When cultivating cucumbers, it is necessary to observe some nuances, only in this case it will be possible to count on a rich harvest. Knowing what to do if the seedlings of cucumbers are stretched out, you can quickly take action and save the seedlings, resulting in a rich harvest.

Reasons for pulling seedlings

Good quality seedlings, regardless of the type of cucumber, always look strong and short. Cucumbers are quite sensitive plants, they instantly react to the slightest changes in the external environment. Therefore, seedlings grow of high quality only if the necessary conditions are met, but if they are violated, the plant begins to hurt.

Basically, inexperienced gardeners face this problem - this is one of the most common difficulties. Of course, it does not apply to diseases, but the yield will seriously fall because of this.

The most common reason for pulling cucumbers is a lack of light and too high indoor temperatures. Such a reaction of the sprouts is natural, as from excessive heat they begin to stretch upward faster in order to receive more light. The solution to the problem is to establish the correct light regime.

Watering is another common cause. Small shoots can stretch out due to excess moisture. Here you need to adjust the amount of water supplied to the seedlings.

Cucumbers

The tight container in which cucumbers huddle can also cause stretching. It turns out this way because there is little room for the roots and the sprout tries to stretch upwards. To avoid this problem, you must immediately choose larger pots to provide natural freedom to the cucumber seedlings.

Also, unsuitable soil can affect the stretching of seedlings. It should be neutral, without excessive acidity. However, this reason is extremely rare.

Note! All of the above reasons for pulling cucumber seedlings can occur not only individually, but also in various combinations, so it will not be an easy task to decide on them.

Sometimes novice vegetable growers want to get a large harvest and begin to sow seeds too close to each other, as a result of which the plants begin to intertwine. This leads to suffocation of the stems, lack of light and air.

Sowing cucumbers

Another of the most common reasons for stretching is irregular watering with cold water - this should not be allowed under any circumstances. The liquid must be warm, since in the cold, spores of fungi begin to develop, which can destroy the plant. Watering the seedlings is necessary in the morning or evening hours, and the water should not touch either the stems or leaves. It only needs to be poured into plant roots.

What to do if the cucumber seedlings are stretched out

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Cucumbers are considered quite whimsical plants, especially young shoots. Therefore, for their normal growth, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime, which differs at different times of the day. In the daytime, the optimum temperature is 20-22 degrees Celsius, and at night - 18-20.

However, if the sprouts are already decently elongated, the round-the-clock temperature should be in the range of 15-18 degrees to reduce the growth rate of the seedlings. The amount of light should be normal, or even better, intense.There is never a lot of light for cucumbers, but its lack is a fairly common problem, due to which the seedlings begin to grow upward at an accelerated pace. Therefore, it is very important to observe the lighting regime.

The lack of light in the greenhouse can be eliminated in 2 ways:

  • hang up an ultraviolet lamp, but it must be turned on for no more than 8-9 hours.
  • install an ordinary mirror from which the rays will be constantly reflected.

If the seeds were planted in too tight pots, they will have to be replanted, although this culture is very picky about such procedures. But otherwise, it will simply not be possible to save the future harvest.

During the period of seedling growth, it is necessary to take measures to strengthen the root system. For this, fertilizers are applied to the soil, this will additionally have a positive effect on the correct formation of the plant stem.

Fertilizing cucumbers

If the seedlings are already stretched out, you can add some dry heated soil, which will ensure getting rid of excess moisture. After that, the pulling of the seedlings will stop, and the root system will begin to gain strength.

It will help with pulling and pinching; for this, the bud is removed above the second leaf of the sprout. However, this method is more suitable for short-fruited varieties.

For planting, it is recommended to choose a suitable soil or reduce its acidity, and also clean it after growing other types of crops on it.

Correct cultivation of seedlings

Cabbage seedlings stretched out, what to do

When cultivating cucumbers, many problems can arise, since the plant is very picky. And in order to avoid it, you must follow a whole set of rules.

Growing seedlings

How to adjust the temperature

In the case of a strong stretching of seedlings, the temperature regime must be strictly observed within 15-17 degrees, and these indicators must be maintained around the clock for several days. After the seedlings become stronger, the regime changes - in the daytime the temperature should not exceed 22 degrees, and at night - 18.

Lighting adjustments

Usually, the seedlings are placed on windowsills, while if the side is sunny, there is enough lighting for the plants, but if the window is located on the opposite side or it is cloudy outside, the plants already feel a lack of light.

In this case, you can take one of the following measures:

  • Hang phyto lamps, which are better known as ultraviolet lamps. By the way, they were developed to adjust the lighting in plants. However, it should be noted that they need to be turned on for no more than 7-9 hours.
  • Install mirrors - the light from them will be reflected and scattered, so the sprouts will receive enough lighting for them. This adjustment method is more budgetary.

Increasing the amount of soil and feeding with potassium

In order to correct the growth and strengthen the seedlings, you can simply add dry soil, and it must be well warmed up. Thus, the roots will begin to develop vigorously, and the growth of seedlings, on the contrary, will slow down.

Potassium deficiency in the soil also leads to stretching of the plants. As a result, it is better to feed the cucumbers with the help of fertilizers containing potassium. This can be done using an ash solution - you only need 1 tablespoon per 250 ml of water.

Seating

In the event that the seeds are placed close to each other, the sprouts begin to stretch out, because they do not have enough room for normal development. Here, nothing can be done except sitting down. It must be carried out very carefully and carefully, since cucumbers do not like to be disturbed. You need to dig out the root system with extreme care so that the plant does not hurt much after these actions.

Planting cucumbers

Small sprouts of cucumber seedlings need careful care and adherence to all regimens, then they will grow strong and healthy.

Planting stretched bushes

What to do if the seedlings are overgrown

If it was not possible to stop the too active growth of seedlings, stretching can be stopped with the correct planting of the shoots in the garden.

The seedlings are carefully dug up and transplanted into open ground. The roots should not be dug deep, otherwise black leg disease may develop.

Then the stems must be tied up; for this, a special crossbar is prepared in advance. You do not need to tighten them too much. The lateral shoots also need to be tied up to hold the fruit well. The devices for supporting the cucumber stalks can be constantly adjusted - remove the extra ones, and add the missing ones.

Compliance with all these conditions will help to get a large harvest of cucumbers with excellent taste and beautiful regular shape.