Germinating cucumber seeds is the first step to a good harvest. What is the germination rate of cucumber seeds in a greenhouse and open ground? What do cucumbers look like when they sprout?

  • 12.10.2023

Many novice vegetable growers and gardeners wonder how long it takes for cucumbers to sprout in open ground. This question is relevant, since situations often arise in which the seeds have to be replanted several times - the cucumbers do not sprout, or it happens that the sprouts that have already appeared begin to die.

In this situation, many gardeners begin to complain about low-quality planting material. But this may not be the main reason. Poor germination of cucumber seeds or death of weak sprouts immediately after germination can occur for various reasons, which a person can independently eliminate.

    Duration of germination period for cucumbers

    What can affect the rate of emergence of seedlings

    Reasons for sprouts not appearing

    How to deal with poor seed germination

Duration of germination period for cucumbers

If cucumber seedlings do not appear, often the reason for this is not the poor quality of the seed material, but poor climatic conditions that interfere with the normal growth of seedlings. Cucumbers in a greenhouse and cucumbers in open ground sprout differently.

The cucumber bush is one of those plants that prefer to grow in warm climates. Cold is unfavorable for seedlings. With any sudden changes in temperature conditions, tender young shoots may die.

That is why planting cucumbers at home should occur at a time when the soil is warm enough, when the frosts have already ended. When planting plants in a greenhouse, they can sprout much earlier, since the temperature here is stable or can be maintained manually.

Since it is much warmer in a closed structure, germination occurs much faster, so seed material is planted much earlier - several weeks.

So the seedlings can sprout on the fourth or fifth day after planting. This happens if all agrotechnical practices are followed. If the soil is too heavy, the seeds should be placed in pre-made rows, planting depth no more than one and a half centimeters.

If the soil is light, the depth of planting of the seeds is at least two centimeters. Before seeds are planted in the ground, it must be moistened and treated with peat. If climatic indicators become lower than when planting, the first shoots begin to appear no earlier than a week later.

What can affect the rate of emergence of seedlings

Experienced gardeners claim that seedlings appear best and fastest if there is a lack of air. After the seeds are planted, the beds must be covered on top with cellophane or cling film. When the first stems begin to emerge from the soil, the cover must be removed.

In order for cucumbers to germinate normally, the climate must be at least 13 degrees. The first sprouts appear after 4 days if the soil is warmed to 20 degrees. If the temperature is several degrees lower, seedlings begin to appear at home no earlier than after a week or a week and a half.

When planting early, it is recommended to plant only dry grains in the soil substrate, since wet and swollen seeds can quickly become rotten at low temperatures. In the third ten days of May, you can plant slightly sprouted cucumber seeds; in this case, sprouts will begin to appear after three to five days.

Reasons for sprouts not appearing

If the planted seeds do not sprout, the reason for this may be high humidity or dry weather. Another negative factor may be the increased poverty and lightness of the soil substrate. This situation arises due to the fact that the seedlings suffer from damage by destructive fungal spores. As a result, the sprouts do not have time to appear.

To prevent this situation, before starting sowing, it is recommended to treat the soil substrate with potassium permanganate diluted in warm water.

To create the most suitable warm conditions, after planting the seeds, the soil is covered with black film or some other covering material. The germination of seed material becomes much worse if the duration of their storage exceeds four years.

The main difference from other garden crops is that seeds collected by hand do not germinate well. Therefore, it is recommended to use purchased seeds or stratify freshly collected seeds. Those seeds that are stored in the cold in winter have a low germination rate.

How to deal with poor seed germination

If seeds do not germinate within the expected time frame, it is recommended to identify the cause and eliminate it. If the temperature is insufficient, the sprouts take too long to germinate or even die.

When the soil moisture is high, the seeds do not germinate and rot in the ground. The death of seed material occurs due to a lack of oxygen in the soil if the moisture does not evaporate, but constantly stagnates in the soil. Putrefactive processes affect both the soil itself and the seeds.

