How to collect seeds from cucumbers and when. How to collect high-quality cucumber seeds at home? Cucumbers for seeds what to do with them

Cucumber is the most common member of the gourd family in our household plots. Its juicy and crunchy flesh is refreshing in the summer heat, and canned and salted fruits diversify the winter table.

For more than six thousand years, this vine has ceased to be only a wild plant with small and often very bitter fruits. From the foothills of the Himalayas and the tropical forests of India, it has spread to all countries and continents. This vegetable was popular in Ancient Egypt, was valued by the inhabitants of the Roman Empire, and in the 1st millennium AD began its victorious march through the countries of Europe. In Russia, the first mention of cucumber dates back to the beginning of the 16th century.

Nowadays, the number of varieties of this common and beloved culture is simply impossible to enumerate. However, experienced gardeners, having tried many options, often stop at only a few especially liked varieties. It is quite natural that in this case you want to have your own seeds for planting. This guarantees that in the next season, delicious cucumbers will receive exactly those taste and other characteristics that are especially loved.

How to grow seeds?

If you decide to grow greens from your own seeds next summer, you should pay attention to a few subtleties in obtaining them yourself.

Before choosing a seed variety, make sure it is not a hybrid variety. Such cucumbers are usually more resistant to diseases and vagaries of the weather, bear fruit more abundantly, but are completely unsuitable for further reproduction, since they practically do not retain all their wonderful properties in the next season.
To obtain high-quality seed material, plants of the variety you like should be isolated from other varieties in order to avoid cross-pollination. If this is not possible, then artificial pollination should be resorted to, then covering the fruits with gauze.
On one plant, choose no more than two seed plants and be prepared for the fact that you will not get a bountiful harvest from this plant, since all the forces will be spent on seed maturation. That is why it is better to determine the greens for seeds at a time close to the end of fruiting.
To obtain seeds, it is better to choose fruits that do not start on the main branch, but on the first side shoots. Such seed material compares favorably with high yields and earlier fruiting periods.
Leaving cucumbers for seeds, choose "female" specimens. In cross section, they have a quadrangular shape and the corresponding number of sectors, while the "male" fruits are distinguished by a triangle in the section and three sectors. It is from the "female" seeds that plants with a large number of ovaries are formed, while the "male" ones give a lot of barren flowers.
Cucumbers selected for seeds are marked with a bright band or otherwise and left on the plant until fully ripe. To prevent their decay, it is recommended to tie the whip to the support so that the ripening fruit does not touch the ground. For the same purpose, you can lay it on a board or piece of plywood.
The finished testis becomes soft and acquires a dark yellow or brown color. To harden the seeds, you can leave it in the garden until the first frost. Thus, your seed material will undergo stratification, which will allow it to be successfully used already in the next season and, undoubtedly, will have a positive effect on the quality of the crop.
Ripened testicles are torn off when the whips are completely dry. Most often, they need to ripen on a sunny veranda or windowsill for two to three weeks.
As a rule, from 2 to 5 g of seeds can be obtained from one ripened cucumber. Considering that 25-30 plants are usually obtained from 1 g, then a pair of seed plants is quite enough to provide the whole family with crispy cucumbers.

Proper seed preparation

Growing mature testicles without loss is only half the battle. The main difficulty lies in the correct collection and processing of seed material. In order to preserve ripened grains without loss, it is necessary to carry out several stages of their preliminary preparation.

