I started my cucumber seeds indoor this year. They are doing excellent. To good that I am afraid they need transplanted now. They have a total of 2 true leaves on them. I live in Zone 4 and should not transplant them till May. How long can I continue to keep them inddoors?
You're right, they do look ready to go in. They look great! I'm new at this too, but I wonder if you can wait a couple more weeks, then plant them with some sort of protection? I've been collecting milk jugs and large juice bottles for this exact purpose. One thing I do know is that cukes like it hot, so planting them in the ground in your zone in April would most certainly stunt/kill them if they don't have any protection, especially on cold spring nights when temps are still in the 30s, at least around here in 5a. I do have a question for you- what date did you start your seeds and how many days did it take for them to look like yours in the photo? I haven't started mine yet and I want to make sure that I don't start them too early. I'm learning from you. ;) I am shooting for getting my tomatoes and cukes in on Mother's Day weekend, May 7-8.
I started my cukes 3/12 and it took 4 days to germinate them. So the pic is 3 weeks old plants. I have some of those protection containers that you fill with water. I wonder if that will work. I'll have to plant them soon. Guess I better start the hardening off process soon.
Thank you for your imput. And good luck
Meisenach,
How big are those peat pots? They look like almost 3"-4". Your plants look Great! What indoor light source are you using on them?
By "protection containers" do you mean Kozy Coats or Walls of Water? If so, FILL 'EM UP and go for it! They actually do work. If not those, you could build a simple pvc hoop house and set the plants outside underneath. The heat builds up during the day, and keeps your soil warm enough at night. You might have to shove some christmas tree lights in occasionally at night if the temps dip too low, but "the sun'll come out, tomorrow!"
Meisenach,
How big are those peat pots? They look like almost 3"-4". Your plants look Great! What indoor light source are you using on them? By "protection containers" do you mean Kozy Coats or Walls of Water? If so, FILL 'EM UP and go for it! They actually do work. If not those, you could build a simple pvc hoop house and set the plants outside underneath. The heat builds up during the day, and keeps your soil warm enough at night. You might have to shove some christmas tree lights in occasionally at night if the temps dip too low, but "the sun'll come out, tomorrow!"
Your plants look so healthy.
Get this, I'm in Tijuana (Think San Diego weather) and I planted cucumber and zucchini seeds three weeks ago and NONE of them came up. I did dig up the zucchini seeds and see they rotted. I planted them in small flats with dirt I got at a nursery here in Tijuana. I'm thinking the soil was diseased. I don't know why I think that. Others said I started plants way too eary.
Any ideas? I'm trying them again via the "baggie method." I can't start them indoors as I don't have lights, and it really isn't that cold here...so it wouldn't really give me an advantage.
Z
I don't think you started them too early. You might find it easier to start some some veggies from seed than others. For example, I have found growing tomatoes, squash, cilantro, peas, and beans from seed easy, yet growing peppers, lettuce, spinach, carrots, and basil from seed is hard(in my opinion). I moved to San Diego County almost a year ago(in June of 2010), and my grandma and I started a veggie garden in September(she was coming to stay for 2 months. she lived in NY). Soon. by October, are garden was in full splendor. However, when Grandma left in late November, we forgot to water it, and the garden died. Our cilantro, broccoli, parsley, rosemary, shallots, garlic and chives survived despite the "drought". Eventually, Grandma moved in (yay!) and now we have a healthy garden again.
Try young plants available at Walmart(probably Walmex in your area)and the Home Depot. If you can't find them, try driving up here in the U.S. Both stores have good-priced healthy plants in stock almost all the time. They're 2 U.S dollars each.
Good Luck,
Isaiah
Isaiah,
Thanks for the response. That's great that here we can garden even in the fall and winter. Well I finally took out the baggies and found that the zucchini and squash fully sprouted, so I put them directly in the ground. I will come back and post how they do.
The idea of buying young plants is tempting, but I REALLY like starting plants by seeds. Thanks.
Z
ZSThomp,
Next time you buy the dirt (or potting mix), if you suspect it's diseased, you can put it into a microwave-safe bowl for 20 minutes on high. Moisten the dirt adequately so it's not too dry that it bursts into flames (this has happened before, but, thank God, not to me!)
When you take the bowl out, quickly fluff up the dirt a bit with a fork, to release the steam, then quickly cover the blow with a plate so the steam is trapped inside. Let it cool down, then plant your seeds.
Hope this helps.
meisenach,
Cut your grow lights back from to 14-18 hours day. You are pushing the plants. Slow them down by not giving as much light. Plants do need darkenss, it is part of a a plants life cycyle.
"Stay Happy and Keepy Gardening"
Ironsides
Well it finally happened!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lost my toms and cukes last night. Saved them 4 other nights but last night was the kicker. The temp got down to 13. The real kicker was 14 hours of below freezing.
Oh well Starting over. Now if I only remember not to start too early next year
wow! thanks for this. like you i started everything early indoors. even gladiolus which got way too tall, flopped when i put them out, due to wind. :( i'm gonna wait on putting my pumpkins and the 1' bean that came up! out of 20 beans.... i got 1! lol learning experiences.
Meisenachz7
So sorry the seedlings didn't make it. You do have time to reseed. Do exactly what you did, cause you had some fantastic. Seedlings!
You be up and running again in no time. And, because of your new timeframe, you might consider lights for 12-14 hours per day.
I'll be watching this thread!
Linda
I already started some new cukes two weeks ago and they are up and running :) I will also cut back on the time to 14 hours a day. I thought I had lost my Toms but they are still hanging in there. No tomatoes yet.