If the planting depth is too deep, a serious obstacle to germination arises. When planting seeds at a certain depth, the composition of the soil should be taken into account. If it is heavy, the depth should be less; if it is light, the seeds can be lowered not so deep into the soil.

In order for the growth and development of seedlings to occur as successfully as possible, it is necessary to take into account the depth of sowing of crops. It is also important to maintain a certain distance between plantings - at least one and a half centimeters. This way the sprouts will develop fully.

It is also important to treat the soil and emerging seedlings from pests. It is better to carry out preventative measures for plants than to deal with emerging pests later. It is also necessary to identify a plant disease in time, take all necessary measures to combat it and further prevent the recurrence of plant diseases.

It is much more pleasant to eat a fresh cucumber grown in your own garden than bought. That is why every owner of a summer house or garden must grow these “green soldiers”. To obtain a good harvest of cucumbers, it is extremely important to ensure that the first shoots are powerful, simultaneous, and friendly. To achieve this, you need to properly prepare the seed. Study this article and you will learn how to properly germinate cucumber seeds.

About the benefits of pre-germination

Plants can grow and bear fruit without germinating seeds. Some gardeners do just that. Sow the same cucumbers as often as possible, then, after they sprout, thin out so that the plants do not interfere with each other. Then they wait for the harvest. With such sowing, many seeds simply do not germinate, since they were of poor quality. Germination is not one-time - the spread over time can be up to a week. Due to unfavorable growth conditions and unreadiness of seeds, plants with such sowing develop slowly: they grow weak and produce low yields. It is very important to help plants at the initial stage of life when sprouts peck and the first shoots develop. This can be done by artificially stimulating germination before placing them in the soil.

Cucumber seeds with hatched roots. ready for landing

By using germination, the gardener achieves the following goals:

  • Sows only high-quality seeds, discarding non-viable ones.
  • Reaches germination rate of 100%.
  • Simultaneity of germination: germinated seeds germinate almost on the same day.
  • Simplifying the care of seedlings and adult plants, since they are all at the same stage of development.

There is only one argument against germination: the relative labor intensity of this process. The gardener should painstakingly carry out all the necessary procedures, maintain the temperature, and carefully monitor the process. It is necessary to plant the sprouted seeds in the ground in a timely manner and very carefully, without damaging the tender sprouts and roots. But anyone who wants to have a good result must work hard to get it.

Germinating cucumber seeds

By following the simple instructions below, you will be able to germinate cucumber seeds correctly and ultimately get a high yield.

When to start: focusing on temperature conditions

Before getting down to business, the gardener must decide where he will sow: in open ground, in seedlings or in a greenhouse. For each specific case, the start date for germination is determined.

Seeds purchased in branded packages that have already been pickled and treated should not be germinated. They are sown dry. They are usually pink or gray in color.

For sowing in open ground, you need to be aware that the planting time will be on May 15–20, but if cold weather is forecast, it may be pushed back to May 25. When germinated without hardening, 3–4 days pass from the moment of soaking until the seeds are ready, and when undergoing the hardening procedure, up to 8–9 days. If you did not manage to plant within the calculated period, then you will have to plant in seedling cups, since you cannot leave sprouted seeds for future use.

The thing is that cucumber is a heat-loving plant and you need to sow seeds in the ground or plant seedlings when the danger of frost has subsided. That is, in the middle or end of May. The optimal ambient temperature when planting in the ground should be 20–22 degrees during the day, and 16–18 degrees at night.

The gardener should keep in mind that a drop in temperature at night is always very likely, and cold temperatures are possible during the day. And at the end of May, beginning of June this is not uncommon. A thrifty owner must provide for the possibility of quickly covering the cucumber bed with film or individual places where the seeds are planted with various lids, jars, etc.

If it is assumed that seedlings will be grown from seeds, then the growth time of the seedlings must be added to the germination time of the seeds - 7–10 days. This method of planting cucumbers is more flexible, as it gives the gardener a reserve of time. When planting germinated seeds in seedling cups, you must also adhere to the above temperature parameters, but it is best to provide 25–28 degrees. Then the seeds will sprout quickly and simultaneously.

