What is happening to these plants

parke.hk · Sat Jun 18, 2011 1:00 am

Can someone please help me figure out what is up with these plants? I have added a link of pictures of the watermelon, cucumber and cantaloupe in question. This is the first year I have gardened and I just turned the soil over in early spring. Also, the garden only gets sun from about 2-7. I know that isn't ideal, but not sure if that is part of this. We also received several inches of rain on Wednesday last week, a couple of days after I transplanted these. None of my other plants seem to be having this issue. Does this seem to be a disease issue or pests?

Thanks in advance!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/64189691@N02/5843941945/in/photostream/

thanrose · Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:13 am

Looks like slug or snail damage to me. They will hide under mulch. You could try the beer in a tuna can method to see if you have them, but some people think that attracts even more slugs.

applestar · Sat Jun 18, 2011 8:22 am

Hmm... the rounder holes maybe slugs/snails. I like a piece of orange wedge or 1/2 grapefruit scrap as traps, also a board or clay pot for them to hide under.

I see a lot of physically torn damage, like hail or maybe really heavy winds?

parke.hk · Sat Jun 18, 2011 11:07 am

applestar- That same day we had several inches of rain we may have had hail. I didn't see/hear any, but there were reports of it and the winds were fairly strong too. I know the next day several of the leaves on many of the plants had holes and tears that suggested weather related damage.

I forgot to mention I turned the leaves over and saw small red ants/aphids. I'm not sure which they were.

What will the orange and grapefruit do? Will it kill them or just make them easy to find? Do they die in the beer? Are there other good organic ways to get rid of them?

Are the plants still salvageable?

Thanks for pointing me towards the slugs. I will do some research on ways to get rid of them too.