertilizers or prepare the soil for subsequent planting of vegetables. The full moon lasts only a day. But before and after it, you can’t plant anything in the soil for another day.
- Waning moon - this phase lasts 2 weeks. Planting seeds is allowed at this time. But it is better not to move the seedlings to a permanent plot.
- Waxing moon - this stage lasts about 2 weeks. It is perfect for planting seeds in the soil. Vegetables tend to grow quickly at this time. Also, during the waxing moon, cucumbers should be fed and watered.
According to the lunar calendar, the most suitable stages for planting seeds include days when the celestial object is located in the most fertile constellations. These include the Water signs - Scorpio, Cancer and Pisces.
The most favorable days for planting cucumbers include:
- March: 1-6, 23-26, 28-31;
- April: 1-2, 20-22, 27-29;
- May: 6-9, 15-17, 24-27;
- June: 1-3, 5-7, 11-13, 18-21, 21-26;
- July: 1-2, 6-8, 18-23.
Schedule by region
Cucumbers are a heat-loving vegetable crop. Therefore, it is permissible to plant them only in well-warmed soil. Planting seedlings should be done when the temperature is at least +14 degrees. It is important that the night temperature is at least +7-8 degrees.
Therefore, the climate of the regions directly affects the timing of planting cucumbers. It is recommended to take into account the following:
- In the south of Russia, planting work should be carried out in mid-March. At the same time, planting cucumbers in open ground is allowed in April.
- In the Moscow region, cucumber seedlings should be planted only in mid-April. Therefore, they can be planted in open soil no earlier than mid-May.
- In the Urals and Siberia, it is recommended to plant cucumber seeds in early May. At the end of the month, it is permissible to move the seedlings to a permanent site.
- In the Far East, cucumber seeds are allowed to be planted no earlier than the second half of May. Therefore, there is no need to rush to board.
What days should you not plant cucumbers?
There are days that are not very suitable for planting. These include:
- February: 10-11, 21-22, 26-27;
- March: 9-11, 19-21, 25-26;
- April: 4, 15-17, 20-22, 30;
- May: 3, 4, 8-9, 30-31;
- June: 1, 4-5, 14-15, 27-28.
Preparing seeds and soil
The soil for cucumbers should be loose and airy. It is permissible to plant them in the same place for a maximum of 4-5 years in a row. To plant cucumbers in a greenhouse or grow seedlings, it is permissible to use any soil. The plant is considered undemanding to its composition.
However, to increase productivity, it is recommended to prepare a special substrate.It may consist of turf and humus. They are connected in a ratio of 2:3. It is important to use high-quality humus. It needs to be prepared in advance.
Many gardeners prepare the substrate themselves. To do this, you should take regular soil and humus in a ratio of 2:3. It is also recommended to add peat to the composition. Its quantity should be twice the volume of land. To make the soil more fertile, it is worth adding a small amount of sawdust to its composition.
Gardeners who do not want to prepare the soil themselves can buy it at the store. For planting seed material, a mixture called “Fontanelle” is considered an excellent option.
When using regular soil for planting, it must be processed. A month before work, it is necessary to water the substrate with a solution of copper sulfate with a concentration of 7%. After the specified time has passed, it is permissible to carry out planting work. Many gardeners warm up the soil in the oven. This helps kill bugs and parasites.
Before sowing, it is important to choose the highest quality seeds. However, this only needs to be done when collecting planting material yourself. Preference should be given to large and even grains that are light in color. For calibration, it is permissible to use a saline solution. To prepare it, it is recommended to take 3 grams of ordinary salt per 100 milliliters of water. Cucumber seeds need to be mixed in the solution and wait 10 minutes.
Grains that have floated to the surface are not suitable for sowing. They need to be thrown away. There is a high probability that old seeds will all float to the surface. You need to try to germinate them to make sure they germinate. After calibration, the grains must be kept in a solution of potassium permanganate with a concentration of 1%. However, this should be done for a maximum of 20 minutes.
It is recommended to soak cucumber grains before sowing. To do this, it is recommended to take a transparent container, place folded gauze on the bottom, lay out the seeds and fill with a small amount of water. It is also permissible to use cotton pads for this purpose. They need to be well moistened with water. It is important to use a small amount of moisture so that the seeds are not completely covered. They should be kept in this form for 2 days.