For future sowing, only those seeds that are located in the front half of the fruit are selected. The closer the seed is to the far end of the cucumber, the higher the likelihood that a bush with bitter greens will grow out of it.
To extract the seeds, the mature testis is cut lengthwise. The grains, together with the possessed chamber, are laid out in a small container and slightly diluted with water.
The "gruel" is left for 2-3 days in a warm place, covering the dishes with a film, so that the fermentation process begins. This procedure allows you to clean the seeds from the amniotic membrane.
Make sure that the seeds do not ferment, as in this case their germination will be significantly reduced. The first sign of excessive fermentation is the darkening of the tip of the grains.
The fermented mass is poured with a large amount of water and mixed, and then allowed to settle. At this point, pulp and low-quality seeds float to the surface. They are drained together with water, and the mature seeds that have settled to the bottom are well dried.
The drying process is very important for the future safety and quality of planting material. During this process, it is very important to follow temperature regime. Drying at high temperature(from 30 to 40 °C) requires active ventilation to prevent overheating of seeds. Cooler air combined with higher humidity can lead to mold growth or premature germination.
To dry, spread the seeds in a thin layer on a sheet of cardboard, thick paper or plywood and often mix thoroughly. In good weather, it is recommended to dry the grains in the open air under the rays of the sun, and clean them in a warm and dry place at night.
Not recommended for drying additional sources heat. They will not be able to provide gentle temperatures and the necessary uniformity of heating.
Finished seeds have color baked milk and pleasantly rustling when mixed.

What do you need to store seeds?

Experienced gardeners know that you can use your own seeds to get a full-fledged harvest no earlier than in a couple of years.

Even the most best seeds The first year of storage is given by plants with a small number of female flowers, which means that you should not expect abundant fruiting from them.
The largest yield can be grown from seeds of the second and third years, but high-quality seed is able to maintain excellent germination for up to 6 years if it is stored at a stable temperature in the range from +15 to +25 ° C.
For storage, grains are best placed in a paper or canvas bag; it is also convenient to use small cardboard boxes. The main requirement for the container is good ventilation. In addition to choosing a suitable container, it can be ensured if the seeds are not packed too tightly. They should be freely distributed throughout the volume.
Place for storage of seed material should be chosen dry and well ventilated.
Do not forget to mark the date of collection and the name of the variety on the envelope or box. This data in the future will help not to make mistakes when landing.

Today it is not always easy to choose seed material for sowing good quality cucumbers. You can go for varietal seeds, but accidentally buy hybrids, or choose varieties that do not fit well with the available ones. climatic conditions. In order to be sure of what will grow in the garden, it is advised to figure out how to collect cucumber seeds at home.

First of all, varieties of crops that grow in your garden are distinguished, suiting in taste, giving good quantitative indicators. Thus, an exact confidence in the quality of the obtained seed material is ensured. An important nuance is the selection of exclusively varietal crops, and not hybrid ones that will not bring a crop.

large size;
smooth sidewalls without dents, damage;
yellow, yellow-brown skin color;
softened structure;
dried stalk (tail).

It is recommended to mark cucumbers for seeds in advance, even before they begin to turn yellow. A colored rope, gauze pocket or other marking option will come to the rescue. A slightly larger number of copies than necessary are chosen in case the part rots or accidentally breaks.

Selected representatives gather as late as possible in the fall. So the seeds will fully ripen, and will also become more resistant to both heat and cold temperatures. If it often rains, there is high soil moisture, a wooden stand is placed under the cucumbers.

People's councils, not confirmed by breeders, speak of the need to select only tetrahedral (female) specimens. Three-sided gherkins are considered male empty flowers, yielding a crop much later. Also, only half of the vegetable is used for seeds, which was closer to the stalk, in order to avoid further bitterness, an unpleasant taste.

How to collect cucumber seeds for a future harvest

A fully ripened seed cucumber breaks off after the stalk dries. The greener the latter, the more useful substances the vegetable did not receive. But if there is too much humidity on the street, strong very early frosts hit, it is advised to choose the option of ripening on the windowsill (7-10 days).

Having received the necessary cucumber for seeds, the correct collection of seed begins with cutting off the back (approximately ¼ of a share), cutting the remaining vegetable in half. Then, with the help of a small spoon, all the insides (seeds and pulp-pulp) are taken out and placed in a separate container. Preference is given to glass, enamel or plastic utensils but not iron.

