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Vegetable Gardening

Experiments in preventing cucumber wilt

12 years ago

In an attempt to prevent cucumber wilt I tried two methods this year. First I sprayed a kaolin clay mixture on the leaves of the plants and second I covered the plants with light agricultural cloth.

Kaolin - seemed to work but was very labor intensive - one needs to respray every few days and after every rain storm. The cucumber beetles infected the plants by mid season but not before a nice harvest.

Covers - used raised beds and a parthenocopic variety - Diva (does not need to be pollinated by bees.)This actually worked extremely well. One needs to find a way to water the plants - I used a timer and drip tape. It also seems to help to elevate the cloth above the plants - I used 1/2 inch PVC pipe. This system worked well until early August when I had a major infestation with aphids. The aphids did not attack the uncovered plants so I have to assume that covering prevented aphid predators access to the plants. By the way, for cloth I used was agribon-15 which can be purchased fairly cheaply, allows 90% light transmission, minimal heat retention, and weighs half an ounce per square yard.

The cover system seems to be the most useable. I ended up with lots of cucumbers from early June til mid august. I think with a few adjustments the system can work full season. I had plenty of cucumber beetles in the area but they couldn't get to the cucumbers. Once I removed the covers due to the aphids the beetle attacked and the wilt appeared. This year will add lady bugs under the covers if I see aphids.

I'd enjoy hearing comments, improvements, suggestions, etc.

Thanks

Doc

Comments (7)

chaman
12 years ago
I keep the soil under vine wet by spraying water.Wet soil under the vines keep the transpiration from the leaves under control from wilting.I do the same thing for Bitter melon and bottle gourd vines.
lilydude
12 years ago
I grow them on tomato cages. That keeps them very healthy.
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I agree that it is most likely that cucumber beetles introduced bacterial wilt to your cucumbers. The disease is not in your soil, it's in the beetles. There is no cure. You can only prevent the problem by choosing resistant varieties and using an appropriate insecticide from the beginning. I had the same problem with my cucumbers until I grew Diva cucumbers, which are supposed to be unappealing to the beetles, and started spraying regularly with spinosad. I never saw the beetles on my cucumbers, but I did see a few on other plants. Cucumbers grow fast, so you can choose a resistant variety and start over. Here is a link that might be useful: Info on bacterial wilt
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I assume you mean bacterial wilt. If so, then the only way to protect your plants from it is to not let cucumber beetles munch on your plants. You must kill every cucumber beetle you see because the beetles are what carry and transmit the wilt. You might be able to protect your plants if you cover them with either floating row cover or with tulle. However, you'd have to take it off to allow bees in to pollinate which could also let in the beetles or you'd have to hand pollinate yourself. Also, I believe that the County Fair variety of cucumber is resistant to bacterial wilt (haven't grown it though). Several years ago there used to be a very interesting discussion about homemade cucumber beetle traps on this forum but for some reason it's not on gardenweb anymore. So traps might be something to look into. In my own experience, I have found that I don't have a beetle problem if I grow cukes on a bi-yearly basis. If I grow cukes for two years or more in a row, I have a major problem. Rodney
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planatus
12 years ago
Little Leaf and a few other varieties are resistant to bacterial wilt. Works better than anything.
biscgolf
12 years ago
being under some sort of cover definitely helps... i harvested cukes from the same plants in a closed tall tunnel from mid-may until last week... 25 degrees saturday night finally got them... they were divas as well.

makes you realize how many of the problems with cukes are spread by cuke beetles imo...
drscottr
Original Author
12 years ago
Biscgolf,

Thanks - may I ask what zone and state you're in?

Next year I may use the tall tunnel concept as the low covers I used were tough to work under and get access to the plants.
buenaventura43
12 years ago
Biscgolf,
Is your tall tunnel wrap with plastic or row cover?
biscgolf
12 years ago
drscott- i am in spotsylvania, virginia - zone 7... my weather is likely very similar to yours... if you're on the eastern shore yours is milder, if out around frederick a little more harsh...

jamesandfely- it is covered with plastic... i have developed a profound dislike for floating row cover material...

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