Just adding another photo.

Hello Oakland from the North Bay!

Overall, your plant looks great. I think you need to cut back on the water. Daily, even in a container like that and draining fast is too much. I'd cut back to every 3rd day, only more often if you get temps up in the mid 90's. It's supposed to be a little cooler these next few days, so it's a good time to try cutting back.

You did not plant too early. Mine are about that size and I just pulled the first two cukes off yesterday. And you definitely don't have too much sun. Not sure there is such a thing for summer vegetables.

You'll get signs of nitrogen deficiency from too much water, BTW.

Hi there North Bay! What about this cool down??? I think my plants are flabbergasted - we've hardly had a day under 75 in quite a few weeks.

I'm going to hold off on the water, just like you suggest. There was a weekend about 6 weeks ago when I left my baby cucumber plants in the care of a neighbor, who forgot to water, and that ended up being one of our hottest weekends so far. I think ever since I've been overcompensating. No more!

The plant is still producing (just pulled another off this morning - up to 4 total), so I'm going to try not to stress so much about it. This was my first time direct seeding cucumbers and it is so darn easy.

I'm curious - are you going to try for a second crop this summer? When would you plant? Our season runs so long, I'm tempted to plant another few just for fun (and just in case this guy takes a turn for the worse!)

Thanks again for your response, loribee2!

Agree on the over watering.

Yes, direct seeding cucumbers, squash and beans are definitely the way to go!

I've never planted a succession planting of cucumbers, but I've done it with green beans and zucchini and it's worked pretty well. I'd normally be putting those second plantings in right around now, so if you're thinking about it, go for it!

There's a great book called "Golden Gate Gardening" by Pam Pierce. It's got several planting calendars depending on your microclimate here in the Bay Area, and I find them really helpful. It's the best gardening book I have. The first few years I had my garden in this house, I experimented with planting a bunch of different things at different times of the year. For example, I learned my spring broccoli and cabbage did really well, the fall ones were fails--too many bugs. I logged what I did and how well it worked (rather obsessively, I confess). I also tried planting lots of different vegetables. It took me 3 years of playing year-round before I came up with a pretty solid calendar and list of veggies that worked for me. Granted, you never stop experimenting when it comes to gardening. But those first years were really a free-for-all. Especially if you grow from seed, you have control over what you plant and when. And if you buy quality seeds (Johnny's is my favorite), a packet will last you several years.

So that long-winded response was all to say go for it! That's the fun of gardening IMO, playing around with things. There is no failure, because you learn as much from the dead plants as you do the ones that thrive.

Your cucumbers look good to me, so you're definitely doing something right!

I totally agree about "Golden Gate Gardening" - I bought it this year (after two years of not-very-successful gardens) and it has totally changed the way I think about things. Although, clearly I didn't get the memo on the watering section. Oops!

Second rounds of dukes are going in the ground today. We'll see how they do!

Ditto on a reduction in watering, which would be my first guess on the cause. However, as the plants age, there will naturally be some leaf die-back on the lower leaves. Your plants are still producing, as long as the new leaves & fruits look healthy, there is probably no need for concern. Given the size of the container, it's possible a light application of fertilizer might be necessary, but I would not do so until the plants stop bearing.

For good California gardening references, I would add the Sunset New Western Garden Book. They are up to their 9th edition now (I still have the 4th from when I lived in California in the 80's). It is a very comprehensive garden book, it was of enormous help to me when I gardened in San Diego and Pala Alto.

My leaves (the older) look like they have powdery mildew and at one point I did have white fly which I sprayed naturally but it still kept the bees away. Now I have a plant that is producing what looks like great fruit (and a conjoined) but most have just shrivelled, turned brown and well that's it

This is my first time trying to grow cucumbers but some how everything else I have grown from seed is doing fantastic... I'm losing friends off handing the stuff!

Why the heck are the cucumbers being so god dang awful to grow! There are heaps of flowers although I admit not many male when I last looked. What the heck am I doing wrong??? Oh and it is grown in a large wooden container with struts for growth.

Any help before the season here in Australia finishes would be so welcome and thank you in advance for the help.