Are your cucumber plants suddenly wilting and dying? Are you not able to find out the cause? It can occur because of many reasons.
Here are all the probable reasons that might cause the sudden death of cucumber plants. I’ll also shed light on how to neutralize them.
What are the Reasons Behind the Sudden Death of Your Cucumber Plant?
There are several reasons for the sudden death of the cucumber plant. It can occur due to lack or abundance of water, too shady environment, bacterial or fungal infection, and transplant shock.
Following are the reasons behind the sudden death of your cucumber plant.
1. Water Problems:
Cucumber plants can die because of a lack or abundance of water. They need moisture to grow. However, too much moisture can be harmful to their roots. If ideally moist soil is not maintained, the cucumber plants can die.
You can detect water problems by checking the moisture of your soil. If you feel your soil moisture is not maintained, you should change the watering routine.
Cucumbers are grown in sunlight. So, it is likely for the soil to dry up quickly; make sure you are watering the plants regularly.
2. Limited Exposure to Sun:
The second most significant factor for optimum growth of cucumber plants is sunlight. They need adequate exposure to sunlight for proper growth. However, if you are growing cucumber plants in shady areas or in a greenhouse, it will adversely affect the plant.
Leaves can droop because of limited exposure to sunlight. Make sure your cucumber plants are getting proper sunlight for 6 to 8 hours a day.
It is better to plant cucumbers in the full sun. If you are growing them indoors, the only way to escape yellow leaves and wilted plants is to decide on a sunny location.
Cucumber plants aren’t winter plants. So, temperature plays a significant role in their proper growth. You must maintain an optimal temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (about 21 °C) to prevent cucumbers from wilting.
3. Bacterial Wilt:
If your cucumber plants suddenly start dying at an early stage, it might be because of bacterial wilt. At first, it might look like the cucumber plant leaves are slightly wilting because of the lack of water.
The wilting is usually visible in the daylight, but the leaves seem normal at night. However, the plant will suddenly die.
The prime reason behind bacterial wilt is beetles. Yellow-colored striped beetles are the common cause of bacterial wilts in cucumbers.
Beetles can travel from plant to plant and spread the disease. At first, the leaves will only turn yellowish, which might seem like a water problem. However, if the beetles are not taken care of, the plant will eventually die.
4. Insect Attacks:
Squash vine borers are a common type of plague-inducing insect. Larvae of borers attack the cucumber stem and make their way into the stem by chewing on it.
The insect feeds on the plant and grows into an adult insect. On the other hand, the plant dies because of the infection.
Another insect that attacks the cucumber plant is the squash bug pest. The insect usually attacks the stem and leaves of the plant and sucks the nutrients. Resultantly, the plant dies from the lack of nutrients.
This is how a cucumber plant might look if it’s attacked by insects.
5. Fungal Diseases:
Cucumber plants can also die because of fungal infections. One of the common diseases caused by fungus is Phytophthora Blight. The affected plant’s leaves, fruit, and stem become bloated due to infection.
As the fungus spreads to different parts of the plant, it will start wilting and eventually die. The only way to escape this situation is to use a fungicide as a precautionary measure.
But nothing can be done if that plant is affected and has started showing symptoms. It is best to separate the affected plant from others.
6. Transplant Shock:
Cucumber plants, especially cucumber seedlings, are not resilient to changes. So, if your cucumber plants suddenly die, it might be because of a transplant shock.
These plants are sensitive, so you must handle them extremely carefully. Though there are instances of successful transplants, you should not take the risk.
Cucumbers grow fast. So, as long as you can find a sunny indoor spot for your cucumber plants, there is no need to transplant them outdoors.
Are There Any Ways to Revive Your Cucumber Plant?
Yes, there are certain ways you can revive your cucumber plants. Once you have identified the cause of why your cucumber plants are suddenly dying, you can devise a way to eliminate or minimize that cause. You can revive your cucumber plant as a result.
1. Main Water and Sunlight Availability:
As the right amount of water and adequate exposure to sunlight play a significant role in preventing cucumber plants from dying, make sure you are looking after them.
Water the plants regularly according to the soil’s needs. Besides, be mindful about selecting the plant’s location; it should be sunny.
2. Apply Fertilizer:
If your cucumber plants are dying due to the lack of nutrients, you must use fertilizers. It is important to prepare the soil prior to planting vegetables. But if you haven’t, fret not.
You can use a 2-5-3 ratio fertilizer for your cucumber plants. Jobe’s Plant Food (buy it here) is an ideal choice for cucumbers as it has a low nitrogen concentration. Also, the application is effortless.
3. Watch out for Pests or Infestations:
Another important reason for the sudden deaths of cucumber plants is pets and insects. Look out for them and find a solution to get rid of them as soon as you confirm their presence.
You can spray insecticides to get rid of them. However, you would need to apply insecticides a few times to remove all the insects and pests.
Fungal disease and bacterial wilt are also common problems. Though bacterial wilt is usually tolerable for adult plants, it can significantly harm young seedlings.
On the other hand, fungal infection is very difficult to cure. Though fungicides can be used, they are only effective before the infection. Once a fungal infection has started, the only way is to separate the affected plant from other plants.
How to Avoid This Situation in the Future?
You can avoid this situation in the future by rotating crops, carefully selecting seeds, using mulch, and spraying insecticides and fungicides.
If you have lost cucumbers because of sudden death and don’t want this to happen next year, you must take following precautionary measures.
1. Rotate Crops:
It is advised to rotate the crops yearly if you plant cucumbers. This way, you can preserve the soil’s nutrients and minimize the likelihood of insect attack.
If you are growing cucumbers consecutively for several years, the plants will get poor nutrition. You can divide your garden into sections to maintain a rotation pattern.
Also, you should test the soil before planting cucumbers. It is better to check the soil’s pH and nutrient level beforehand to ensure it is suitable for growing cucumbers.
2. Carefully Select Seed:
You must be careful when selecting seeds. Some seeds are genetically resilient to bacterial wilt. So, make sure you choose the seeds that benefit you by demanding minimum care.
3. Use Mulch:
Using mulch can prevent your cucumber plants from dying in so many ways. Firstly, the mulch will minimize evaporation and retain the soil’s moisture. Secondly, it also checks the growth of weeds and reduces the competition for nutrients and water.
You might need to use different types of mulch for the cucumber plants you are growing indoors and outdoors.
Window Garden Fiber Organic Mulch (buy it here) is an ideal option for indoor plants. It successfully prevents the growth of weeds and molds and maintains the soil’s moisture.
4. Spray Insecticides:
Though spraying insecticides or fungicides might sound difficult, it can significantly prevent your cucumber plants from suddenly dying. You will need to spray insecticides for two to three weeks to ensure it works properly.
When selecting insecticides/ or fungicides, make sure to choose the ones that aren’t harmful to food crops.
Conclusion
I hope now you can figure out the reason for the sudden death of the cucumber plant. Once you have identified the cause, devise a solution accordingly. Also, take precautionary measures to avoid the situation in the future.
References:
mcall.com, thegardeningdad.com, homeguides.sfgate.com, homeguides.sfgate.com, greenhousetoday.com, hunker.com, plantsandplanters.net, gardeningwithallie.com, pennlive.com, growingfruit.org, lthforum.com, greenhousetoday.com, thecelebtimes.com, homesteadingwhereyouare.com