The easiest option is to sow sprouted cucumber seeds in a greenhouse. In this case, there is no need to focus on possible frosts, and you can start germinating seeds at any time. The temperature in the greenhouse must be 20–22 degrees.

Seed selection

The experience of cultivating many vegetable crops, and cucumbers in particular, shows. that the age of the seeds affects the yield and quality of the fruit. Plants grown from 1 year old seeds will produce more male flowers than female flowers and will therefore have low yields. It is not at all advisable to use seeds that are 5 years old or older, since the yield will be extremely low. The best age seeds are 2 and 3 year old. They produce the largest number of female flowers. They produce stronger seedlings and mature plants.

Awakening

If the seeds are stale, there are ways to stimulate their germination. To do this, they are heated in the sun for 10–15 days or simply heated on a battery for the same period. You can also pour them into a thermos with water at a temperature of 50 degrees and leave for 2 hours. There is no point in subjecting seeds that are 2–3 years old to such procedures, but keeping them on the battery for 2–3 days will not be superfluous; In addition, such heating will increase the number of female flowers on future adult plants.

Sorting

The purpose of this procedure is to identify and eliminate defective, non-viable, empty and spoiled seeds. To do this, there is no need to sort through the entire mass of seeds manually. You need to dissolve 2 teaspoons of table salt in a liter jar of water and pour the planting material into it. After 15 minutes, those seeds that have not sunk should be removed - they are not suitable for planting.

Seed sorting using saline solution. Unviable, spoiled seeds float

Disinfection

Immediately after sorting, cucumber seeds must be disinfected or treated. Place them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and keep for 20 minutes. This procedure ensures disinfection of planting material. Immediately after dressing, the seeds should be washed with clean water.

disinfection of cucumber seeds is a necessary procedure

Soak

On a saucer, plate or any plastic tray with sides, place a piece of natural fabric, gauze, a layer of cotton wool or paper napkins in 2-3 layers. Moisten this substrate with water. Gently place the cucumber seeds on it in one layer and cover the top with the same material (cloth, gauze, napkins). Sprinkle water on top. It is necessary to maintain at a temperature of at least 20 degrees for 12 hours - this is enough for the seeds to swell.

There is an opinion among vegetable growers that it is useful to soak seeds in melt water. Ice for thawing can be taken from the refrigerator.

To stimulate growth, you can use the following solutions instead of pure water:

  • Ash 1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water.
  • Superphosphate 1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water.

There are also other soaking methods. This is discussed below.

Soaking cucumber seeds between two soy napkins

Video on the topic

Hardening

It is very useful to harden the swollen seeds. This procedure will increase the plant’s resistance to low temperatures and drought, and they will get sick less. Hardening is desirable, but not required. If a gardener plans to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse, where there is no fear of frost and cold nights, hardening can be neglected.

There are two ways to harden seeds:

  • Exposure to constant low temperature. The swollen seeds, in the container in which they are located, are placed in the lower compartment of the refrigerator and kept for 12 hours at a temperature of +1 to -1 degrees.
  • Temperature hardening. The container with seeds is placed in the refrigerator during the day at a temperature of 0 to +5 degrees, and kept in the room at night. This procedure lasts 5 days. But, if sprouts are noticed to peck, hardening should be stopped.

In both cases, the seeds should be moist, but not drenched in water.

Swollen but not yet sprouted cucumber seeds can be hardened in a household refrigerator

Video about hardening cucumber seeds

Direct germination

After hardening, the container with planting material is placed in a warm place with a temperature of at least 20 degrees, not forgetting to periodically moisten it with water or the solution with which it was soaked. After 2-3 days, the cucumber seeds will germinate and should be sown immediately. You should not overexpose seeds that have already sprouted, because too long sprouts and roots will become entangled with each other, penetrate through the tissue, and it will be impossible to remove them intact and undamaged. In addition, young plants need soil for further development. That is why the gardener must prepare in advance for sowing sprouted seeds and decide in advance on the place and time of sowing.

