cucumber seedlings died :(

vthokie 5/12/2010, 7:23 am

OK, I am absolutely certain I did this wrong but my cucumber seedlings died when I transplanted them to my garden. I started the seeds by putting them in peat pellets in a Jiffy greenhouse in the window. They grew large very quickly. I then took them to my garden made up of Mel's Mix, cut the roots, placed them in and watered. The next morning they were all flopped over and shriveled.

Where did I go wrong? Should I have taken the seedling and put it in a 4 pack w/Mel's Mix first so it could grow stronger? Is this a plant I should grow directly in the ground from seed? In the future, with seeds, what should I do? Obviously, this is my first year. Thanks for your help!

Retired Member 1 5/12/2010, 8:00 am

Squashes, cukes and melons are difficult to transplant--if their roots are disturbed in any way they will die. (I know, Mel says to trim the roots of most plants, but this does not apply here). That is why he recommends starting in paper cups or peat cups and planting cup and all. Just seed directly into the garden, water twice a day if it doesn't rain, and you'll have cukes in no time. They will probably out pace any you would have transplanted.

miinva 5/12/2010, 8:24 am

We started gardening last year and every time something faltered or failed I worried and fretted, but one thing I learned was that plants want to grow and I can always put new plants in or start new seeds Smile

We lost the leaves off of our cucumbers and our purple basil because we had a cold night a couple of days go. It didn't get down to freezing, but it was cold enough to burn the leaves. The same thing happened to our beans a couple of weeks ago and I waited until the weekend to go out to pull them and reseed, only to discover that almost all of them were growing new leaves! We only had to reseed about a dozen of the 252 bean plants we had planted, and a few of those were because the seed didn't sprout in the first place! Slowly but surely I'm learning to relax about hiccups in the garden Very Happy

**camprn** 5/12/2010, 8:43 am

+1 What Belfry says.
Vt where are you located? If you are in the north, it has been too cold for the delicate cucumber. I never trim my plant roots unless they are root bound. I dont usually cut roots off of seedling but make a slice or too just to loosen the rootball, dunk it in water and plant, pushing the garden soil down firmly to creat a well around the plant stem. Then I water, the plant well. How to transplant link.
cucumber seedlings died :( 8-tomato-plug

cucumber seedlings died :( 8-tomato-plug

I direct seed cukes. They are fast enough growing to do well here in NH.

Jola 5/12/2010, 9:44 am

vthokie, don't worry about your cucumbers. I am in zone 5b and I will put cucumbers seeds in ground in the beginning of June (we still had frost a few days ago). They will grow fast and I will have fruits during almost the whole summer. If you are in warmer zone just seed to the ground, like "belfrybat" suggested. sunny

milaneyjane 5/12/2010, 4:01 pm

A few thoughts----I am in zone 4 and plant from seeds---every time I tried from plants they died. Second, did you slowly acclimate the plants before taking them outside (A few hours outside at a time?). Cucumbers grow very quickly from seed outdoors. I wouldn't even bother trying to start them indoors.

Retired Member 1 5/12/2010, 5:06 pm

Second, did you slowly acclimate the plants before taking them outside (A few hours outside at a time?

Hardening them would not have helped since she trimmed the roots. Cukes just won't tolerate having their roots disturbed at all. I've discovered that if I plant a transplant and a seed on the same day, the seed often outstrips the transplant in a couple of weeks. So nothing is lost except the time and effort to raise it indoors.

vthokie 5/12/2010, 9:03 pm

We live in in Yorktown, VA. No frost for quite awhile. Well, you guys have made me feel better! I planted the seeds directly into the garden today and have my fingers crossed!!! Thanks for all your help and patience cucumber seedlings died :( Icon_biggrin

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