Pre-plant cucumber seed treatment: should they be soaked and how should they be done?

Proper seed preparation allows you to get the maximum yield from cucumbers, increases germination rates, and promotes faster development. Seed treatment is important in regions poorly suited for farming. However, under normal conditions, seeds sometimes require it as well. We'll explore whether soaking treated cucumber seeds is necessary and what benefits it offers during cultivation.

Why do you need to treat cucumber seeds?

Before planting, the seedlings are immersed in solutions for several purposes: disinfection, growth stimulation, seed awakening, and strengthening the plant's immune system. Under favorable conditions, treatment isn't always necessary. If you purchase seedlings from the same supplier and your cucumbers have been growing without any additional stimulation, you can skip this step. However, if you're unsure about the quality of your seedlings or are preparing them yourself, it's best to go through all the steps. Soaking has several advantages:

• the percentage of seedlings planted as seedlings increases;
• growth accelerates for several hours or days;
• it is possible to determine which seeds have lost their ability to germinate;
• The raw materials are purified from pathogens such as viruses, diseases, and fungi.

The process of planting treated seeds in the soil is no different from planting seed that has already been treated by the manufacturer. The seed handling process for planting in a greenhouse or open ground is as follows:

1. Disinfect the grains.
2. Warm them up at home.
3. Soak in a nutrient solution to improve germination.
4. Strengthen your immunity with medications.
5. Temper by placing in the refrigerator for 2 days.
6. Plant cucumbers in open-air beds or in a greenhouse.

You don't have to follow all the steps: consider the quality of the material. You may only need to stimulate growth, but the seeds don't need disinfection, and vice versa. Soaking affects germination because it indicates the condition of the seeds. This parameter depends on storage conditions. Excessive temperature, humidity, and disruption of the favorable environment lead to a loss of beneficial properties.

Preparation

Before soaking, the seeds need to be warmed, calibrated, and disinfected. Seeds from the manufacturer don't require this, but seeds you prepare yourself or purchase from other gardeners should be treated.

To calibrate, place the seed in a saucepan and add 1.5 liters of water or a 5% sodium chloride solution. Stir the mixture and let it sit for five minutes. Nutrient-rich seeds, ready for planting, will sink to the bottom. Hollow seeds will float and can be removed. Dry the high-quality seed and proceed with further processing.

Warming the seed increases germination and helps reduce the number of empty seeds. They are heated for a month at 24°C. A home version of this method is to hang a cloth bag containing the seeds near a radiator. An alternative is wet heating. For this, the seed is soaked in warm water at 45-50°C for half an hour. Large-scale production facilities use a different method: the seeds are placed in chambers and kept in special containers at 40°C for about three days.

Disinfection can be chemical, dry, or wet. Seeds can also be treated with traditional methods, such as garlic infusion. The wet method, soaking the seeds in potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, or boric acid, is most commonly used.

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Dry method

The simplest method of disinfection. Place the seeds in a jar, sprinkle with disinfectant, and then shake until all the seeds are completely coated. Shake the contents for about five minutes. This method has its drawbacks: the disinfectant may not be distributed evenly, may not cover all the seeds, or may not be 100% effective. Another drawback is the high consumption of the disinfectant. For every kilogram of seeds, you'll need about 4 kilograms of powder. Disinfection must be carried out carefully, as the powder can easily come into contact with eyes and skin.

Chemical disinfection

Wet methods are much more effective. Chemical treatments typically use potassium permanganate, boric acid, or hydrogen peroxide. A solution of potassium permanganate is prepared at a 1:100 ratio. The raw materials are soaked in the solution for 15 minutes, then rinsed and dried. Potassium permanganate is effective against rot and fungal diseases.

Hydrogen peroxide is used in different concentrations:

1. A 1:10 solution is heated to 40°C, the seeds are immersed in it, and left for about eight minutes. Since the concentration of the active ingredient is quite high, the seeds should not be left in the solution for too long.
2. Pharmacies typically sell a weaker hydrogen peroxide solution: from 1% to 3%. This solution increases the disinfection time to 12 hours.

Boric acid is also suitable for disinfection. To do this, dissolve 2 grams of the active ingredient in a bucket of water, soak the seeds in the mixture, and leave for 12 hours.

Folk method

Disinfecting cucumber seeds before sowing can be done without chemicals. A garlic solution works well. Grind several cloves in a food processor, with a garlic press, or a grater. Pour 1.5 cups of water into the mixture and stir. Then strain the infusion, removing any pulp, add another 700 ml of water, and soak the seeds for 30 minutes.