Recommendations for planting
At home, cucumber seeds should be planted in peat tablets. They contain sufficient amounts of nutrients. Therefore, the soil does not need to be fed additionally. In addition, the tablets help protect seeds from fungi.
It is also permissible to plant cucumbers in special cassettes with cells. However, they first need to be disinfected. The advantage of this option is the possibility of repeated use. This is due to the fact that such cassettes are made of polystyrene.
However, it is best to grow seedlings in tablets. When using cassettes, cucumbers will have to be replanted. In this case, there is a high probability of damage to fragile sprouts.
Popular varieties of cucumbers
For outdoor cultivation, it is worth using hybrids and varieties that are pollinated by bees. Parthenocarpic hybrids of cucumbers are more suitable for the greenhouse. They do not need pollination.
When purchasing cucumber seed material, you should focus on the following criteria:
- location of the cucumber bed - it can be in a sunny place or in partial shade;
- the need to collect cucumber seeds - it is important to consider that hybrids do not retain their maternal properties;
- amount of harvest;
- resistance of cucumbers to pathologies;
- use of the crop.
It is important to consider that, depending on the ripening period, cucumbers are early, medium and late. However, popular varieties most often ripen quite early.
The most persistent and productive crops include:
- Tom Thumb;
- April F1;
- Alekseich F1;
- Moscow evenings F1;
- Erofey.
These cucumber varieties grow best in central Russia. At the same time, they are considered the most resistant to diseases and parasites.
Growing instructions
To obtain a high-quality harvest of cucumbers, it is important to follow certain growing rules:
- Plants need warmth. At temperatures below +16 degrees, crops die.
- Cucumbers require constant watering. It is important to avoid excessive dryness of the soil.
- Picking cucumbers is prohibited. Their sprouts are fragile.
- Cucumbers love humus. The more of this substance is added to the soil, the better.
- It is recommended to use settled water for watering cucumbers. It is also permissible to use filtered or melt water. Its temperature should be +23-28 degrees.
- It is recommended to water cucumber plantings at least twice a week. However, it is best to do this 2 times a day in small portions. First, the plants should be provided with drip watering. This is required before sprouts appear. Then it is recommended to ensure that the soil does not dry out.
Leaves turn yellow - how to fix it
The appearance of yellowness on cucumber leaves can be associated with a number of factors. The most common causes of problems include the following:
- nutritional deficiency;
- poisoning with toxic substances;
- influence of low temperatures;
- violation of irrigation conditions - deficiency or excess of moisture;
- lack of light;
- pest attacks.
If cucumber seedlings are not grown in peat tablets, they need to be fertilized. Moderation of watering is of no small importance. It is important to ensure that the soil does not dry out. When pests appear, special treatments should be carried out. For this purpose, it is permissible to use insecticidal preparations.
How to replant cucumbers
Cucumbers are best planted in a greenhouse. Transplanting seedlings into open ground is quite dangerous. In this case, there is a risk of death of most of the seedlings. In greenhouse conditions, the soil warms up well and steadily, so cucumbers can grow well. Many gardeners immediately plant seeds in protected soil. In this case, they develop well and bear fruit.
When growing seedlings at home, you should give preference to peat tablets. In this case, it will be possible to avoid the need to dive the plants. It is not worth planting seeds in another container, since there is a high probability of damage to the seedlings. With proper care, losses will be minimal. Almost all cucumber seedlings immediately take root and develop well.
It is important to consider that seedlings can be replanted at the stage of formation of 3-4 true leaves. Each variety has its own growth periods.Therefore, when determining the timing of a transplant, it is worth focusing on its description. For early varieties, the period from sowing to planting in open soil is 14-21 days, for mid-season varieties - 20-22, for late varieties - 20-28.
Growing cucumber seedlings has certain features. Great importance is given to the choice of planting dates. In this case, you can focus on the lunar calendar and climatic features of the region. In order for the sprouts to develop normally, it is important to provide them with complete and high-quality care. It should include timely watering, fertilization, protection from diseases and pests.
