Cucumber Plants Drying Up From the Sun

[Brandywinegirl]

I am in Pennsylvania & put in 3 cucumber plants that I bought. They seem to be drying up. I put Miracle Gro Moisture Soil on top and water them everyday.

I also planted lemon cucumber seeds in another spot but I dug deep down and put a lot of the moisture grow soil. Should I add Poly sorb to the ones drying out??

Any ideas??

[TheLorax]

Take my comments as nothing but airtime as I'm a first time container tomato, pepper, and cucumber grower but I don't seem to be having problems with them drying out. Here's what I did-

I used 5 gallon buckets as pots and regular concrete planters
drilled four 1/2" holes in the bottom of the buckets for drainage
concrete planters already had drain holes
added about 2"-3" of slate chips to the bottom (chips were left over)

Here's the mix I used-
1/4 mushroom compost
1/4 composted manure
1/4 peat
1/4 Pro-Mix for vegetables

dashes of limestone to adjust the pH

bone meal
kelp

I'm trying to locate fish emulsion and it's my intent to water my veggies with that.

The cucumbers had dried out in their little pots when I was gone because nobody remembered to water them. Most of them died. I planted two that looked pretty bad. They seem to be bouncing back quite nicely since they've been transplanted into the buckets.

So far so good and things dry out pretty fast around here but please know it's only been a week. So far I haven't had to water them since last weekend. I've been checking daily by sticking my finger down into the mix and they really don't seem to need to be watered.

That's what I did. I have no idea if this is the best mix for what I'm growing but I was trying to use up products I had on hand and it seems to be holding up. What will happen in the heat of summer is beyond me.

[Brandywinegirl]

Thank you so much. I have a comunnity garden plot. I will try your combonation of nutrients and see what happens.

[TheLorax]

Oh no no no... I'm growing in containers. I'm really sorry. I thought you were too.

Supposedly, it's best to grow in the ground. I think you better find out what other people are doing. I had a vegetable garden in the ground once. I don't think I did much other than to add a boatload of compost. I didn't get fancy or anything messing with soil pH. I literally tossed in everything but the kitchen sink into that garden bed then borrowed a tiller and worked it all in before planting. We're talking rows of 12" by 10' mounds with 2 x 8 planks in between that I walked on to weed and water my plants. Everything was doing really great until the deer and rabbits came and gorged. I don't recall having to water every day. I'm wondering if maybe the area you are using needs to be bulked somehow? Maybe the others who used it before you never amended the soil with anything. I'm really at a loss but having to water every single day with your plants still drying out seems not right if that makes any sense.

[Brandywinegirl]

My lemon cucumbers are doing very well right now. I had one casualty - could have been squash bugs or vine borer. The plants have climbed up my poles and I have about 4 or 5 fruit growing. I am SO EXCITED!! Since they are unusal I am gonna see if I can sell them for 50 cents a piece for my gas fund. They are supposed to be the size of baseballs, so I think that's a fair price, don't you??

[57ChevyChick]

Lemon cucumbers? Very interesting ! I think the cucumber's worst enemy is that striped cucumber beetle....they can destroy a plant in one day....the other day I lost one very long vine, just over-night....Other than that my cucumbers are just beautiful this year...guess cause of all the rain we've had......If anyone is looking for fish emulsion you can find it at Walmart...just bought some the other day.........the plants love it..... My garden is doing great...picking lots of green beans, peppers, cucumbers, squash and tomatoes are just not coming on......57ChevyChick

[Brandywinegirl]

We haven't had much rain here in PA and the ground is as hard as a rock. The lemon cucumber seeds I got from Burpee. They are so cute! My tomatoes are all green except the one cherokee purple that I ate today. The eggplant & potatoes are doing well. Good luck with your veggies!!

[57ChevyChick]

BWGirl....how big do these lemon cucumbers get when they are ready to harvest? Are they long or short like pickling cucumbers? Isn't it fun growing new things? Every year I grow something I've never grown before...This year it's the butternut squash and my herb garden, which I love !!! My tomatoes seem to be alittle slow coming on this year....but I have picked 4 Jetstar tomatoes and several grape and cherry tomatoes....I can't wait to fix that first BLT sandwich !!! Good luck with your garden ! 57ChevyChick

[Brandywinegirl]

They are supposed to be the size of a baseball. I have one on the vine the size of a small tomato. We are getting there. I did butternut squash one year & gave them away - I hate squash but I wanted to grow something new. Good luck with that. If I am successful withe the cukes I'l post pictures.