What's wrong with my cucumbers?

Murray, KY

They were doing so well, then suddenly they starting turning yellow/white and crunchy (the leaves, not the cukes). They're also full of holes. There were lots of new blooms and new cukes starting to form, but they're drying up). I see some tiny brown things on them, shaped sort of like a flea. They also hop like fleas. Not sure if that's the problem though. Insecticidal soap didn't help, so my husband sprayed some Sevin on them a couple days ago. Too soon to tell if it helped. (Husband thinks they're just dying a natural death, but I'm convinced something is sucking the life out of them). Any advice?

Thumbnail by KYtransplant
Missoula, MT

I am having the same problem. My posted picture would look the same. I have tried spraying them with equal parts skim milk and water that I read somewhere would fight mold. This did not work. I am so frustrated. Last year some bugs mowed the plants down and they never recovered, this year I am having this problem.

Delhi, LA

I think you guys have got a pest problem not a fungal problem. Try some type of pesticide on them. I don't know anything about the organic poisons but if it were mine I'd mix liquid sevin and malathion together and spray.

Efland, NC(Zone 7a)

"suddenly they starting turning yellow/white and crunchy (the leaves, not the cukes)."

Sounds like you have either angular leaf spot or or anthracnose. Those two diseases are fairly common with cukes. It would be best to pull those leaves off and trash them. Unfortunately oftentimes the whole plant is a goner. Once cukes get infected by nearly any disease it's difficult to bring them back to health.

Those bugs you mentioned, KYtransplant, sound like flea beetles and they tend to eat tiny wholes in the leaves and I don't see any sign of their damage in your pic. Could the be cucumber beetles, much larger than flea beetles and they sure will infect plants with disease (as will aphids).

Ya'll might want to try some resistant/tolerant varieties in the future. Fancipak and Slicemaster are both resistant to powdery mildew, leaf spot, and also antracnose. At least those varieties will help to cut down on potential maladies in the future, eh?

Best...
Shoe

Charlotte, NC(Zone 7b)

From your description, I would say you have flea beetles, but your photo shows large holes in the leaves - flea beetles leave small, round holes.

Sorry, I can't be of much help :(

Ruffin, NC

Maybe you have squash beetles. Do other leaves have tiny bronze "beads" read eggs on them?

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