Cucumber leaf wilt - Ask Extension
My cucumber plants are dying with cucumbers still growing. Planted 1 June. Plenty of rain.
Knowledgebase
Cucumber leaf wilt #772186
Asked September 18, 2021, 2:46 PM EDT
My cucumber plants are dying with cucumbers still growing. Planted 1 June. Plenty of rain.
Midland County Michigan
Expert Response
Charles, thanks for the question.
Over watering and underwatering can cause cucumbers to lose turgor pressure as does overwatering and and underwatering. Bacterial wilt can also cause similar wilting as does cool air and soil temperatures. Your pictures tell a different story. This looks like angular leaf spot, or cucurbit downy mildew. Cucurbit downy mildew has been confirmed in Midland County. It is destructive and plants should be destroyed as with bacterial wilt. Angular leaf spot is a little more forgiving. See the following links for details:
- https://extension.umn.edu/diseases/angular-leaf-spot
- https://extension.umn.edu/diseases/downy-mildew-cucurbits
- https://veggies.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-confirmed-DM-list-10Aug2021.pdf
- https://extension.psu.edu/distinguishing-cucurbit-downy-mildew-from-other-foliar-cucurbit-diseases
- https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/pests-and-problems/diseases/bacterial-spots/bacterial-wilt-of-cucumber.aspx
I hope this helps.