The next step is the process of fermentation (rotting) of the resulting material. This is necessary in order for the shell of the seeds to get rid of germination blockers that prevent this process from occurring inside the vegetable. Without decay (fermentation), this cannot be achieved.

How is the fermentation process carried out?

Fermentation and rotting of the seed coat make it possible to obtain purified material for sowing. Everything is carried out as follows:

seeds with mucus are placed in a jar;
a little water is added;
the neck is closed with gauze or cloth;
the container is placed in a warm place for 2-3 days;
the fermented mass is transferred to a sieve;
everything is washed several times under running water.

It is not difficult to understand that the liquid has fermented. This will be seen in the bubbles on the surface, sometimes areas of mold, and also audible by a specific unpleasant odor.

Next, the seeds are folded into a bowl, filled with water. All high-quality healthy seed settles to the bottom, and empty unsuitable particles float to the surface and are removed. It is advised to repeat this selection 2-3 times.

After all the cleaning manipulations, the remaining seeds are laid out on a film, a plastic board, a fabric bedding, and placed in a warm place for drying. Once every 1-2 days it is desirable to mix everything. Leaving the seeds on a paper surface is not recommended, as they may stick.

How to store the received material for sowing

Cucumber seeds will take several days to dry completely. After that, they must be properly stored. First of all, paper reminders are prepared, which indicate the name of the variety and the date of storage. For packaging the seeds obtained, paper envelopes or fabric bags are prepared.

All containers with cucumber seeds are stored in a dark, cool place. The room should be fairly dry, and the temperature should be maintained at 16-22 degrees Celsius. In such conditions, the seed is stored for up to 6 years without losing its properties.

How to prepare seeds for planting

The most suitable for placement in the soil is seed material harvested 2-4 years ago. Using earlier seeds, it is believed that the resulting crop may be poor or late, as there will be a lot of male barren flower.

If only 1-2 year old seeds are available, but you really want to plant them, it is advised to hang the bags from the ceiling in a warm room a couple of months before planting. Some gardeners use the method of calcining seeds before sowing in the oven (1.5-2 hours at a temperature of 40-50 degrees). But this technique harms future vegetables.

The process of self-harvesting cucumber seeds at home from the existing crop crop is simple and efficient. As a result, you can be sure that you can grow the desired variety with your favorite taste in the garden. In addition, ardent gardeners get the opportunity to experiment, test various variations seed selection.

Every gardener wants to reap a big harvest. And he understands what it takes proper care behind planted crops, creating necessary conditions for their growth and fruiting. But it is equally important to initially choose high-quality seeds: the size of the crop will directly depend on them. No wonder the proverb says: "What is the seed, such is the tribe."

Which seeds to choose

If you have not yet decided which variety of cucumber suits you best, give preference to purchased seeds - try something new and, perhaps, find a favorite. But if you have already fallen in love with a certain variety of this vegetable, do not be lazy, collect the seeds yourself - and you will be provided with a rich harvest of delicious, beautiful, crispy cucumbers.

We collect seeds ourselves

The most beautiful, even, large fruits from strong bushes are selected for seeds: "children" will certainly inherit all the characteristics of "parents". When choosing a cucumber for seed, make sure you are not growing a hybrid. If the seed package was marked F1 (indicates a hybrid), then the seeds of this vegetable are not suitable for self-collection and subsequent sowing.

Experts recommend sowing the collected seeds in the second or third year: then there will be no empty flowers and the crop will please with its size (this applies to self-pollinated varieties, bee-pollinated ones always give empty flowers first, and only after about two weeks does the ovary appear on the bushes). Also, some gardeners argue that seeds should be selected from four-chamber fruits (female). Allegedly, if you collect them from three-chamber fruits (male), then most of the seeds form barren flowers.

Myth: The triangle-shaped cucumber fruit is male.

