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| I have tried for 3 years to grow cukes in containers--a bush variety. New potting mix every time. And still my cukes get the dreaded wilt. I buy them as small plants from reputable nurseries--and others who buy cukes there never have any problems--so they aren't infected when I plant them. Problem is I have never seen a beetle near them, or even leaf damage that would imply a beetle has visited. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| If you sure it is not beetles, may be it is not infection. It is very easy to overwater in containers. And when cucumbers are overwatered they actually die from drought! Their root loose ability move water up to the leaves and whole plant wilt and die eventually. |
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| Cucs are very susceptible to various diseases so just calling it "wilt" only helps so much. If the stem at the bottom of a young plant is shrunken, it's likely dampening off, caused by overwatering. Most cuc diseases are caused by growing in too cool soil or overwatering. The rest are spread by insects and usually damage the plant much later in the season. Hope this helps a bit. -Mark |
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- Posted by terry_neoh 5b (My Page) on Wed, Apr 23, 14 at 15:43
| I grew bush cucumbers in the same row as a couple other short vine varieties (not bush.) The bush plants generally grew worse, looked worse, produced little, and died an early death. We live in an area that has several endemic airborne fungus and bacterial diseases. I just concluded that the bush variety I grew (I think it was Burpee pickle bush?) didn't have much disease resistance. Now I specifically look for varieties that have disease restance. Regal (Harris seeds) and Cool Breeze (various sources) have become my staples but note that they are both picklig types, Cool Breeze somewhat burpless. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Disease resistant bush cucumber
This post was edited by terry_neoh on Wed, Apr 23, 14 at 15:57
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| Try direct seeding too, I find that cucs don't transplant so well. |
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| As others have said "wilt" can mean lots of things. Can you provide more details of the symptoms? All of the cuke diseases have very specific symptoms. Name of the variety makes a big difference too. In addition to all of the above good advice you never mention the size of the container you are using yet your description can be the classic symptoms of the plant growing in far too small a container and becoming root bound. You also don't mention the brand of potting mix. Not all are the same or even close and some have chronic issues. Dave |
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| I grew them in a 12-inch pot so...maybe 3 gallons? It would produce a few cukes before the leaves started to wither. I always thought it looked more like powdery mildew, but I took the plant to our local university garden center and they said it was wilt. Eventually the plant withered completely and shriveled up and died. It was the Burpee Bush, and yes, I am looking for different varieties this year, and will be planting them in my Earthbox, too. |
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| 3 gallons is pretty small, the wilt could be due to the stress of being root bound. Also, are you continually picking the cukes before they ripen? You have to stay on top of cukes, if you let one or two ripen on the plant, it will sense that its job is done and shut down and die. |
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| Well, this year, I found a new bush variety to try. I am also growing it in my earthbox. So we will see. |
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