Sowing cucumbers for seedlings in cups without a bottom

8.02.2018 Cucumbers

Most gardeners with many years of experience know that cucumbers do not tolerate picking, so they try to sow seeds for seedlings in cups without a bottom. This method is good in that the delicate root system of the vegetable is not damaged when planting plants in a permanent place in the greenhouse or in the beds.

For sowing cucumbers in cups without a bottom for seedlings, either plastic containers with a cut bottom part or self-made paper cylinders are used.

The main requirements for this type of toolkit remain:

strength;
ability to outflow water;
isolation from each other.

You can use for these purposes and ordinary ready-made plastic bags of small size. Or make small bags on your own with a cut bottom part from dense packs for dog food, fastening the side seams with an ordinary stapler.

Important! Such seedlings should be filled with earth from the garden, on which vegetables will be transplanted in the future for further growth and fruiting.

A convenient pallet should be prepared in advance to place cups or cylinders with soil on it. The bottom of such a stand must be lined with polyethylene and covered with a thick layer of wet sawdust. Set the cups tightly together and send the entire structure to a warm, sunny place.

Some gardeners and gardeners have successfully used ordinary disposable tableware that holds their shape well. Then a special pallet will not come in handy. It is only necessary for each seedling to take 2 disposable cups and a bag with holes. At one container, cut the bottom completely, insert it into a bag and place the entire structure in a whole glass.

In this case, you need to fill the earth only to half the capacity, put the sprouted seed of the cucumber and sprinkle with a centimeter layer of the same soil. As the seedlings are pulled, pour the earth into the inner glass - this will protect the plant from premature stretching and the formation of a large number of empty flowers in the future.

As soon as the climatic conditions allow the seedlings to be transferred to the open ground, gently pull on the plastic bag and remove the container without a bottom from the stand. Plant the plant in the prepared hole, leaving the sides of the cup a few centimeters above the surface. There is no risk for the root system, but the cucumber will be reliably protected from the bear. And watering is easier - water will get exactly where it is needed.

According to online reviews, this method is the most convenient, in addition, the transplanted plant is practically not injured and therefore does not get sick when moving to a permanent place of residence.

Germination and planting of seeds

This manipulation will help calibrate future plants and save seedlings. It is necessary to lay out on a flat surface a piece of linen fabric, place the seeds on it at a certain distance from each other and cover on top with another layer of material.

Place the “packaging” on a wide flat plate and moisten with water. Make sure that the fabric is always moist and the room temperature is kept at least 26 degrees Celsius. As soon as the length of the bores exceeds 3-4 mm, the seedlings are ready for planting in cups without a bottom for seedlings.

Important to remember! Sowing cucumbers should be carried out 30 days before the planned transfer to the ground in order to avoid stretching the seedlings from a lack of sunlight.

Water the plants with caution, using a miniature watering can and only with standing water.Avoid getting water on the leaves - under the sun's rays, drops of liquid will turn into lenses and burn delicate greens.