Sprouted cucumber seeds on gauze pads ready for planting

Alternative methods

The above method is carried out using clean water. It is publicly available and is most often used at home. But, there are other methods using various biologically active drugs, namely: hydrogen peroxide, Epin, Humate, Zircon and others. They differ from the one considered only in that instead of water, the seeds are soaked in aqueous solutions of these preparations. Hardening is not used in this case, since it is believed that the above means, acting on the seeds, provide them with the necessary qualities. Another advantage of these methods is that the processing time of seed material is significantly reduced.

Table. Biologically active drugs

Drug nameSolution concentrationSoaking timeExpected result compared
with soaking in clean water
Hydrogen peroxide1 milliliter per 1 liter of water1 daySeed germination is 1.5–2 times higher.
Roots, stems, leaves of plants
more powerful.
Epin2 drops per 100 milliliters of water12–24 hoursPlants become resistant to
cold, drought, waterlogging, disease.
GumatUse a 0.01% solution.10–12 hoursAccelerates seed germination,
stimulates seedling growth,
increases resistance to diseases.
Zircon2 drops per 300 milliliters of water10–12 hoursAccelerated seed germination,
the plant forms powerful roots.

Germination in sawdust

There is such an original, and even somewhat exotic way of germinating seeds and growing seedlings. Fine sawdust is used as a substrate. Large sawdust is not suitable for this purpose, since when removing a seed or seedling, delicate sprouts and roots may break, and small ones will simply crumble.

If desired, some of the seeds can be left in the sawdust and seedlings can be grown from them. It is very easily removed from sawdust without damaging the roots. You can plant it in the ground directly with a lump of sawdust in the roots.

In sawdust you can both germinate cucumber seeds and grow seedlings

Despite the fact that germinating cucumber seeds is a somewhat troublesome procedure, it takes time and is worth doing in order to obtain an early and high harvest. Plants grown from such seeds are stronger and can better withstand all natural disasters. diseases and bear fruit for a long period.

Kira Stoletova

Many summer residents like to grow vegetables by propagating seedlings. It all starts with the process of planting seeds. And many people are concerned about questions: how many days do cucumber seeds take to germinate, how to increase germination, and the reasons for their failure to germinate.

Seed preparation

There are many different varieties available in stores, with different yields and degrees of ripening. You can choose according to taste and color. But improper preparation can immediately lead to poor germination.

Seed preparation consists of several stages:

  1. Sorting. To do this, prepare a solution of 50 g of salt per 0.1 liter of water at a temperature of 20°. The seeds are immersed in the solution for half an hour. The bad ones will float to the surface, remember that they cannot be planted; they are initially empty and therefore will not germinate.
  2. Soak. In a solution of 1 tbsp. spoons of wood ash and 1 teaspoon of nitrophoska are dipped into the planting material for 12 hours.
  3. Warm up The seeds are placed for 3 days in a warm place so that the temperature is 50° above zero. On the 4th day, the temperature is increased by 20° and kept for another day.
  4. Hardening. The material is placed in wet wipes or gauze for germination. At a temperature of 22-25°C this process will take 2 days. After this, everything is placed in the cold for 48 hours.

If heating at 50° cannot be ensured, then a battery can be used at home. At a temperature of 20-25° it is necessary to warm it up for a month. The heating itself will ensure the formation of female inflorescences, early fruiting, and simultaneous germination of one variety of cucumbers.

Cucumber seeds are good for 10 years, but every year they lose their benefits. Therefore, it is better to use them, the sooner, the better, so that all the beneficial properties are preserved.

When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the production date and shelf life of the product. It is also necessary to pay attention to storage conditions. The seed grows very poorly if there is no access to oxygen.

To obtain a harvest throughout the summer, you need to choose varieties with different ripening periods, and also plant them at different times.

