We've had about a week of rain. Now that the sun is finally out and I can check out the garden, this is what I see...
The cucumber plants' leaves are white. What is that a sign of? The entire row looks like that.
The eggplants' leaves have small black "dots" crawling over them. They're on all the plants. Good or bad?
Thanks!
The cucumbers look like sun scald after the rain. They should recover. Have you fertilized? The eggplants probably have flea beetles which love eggplant. You can try diatomaceous earth or rotenone on them. I prefer organic methods. There are lots of possibilities to control them. Once you get rid of them, cover with a garden fabric row cover to keep them out until the plants are larger and forming flowers. Actually since eggplants are pretty much self pollinating you can keep them on even then to save the leaves. Cover the cucumbers as well to keep away the cucumber beetles until they are forming flowers.
Schaff, Holy Cow, I thought you had taken pictures of MY plants -- LOL. Same problem, eggplant and black crawling dots and white scaled on cuke leaves. I used DE on the eggplant last night and clipped the cuke leaves as well. We got the rain before you did. Only scattered thundershowers for a few days then SUN!
Funny! I'll pick up some DE today and give it a try.
I haven't fertilized (or watered) anything since planting 2 weeks ago. It's been sooooo wet. Still drying out here. Should I fertilize? I have a 4-4-4 organic that I haven't used yet.
I put the DE powder on all of the eggplants and peppers yesterday. Today, the powder is still there but so are all of the bugs and they're still eating! Why do you think it didn't work and what should I try next? Thanks!
Also, should I be fertilizing at this point? I have a 4-4-4 organic I haven't used yet.
Don't know why the DE didn't help but maybe it's too early to tell. I would now spray them with water to get them off the plants. You can add more DE and then COVER them with a fabric row cover. There are also organic sprays containing neem, rotenone, or pyrethrin which are quite effective. I have used Pyola which is a combination of pyrethrin and canola oil. Personally I would try the row covers first. It is a little after the fact since you already have the the beetles but if you clean up around the plants and mulch with straw or wood chips that might help.
You could start feeding now. I don't know what your organic 4-4-4 fertilizer is but it wouldn't hurt. I like fish emulsion myself. Consider getting Neptune"s Harvest. Plants love it! Good luck. Flea beetles are a real pain!!! I won't be planting my eggplants for another two weeks here but am always on the watch for them first thing!!
Are the stems of your cucumbers white, and does the "white' wipe off easily? Could be powdery mildew (I think that's the right disease). Cucumbers don't like cold wet weather. I had a similar looking problem last year and I sprayed the plants with a fungicide. The cucumbers struggled and never fully recovered. In retrospect, mine were to far gone to fully recover and I should have pulled them.