Germination before planting

To assess seed germination and maximize germination rates, seeds are germinated by soaking them in a solution. This is especially effective for protected soil, where the climate is milder than outdoors, and temperature control is easier. Germinated seeds are more sensitive to frost and temperature fluctuations. This procedure not only helps assess the properties of the crops but also accelerates their growth. The most common and simple method is to place the seeds in a damp cloth. Natural fabrics such as linen or cotton work well for this. The cloth is moistened and kept warm, at 24-29°C, until the first signs of growth appear. After this, the sprouts are slightly dried and then transferred to the soil.

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Soaking in preparations

When planting in nutrient-poor soil, it's recommended to soak the seeds in an enriching solution. In fertile soil, the effect won't be as noticeable, so this step can be skipped when planting in nutrient-rich soil. There are several variations of growth-promoting solutions:

1. Dissolve two drops of Zircon drops in 1.5 cups of warm water. Soak the seeds in the solution until they begin to sprout, which usually takes 9 to 20 hours. The active ingredient not only stimulates growth but also strengthens the immune system.
2. Ivin helps speed up the growing process and increase disease resistance. Dissolve a drop of the substance in a liter of clean water and soak the seeds for 24 hours until they sprout.
3. To speed up plant metabolism and make transplanting easier, dilute 4 drops of Epin in a glass of water. This will improve your cucumbers' resistance to fungi and rot.

Chemicals are aggressive but effective. If you want to reduce the risks and stimulate seed germination in the most gentle and delicate way, try traditional methods. Solutions are prepared from clean water and ingredients found around the home.

1. Dissolve a teaspoon of honey in a glass of water and pour it over the seeds. The first seeds will sprout within 6 hours.
2. Potatoes can also be used for sprouting. Place three potatoes in the freezer for a few hours; it's important that they are free of disease and damage. After freezing, let the tubers thaw, chop them, and squeeze out the juice. Pour the juice over the seeds and leave them in a warm room for 9 hours.
3. An ash infusion produces a similar effect. To prepare it, pour a tablespoon of ash into 500 ml of boiled water and let it sit for 48 hours. Filter the solution and pour it over the seeds. The results will be noticeable after 5-7 hours.
4. Aloe vera juice is beneficial for strengthening the immune system. Cut off the lower leaves from the plant, wrap them in paper, and place them in a cool place for 14 days. Squeeze the juice, dilute it slightly with water, and soak the seeds in the nutrient solution for 24 hours.

Strengthening the immune system

Treatment with special solutions helps strengthen the plant's immune system and increase its resistance to infections, fungi, and diseases. Soaking doesn't guarantee 100% effectiveness, but it significantly reduces the risk of common problems that occur with cucumbers in the garden or greenhouse.

To reduce the risk of late blight and root rot, use a solution of the "Obereg" preparation. This soaking can reduce plant damage by 50%. The solution, diluted in a small amount of water, is poured over the seeds at a ratio of 1:2 and left for an hour. This stimulation should be carried out a couple of days before planting seedlings or in the ground. The solution should be used immediately; it loses its effect after an hour and a half.

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An alternative method: treatment with the organic preparation "NV-101." Dilute it according to the instructions, add a couple of drops to the seeds, leave for 12 hours, and then immediately transplant into the soil.

Bubbling

Plants need air for growth and metabolism. To saturate seeds with oxygen, they are treated with a method called bubbling. This is most often used for old seeds that are still fertile but were collected more than five years ago. This procedure awakens the seedlings and stimulates growth by accelerating metabolic processes.

1. Place the raw materials in a cloth bag.
2. Place in a container filled with water.
3. Use a compressor to supply air.
4. Try to make sure that the bubbles surround the seeds completely.
5. Leave the structure for 24 hours to start the processes.

As soon as you notice the first signs of germination, stop the process. This can take less than a day if the seedlings are in good condition. An aquarium air pump is typically used for this process. Instructional videos can help you become more familiar with the process. Bubbling can speed up the growth process by a few days.

Hardening

To make crops more resilient to temperature fluctuations and frost, they need to be hardened off. This is especially important for early-ripening varieties planted from seedlings. Hardening off can be done both on the seedlings themselves, by exposing them to cool air, and on the seeds themselves. Hardening off seeds increases their resistance to cold and other adverse environmental factors, such as prolonged rainfall and humidity fluctuations. After hardening off, plants are less susceptible to root rot and fungal infections.

1. Wrap the raw material in a pre-moistened cloth.
2. Place in the refrigerator or a cool place with a temperature of 3-5°C
3. Leave to harden for 48 hours.

Hardening off the seeds precedes other processing procedures. After cooling, they can be treated with a nutrient solution to stimulate ripening. It's best to calibrate the seeds beforehand to avoid wasting time on empty seeds that won't germinate.

Soaking treated cucumber seeds before planting is recommended to speed up the growing process and protect them from common diseases and temperature fluctuations. Soaking can damage the seed coat, so it's best to plant these plants outdoors. At home, only seeds you grow yourself should be treated; producers typically perform all the processing. These seeds are treated exclusively with growth-stimulating products.