Photo: Anna Shvets

What bacteria grows on cucumber?

Cucumber bacterial wilt is caused by the bacterium, Erwinia tracheiphila, and is characterized initially by wilting and drying of individual leaves, especially those exhibiting cucumber beetle injury. Cucumbers and muskmelons are more susceptible than pumpkins or squash; the disease is rarely a problem on watermelons.

missouribotanicalgarden.org - Bacterial Wilt of Cucumber - Missouri Botanical Garden

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Collapsed cucumber plant (Cucumis) caused by bacterial wilt

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Infected plants initially show wilting and drying of individual leaves. As the leaves wilt and shrivel, stems may dry out suddenly. Later, wilting spreads to entire branches and vines. Wilting will occur during the middle of the day during periods with high water stress. The vine may recover at night. Eventually, however, the entire vine will wither, collapse, and die. In partially resistant plants, symptoms appear as dwarfing, excessive blooms, and branching. A good diagnostic test for this wilt is to cut a wilted stem near the base. Touch a knife blade to the cut and draw away from the cut. White to clear strings of the bacterial ooze will be strung out from the cut made on the infected plant to the knife blade. This diagnostic test is not 100% reliable. Further investigation may be necessary.

Life Cycle

The bacteria overwinter in the digestive system of the cucumber beetle. In the spring, bacterial wilt is spread from plant to plant through both the striped and spotted cucumber beetles that feed on cucumbers and other relatives of this family. The bacteria are released through the insect excrement and move into host plants through the stomates and wounds, most likely the ones made when the insects feed. Insects ingest more bacteria as they feed on infected plants, and the cycle is repeated.

Integrated Pest Management Strategies

1. Protect plants with netting. Prevent cucumber beetles from feeding and infecting plants by covering them with netting or porous fabric. 2. Remove and destroy plant material when symptoms of wilting are first noticed. There are no cures for the disease. Beetles spread the bacterium from infected plants to healthy plants. 3. Grow susceptible crops on rotation every third year. Since beetles overwinter in the soil and carry the bacterium, the cycle can be disrupted by only planting the host in an area every third year. 4. Avoid planting cucurbits next to corn. Spotted cucumber larvae also feed on corn; avoiding close plantings of these two crops may help control the beetles on cucurbits. 5. Grow varieties that tolerate bacterial wilt like butternut or acorn squash and Saladin or County Fair 83 cucumbers. No muskmelon varieties are known to be tolerant to bacterial wilt. 6. Dust plants with insecticide in the spring before the cucumber beetles have a chance to lay eggs (April-June). Apply pyrethrin or carbaryl (Sevin). Try an insecticide-bait combination such as Adios that has cucurbitacin, the beetle attractant, and a small amount of carbaryl (Sevin).

Organic Strategies

Strategies 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are organic approaches.

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Can you overwater cucumbers plants?

Cucumbers do not like wet soil. In fact, overwatering is one of the most common problems people have with growing cucumber plants. If the roots of the plant are constantly wet, they will start to rot. It's important to water cucumber plants only when the top inch of soil is dry.

gardenerbasics.com - Overwatered Cucumber Plants: What to Do When You Water Too Much

If you're like me, then you love cucumbers. They're a delicious and healthy snack that can be enjoyed by everyone. But did you know that overwatered cucumber plants can be a huge problem?

Gardeners with overwatered cucumber plants often think it's too late. But there are steps you can take today to save them and make sure they're ready for harvest. In this blog post, we'll talk about what overwatered cucumber plants look like, how to water them properly, and how to prevent this from happening in the future. Stay tuned for more information! The items listed are accompanied by affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if a purchase is made through my links. This has no impact on the cost to the consumer. I link to products this way whenever possible, and it has no bearing on the products I choose to review or recommend.

Can you overwater cucumber plants?

The answer is yes - you can overwater cucumber plants. In fact, overwatering is one of the most common problems that gardeners face. When you overwater cucumber plants, the roots are suffocated and the plant itself can't access the oxygen it needs to survive. This often leads to yellow leaves, wilting, root rot, and eventually, death.

What do overwatered cucumber plants look like?

There are a few telltale signs that you're overwatering your cucumber plants. If the cucumber leaves are turning yellow this is a good indication that the plant is getting too much water.

Another sign of overwatering is if the plant itself is wilting.

Also, if you notice white spots on your cucumber leaves this signals powdery mildew which is a fungal disease often caused by overwatering your cucumber plant. If you see any of these signs, it's important to take action immediately.

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