table of contents
- The right moment
- Required material
- Peck out the cucumbers
- Follow-up time
- frequently asked Questions
If cucumbers are sown yourself, they have to be pricked out after the first seedlings have appeared. This is not easy with the delicate cucumber plants. The following article explains how to do it right.
In a nutshell
- Separate seedlings that are close together and place them in a different place
- watch out for easily vulnerable roots
- Avoid pricking out when seeds are sown one at a time in small pots
- If the first two leaves appear, they can be pricked out
The right moment
There are certain rules when pricking cucumbers (Cucumis sativus). This also includes the right time. If several seeds were sown together in a pre-sowing container, the seedlings could cramp each other after a few weeks:
- when the first two leaves are formed
- ideal time
- don't wait any longer
- Cucumber plants shoot up quickly
Tip: Because the small cucumber plants grow up so quickly, the roots and stems are often poorly developed and can break very quickly if they are touched. Therefore, you have to work with particular care here.
Required material
When choosing the seeds, one should pay attention to a robust type of cucumber. In this case, the seedlings are more robust and can be pricked out more easily. For sowing, the seeds can be placed in larger pots with potting soil. Then the following materials are required for later pricking out the cucumbers:
- rotting pots
- alternatively choose egg cartons
- commercially available pricking soil
- Substrate made from algae
- Tweezers or spoons
Tip: A spoon is always suitable when plants are to be pricked out. Because with this you can carefully lift the seedlings together with the roots out of the earth.
Peck out the cucumbers
When the time is right so that the small cucumber plants can be pricked out, it is important to proceed with particular care:
- Fill rotting small pots with pricking soil
- sift these beforehand
- poke a small planting hole in the middle
- use a spoon or finger
- add some algae substrate
- carefully remove the seedlings from the nursery pot
- with tweezers or spoon
- put in prepared pot
- Top up with more piquing earth
- Press lightly and pour carefully
Note: After the seedlings have been pricked out, they should first be placed in a location protected from drafts and sun. This can be a greenhouse or a window sill. This is important for the reason that the plants do not suffer a transplant shock.
Follow-up time
After the seedlings have been pricked out, they have more space and thus develop a stronger growth. More roots can also be formed in the new pot. Nevertheless, the cucumbers should not be planted too early in the open field in the large bed:
- Plants have to get used to new pots
- Roots branch out more strongly
- the more roots, the better water absorption
- only put outside when the outside temperature is 15 °
- only in pots during the day
- can slowly get used to UV radiation
- also to the climate in the open air
Note: After pricking, the cucumbers only need enough lukewarm water and a little fertilizer. So that the cucumbers grow upwards, they should be guided on bars or a grid.
frequently asked Questions
If you do not want to prick the cucumbers after sowing and sprouting the tender seedlings, you can put the seeds directly into individual pots. There are special seed pots for this, which can be placed in the ground with the seedling and then rot there. Egg cartons are also suitable. So you can be sure that the roots will not be damaged.
In the local latitudes it is recommended not to plant cucumbers outdoors in a bed, but rather to use a greenhouse. Because not only is it warmer here earlier than outdoors, the plants are also better protected from pests and pests Diseases. After pricking, the seedlings are simply planted in the prepared soil in the greenhouse.
When the small plants have reached a height of about 20 centimeters, they can be transplanted into the bed. This is usually around the end of April. Here, the cucumbers with the root ball are planted in the intended location in the open air, in a greenhouse or in a large container. Make sure that they are as deep as they were in the pricking vessel. Rotting containers do not have to be removed before planting.
