Wilting Cucumer Plants..Help?

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Cucurbita_pepo Englewood, CO May 04, 2010

We bought these two days ago. There were three close together in one container. The biggest one is doing fine, but the other two have fallen over. I think they're pretty much doomed (especially the smallest one) , but I wanted to ask some people with more experience. They have been planted in separate pots.

They were okay the morning after they were planted, but they wilted in the morning heat. We gave them some water in hopes of reviving them in the early afternoon, but they only seem to be getting worse.

I live in zone 5b. Any advice would be appreciated.

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Cucurbita_pepo Englewood, CO May 04, 2010

Here is the other smaller one. The stem has started to lean on this one.

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funtomatoes Douglasville, GA May 04, 2010

Cucumbers do not like root disturbance, which is why they are best direct seeded. I did try cowpots last year to start a few early (since you put the whole thing in the ground) and I don't think I got cucumbers any earlier than if I had just direct seeded. Probably later. Why do stores sell cucumbers (and corn, melons, radishes) in pots? Because we buy them! not because it works.

But don't worry, just buy a packet of seeds, you have time to plant- they grow quick. The plants you bought were probably less than two weeks old and would have suffered transplant shock. If you do plant seeds and your plants live, please update us on the outcome. It will be an interesting experiment.

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bellieg Virginia Beach, VA May 05, 2010

If you live in Colorado it is too early to plant cukes. We live in 7 -b and I plant warm weather veggies on mid May. I would cover them with cut big soda bottles and see if you can revive them. Happy gardening. Belle

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locakelly Phoenix, AZ(Zone 9a) May 05, 2010

It looks to me like they are suffering from transplant shock. If they were not properly hardened off they are not able to take the fluctuations in temps day to night. I'm assuming they were growing "inside" wherever you bought them? If so they should have been introduced to outside conditions over a period of at least a week before they were planted out. You do have plenty of time to direct seed. That may be more successful.

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dlbailey Central Valley, CA(Zone 9a) May 06, 2010

Don't give up on these, though. Transplant shock can last about a week. As long as they rebound in the cool mornings and night, they will pull through.

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Jim41 Delhi, LA May 06, 2010

I agree with locakelly, it looks like transplant shock from not being hardened off. The idea about the pop bottles is a good one. Makes a minature terrium.

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