Landing rules

Before sowing, you need to prepare the place and containers in which the seeds will be planted. For growing seedlings, it is recommended to choose pots or glasses with a volume of 400 ml and a height of 120 mm.

Selecting a location

It is better to place the seed containers on window sills or loggias. In this case, the germinated seeds will receive a sufficient amount of heat and light. If the weather is cloudy or there is not enough light on the windowsills, install additional lighting.

Soil preparation

It is also necessary to prepare the soil in which the cucumber seeds will be planted. You can use special ready-made mixtures. Some summer residents themselves prepare the land for sowing. Mix turf soil with humus and sawdust. For fertilizer, add 1 tsp per 10 liters of soil. urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate. If there is ordinary ash, then it will also be useful.

The soil should be light, well aerated and loose. When planting in heavy soil, a furrow 1.5 cm deep is made, the material is planted, and the top is covered with sifted and loose soil.

Disembarkation time

The time for planting seeds depends on the location and planting conditions, so the timing will fluctuate. Hatched seeds can be sown in the soil after May 25th.

To determine the timing of sowing, you can use natural clues. There is a folk wisdom that says that if a field is covered with yellow dandelions or viburnum blooms, then it’s time to sow.

Before planting, water the soil and give it time to warm up. After that, 1 germinated seed is planted in the soil to a depth of 2 cm. At first, the temperature should be 27°C. Then it is gradually reduced to 20°, and at night to 15 degrees. Such manipulations must be done for 4 days. Planting in unheated soil will lead to rotting of the seeds and lack of seedlings.

How long will it take for the seeds to germinate?

Many people are concerned about the question: how many days do cucumber seeds take to germinate? The main factor for determining timing is soil temperature.

Germination of cucumber seeds begins at a soil temperature of 12-13°C. The optimal conditions for germinating cucumbers is a soil temperature of 20-25°C above zero, then the first shoots will appear after 4-6 days.

How many days will cucumber seeds germinate if the temperature is 18°C? The first shoots will appear in 10 days.

How long does it take for cucumber seeds to germinate if the weather gets worse? In this case, shoots will appear after 1.5-2 weeks.

If after 14 days the first shoots have not appeared, you can re-sow.

Poor germination is achieved by planting material that has overwintered outside. Fresh seeds do not germinate well, and if they are 4-5 years old, they may not germinate at all. For good germination, take 2-year-old seeds.

How to increase germination

There are several techniques that help reduce germination time:

  • stimulation;
  • soak;
  • sowing.

For better germination, pots or glasses are covered with plastic wrap. This is done to reduce the supply of oxygen. When there is a lack of air, cucumbers germinate better. After the first shoots appear, the film is removed.

You only need to water with warm water. Cold water promotes the development of various infections and diseases in plants. Watering is best done in good weather.

Another condition for a good result of sowing cucumbers is disinfected soil. Many people forget that there are various larvae and bacteria in the soil. Before planting, it is necessary to treat with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or boiling water.

It is almost impossible to achieve 100% germination of cucumbers. Growth stimulants increase results by 30-35%. The main thing is to eliminate all mistakes and germinate the seeds, observing the necessary conditions.

Stimulation

Seed stimulation is used to increase the number of germinated seeds and germination. With this method, various growth stimulants are used. They are a supplement based on bacteria, fungi and plant elements. This mixture strengthens the root system and improves growth. It is recommended for use when growing expensive varieties or hybrids.

The supplement must be used strictly according to the instructions and in the correct dosage. It is better to purchase expensive and popular options for stimulants. If used incorrectly, stimulants can have the opposite effect - slowing down and stopping growth.

Stimulants are used at the initial stage. After the seeds are taken out of the package. Stimulation is an alternative to simple soaking. With this method of processing, planting material is immersed in water with growth stimulants for 10-12 hours.

For stimulation, you can use folk remedies. Valerian infusion and aloe juice are biostimulants for growth.

