cucumber plants problems!

[compo49]

my cucumber plants (4) in the greenhouse have been growing very well up to this weekend! they are telegraph improved and some of them the leaves have gone limp/wilting. first time i have grown them no flowers on them yet. 2 in 6inch pots about 6 inch tall other 2 in 8inch pots about 8-9 inch tall want plant into grow-bags v/soon can anyone HELP?

[compo49]

[betula]

Are they in the glass house?

[compo49]

hi betula .yes as in my post they are in g/house and its ventilated/window and door opened each day when its warm. and door closed at night - window just left open on first catch . can you help!

[PurpleHeather]

Cucumbers are VERY sensitive to the slightest variation in temperature and to draughts.

[compo49]

betula is this what you think is the problem or could it be some thing else? i have got courgettes growing as well but no problems with them.

[betula]

Yes courgettes are easier to grow than cucumbers.

Sorry ,you did say they are in the glasshouse.As purple heather says they can be tempremental make sure you water them well and as with all glasshouse growing be careful about shade and ventilation.
When you say some of the leaves do you mean maybe the first set of leaves as most plants lose these.?

[PurpleHeather]

courgettes are much tougher than cucumbers and will be quite safe out doors at the present time even though it is a bit windy.

Cucumbers are tender and can actually die simply because of a constant draught in the greenhouse.

My friend left his greenhouse door open the other morning and the cucumbers were all limp within an hour. They recovered as quickly when he changed their position in the greenhouse.

[compo49]

betula .the leaves are quite big so don't think they are the first ones but could be wrong. and they have been watered all the time. purpleheather. the door etc have been opened and closed for the past few weeks since it got a lot warmer so no real change  unless its temp variation as you say but why now? I forgot to mention in my first post that another plant died before the others started to go limp the stem had withered in the middle don't know what caused it!

[star]

I lost all 4 cucumber plants :'(, but courgettes are doing fine :D

[betula]

Hmmmmmm,not sure about this,I will consult my veggie books,could be the P&Ds.Hopefully someone more experienced will come up with an answer ;D

[compo49]

Thanks betula await your reply  :(  and anybody else's   help.

[Tyke]

I planted 3 cucumber seeds for the first time this year  - indoors in march. Once they got to about 1-2 foot tall, the bottom half of leaves and some others became yellow, then brown. They were pulled off as the above leaves kept growing. As it happened the changes happened about easter time when we got the snow, so changes in temp might be the problem. I still pull off a few dead leaves every week, and have cropped quite a few cucumbers despite it...

[star]

I have just reread your post compo, mine did the same as yours. Thinking about it mine were very well watered and its cool at the moment. It could have been stem rot......too cool and wet.

Mine looked fine and healthy and as soon as the weather changed was when they collapsed.

[compo49]

hi star. just read a previous post by lost-the-plot on cuc's  and saddads reply to it. 1st plant could have been either stem rot as water going to middle of pot . or maybe roots rotting but don't know why roots may rot unless its to much watering? should i tap plants out of pots and see what roots look like do you think?

[star]

I guess you could have a look, just be very gentle. Cukes dont like root disturbance, when its cool its better to slow watering down as any plant doesnt take up water as fast as when its warm. (that sounds babble hope it makes sense) I should take my own advice  ;D ;D

[caroline7758]

Oh dear, doesn't bode well for my cukes. My greenhouse this weekend was getting plenty of sun so the vent was wide open, but that meant the wind was blowing in through the vent and there wasn't much I could do about it. They were already looking a bit yellow...

[davyw1]

Your problem is to much ventilation and temperature variation. Cucumbers like warm , humid condition, if it is possible segregate them by putting up a polythene sheet, or put them at the furthest point from the door.
Have a read of a post i put in Basics

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,41488.0.html

[compo49]

Hi davyw1. read the post you put on basics very informative thank you, the cucumbers are furthest away from the door and have only got top window open a inch and door is shut since the weathers changed. couldn't get to lotti today to check but going in morning  i suppose it will be raining again so will shut window, will get back to you and let you know how they are doing.

[caroline7758]

Davy, you say to give a nitrogen feed. What form do you give this in?

[davyw1]

Davy, you say to give a nitrogen feed. What form do you give this in?

I only feed once a week

I alternate between Chempak No 2 week 1. Then the next feed is nettle juice diluted 1 part juice to 10 parts water week 2. then the third week i have a 45 gallon drum which i put 4 pot noodle cups of organic manure in. ( it stinks as bad as the nettle juice.) Then back to the chempak
A good tip if you start to get nettles growing then your soil has a high nitrogen content.