However, breeders claim that there are only male and female flowers, and there are no male and female fruits and cannot be.

If you decide to collect the seeds yourself, leave a few even and large fruits on the strongest plant until the fall, until the cucumber turns yellow or becomes light brown, and the stalk dries.

In order not to inadvertently pick a seed cucumber, tie a rope at its base. If it is at the bottom, put it on a plank so that the fruit does not rot.

Remember that one lash should not leave more than 2-3 testicles. The yield of a plant with such cucumbers is reduced, since the bush gives all its strength to the nutrition of seed fruits.

After you have plucked the finished seed cucumber, do the following:

Leave the overripe fruit on the windowsill for 4-6 days to soften it.
Cut lengthwise into two pieces.
Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Put in a glass, enamel or plastic container.
Add water so that the seeds float.
Leave for fermentation at a temperature of 25–30 ° C for 2–4 days. The empty seeds will float, while the good ones will sink to the bottom. The amniotic membrane, which prevents seed germination, will separate.
Drain the water along with the unusable seeds.
Rinse the seeds remaining at the bottom with running water.
Spread in a thin layer on cardboard or cling film.

Dry the seeds in a natural way - on the veranda, by the open window, under a canopy, but not near heat sources.

In order for the seeds to dry evenly, they must be periodically mixed.

Video: how to collect cucumber seeds

Seeds from the store: the secrets of choice, planting features

If you are not ready to collect seeds yourself, go to the store, but before buying, decide what you want to buy - a cucumber variety or a hybrid? Variety - these are cucumbers obtained by crossing one species. When planting varietal cucumbers on the main stem, male flowers bloom first, slowing down the growth and development of the plant. The crop of such cucumbers appears much later, therefore, on initial stage all male flowers are removed. When the lash reaches 70 cm in height, pinch the main stem. Thus, female flowers appear on the side shoots, which produce a crop.

The female flower under the inflorescence has a semblance of a small cucumber

In hybrids, on the other hand, female flowers appear first. Those that bloom below also need to be cut off until the stem reaches 70 cm in height. Then the plant will get stronger: the stem will become thicker, large sheet and, as a result, a high yield. By the way, when choosing between varieties and hybrids, remember that the latter are more resistant to diseases and temperature changes.

A rule worth remembering is that self-harvested variety seeds can be sown, but hybrid seeds cannot.

Pay attention to the description of the species. If the package says "bee-pollinated", then the ovary will appear only after pollination and not necessarily by bees - the flowers are pollinated by other insects. If the plant is parthenocarpic, then it does not need pollination. Such cucumbers are suitable for planting in greenhouses, where insects rarely get.

These two species should not be planted side by side: a number of parthenocarpic hybrids do not respond to pollination, but some of them may become deformed after this process.

Meaning of the F1 mark

The F1 mark on the package means that you have first-generation hybrid seeds in front of you. Such plants are obtained by crossing two different varieties. F, filli - translated from Italian. "children", 1 - "first generation".

The F1 mark on the package indicates that you have first generation hybrid seeds

Choose a hybrid according to your area, conditions and preferences - there are a great many varieties of such seeds. This:

Early ripe cucumbers: if you can't wait to taste early cucumbers, then hybrids Voyage (ripening period 33 days), Amur F1, Pasalimo F1 (ripening period 38 days) are ideal. But keep in mind that the early-ripening cucumber has a shorter fruiting period, since the development of the root system of the vegetable stops when the fruits begin to ripen. Therefore, it will not be possible to harvest a large crop.
Pickled cucumbers have small size and fit perfectly in banks. For this purpose, choose the seeds of cucumber varieties Nezhenka, Gypsy, Era, Zanachka, Mommy's Favorite, Barrel pickling, Crispy, Patti F1, etc.
Salad cucumbers are suitable only for fresh consumption; when canned, they change their color. These are varieties Zozulya F1, Bukhara F1, Kochubey F1, Makar F1, etc.
Universal hybrids are suitable for both salads and preservation. Look in the stores for packaging varieties Connie F1, Lukhovitsky F1, Vyaznikovsky-37, Claudia F1, Herman F1, etc.

