e_rine
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2015 4:53 pm

Is this cucumber bacterial wilt or something else?

IMG_2121.JPG
Hi Everyone,

We have two cuke plants together in a long rectangle container, planning to have them climb a bamboo grid when they get a bit bigger. They haven't flowered yet, but when I came home today, I saw that one of them had completely wilted. There are no beetles anywhere to be seen, and although there is some slight spotting that looks like pictures of mildew I found on the internet, the actual plant wilt I didn't see in many other pictures.

We are in north east Massachusetts, and had a VERY warm and dry May but then 2-3 days of rain and mid-40 degree weather for the beginning of June. Before the rain, we were watering daily and the plants get a good 8hrs of late morning thru evening sun.

Can you verify what is wrong? Is the withered plant salvageable or should I just pull it and hope the other can make it?

Thank you for your help!
Attachments
IMG_2123.JPG
IMG_2122.JPG

pepperhead212
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2851
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 1:52 pm
Location: Woodbury NJ Zone 7a/7b

Something that wilts the entire plant that fast is probably bacterial wilt. I would pull it and discard it, being careful not to touch the other plant, though if one got it, there's a strong likelihood the other will get it, too. I can only grow County Fair, since everything else eventually comes down with it here.

e_rine
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2015 4:53 pm

Ok. Thanks!

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

One other possibility. Did you check the base of the stem just above where it comes out of the ground?

If it has a hole or chewed up area with some sawdusty stuff on the ground around it:

Image
https://comohomestead.com/wp-content/upl ... 24x768.jpg

that is squash vine borers. They will attack cucumbers as well. They are the other thing that can cause a big beautiful plant to totally collapse like that.

But either way, your plant is a goner..... sorry.

User avatar
skiingjeff
Green Thumb
Posts: 383
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 4:22 pm
Location: Western Massachusetts Zone 6a

Also have you seen any striped or spotted cucumber/squash beetles? They carry the bacterial disease to the plants. If it was bacterial wilt you definitely want to watch for these and make sure they don't eat any other cucumbers or squash in your garden and spread it to other plants.

Sorry about the cucumber plant, we had the same problem with cucumbers last year and it was the beetles causing the issue.

Good luck! :)

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

I think you have downy mildew. The angular white patches on your leaf look a lot like that.

https://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/pdf/3127.pdf



Return to “Organic Gardening Forum”