An integral stage of planting cucumbers is the planting of seeds, that is, sowing. Each gardener is looking forward to when the first shoots appear. However, it happens that it takes a long time to wait for the first shoots, or the sprouted shoots die soon or do not appear at all. Why this happens, and how many days the seeds of cucumbers germinate normally, today we will talk about this.
After how many days do cucumbers emerge?If all of the above conditions are met, then the first seedlings can appear as early as 4-6 days after planting the seeds. If you sow in heavy soil, it’s worth digging them deeper, but even this will not help the first sprouts hatch before 6-8 days.
Germination phase of the germ
Germination cucumber sprout is the most scrupulous phase, because with high probability for one reason or another this may not happen. In order to understand the reasons, it is worthwhile to study in more detail what cucumber seed is and how it ripens.
Cucumber seed is a somewhat elongated white formation, inside which there is a germ that is reliably protected by the seed coat. This shell protects the seed from negative factors:
- Mechanical damage
- Drying
- Early germination
- Lesions by certain microorganisms
In order for a shoot to appear in open ground or a greenhouse, conditions are needed that will make the peel open. For this to happen, it is necessary to provide sufficient watering, create the right temperature and good ventilation. As for lighting, the cucumber seed germinates equally well, both in the light and without it.
Beginning of the life cycle
The life cycle of cucumber seed begins with saturation with moisture until until absorbed, the required amount of water.Immediately after this, the process of seed swelling begins, it was at this time that the peel opened, and then the activation of the enzyme system, the beginning of aerobic activity. It is worth saying that in order for these processes to occur, it is important to create the necessary moisture conditions:
- To nourish the seed, you need about 40% of the moisture in the soil after planting
- During swelling, the indicator changes and grows up to 70% and even up to 80% if the plant is planted in the beds
In addition, it is important to note that the above processes can occur only 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 grow moldy, which will make further growth impossible.
Development of the seed germ
After the previous stage has ended , the stage of development of the embryo begins. This is accompanied by many chemical reactions that are aimed at the breakdown of starch, the oxidation of lipids and, of course, the formation of proteins and amino acids. As a result of this, a germinal root is formed, now the future plant is nourished only due to the absorption of nutrients from the soil by it. If you planted the seeds too deep, you can see the roots that have not dropped their peels.Unfortunately, they will no longer be able to sprout, since under the influence of air and the sun the peel will quickly harden, sealing in itself a young seedling. To correct the situation, you need to spray the seedling with a spray gun or sprayer, and then gently remove the peel with your fingers.
Why the seeds do not emerge
Seven factors affect seed germination
Let’s see what factors negatively affect the germination of cucumber seeds. It is customary to identify seven main reasons, we will dwell on each of them in more detail.
Soil temperature
If the temperature of the soil in the bed is too low, namely it drops below 12 degrees, the risk of seeds becoming moldy and not sprouting increases. For germination, the ideal temperature is considered to be a range from 23 to 27 degrees, then the seeds of the cucumber germinate in 4-5 days. Despite the recommended temperature conditions, seedlings can rise at 15-17 degrees, but the process can be significantly delayed and the climb will not be simultaneous.
The seed is buried incorrectly
It is recommended to bury the seed of a cucumber to a depth of no more than two sentiments, then a young sprout will penetrate the subsoil without 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 cannot emerge from the seedlings, this situation has been described earlier.
Heavy soil
The heavier the soil, the less germinating the sprouts. If this factor is also combined with low temperature, then most likely you will not wait for the 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 light soil or sifted soil on top, the thickness of the bed should be about 2 centimeters. If the seeds are covered with too heavy soil, a crust may form from the ground, which the sprouts will not be able to penetrate.
Dry soil
Before the seeds are placed in the ground , you need to moisten the soil well, this watering is usually called moisture-charging. If the water temperature is too cold, it is better to wait a little while for the soil to warm up before the sowing season.
If the soil dries out on the eve of sowing, this will slow down the seeds, this period will not last 4-5 days , and 10 and longer than the standard period.
Moreover, there is a risk that the seedlings may simply die, as the germinal root dries out. Usually, the soil dries up on hot summer days, consider this fact when planning seedlings.
Excessively moistened soil
Usually, the problem of excessive moisture is found in soils with a high clay content. If such land is watered intensively, that is, exceeds the permissible volume and frequency of irrigation, there is rice that seedlings will be rare or the seeds will simply die.
Improper seed preparation
There are many ways of pre-sowing preparation and dressing of seeds, if you use several at once, it will negatively affect the germination of cucumber seeds. If you increase the concentration of the solution for soaking, there is a risk that the seed will get burned and will not be able to germinate and stretch later.
If, for example, after saturating with biologically active substances, the seeds of the cucumber are dried, then germinal roots may not appear, respectively, germinating seeds will not appear soon.Pre-sowing preparation at home should be carried out correctly.
Error during storage of seeds
It is important that the maximum permissible level of conditional germination is ensured for the entire storage period, it remains for 7-10 years old. However, you need to create special conditions so that the storage takes place correctly, you can do this even at home.
The first thing to remember is that they must be stored in a dry place and cool enough, at home it can be a basement or a cellar . To create the most favorable conditions, seeds are usually covered with a film, paper or any dense material. Do not use woven material, as there are gaps between the weaves that will not allow you to maintain the desired temperature.
Now you know how many cucumbers come up, what factors influence this process and how exactly ripening occurs cucumber seed.
