Cucumber Disease - Ask Extension
What has been killing my cucumber plants in my small vegetable garden in Peacham, and are there any steps I can take next year. I plant mid-season, to...
Knowledgebase
Cucumber Disease #853010
Asked October 13, 2023, 9:58 AM EDT
What has been killing my cucumber plants in my small vegetable garden in Peacham, and are there any steps I can take next year. I plant mid-season, to take over space vacated by peas. (I rotate crop locations each year.) I get some cucumbers, but then the plants die quickly, as the pattern spreads through all the leaves, over about 2 weeks. This year I planted a variety with a broader disease resistance package (see intake form) but the result was the same—plants died just as quickly. (The rest of the garden did surprisingly well this very wet season.)
Thank you.
Caledonia County Vermont
Expert Response
Hi Geoffry. Thanks for contacting the UVM Extension Master Gardener Helpline. Thank you also for filling out the intake form. That was really helpful.
I asked the UVM Plant Pathologist, Ann Hazelrigg, and she replied:
I believe this is downy mildew. The upper leaves have angular shaped spots and if they sent us pictures of the undersides, there should be dirty looking spores assoc with those upper spots. The disease does not overwinter here but blows in on storm fronts from the south. It usually shows up late in the season but this year was VERY early! Cucumbers are very susceptible and it often wipes out the last planting of the season for the commercial growers. So, purchase plants/seed that have good downy mildew resistance to avoid the disease. Here is some good info from Minnesota that also fits Vermont conditions. https://extension.umn.edu/disease-management/downy-mildew-cucurbits#resistant-varieties-3085611 I hope this information is helpful. Good luck!
I asked the UVM Plant Pathologist, Ann Hazelrigg, and she replied:
I believe this is downy mildew. The upper leaves have angular shaped spots and if they sent us pictures of the undersides, there should be dirty looking spores assoc with those upper spots. The disease does not overwinter here but blows in on storm fronts from the south. It usually shows up late in the season but this year was VERY early! Cucumbers are very susceptible and it often wipes out the last planting of the season for the commercial growers. So, purchase plants/seed that have good downy mildew resistance to avoid the disease. Here is some good info from Minnesota that also fits Vermont conditions. https://extension.umn.edu/disease-management/downy-mildew-cucurbits#resistant-varieties-3085611 I hope this information is helpful. Good luck!
