What's wrong with my cucumbers?

[Rahab222]

I took pictures of my cucumber plants today. Can anybody tell me what's wrong with the leaves? Is it from bugs, disease or wind burn? Thanks!

 

[w_r_ranch]

Two issues that I see are windburn along the edges of the leaf from the recent weather & what appears to be 'Powdery Mildew'.

Apply a fungicide that contains sulfur or copper, either of which have some efficacy to control powdery mildew outbreaks. Both sulfur & copper are two of the oldest natural fungicides. Notice I used the word 'control' & not 'cure' (there is no cure). When it comes to powdery mildew, prevention is key to your success... once powdery mildew has taken hold, you won't be able to completely get rid of it on your cucumbers, but consistent treatment with fungicides will help control the problem. I'd jump on this if I was you... it will spread rapidly & cause the leaves to fall off (no leaves, no cucumbers). DO NOT LET THE DEAD LEAVES LAY IN YOUR GARDEN (burn them or put them in a trash bag), NOR SHOULD YOU PUT THEM IN YOUR COMPOST PILE.

Cultivating plants with genetic resistance to powdery mildew is the best method of growing disease-free cucumber crops. Consequently, an appropriate selection of tolerant or resistant cucumber cultivars is the simplest way to deal with powdery mildew infections.

Good luck!!!

 

[w_r_ranch]

Deleted

 

[majorcatfish]

Mancozeb is one of my favorite fungicide controls for blights, rust and powdery mildew on potatoes,corn, beans, cucumbers.

 

[Rahab222]

I picked up some liquid Sevin Dust, liquid Copper Fungicide and Sulphur Dust Powder yesterday. Which do you recommend I put on the cucumbers? I've also heard about a solution of 1/2 milk and 1/2 water to combat powdery mildew. Do you think that works? I didn't get any cucumbers last year due to the same problem. I also got some Ashley Cucumber seeds - resistant to Downy Mildew that "does well in humid weather" since I'm on the Gulf Coast and got a five star rating from customers of Victory Seeds. I also got Addis cucumbers - resistant to powdery mildew, downy mildew, anthracene and angular leaf spot. And Sumter Cucumber seeds - resistant to powdery mildew, downy mildew, angular leaf spot, anthracnose, scab and cucumber mosaic virus and watermelon mosaic virus. Which of these would be best to plant? The ones growing now are "fingerlings" that I hoped to learn to make pickles with. I have space in my new garden area to plant another round of cucumbers. I read that you can only plant different types of cucumbers 1/2 mile apart or they will cross pollinate. Is this true? Or I can plant a couple of different varieties in the same bed? I would really like some cucumbers this year. My plants do look a little better since the wind has died down and it's warmed up after the last cold front. Guess this was our Easter norther. However, I have been reading other forums where a lot of gardeners on the Gulf Coast are having to replant since the last front came in this week. I also lost every single flower blossom on my orange trees from the wind. For the past three years, the Gulf Coast has been having ferocious winds on a regular basis. It helps keep things cooled down from the heat, but is wrecking havoc on our plants.

 

[Mr_Yan]

I read that you can only plant different types of cucumbers 1/2 mile apart or they will cross pollinate. Is this true? Or I can plant a couple of different varieties in the same bed? I would really like some cucumbers this year.

Are you trying to breed and save your own seeds or only get fruit to eat? If you want "true" seeds you should have that distance to ensure no cross pollination. If you don't want to save seeds you're fine mixing and matching cucumbers in the same garden / container.

 

[Rahab222]

Thanks, Mr. Yan. No, I'm just wanting some cucumbers. I'm still learning what will grow and won't grow in my garden. I'm not ready to mark cucumbers off my list - trying to improve over my zero score in 2013.