Zucchini, Squash and Cucumber Leaves Dying!

[FlandyMan]

Hey All,

My cucumber, yellow squash and green zucchini plants had been progressing nicely since I planted the seeds on Aug 1, until this week. I started noticing the leaves starting to change colors, some have spots, but the flowers are starting to grow. Is this normal? I'm worried they may be infected with a fungus or virus. I broke off one of the stems of a dying leaf, and no gooey substance came out, so I'm assuming it's not bacterial. Any words of advice based on the attached pictures would be greatly appreciated. I'm a first time planter and used MiracleGro Organic potting soil, and I've fertilized the plants with EcoScraps vegetable feed.

[FlandyMan]

Hey All,

My cucumber, yellow squash and green zucchini plants had been progressing nicely since I planted the seeds on Aug 1, until this week. I started noticing the leaves starting to change colors, some have spots, but the flowers are starting to grow. Is this normal? I'm worried they may be infected with a fungus or virus. I broke off one of the stems of a dying leaf, and no gooey substance came out, so I'm assuming it's not bacterial. New leaves are still forming, and flowers are starting to sprout. Any words of advice based on the attached pictures would be greatly appreciated. I'm a first time planter and used MiracleGro Organic potting soil (growing them in pots), and I've fertilized the plants with EcoScraps vegetable feed. I bought Organocide 3 in 1 spray yesterday and sprayed all the plants last night. I don't see any squash bugs, cucumber beetles or frass to indicate vine borers. Not sure what else to do!

[jasonvanorder]

Mine have done the same thing in the last couple weeks. But we have had a ton of rain so I just chalked it up to everything being too wet all the time. Not really sure exactly what is going on.

[jal_ut]

Please be advised that when grown in the ground these plants can have a root system that goes 4 to 5 feet wide and 7 to 8 feet deep. You cannot expect them to do good in pots. Sorry.

[applestar]

These all have similar growing needs and one of them is that they do not like their roots to be restricted. Some varieties are especially bred to stay small-ish but even then they need very large containers. Typically, once their leaf stems are longer than the edge of the container, the roots are pushing against the container sides as well as bottom, and they will show sign of stress. Once stressed, they will become susceptible to pests and diseases.

They also need LOTS of water and are heavy feeders.

People grow these one plant each in containers size of storage totes and 1/2 barrels. You could still try to uppot them, they they are sensitive to root disturbance -- slide them out and plop them into prepared holes in large containers of enriched, well drsining potting mix with minimum fuss. It might help to use a flattened cardboard box to slide out on and slide off into the planting hole.

[BU54]

Looks like mosaic disease. I have that problem too and they're no known cure. Some say it helps to remove the infected leafs/plants but that didn't work for me.

http://www.almanac.com/pest/mosaic-viruses

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mos ... &FORM=IGRE

I also have a problem with BLS. Here's a thread from last season.
viewtopic.php?f=81&t=64171&p=363163#p363163

[applestar]

With any kind of severe spotting on cucurbit leaves, the first step is to cut them off and remove them. I cut the leaves at top of the leaf stem where it is attached to the leaf, leaving the connection node behind to keep the leafstem closed, especially for hollow stem vines. The stems will shrivel and fall off or can be cut off later.

Those leaves could be symptoms of downy mildew
The Cucurbit Downy Mildew Forecast Homepage
http://cdm.ipmpipe.org/

Also, inspect the underside of yellowed and wilted leaves for cucumber beetles and squash/leaf-foot/stink bugs (and egg clusters, too). A fair % of those yellowed and chewed up leaves seem to follow egg-laying activities and hatching event

(Yeah, I DID'T happen to cut off this leaf in the way I described, but this is a solid stem C.moschata so not as critical) I sometimes squish them on the leaf if only small numbers, but with a bunch of them like this, find it easier to cut off the leaf and grind it into the ground under my gardening bootheel.

These bugs are slow and easy, but cucumber beetles are quick to scuttle and fly off so be ready to catch them.

[applestar]

Btw, I just noticed those pots -- they look WAY too small.... You might want to show us or describe the way you are growing them so we could address that.

[applestar]

Hm not sure if the OP will return. i realized after posting that this member had posted nearly identical threads in two different locations. Since the comments will overlap, I have merged them, hence the awkward discontinuity of the discussion.