Cucumber virus strikes again....

[snorasaur]

I have the same virus every year, despite trying to move the plant every year. This year, i used my above ground garden, that I put 9 feet away from my other garden to prevent virus spreading. I have NEVER had this virus in this newer garden bed, I bought seeds from burpee that are supposed to be resistant, and I only ever watered them twice a week, or less, and only ever during the morning or mid-day.

Sadly, the virus still appeared. I sprayed with copper bonide as soon as i noticed it, but im afraid its already too late.


-Which virus is this?
-Does my plant stand a chance?
-How did it get infected despite being a resistant seed, being over 9 feet away from any soil that could have the virus in it, and being watered less than twice a week? (it did rain a lot this week though, sometimes at night.)
-Will cutting back the most effected leaves help at all?
-Can i try to get some cucumbers from this plant, or should I just remove it before it effects my eggplant, and tomatoes planted in the same bed? (they are only 2 feet or so from the other plants)
-What can I do next year to help prevent this? (im about done with cucumbers)

 

[Chuck]

I don't think it is a virus at all. I think it is Alternia Leaf Spot. At the very first signs of this fungus I spray with potassium bicarbonate.

 

[snorasaur]

thanks chuck, glad to see your still active and helping people! ill give this a try asap.

 

[Chuck]

thanks chuck, glad to see your still active and helping people! ill give this a try asap.

There really isn't very much you can do at this point. The disease has progressed too far to have a cure. Depending on where you live and the temperatures you can start over. You still might have a decent crop with repeated sprayings.

 

[snorasaur]

I have been alternating spraying them with potassium bicarbonate and copper bonide, it was slowing the leaf spot and seemed to help prolong the life of the plant, but yesterday i sprayed them with a different mix of potassium bicarbonate, and now there are some serious white spots that are more than just on the surface.

i mixed 1/4 Tbsp potassium carbonate, 1/4 Tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp non detergent soap,, and 32 oz water. Does this mix seem right?

any ideas on what the white spots are, or how to treat it?

 

[pepper]

I sometimes get that or something like that. I do nothing but still get the harvest intended. It's not ideal but personally I think people freak out too much if everything isn't perfect. It's probably more normal then not to have something go wrong at some point in the garden but rotate the plants next year and keep disease out of the compost.

 

[Consistency]

White spots look like leaf cell death.

Hydrogen peroxide 3% mixed with 8 to 16 parts water and spraying the leaves works much better. Don't mix with anything else.

 

[Eeilee]

I sometimes get that or something like that. I do nothing but still get the harvest intended. It's not ideal but personally I think people freak out too much if everything isn't perfect. It's probably more normal then not to have something go wrong at some point in the garden but rotate the plants next year and keep disease out of the compost.

Same here. About a quarter of my Boston pickling cuke plants looked funky this year but they still produced just fine.
If a leaf looked particularly ugly I just cut it off.

 

[snorasaur]

White spots look like leaf cell death.

Hydrogen peroxide 3% mixed with 8 to 16 parts water and spraying the leaves works much better. Don't mix with anything else.

Thanks, i will try this instead of the potassium carbonate.

 

[snorasaur]

I sometimes get that or something like that. I do nothing but still get the harvest intended. It's not ideal but personally I think people freak out too much if everything isn't perfect. It's probably more normal then not to have something go wrong at some point in the garden but rotate the plants next year and keep disease out of the compost.

I'm just trying to learn as much as i can. every year i have issues with my cucumbers, and they usually completely die long before the end of the season. this year will be the same, but the longer i can keep it alive the better.

about 80% of the leaves are showing spots from the alternia leaf spot, and even some of the cucumbers are effected. I just didnt want to stress the plant anymore than it already was, but i think i must have made a mistake mixing the potassium carbonate this time.

 

[Eeilee]

I would skip a year of growing in the ground. Next growing season try some 10-15 gallon grow bags.
Rotating crops works too but if your garden space is smaller, like mine, sometimes it helps to just grow some red clover or something in your veg plots for a year and grow your veg in bags/pots.

 

[snorasaur]

I would skip a year of growing in the ground. Next growing season try some 10-15 gallon grow bags.
Rotating crops works too but if your garden space is smaller, like mine, sometimes it helps to just grow some red clover or something in your veg plots for a year and grow your veg in bags/pots.

this is the first year i have grown cucurbits in this above ground garden, and i put it 8 feet away from my other garden. I've never had a virus or fungus in this garden yet. But i may still consider this for next year.

I think the week long rainy weather we had was the culprit this time.