Checking seed germination

When buying seeds, pay attention to the expiration date: cucumber seeds remain viable for 6-7 years.

Step-by-step instruction:

Place sawdust scalded with boiling water on the bottom of an enameled, wooden or glass container.
Lay the cucumber seeds in rows at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other. The distance between seeds should be about 1.5 cm.
Cover the seeds with wet sawdust in a layer of 2-3 cm and tamp.
Don't let the sawdust dry out. Count the seeds as they germinate. If you planted 10 seeds, and 7 sprouted, then the germination rate is 70% - this is the norm.

If 50% of the total number of seeds sprouted, then the seeds are unsuitable for planting, you need to purchase others.

The ability to choose high-quality seeds for your garden, alas, does not come immediately. However, do right choice it will be easier if at the time of purchase you indicate the main criteria: conditions for planting and growing cucumbers, area of \u200b\u200bthe plot, preferences for the size and method of harvesting fruits. After that, the chance to get what you need will increase several times. And having successfully grown the first crop of such cucumbers, later you can collect seeds from them yourself.

Many gardeners know that vegetables grown from their seeds are both tastier and more aromatic, and yield more, but not everyone knows. how to get seeds . Therefore, they are forced to run to the store and buy seeds, and then hope they will sprout or not, and if they sprout, those that are promised in the picture ...

There is always a way out - to learn how to collect seeds on your own, create your own seed fund and be confident in your harvest and the quality of vegetables! How to get and collect cucumber seeds? This will be discussed today, and we will also talk about old, time-tested varieties of cucumbers ...

How to choose a variety of cucumbers?

In general, the best varieties can be called those that suit your family, designed for specific purposes and adapted to growing in your climatic conditions.

There is the best variety of cucumber for every purpose - there is a wide range of cucumber varieties for outdoor cultivation , derived varieties of cucumbers for greenhouses, as well as special super early varieties for the most impatient!

Fans of Russian home cooking and pickles should pay attention for special pickling varieties . And if you approach the choice of a variety like this professionally, then having grown it, you will always be left with a harvest on your site!

About the formation of cucumbers -

The best varieties of cucumbers!

Whatever summer happens, you will not be left without a guaranteed harvest by planting cucumbers of old proven varieties on your plot Murom and Nezhensky! These varieties have a combination of different positive qualities. They are specially bred for open ground, and pickles from them are obtained amazing taste!

Muromsky is considered one of the oldest varieties, its fruits are tasty both in pickling and fresh, it holds the record for ripeness.

Nezhensky, although it does not shine with crops, it is the most delicious in salting! It is considered a "folk" variety. Both varieties are bee-pollinated and intended for open ground.

The Vyaznikovsky variety of cucumbers is popular throughout almost the entire territory of Russia, as it is adapted to the conditions of our latitudes and is able to withstand slight temperature drops.

Pavlovsky - a late variety of cucumbers for open ground, I can also recommend to lovers to extend the period of harvesting. This variety is different late deadline yield and large size. It is valued for its resistance to various diseases - perhaps the best proven variety for general use.

For residents of the Far East region, I can recommend varieties Far East 27 And Far East 6, Avangard- these varieties are adapted to their local conditions and are intended for open ground and film shelters.

Nerosimy 40 is a proven variety of Voronezh breeding, intended for growing in greenhouses and hotbeds. A cucumber of this variety will delight you with its greens until the frost, as it is mid-season, and besides this, it has good keeping quality. But the only drawback is that it is not for pickling, in canned form it quickly becomes tasteless.

For salting I recommend all the same the best varieties Murom, Nezhensky and Vyaznikovsky- they are considered the best for salting. Try to collect them in the morning, not letting them overripe in the beds, on the day of canning.