Soak

Soaking is used in two ways:

  • You will need fabric. First you need to wet it, put the seeds on top and cover with a damp cloth. After this, they are placed in a plastic bag. In this way, access to oxygen is blocked and the temperature increases.
  • You'll need a jar. Manipulations are carried out as in the first method, only a glass jar is used instead of a bag. It is covered with a nylon lid and placed in a dark place.

When soaking, it is necessary to monitor storage conditions so that the soaked material does not rot or become covered with fungus. Water temperature and its quality play an important role. It is best to use rain or settled water. It does not contain chlorine and other impurities. The use of distilled water is strictly prohibited. For fast and high-quality germination, the temperature should be 25°C. It will take 12 hours.

Sowing

When sowing, methods to improve germination are to prevent infection and disease. Treatment with various immunomodulators improves immunity in plants. Subsequently, they are more resistant to diseases.

Treatment once a month with trichodermine will save plants from root rot. Treatment with urea is necessary for young cucumbers. 1 tsp urea is diluted in a bucket of warm water. After this, it is applied by foliar method.

Why don't the seeds germinate?

There are many cases when seeds are planted, but germination never occurs. This indicates a violation of agrotechnological practices during cultivation. There may be several reasons:

  1. Temperature. If the thermometer reading is below 12°C, then the seeds slow down their development. The hatched material begins to rot in the cold soil.
  2. Planting depth. Planting at a greater depth will increase the germination time of cucumbers. If it is shallow, the seeds do not have time to shed their seed coat.
  3. Wet and heavy soil. A cucumber, when sown in such soil, may not sprout. Oxygen does not enter the soil well if the humidity is high. In heavy soil, a crust forms that is difficult for sprouts to break through.
  4. Dry soil. Insufficient watering or hot weather prevents rapid germination. Germination slows down, and if the soil is not moistened, they may not sprout at all.
  5. Seed preparation. Incorrect or excessive processing of planting material before sowing leads to late results. Soaked and hatched seeds must be immediately planted in the soil without preliminary drying.
  6. If the seeds were stored incorrectly or planted in poor soil without following agrotechnological processes, then the germination rate of the seeds will be poor. Therefore, you need to choose planting material carefully, paying attention to the date of manufacture and shelf life.

Kira Stoletova

An integral stage of planting cucumbers is planting seeds, that is, sowing. Every gardener looks forward to the first shoots appearing. However, it happens that you have to wait a long time for the first shoots, or the sprouted shoots die soon or do not appear at all. Why does this happen, and how many days does it take for cucumber seeds to sprout normally? Today we will talk about exactly this.

How long does it take for cucumber seeds to germinate?

There are many factors due to which cucumber seeds do not germinate. Do not forget that we are talking about a heat-loving plant that does not like sudden changes in temperature. In addition, the reason for the non-germinated seed may be its poor quality. In order for the seed to hatch on time, it is worth waiting for the right time, when the soil has warmed up and, according to forecasts, there will be no frost on the soil if you plan to plant in open ground conditions, that is, in a garden bed. As for the greenhouse, seeds can be planted a little earlier compared to open ground - approximately 3 weeks.

How many days do it take for cucumbers to sprout? If all the above conditions are met, the first shoots can appear within 4-6 days after planting the seeds. If you sowed in heavy soil, you should dig them deeper, but even this will not help the first shoots to hatch before 6-8 days.

Sprout germination phase

The germination of a cucumber sprout is the most delicate phase, because with a high probability this may not happen for one reason or another. In order to understand the reasons, it is worth familiarizing yourself in more detail with what a cucumber seed is and how it ripens.

A cucumber seed is a slightly elongated white formation, inside of which there is an embryo that is reliably protected by the seed coat. This shell protects the seed from negative factors:

  • Mechanical damage
  • Drying out
  • Early germination
  • Damage by certain microorganisms

In order for a shoot to appear in open ground or a greenhouse, conditions are needed that will force the peel to open. For this to happen, it is necessary to ensure sufficient watering, create the desired temperature and good ventilation. As for lighting, cucumber seeds germinate equally well both in light and without it.

