Can I cut off the bottom squash/cucumber leaves?

14 years ago

I noticed the bottom leaves of both my zucchini and cucumber plants are getting muddy from lying on the ground. Would it hurt or help these plants to trim off these bottom leaves? The plants are well established with plenty of growth above the ground level.

Comments (4)

iam3killerbs
14 years ago
If the leaves are healthy let them be.

If they are yellowed and dying (a certain amount of lower leaf loss is normal over the course of the summer), you can remove them.

I don't like to ever remove healthy plant material -- except for pruning indeterminate tomatoes for staking.
gamebird
14 years ago
Why would you want to? Even muddy, I think those leaves are helping the plant.

That said, from time to time in the past I've had the need to snip off a squash leaf and it never seemed to hurt the plant too much. I suppose it diminishes the plant's resources and thus its fruit, but it was a trade off I was willing to make. I've also removed leaves that had squash vine borers in them and the plant didn't die from the damage. I prefer to slit the leaf stalk and get the borer out that way, but it doesn't always work.

I know leaves aren't supposed to get mud on them lest they get disease, but before you cut them off, is there something else you can do like apply a clean mulch? Even a piece of cardboard under them would do the trick, getting the plant out of the mud. Some nice wood chips or a hay block would work too. Then rinse the leaves a bit and you're good to go. Mulch will help in a lot of other ways too.
Related Discussions
bottom leaves off eggplants yellow and fall off
Q
Comments (3)
It is normal. I actually cut all the bottom leaves that touch the ground soon enough after transplanting, when new grows started and bottom leaves start to turn yellow. They do not get enough sun when new leaves open up, so plant stop feeding them. And as soon as you cut them plant starts grow more new leaves.
...See More
Can one cut off Squash vines
Q
Comments (1)
You can. Squash will not cross pollinate with melons and cucumbers.
...See More
Is it better to cut off damaged squash leaves or let them be?
Q
Comments (3)
You can cut them off but I wouldn't rub dirt on them, just leave them be. Dirt splashing from rain into an open wound is one way plant pathogens get into plants. Rubbing dirt on a fresh cut would be like us rubbing dirt on a scrape.
...See More
Can I cut the bottom branches off?
Q
Comments (1)
Yes you can cut them. I have just done something similar with my tomato plants because rain is forecast and I don't want the lower leaves that drag on the ground, possibly transmitting disease from splashback. Linda
...See More
tedln
14 years ago
I always remove the lower leaves on both when they start to turn yellow. I use scissors and cut them as close to the stem as possible. My philosophy is it may remove some potential disease like powdery mildew, squash vine borer eggs and larvae. The additional benefit for me is it clears the lower area allowing me to see fruit set close to the ground and other things like borer frasch on vines. Once they start turning yellow, not much photosynthesis going on anyway.

Ted
sunnibel7 Md 7
14 years ago
I have had to remove bottom leaves of squash several times in the past, and it has never hurt. That being said, I would do it after things heat up and dry off a little in the morning, so the stem can heal over with less chance of picking up some fungus. Many plants actually respond well to pinching of leaves by producing more leaves/branches at the pinch site, but I don't remember my squash being one of them. I have also done what Gamebird suggested, rinsing off mud and then placing a nice mulch to prevent splash up. So, I would say you can do one, the other, or both as you prefer! Cheers!

Sunni