To the best early varieties again I will take the variety Muromsky, since it is almost the earliest, even among modern hybrids - it takes 32 - 40 days to please you with a harvest.

For those who like to get a reliable harvest, suitable both for canning and for crunching in a salad, I recommend all the same Nezhensky and Murom- these are the best varieties for universal use!

The old non-hybrid varieties (old local varieties and breeding varieties), bred in the first half of the twentieth century, listed in the State Register, are:

Muromsky 36 (1943), Vyaznikovsky 37 (1943), Nezhinsky 12(1947), Non-female local(1943), Borovsky, Klinsky, Pavlovsky, Akselsky, Crimean, Astrakhan, Galakhovsky, Rzhavsky local (1943), Irresistible 40 (1943), Dolzhik (1943), Margelan local, Uzbek 740(1944), Margelansky 822(1946), Far East 27(1950), Far East 6 (1943), Vladivostok 155 (1958), Vanguard(1953) Altai early 166 (1958).

Relatively old non-hybrid varieties, bred in the 60-80s, included in the State Register include:

Elegant(1971) - (Good as a pollinator because the male type of flowering), Voronezh (1977), Competitor (1980), Kharkov(1980), Bush (1980), Altai(1981), Cascade (1982).

How to collect seeds?

When growing cucumbers for seeds, you need to remember that cucumbers are a cross-pollinating crop. To prevent cross-pollination, different varieties of cross-pollinated crops are planted from each other in areas protected by tree plantations at a distance of 600-800 meters.

If you want to grow seeds corresponding to any variety, then you cannot plant two or more varieties of cucumbers next to each other. You also need to make sure that the plantings of neighboring cucumbers are also located as far as possible from yours.

The best cucumber seeds are obtained from fruits that form on branches of the second and third order, while the fruits are more early dates setting gives seeds of the best sowing qualities.

By the way, self-harvested cucumber planting material requires endurance - it should be used for sowing only after a couple of seasons! Otherwise, instead of good harvest you risk getting only an abundance of empty flowers.

To speed up the formation of side shoots, on which more female flowers and fruits are formed, you can pinch the main shoot over the fifth or sixth leaf (sometimes this is necessary if the cucumbers are grown from very fresh seeds that give a lot of male flowers and few female ones).

When growing seed plants of cucumbers, varietal cleaning is carried out. First time at the beginning of flowering: remove all plants - underdogs (lagging behind in development from others), as well as plants with a small number of female flowers, late in flowering, sharply different from the main mass of plants of this variety in appearance.

They also pay attention to the surface of the puplets (cucumber embryos) and their pubescence - because. appearance and pubescence of puplets are varietal characteristics, according to which plants that do not correspond to the variety can be discarded.

Second grade cleaning carried out during the period of mass formation of greenery. All plants are removed from the crops, in which the greenery has a deviation from the variety.

The third cleaning is carried out before harvesting mature testes, removing all atypical fruits and impurities. During the growing season, all ugly and disease-damaged fruits are removed from the seed plants.

In the northern regions, in order to accelerate the ripening of seeds, no more than five to seven fruits typical of the variety are left on each plant.

Seed maturation begins 80-120 days after germination usually in late August - early September. IN middle lane Russian testicles mature approximately 35-40 days after fruiting.

By this time, the fruits are losing green color and acquire the color characteristic of the testes of this variety.

For seeds, the best fruits are always selected from those plants that are distinguished by special merits. The fruits are left on the plant until fully ripe and the stalk dries. The testicles are harvested in a timely manner, preventing them from freezing (before the onset of frost). Frozen fruits do not ripen well and give a large percentage of feeble seeds.

For seeds, it is best to select tetrahedral fruits of cucumbers, which are less common than trihedral ones, but the seeds from them are of better quality, and the number of seeds in a tetrahedral cucumber is greater than in a trihedral cucumber of the same size.