Beginning of life cycle

The life cycle of a cucumber seed begins with being saturated with moisture until the required amount of water is absorbed. Immediately after this, the process of swelling of the seed begins, it is at this time that the peel begins to open, and then the activation of the enzyme system begins, the beginning of aerobic activity. It is worth saying that in order for these processes to occur, it is important to create the necessary humidity conditions:

  • To saturate the seed, about 40% moisture in the soil is needed after planting.
  • During swelling, the indicator changes and rises to 70% and even up to 80% if the plant is planted in a garden bed

In addition, it is important to note that the above processes can only occur if the temperature does not fall below 25 degrees. If the indicators fall below, there is a risk that immediately after swelling the seeds will become moldy, which will make further growth impossible.

Development of the seed embryo

After the previous stage has ended, the stage of embryo development begins. This is accompanied by many chemical reactions that are aimed at the breakdown of starch, oxidation of lipids and, of course, the formation of proteins and amino acids. As a result of this, an embryonic root is formed; now the future plant is nourished only by absorbing nutrients from the soil.

Due to environmental influences, the root gets rid of the peel quite easily and quickly; this happens directly in the soil after sowing. If you planted the seeds too deep, you may see roots that never shed their skins. Unfortunately, they will no longer be able to sprout, since under the influence of air and sun the peel will quickly harden, sealing the young seedling inside. To correct the situation, you need to spray the seedling with a spray bottle or sprayer, and then carefully remove the peel with your fingers.

Why don't the seeds sprout?

Let's figure out what factors negatively affect the germination of cucumber seeds. It is customary to identify seven main reasons; let’s look at each of them in more detail.

Soil temperature

If the soil temperature in the garden bed is too low, namely drops below 12 degrees, the risk increases that the seeds will begin to mold and will not sprout. For germination, the ideal temperature is considered to be from 23 to 27 degrees, then cucumber seeds germinate in 4-5 days. Despite the recommended temperature conditions, seedlings can sprout at 15-17 degrees, but the process can be significantly delayed and the ascent will not be simultaneous.

Seed buried incorrectly

It is recommended to bury the cucumber seed to a depth of no more than two centimeters, then the young sprout will break through the soil layer without any problems. If you increase the depth, there is a chance that the seedlings will not sprout. In the case when the depth is less, the peel from the seedlings will not be able to come off; this situation was described earlier.

Heavy ground

The heavier the soil, the less vigorously the sprouts sprout. If this factor is also combined with low temperature, then most likely you will not see sprouts. If you still have to plant seeds in heavy soil, it is recommended to make a small furrow before planting; its depth should be about 1-2 centimeters.

You need to sow seeds in it, and pour lighter soil or sifted soil on top; the thickness of the backfill layer should be about 2 centimeters. If the seeds are covered with too heavy soil, a crust of soil may form, which the sprouts will not be able to break through.

Dry soil

Before seeds are placed in the ground, the soil must be well moistened; this watering is usually called moisture-recharging watering. If the water temperature is too cold, then it is better to wait a little so that the soil has time to warm up before sowing.

If you allow the soil to dry out on the eve of sowing, this will slow down the ascent of the seeds; this period will no longer last 4-5 days, but 10 or longer than the standard period.

Moreover, there is a risk that the seedlings may simply die, as the embryonic root dries out. Usually, the soil dries out on hot summer days; take this fact into account when planning seedlings.

Excessively moist soil

Typically, the problem of excessive moisture concerns soils with a high clay content. If you water such land intensively, that is, exceed the permissible volume and frequency of watering, there is a risk that seedlings will be rare or the seeds will simply die.

Many novice vegetable growers and gardeners wonder how long it takes for cucumbers to sprout in open ground. This question is relevant, since situations often arise in which the seeds have to be replanted several times - the cucumbers do not sprout, or it happens that the sprouts that have already appeared begin to die.

