How to manage cucumber seedlings in severe weather to avoid seedling failure

    Raising cucumber seedlings in early spring coincides with winter and spring, when adverse weather such as overcast, cold, wind, snow and rain is common. Poor management often leads to cucumber seedling failure and causes losses to the seedlings. To reduce the damage, the following measures should be taken: 

Cucumber seedling stage

    1. Overcast and cold weather. In winter or early spring, when continuous low temperatures or cold waves occur, uncover the reed-fiber mats, straw mats and other coverings a little later. After uncovering, pay attention to changes in the bed temperature. If the bed temperature drops slightly, cover them again as soon as they are uncovered; if the bed temperature rises slightly, cover them again before 2 p.m. To strengthen nighttime insulation, the number of reed-fiber mats can be appropriately increased to make the covering thicker; when reed-fiber mats are insufficient, add straw mats. Many vegetable growers keep the coverings on all day, or even for several consecutive days, during overcast and cold weather. This weakens the cucumber seedlings, and when the weather warms up and the coverings are removed for light, the seedlings are prone to wilting and dying.

    2. On windy days, pay attention to wind protection. During the day, secure the transparent covering so the north wind cannot blow it off; at night, cover it tightly and properly. If necessary, weigh down the reed-fiber mats, straw mats and so on; otherwise, once they are blown off by the wind, the seedlings are easily frozen.

    3. On snowy days, clear the snow as it falls. If it snows during the day, cover well with reed-fiber mats and add straw mats. After the snow stops, clear the accumulated snow immediately; if it snows at night, sweep the snow promptly after the snow stops, keep the coverings dry, and remove the coverings in time so the seedlings can receive light. After consecutive overcast and snowy days followed by a sudden clearing, after removing the coverings, pay attention to observing changes in the cucumber seedlings. If wilting is found, immediately cover well with reed-fiber mats, uncover again after they recover, cover again if they wilt, and repeat this process; after 2 to 3 days, normal management can be resumed. If they are uncovered and left unattended, the seedlings are prone to collapse.

    4. Rainy days. After rainfall, dry the straw mats and paper quilts in time. If it rains during the day, remove the coverings promptly to prevent reed-fiber mats, straw mats and so on from being soaked by rain and losing their insulation effect, but be careful not to let rainwater enter the bed; if it rains at night, dry the coverings as soon as possible after the rain.

    5. For several consecutive overcast days, after pulling open the straw mats, the temperature inside the bed should not drop, to prevent wilting and seedling death; when the temperature rises, slowly uncover the straw mats so that the cucumber seedlings can receive light and carry out photosynthesis to produce nutrients and promote seedling growth.