Cucumber problems

[RandA]

My Cucumbers all in the polytunnel have been dying off. The leaves have gone brown and brittle and they are no longer producing any flowers. I have looked for red spider mites and cannot see any evidence of them. The Carmen are succumbing first but the market more are also beginning to go and I am not at all sure what to do. I water every other day when its sunny and try and wet the leaves any ideas anyone?

[Vivian G]

Hi Randa,

Could it be that your cucumbers are infected with downy mildew? This is not unusual. Spraying affected leaves with apple vinegar or milk can help. See the internet for the exact dosis. Alternatively you could also try plant homeopathy. If I’m not mistaken it should be either Silicea C 200 or Sulphur C 200 or Natrium Sulphuricum C 30, depending on what the weather/polytunnel-climate was like and the exact colour of the leaves.
Actually, reading your post again I think it’s probably Natrium Sulphuricum.

[charles]

Yes I agree with Vivian, downy rather than powdery mildew. I had it last year and it’s lethal, all plants dead within ten days by mid August, including melons and outdoor cucumbers.
I had been wetting the leaves to discourage red spider, and that increases the chance of downy mildew.

So no wetting this year, no mildew either, even outside, so hereabouts it must have been barely breeding.

Best of luck with yours Wanda but I am not too optimistic, at least it’s near season’s end.

[Author]

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