Preseeding preparation is needed for many seeds. It gives an opportunity to accelerate the germination of seeds, protects them from disease. But this preparation is not always necessary. Let's find out how the situation is with soaking seeds of cucumbers - the traditional way of preparing them for sowing.
Do I need to soak the seeds of cucumbers before planting?
In this article you can get answers to all questions related to the topic of soaking cucumber seeds:
- Do you need to soak the seeds of cucumbers before planting? Experienced gardener argue that soaking really speeds up germination, although cucumbers and so germinate very quickly, literally in a few days, provided the optimum temperature and humidity. Also, seeds are soaked when there is doubt about their germination. However, such pre-sowing preparation also has its own risks: in case of unfavorable weather conditions of the open ground, the sown seeds may die.
- How much to soak the seeds of cucumbers before planting? Usually this process lasts not for long, only 1-2 days, until the seeds "enter", that is, the mouth of the seed will not open and the sprouts will begin to appear. To overdo the seeds of cucumbers in water is not worth it for the following reasons. First, they can give seedlings that have not discarded the seed peel, which will make it difficult to uncover the cotyledons. And secondly, the longer spine of the germinating seed can be damaged during transplantation, and such a plant will inevitably die.
- Do I need to soak processed cucumber seeds? As a rule, this is not done if the seed is drained or treated with a dressing agent. Water at soaking washes off the protective layer, and the meaning of such treatment is lost. But the seeds that were only decontaminated in a solution of potassium permanganate or peroxide, it is possible to soak for germination.
- Do I need to soak hybrid seeds of cucumbers? The answer to this question is unequivocal - it is not necessary. The reason is the same as in the previous paragraph: all seeds of hybrids (and this applies not only to cucumbers), as a rule, have already undergone pre-sowing treatment. They are treated with fungicides, dragee, granulated or inlaid, and soaking in water will harm them.