Cucumbers

[Sheila]

We started a cucumber bed in June, it is now late August and we live in
So. CA San Diego area. Since then we it has produced just one cuke.

The leaves have since turned very yellow and it looks like it has a virus
or fungus of some kind. All I used was organic soil with a vegetable fert, which I bought at the nursery, we water mornings only and recently built
a mound for them (if there were more) so they would not get bruised and
rotten on the soil.

Any ideas why they are not producing and leaves turning yellow and
dying?

[The Helpful Gardener]

In a word, no.

Cucumbers are very vigorous plants and are usually pretty problem free, but need good drainage; it could be plants are sitting wet. The other possibility is a leaf fungus; try watering with a soaker hose to keep water off the leaves...

Scott

[jackal_man]

does anybody know what the best Cucumber plant to grow is that is also good for pickling, small in size and don't need to be cut up.

[breeze]

I live in Virginia and I had a very similar problem last year. I thought some of the local animals might be using the bed for a potty, put out red pepper, and it continued anyway. I am hesitant to do all the work this year - I got a few nice cukes and then the plants began dying.

Same thing with the cantaloupe and squash I set out.

It starts with the leaves closest to the plant base, and spreads down the vine.

I did notice some moles in the yard, put out stuff to repel them, and it didn't help.

I also had tomatoes that didn't produce. I bought the ones that don't get very tall - won't buy them again.

BTW I'm new, pretty much an amateur.

[opabinia51]

If the problem is a fungus, it very well could be a fungus that is already in the soil. Try building a little structure to hold your vines up off the ground.

[NZG]

Mildew maybe?

[The Helpful Gardener]

Possible N.Z., but no mention of the tell-tale white mold...

[ron47_52]

Best cucumber for pickling is the Burpee picklebush.

[The Helpful Gardener]

That's the one everyone sells around here Ron...

I think the viral thing is a possibility, but starting at the base and working up the vine sounds like water-born fungus splashing up and infecting the plant. N. Z. is not far from the mark with mildew, but it could be any of a number of them.

Try mulching with good compost, which has good fungus living in it already so the bad guys can't infect it...

[ron47_52]

How many cucumber plants can u grow in a 5 gallom container?

[The Helpful Gardener]

One good one...

or two mediocre ones...

or five really bad ones...



HG

[ron47_52]

Do you mean one big plant like a straight 8 and 2 mediocre plants like pickle bush?