Growing seedlings according to the Kurdyumov method

Spring is coming soon and the owners of the plots are starting to prepare for the active phase of work in the garden. It’s time to start growing seedlings. Our tips site will tell you about the features of the Nikolai Kurdyumov method, which allows you to get good, healthy seedlings of vegetables.

The portal mentioned Nikolai Kurdyumov, an agronomist and author of books on horticulture and viticulture, in an article on organic farming. In the matter of growing seedlings, Kurdyumov remains true to his principles: in his opinion, good seedlings should grow with minimal human participation. Without unnecessary transplants, but with enough heat, light and moisture.

The principles of growing seedlings using the Kurdyumov method are simple and accessible to everyone:

• Fertile soil. You can prepare several buckets of soil in the fall, leave them in a shed or cellar so that they do not freeze. Add humus and peat if needed. In general, the specialist is sure that the composition of the soil is not so important;
• Seeds of tomatoes and cucumbers are planted in a 4×4 cm pattern. Not thicker!
• No tightness on the windowsill, there should be a lot of space. Natural lighting, it is advisable to choose windows facing the sunny side. A phytolamp will not hurt, because a lack of light with an abundance of heat in a living room is fatal for seedlings.

Growing seedlings of tomatoes and cucumbers according to Kurdyumov is as follows:

1. Having planted seeds according to the 4×4 cm scheme, after 20 days the seedlings are removed from the container along with the soil. As the agronomist himself writes, seedlings should not feel transplanted! The earth is cut into cubes like cake. And these cubes with roots are placed in fertile soil according to the 12×12 cm scheme – they should be spacious.
2. Again, at least 15, maximum 20 days pass and the soil is again cut into cubes, the seedlings are removed and transplanted to a permanent place – to the beds. The whole process thus takes 40 days. At the end of March, the plants are already outside, but under the film, because frosts are still possible.

Kurdyumov advises using lutrasil to cover the beds, under which the seedlings will definitely not burn.

The agronomist reminds that cucumbers do not tolerate even the slightest damage to the root system. Therefore, it is advisable to grow them in separate pots of peat or paper, so that they can be transplanted to the beds in the same container, without disturbing the plants. Kurdyumov advises to transplant cucumbers immediately to their permanent place, under the film, so that later do not touch them again.

According to Kurdyumov, cold-resistant cabbage varieties should be planted immediately under lutrasil in the beds. Cabbage will grow much better at a low temperature, and in the heat in May it will stretch upwards and you will not get a good harvest.

The agronomist believes that in the central part of Russia, seedlings at the age of three weeks or a month can already be safely planted in the beds at the end of March. Cover with lutrasil to protect against night frost and water abundantly. And there will be nothing wrong with plants.

Seedlings grown according to the Kurdyumov method always have a trunk the size of a pencil, they stretch not in height, but in breadth. The developed root system, not affected by transplantation, allows the plants to take root very quickly and painlessly in a new place. The main thing is not to plant the seeds too closely and transplant on time. According to the agronomist, thin, translucent seedlings with practically no roots, grown in tight quarters and with a lack of light, are not worth tinkering with – there will still not be a good harvest.