Topic: Dying cucumbers

[mpdjulie]

I planted out 17 cucmber plants.  La diva, gherkin and crystal lemon.  I have lost 2 la diva and the rest are gradually dying.  I don't know what has caused this but I was wondering, is it too late to sow more but a greenhouse variety?
If it's not too late has anyone any suggestions for a heavy cropping, easy to grow variety?
Julie
 ??? ??? ???

[macmac]

Crikey 17  :o
we grow 2 in the greenhouse and last year had 360 cues (yes the OH counts em )
what would you do with the fruit of 17  ???

[Georgie]

Hi Julie

You might just about get away with sowing more seeds now but the crop would be late.  I also think you need to get to the bottom of why you have lost/are losing so many plants because otherwise you would just be wasting time and money again.  Can you tell us what has happened to your existing plants in a bit more detail? 

G x

[mpdjulie]

Firstly the leaves start going limp and then yellow.  Next day they are just hanging where they have been tied in.  Next day they are starting to shrivel and dry up.

[Tee Gee]

Check the stem at soil level and I would guess you have contracted 'neck rot'

Try putting a collar around them at planting out time this will keep the soil relatively dry at the point most prone to rotting.

It doesn't always work but it does in most cases.

[cleo]

That does sound like neck rot-or snail damage.

I don`t think it`s too late for a greenhouse type-I have never sown this late ,but only because by now there is no available space left

[mpdjulie]

I was nervous of my cucumbers succumbing to neck rot and it appears that is what the problem is. Oh well, I have bought some Camilla F1.  Sow, pot up, grow and eat hopefully !!!
Thanks for your replies everyone.
Julie
 :)

[BarriedaleNick]

Ahh - thats probably what killed my two then.
I shall take the advice offered here but luckily I had some in reserve  ;D

[cleo]

Should stem/neck rot be a `sticky` thread here?

F1 seed is bloody expensive and even I have to sell my plants at £1.20p for a well established named variety in a five inch pot.

It seems a shame that every year we see new/newish growers suffering the same fate

[campanula]

well I am also agreeing that you should be investigating the cause of this die-off. Neck rots are caused by pythiums and can be easily avoided if you use clean potting mix and clean containers. How old were your cukes? Overwatering and under watering are common afflictions as is the dread spidermite which acts FAST. Also, the plants are sooooo sensitive to cold, especially if there has been a big differential between night and day temps. Did you harden them off? Are they still in your greenhouse? (you probably explained all this and I have just gone off at half thingy as usual. Even so, you could still try a quick mini cuke - they germinate quick and will grow like rockets at this time of year.

[mpdjulie]

well I am also agreeing that you should be investigating the cause of this die-off. Neck rots are caused by pythiums and can be easily avoided if you use clean potting mix and clean containers. How old were your cukes? Overwatering and under watering are common afflictions as is the dread spidermite which acts FAST. Also, the plants are sooooo sensitive to cold, especially if there has been a big differential between night and day temps. Did you harden them off? Are they still in your greenhouse? (you probably explained all this and I have just gone off at half thingy as usual. Even so, you could still try a quick mini cuke - they germinate quick and will grow like rockets at this time of year.

I used new compost to pot them and bought new pots because I had run out.  They were slowly introduced to outside and carefully watered every couple of days or so.  They were 1 - 1.5ft  tall and I sowed them at the end of April.
Julie

[pigeonseed]

I really feel for you, Julie - after planting 17, you'd expect to get a few plants!!

Also, the plants are sooooo sensitive to cold, especially if there has been a big differential between night and day temps. Did you harden them off?

I think this has been my problem. I'm still gardening as I did in sheltered suburban London, and now I live near the sea, I planted my cucs out and they've been blown to shreds!  ::)

It gets very chilly at night here. I didn't bother to harden them off. Oh well, I'll learn!

[belairebel]

It must be the luck of the innocent/ignorant but for the past three years I have sown - and got monster crops - from small, open sown cukes. I've used up all the seed this year, but I'll track them down and let you know what "make" they are.

I start them off indoors in root growers, take them to the lottie when the 2nd set of leaves show up and then pop them in the greenhouse until I'm sure the frost is gone. Then they go straight into the beds although I cheat very slightly - we have a very heavy clay soil so I dig a small hole, fill it with good compost and sow them into that. By the time they've worked their way through that, they are well established. I get so many that I always end up giving loads away - my neighbours love me!