Ripe fruits are collected in boxes and ripened for 10-15 days in a dry, warm room. You can use a greenhouse for these purposes. With a small amount, the fruits ripen on the windowsill in the living room.

The best cucumber seeds are obtained from the middle part of the testis - there they are most completed and ripened. After the fruits become soft, both edges are cut off from the cucumbers, so that the most valuable middle part remains (how much can be cut off depends on the size of the cucumber).

What is left is cut lengthwise with a knife and the seeds are scraped into the bowl with a spoon (with this method, it is possible to scrape the seeds into the bowl immediately after cutting off the ends, so as not to damage the seeds with a knife), where they ferment for two to three days.

At the end of fermentation, full-weight seeds that have settled to the bottom are washed with clean water on sieves and dried in the open air with frequent stirring (if there are a lot of seeds).

In rainy and cold weather, the seeds are dried in a warm room with enhanced ventilation. If there are few seeds, then they can be dried immediately indoors. From one fruit, 10-15 g of seeds are obtained.

Another way to harvest cucumber seeds i.e. peel cucumber seeds from pulp, is as follows: you need to take a wide dish (bowl, basin), put cucumber pulp with seeds (scraped from ripened softened fruits) there, drain the liquid that has collected above the pulp and add the finest clean sand there until a pasty mass is obtained .

Next, you need to carefully grind the resulting mixture with your hands until the gelatinous pulp of the cucumbers breaks into tiny particles, after which the seeds are already completely separated from the pulp, so all that remains is to wash them on a sieve and dry them to get completely peeled snow-white seeds. As in the first method, the seeds peeled from the pulp must be dried.

Now you know how to collect cucumber seeds correctly! Now it remains to choose a variety, grow seed cucumbers and choose seeds! And then you can save your seeds, you can exchange them with other farmers who also honor the traditions of our ancestors and collect their seeds!

I wish you good luck and have a great summer!

If you need help with site development and anything related to Nature Farming in general, you can get Individual consultation! This will help avoid mistakes and speed up the process of restoring the land!

At the end of summer, many amateur gardeners have a question about how to collect cucumber seeds. , to take care of home planting material for next year. And although this process seems simple at first glance, there are still a few golden rules that will help you collect high-quality seeds of this vegetable.

Collection process

The main thing in such a matter of how to collect cucumber seeds is the difference between natural and hybrid varieties. You can distinguish them from each other by the following signs: if the F1 or F2 marking is affixed to the purchase bag of cucumber seeds, the variety is a hybrid and is not suitable for home sowing from the collected seeds.

Tip: Home collection of seeds can only be carried out from natural varieties of cucumbers, since such material will annually strengthen its high-yielding properties.

In order to properly collect homemade cucumber seeds for the next season at the end of summer, you should grow a seed cucumber in the garden. No need to pluck it until it grows to a certain size and acquires a yellow-brown color. Remember: the cucumber left on the seeds should not have damage and rotten sides.

In order not to confuse it and withstand it to the desired state, the stem can be marked with a ribbon. To make sure of maturity when it is removed from the garden, the cucumber can be put on the windowsill for two weeks, after which the seeds should be removed.

If cucumbers are planned to be grown on a loggia or in a home greenhouse, hybrid or self-pollinating varieties should be used. Collecting cucumber seeds grown in a greenhouse can be done if the greenhouse is frequently ventilated with the possibility of insects entering to pollinate the plants. cucumber from home greenhouse, left on the seeds, cut in half, the seeds are pulled out, washed and dried. Cucumbers grown at home will have 99% germination and will sprout earlier in time compared to purchased ones.

Tip: In the process of collecting the seed from the cucumber, the hollow material is sorted out: for this, after collection, they are lowered into salted water with a calculation of 2 tbsp. l. to a glass of water. Empty and not fully ripened seeds will float, and those suitable for planting will settle to the bottom of the glass. They should be selected and laid out on paper to dry, then they are placed in a paper envelope for storage.

