Cucumber leaves

[Aves]

I have a few cucumber plants that have dead or sunburned leaves. The cucumber is still growing but I worry about the big leaves on top that look awful. Am I able to cut ALL leaves off a cucumber plant? Or is it not worth saving?

 

[Chuck]

I have a few cucumber plants that have dead or sunburned leaves. The cucumber is still growing but I worry about the big leaves on top that look awful. Am I able to cut ALL leaves off a cucumber plant? Or is it not worth saving?

Isn't it getting close to below 10C temps? It probably isn't worth trying to save but if you want to try do not cut off more than about 30%-40% of the leaves which still provide some photosynthesis. This should give any fruits still growing to get big enough to harvest.

 

[Aves]

Isn't it getting close to below 10C temps? It probably isn't worth trying to save but if you want to try do not cut off more than about 30%-40% of the leaves which still provide some photosynthesis. This should give any fruits still growing to get big enough to harvest.

Not yet. I live in Southern Ontario, doesn't get too cold here until about December. Its 17C lowest at night and still 28C during the day. I was just thinking about the few little cucumbers that are left still wanting to grow. But all the leaves look awful unfortunately. Maybe I can take a picture, would that help?

 

[Aves]

Isn't it getting close to below 10C temps? It probably isn't worth trying to save but if you want to try do not cut off more than about 30%-40% of the leaves which still provide some photosynthesis. This should give any fruits still growing to get big enough to harvest.

Oh and I have ants all over the cucumber flowers.... I know it's not good. Just to learn for next year, how do I prevent the ants from invading my gardens? Again I am new to this but I have never enjoyed anything more then learning and growing, so any help I can get is extremely appreciated!

 

[Chuck]

Not yet. I live in Southern Ontario, doesn't get too cold here until about December. Its 17C lowest at night and still 28C during the day. I was just thinking about the few little cucumbers that are left still wanting to grow. But all the leaves look awful unfortunately. Maybe I can take a picture, would that help?

Pictures always help

 

[Chuck]

Oh and I have ants all over the cucumber flowers.... I know it's not good. Just to learn for next year, how do I prevent the ants from invading my gardens? Again I am new to this but I have never enjoyed anything more then learning and growing, so any help I can get is extremely appreciated!

There are two reasons for ants to be on cucumber booms. The first is that the ants are eating honeydew, the secretions from aphids. The second and most likely is that the ants are feeding on the nectar produced by the blooms but in either case the ants are "probably not hurting" anything. I have seen ants attack cucumber and squash embryos however. I don't know how to stop ants from attacking a plant, only how to get rid of them if they do

 

[Aves]

Thank you so much Chuck, you have been a great help!

How do you get rid of the ants?

 

[Chuck]

Thank you so much Chuck, you have been a great help!

How do you get rid of the ants?

If they are actively chewing on a plant (such as on okra buds) spray them with spinosad. If they are in mounds (fire ant mounds) or in compost piles drench with a spinosad drench. If they are just crawling around every where use a FertiLome ant bait product called Come and Get It. With the bait, if used in the spring, you will probably have to apply it twice. For sugar ants in the home use an orange oil spray where ever you see the ants.

 

[Aves]

Greatly appreciated! I will definitely look into that