How to Grow Cucumber Seedlings with Plastic Mulch? A Detailed Explanation of the Key Technical Points

When planting cucumbers, adopting the technique of raising seedlings under plastic mulch film mainly has the benefit of maintaining soil temperature and reducing evaporation of water from the soil, which directly and greatly helps cucumber growth. For friends who want to increase cucumber yields, using the plastic mulch cucumber seedling-raising technique is very crucial.

(1)Early-stage seed treatment

Warm-water seed soaking: Put dry seeds into warm water at 55°C-60°C for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly during the process, then lower the temperature to 28-30°C and soak the seeds for 4-6 hours, rinse them clean and then germinate them.

Chemical disinfection method: Soak the seeds for 1 hour in a carbendazim hydrochloric acid solution with 0.1% active ingredient, rinse with clean water, then soak in clean water for 4 hours, and they are ready for germination.

(2)How to germinate

After the seeds are disinfected, scoop them out and rinse once, drain off the water and shake them dry, wrap them in cloth, and place them at 27-30°C to germinate. During germination, turn the seeds often so they are exposed to even temperature. After about 24 hours they begin to sprout. When the root tips of the seeds appear, the temperature can be lowered appropriately to 22-26°C, and after about two days germination will be complete.

If germination coincides with cloudy days when sowing is not possible, wrap the seeds well in a wet towel and place them in a cool spot at about 10°C to inhibit further growth of the young sprouts. This practice is called “holding back the sprouts”.

(3)Fertilising, sowing and mulching

Choose a field whose previous crop was onions and garlic, legumes, leafy vegetables or similar crops, with loose, fertile soil and convenient drainage and irrigation. Deep-plough 15-20 days before sowing, apply 2000-3000 kg of decomposed organic fertiliser per mu, harrow fine and level, then open furrows and make beds.

Before sowing, first make bowl-mouth-sized flat-topped holes, 8-9 cm deep, water them thoroughly, sow 2-3 seeds per hole, and cover with film promptly. When the seedlings break through the heart stage, use a knife to cut a cross directly above the seedlings to harden them.

(4) Topdressing

When the soil temperature stabilises at 16°C, thin the seedlings, removing residual and weak seedlings. Topdress 2-3 days after thinning, and after 8-12 days apply another topdressing of 10-18 kg of urea per mu.

(5) Irrigation and drainage

After the cucumbers seal the film holes they grow rapidly and their water uptake gradually increases. In the early stage, focus on keeping the soil moist; at the early flowering stage, water appropriately to promote root growth, which helps fruit set. 3-5 days before harvesting the root cucumbers, management with plenty of water and fertiliser is needed, generally watering once every 7-8 days. In the rainy season, clear the furrows and drain well, and carry out fertiliser and water management in the later period, to promote soil permeability and prevent root rot.

In the operation of the plastic mulch cucumber seedling-raising technique, attention must also be paid to pest and disease control, managing pest and disease conditions promptly. In the later period, also pay attention to timely harvesting; especially during the peak fruiting period, harvest every other day, which is beneficial for increasing yield.