Plants can be saved from molds if it doesn't progress too far. Molds only grow in damp stagnant air conditions. So you need to dry the soil and pot out substantially and cut way back on the watering. Most important improve the air circulation. Use a small fan to increase the air circulation all around them. You may lose those leaves but the new growth should be ok. Some also suggest lightly misting the undersides of the leaves with a 1:10 diluted of hydrogen peroxide in water. I have no personal experience with that. But bottom line, yes, cucumbers will always do better when direct seeded out doors at the proper time. As for the peat pots, if you keep using them then despite what the manufacturer says, be sure to strip them off the root ball prior to transplanting. Dave

Darcy-- no one has mentioned the evil squash vine borer. look up some photos of what 'frass' looks like, and also the moth itself (it's black & red & you will see it flying all over your plant laying its evil eggs). if it has gotten your plants, the eggs may have hatched and the little grubs eat away at the inside of the plant, working their way down to the base. and leaves wilting & turning yellow around the edge is the first sign... eventually you will go outside and your whole plant(s) will be dead overnight. you have to act fast if you want to save them. let us know if you see the signs (the moth &/or frass) & you need more help.

Yes, direct seeding cucumbers, squash and beans are definitely the way to go! I've never planted a succession planting of cucumbers, but I've done it with green beans and zucchini and it's worked pretty well. I'd normally be putting those second plantings in right around now, so if you're thinking about it, go for it! There's a great book called "Golden Gate Gardening" by Pam Pierce. It's got several planting calendars depending on your microclimate here in the Bay Area, and I find them really helpful. It's the best gardening book I have. The first few years I had my garden in this house, I experimented with planting a bunch of different things at different times of the year. For example, I learned my spring broccoli and cabbage did really well, the fall ones were fails--too many bugs. I logged what I did and how well it worked (rather obsessively, I confess). I also tried planting lots of different vegetables. It took me 3 years of playing year-round before I came up with a pretty solid calendar and list of veggies that worked for me. Granted, you never stop experimenting when it comes to gardening. But those first years were really a free-for-all. Especially if you grow from seed, you have control over what you plant and when. And if you buy quality seeds (Johnny's is my favorite), a packet will last you several years. So that long-winded response was all to say go for it! That's the fun of gardening IMO, playing around with things. There is no failure, because you learn as much from the dead plants as you do the ones that thrive. Your cucumbers look good to me, so you're definitely doing something right!

Thanks for your hints, MD. Yup, I think this is merely insect damage. However, I find those spots too large to be only from aphids. I am guessing it is a combination of aphids, striped beetles and maybe other critters as well. I have Bug B Gon insecticide from EcoSense. I am trying to keep things organic (although I do think that chemicals are no big deal as long as you really want to care for a plant and they don't damage anything you don't mean to, like the neighbour's crop). It says here that it will control all stages of aphids, spider mites and whitefly, spittle bugs, adult and nymph stages of thrips, flea beetles, caterpillars, mealybugs, scale insects and sugar ants. It contains 0.5% pyrethrin and is lebeled as a skin irritant. Here's the deal. I don't like that it is organic AND pretends to take care of all these bugs. If it were true, then nobody would have harmful bugs anymore, so I am suspicious. Somehow, I am thinking it may be damageable to the plants and may also kill beneficials (I am very lucky to have swarms of ladybugs). Do you think the benefits of using it would outweigh the risks? If I indeed have striped beetle damage, this product wouldn't work. Can I do something against those that can be made at home or that is easily purchased? Also, I have Bug B Gon insecticide soap (supposedly controls aphids, earwigs, mealybugs, spider mites, psyllids, pear and rose slugs [sawfly larvae], soft brown scale and whitefly--the soap 47% potassium salts of fatty acids and is lebeled as a skin and eye irritant), but I still don't understand the difference between insecticide and insecticidal soap. Both are used in the same concentration, applied the same way and at the same frequency, so what is the difference? Which one should I use? Should I use one this week and the other next week and alternate? Also, I think right now would be a good time to spray. It is a bit windy, but otherwise, we have nice cloud cover. There is a risk of rain later on and all through the week. Would spraying these products during a cloudy day (daylight but cool and no sunshine) be a problem? I don't want to miss my chance. Please, help as this is about my first bug challenge and I am pretty much a noob.