The subtleties of the collection

In order to properly collect full-fledged planting material, a couple of cucumbers should be grown in the garden and left on the whip. By the end of summer, they should turn brown and become soft. If the cucumber turned yellow before the due date, this means that it is unsuitable for collecting cucumber seeds. When the cucumbers are no longer removed from the garden, new ovaries on the lashes stop growing. For this reason, cucumbers set aside for seeds should be picked from the garden at the end of the season.

The collection of seeds from domestic cucumbers can be carried out correctly using a special technique, which involves harvesting planting material immediately after the first frost. This is necessary for hardening the vegetable, which is formed after it has endured the conditions of warm summer temperatures and cold autumn ones. This method allows you to get a full-fledged harvest for the next season, when harvesting from the garden of seed cucumbers begins.

To collect planting raw materials, you should choose "female" cucumbers with square section. The whip and vegetable must be tied with a ribbon and left untouched.

Tip: You can put a plank under the fruit to prevent it from rotting. As soon as the vegetable becomes soft and acquires a yellowish color, it should be removed from the whip.

It is important to follow the following procedure:

To collect the seed at home, use the front of the cucumber.
Released seeds must be lowered into glassware. If homemade cucumber does not contain enough internal liquid, a little water should be added.
A container with seeds is placed in a warm place for easy fermentation for two days. This is necessary to separate the shell from the seeds.
After two days, the seeds are washed and dipped in a salted liquid to determine the hollow units.
Suitable for further use seeds are laid on paper for final drying. According to the rules, the prepared planting material is able to retain its original germination properties for 6 years.
It is considered correct to sow the seeds of domestic cucumbers after their storage period of three years, which allows you to get a lot of female inflorescences on the cucumber lash.

Selection of planting material

Any cucumber seeds are planted in a special way and require preliminary harvesting. There are such seeds of domestic cucumbers:

Ordinary - undergo sorting, where, under special conditions, hollow seeds are separately packaged and suitable for planting. You can get a full-fledged planting raw material by lowering it into salt water. Those that have sunk to the bottom are fit.
Processed - are treated with antifungal drugs and nutrient reagents.
calibrated - require warmth and moderate moisture. Failure to comply with the rules of storage and planting leads to a decrease in the percentage of germination. Such seeds are placed on a damp gauze cloth and stored at a stable temperature up to 30 0 C.

Tip: When the seeds begin to sprout, they can be planted in the ground.

Seed preparation

Do-it-yourself preparation of cucumber seeds is necessary for their rapid germination and protection from garden insects. In order for the whip of domestic cucumbers to be strong and healthy, the seeds undergo such processing.

Disinfection- a method of processing, which can be both chemical and thermal. In the first case, the seed is treated with hydrogen peroxide, brought to a temperature of 35 0 C. The seeds are soaked for 10 minutes. Thermal harvesting involves soaking the seeds first in cold water and then hot. The alternation of conditions lasts within 10 minutes.
hardening- the process of increasing the resistance of seeds to atmospheric temperature changes during the ripening period. Planting raw materials collected at home are soaked in water for 7-8 hours, then they are put in the refrigerator for 10 hours. Then they are put on the window. The hardening process takes a week.
To grow a crop with your own hands, planting material, before being sown in the ground, goes through warming conditions. To do this, the seeds are wrapped in a bag, which is suspended near the battery or stove for 4 hours.
Soak- carried out until shoots from seeds appear. They are placed in a bowl and covered with wet gauze, constantly wetting. Soaking time - up to 20 hours at a room temperature of 25 0 С.

Procedures carried out at home have a positive effect on planting material, increasing productivity and protecting it from pests and undesirable weather conditions. Growth activation and yield of cucumbers will depend on the soil and location of the site. At the same time, the land must meet the chemical and mechanical requirements of the area where cucumber seedlings will be grown.