In this situation, many gardeners begin to complain about low-quality planting material. But this may not be the main reason. Poor or death of weak sprouts immediately after germination can occur for various reasons, which a person can independently eliminate.

Duration of germination period for cucumbers

If cucumber seedlings do not appear, often the reason for this is not the poor quality of the seed material, but poor climatic conditions that interfere with the normal growth of seedlings. Cucumbers in a greenhouse and cucumbers in open ground sprout differently.

The cucumber bush is one of those plants that prefer to grow in warm climates. Cold is unfavorable for seedlings. With any sudden changes in temperature conditions, tender young shoots may die.

That is why planting cucumbers at home should occur at a time when the soil is warm enough, when the frosts have already ended. When planting plants in a greenhouse, they can sprout much earlier, since the temperature here is stable or can be maintained manually.

Since it is much warmer in a closed structure, germination occurs much faster, so seed material is planted much earlier - several weeks.

So the seedlings can sprout on the fourth or fifth day after planting. This happens if all agrotechnical practices are followed. If the soil is too heavy, the seeds should be placed in pre-made rows, planting depth no more than one and a half centimeters.

If the soil is light, the depth of planting of the seeds is at least two centimeters. Before seeds are planted in the ground, it must be moistened and treated with peat. If climatic indicators become lower than when planting, the first shoots begin to appear no earlier than a week later.

What can affect the rate of emergence of seedlings

Experienced gardeners claim that seedlings appear best and fastest if there is a lack of air. After the seeds are planted, the beds must be covered on top with cellophane or cling film. When the first stems begin to emerge from the soil, the cover must be removed.

In order for cucumbers to germinate normally, the climate must be at least 13 degrees. The first sprouts appear after 4 days if the soil is warmed to 20 degrees. If the temperature is several degrees lower, seedlings begin to appear at home no earlier than after a week or a week and a half.

When planting early, it is recommended to plant only dry grains in the soil substrate, since wet and swollen seeds can quickly become rotten at low temperatures. In the third ten days of May, you can plant slightly sprouted cucumber seeds; in this case, sprouts will begin to appear after three to five days.

Reasons for sprouts not appearing

If the planted seeds do not sprout, the reason for this may be high humidity or dry weather. Another negative factor may be the increased poverty and lightness of the soil substrate. This situation arises due to the fact that the seedlings suffer from damage by destructive fungal spores. As a result, the sprouts do not have time to appear.

To prevent this situation, before starting sowing, it is recommended to treat the soil substrate with potassium permanganate diluted in warm water.

To create the most suitable warm conditions, after planting the seeds, the soil is covered with black film or some other covering material. The germination of seed material becomes much worse if the duration of their storage exceeds four years.

The main difference from other garden crops is that seeds collected by hand do not germinate well. Therefore, it is recommended to use purchased seeds or stratify freshly collected seeds. Those seeds that are stored in the cold in winter have a low germination rate.

How to deal with poor seed germination

If seeds do not germinate within the expected time frame, it is recommended to identify the cause and eliminate it. If the temperature is insufficient, the sprouts take too long to germinate or even die.

When the soil moisture is high, the seeds do not germinate and rot in the ground. The death of seed material occurs due to a lack of oxygen in the soil if the moisture does not evaporate, but constantly stagnates in the soil. Putrefactive processes affect both the soil itself and the seeds.

If the planting depth is too deep, a serious obstacle to germination arises. When planting seeds at a certain depth, the composition of the soil should be taken into account. If it is heavy, the depth should be less; if it is light, the seeds can be lowered not so deep into the soil.

In order for the growth and development of seedlings to occur as successfully as possible, it is necessary to take into account the depth of sowing of crops. It is also important to maintain a certain distance between plantings - at least one and a half centimeters. This way the sprouts will develop fully.

It is also important to treat the soil and emerging seedlings from pests. It is better to carry out preventative measures for plants than to deal with emerging pests later. It is also necessary to identify a plant disease in time, take all necessary measures to combat it and further prevent the recurrence of plant diseases.