Detailed explanation of key techniques for raising cucumber seedlings through the summer
Normally, vegetable growers mostly sow summer cucumbers directly, thinking that since summer temperatures are high there is no need to raise seedlings, and besides, raising seedlings takes labor and time and is rather troublesome. According to my years of experience, in fact, growing summer cucumbers by raising seedlings is much better than direct sowing. Specifically, there are two major benefits: first, it favors early transplanting and early marketing, and growers...
Normally, vegetable growers mostly sow summer cucumbers directly, thinking that since summer temperatures are high there is no need to raise seedlings, and besides, raising seedlings takes labor and time and is rather troublesome. According to my years of experience, in fact, growing summer cucumbers by raising seedlings is much better than direct sowing. Specifically, there are two major benefits: first, it favors early transplanting and early marketing, and growers can raise seedlings about 25 days before harvesting the previous crop. Second, it enhances plant resistance, delays premature aging of the plants, and significantly increases yield. Below, I introduce the key techniques for raising summer cucumber seedlings to fellow vegetable growers.
First, prepare the nutrient soil. Choose garden soil that has not grown cucumbers for 2 to 3 years, and for each cubic meter of nutrient soil mix in 60 to 80 kg of fully decomposed organic fertilizer (pig manure, cow manure, rabbit manure, etc.), 1 kg of compound fertilizer, and 40 g of carbendazim, mix evenly, then fill into 8 cm x 10 cm nutrient pots, taking care to fill them only seven-tenths full.
Second, sow precisely. Before sowing, first soak the cucumber seeds in clean water for 3 to 4 hours, then take them out, wrap them in a wet towel, put them in a small plastic bag, and place in a cool place to germinate. After about 12 to 14 hours, when the seeds have split open and show white, sow them. Before sowing, first soak the nutrient pots thoroughly, then place the seeds flat in the nutrient pots, two seeds per pot, and the two seeds must be separated (raising two seedlings per pot, so that at transplanting they can be split apart into two seedlings), and finally cover with 1 cm of sifted fine soil.
Third, manage the seedlings. Maintain the soil moisture in the nutrient pots. Within 48 hours after sowing, if hot weather occurs, shade with a shade net, or cover the pot surface with straw mats. After the seedlings emerge, pay attention to watering, which should alternate between dry and wet. Ten days before transplanting, rearrange the nutrient pots, placing the uniform seedlings together, and at the same time widen the distance between pots. When the seedlings grow to 8 to 10 cm tall, transplant them.