Does anyone have any idea what is causing the problem in the following photo. The raised bed the cucmbers are in is two years old and has been well amended with compost and aged manure as well as peat moss. Last fall I had green beans in this plot and they did they same thing but the carrots in this plot did great. It appears my soil my have some kind of bacteria causing wilt or something. I look forward to all observations and opinions. Thanks in advance for your help.
My first thoughts are cold and frost followed by hot sun.
The problem is that they were like this prior the frost.
I have pretty much the same thing happening on a volunteer squash. No sign of borers, just browning on (as of this morning) a leaf. Yours looks like you have something nibbling as well. I'm no kind of expert. Is the vine healthy? Right where it comes out of the ground?
They look healthy coming out of the ground. Some of the other leaves look fine then all of a sudden they will start this browning and eventually it will take over the whole plant.
Could that possibly be Skeletonizer damage??? When they eat away at the leaves, the plants get a 'scorched' look. Just a thought to explore....
~Kim
I'll have to look that up. I'm hoping it's just freaky cold and hot damage and it will get over it.
I always have problems when growing cukes. At first I get some real beauties then the mold takes over and they all die. I can grow most anything in my EBs but cucumbers and Bell peppers have always been a challenge.
I don't have a definitive answer for you, but if you are willing to risk one plant in an experiment may I suggest trying Epsom salts. When leaf color fades and the veins remain green sometimes infusions of magnesium and sulfur can help. The problem may well be fungal, but the plant might be able to fight it. Here's an interesting article, courtesy of another thread. (In the Texas forum, started April 7)
http://www.garden.org/subchannels/flowers/roses?q=show&id=68
The application of this natural compound shouldn't cause any harm to the plant, and if applied as a foliar spray, you can see rather quickly if there is any improvement.
Yuska
This message was edited Apr 13, 2007 12:48 PM
Thanks, Yuska! I'll risk it.
