Your cucumber leaves turning yellow for a number of reasons. The purpose of this article is to discuss the reasons why this happens and how it can be prevented in the future.
Home growers can easily grow cucumbers as one of the most abundant crops. Summertime is a great time to eat these tasty, nutritious treats.
A cucumber plant can be harvested after just 55 to 75 days after planting the seeds, which is one of the fastest growing vegetables you can grow using hydroponics.
How to Grow Cucumbers at Home
As long as the soil remains moist, cucumbers do not require much maintenance. Water your plants well every week so that the first inch of soil remains moist, and more often if you have sandy soil or the weather is particularly hot.
It is important to maintain good moisture levels, as inconsistent watering can result in cucumbers that lack flavor and have an irregular shape. Using an irrigation system or soaker hose at or just below soil level is the best way to properly water cucumbers.
Not only will you be able to keep your cucumber plants moist, but you will also be preventing diseases from attacking them.
Cucumber Plants Turning Yellow
Although cucumbers are easy to grow, they are susceptible to certain problems that will cause their leaves to turn yellow.
Why are my Cucumber Leaves Turning Yellow
The cucumbers have a high possibility of dying when the problems become serious. Learn why these yellow leaves appear and how you can prevent them below.
Cucumber Plant Turning Yellow Due to Nitrogen Deficiency
Cucumber leaves turning yellow can be caused by a lack of nitrogen. A plant begins to die when its leaves turn pale, then yellow, and then they turn brown.
This problem can be resolved by fertilizing your plants with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, such as 6-10-10.
In addition to adding a tablespoon of ammonium nitrate to the soil after the cucumber flowers appear, you can repeat this after three weeks.
Don’t overdose your plants with nitrogen, as this will damage the roots and prevent the cucumbers from growing. Follow the fertilizer instructions on the package and don’t overdo it.
Diseases that Affect Cucumber Plants and Their Leaves
Mosaic virus and verticillium wilt are among the fungal and bacterial diseases plaguing cucumber plants.
These diseases can make cucumber plants die because there are no known treatments. For the best results, remove all infested plants and destroy them as soon as possible so that the disease does not spread.
In the area where your infected cucumbers were, don’t plant plants in the Cucurbitaceae family, such as melons and squash.
This is because cucumber plants can be infected by the diseases that affect them in your soil and along with that, your next crop will also be affected.
Pests that Affect Cucumber Plants
Your cucumber plants can also have yellow leaves due to parasites such as spider mites, whiteflies, and aphids. As a result, the leaves of the plant turn yellow and die because the pests feed on the sap.
Despite their ability to resist and survive a few small infestations, cucumber plants can quickly grow into larger infestations that will kill them.
The good news is that an insecticide treatment can help you get rid of these pests. Start by treating all the leaves of your plant (not just the yellowing ones) with insecticide every week or according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
It is best to avoid using insecticides during midday or in hot weather, since this can burn the leaves.
Potato Leafhoppers are Feeding on Your Cucumber Leaves
Cucumber plants are especially vulnerable to potato leafhoppers. Their saliva, however, contains a toxin that damages the plant and causes the leaves to turn yellow. They feed on the sap in the leaves like aphids do, but their saliva contains a toxin that damages the plant.
After the leaves have been damaged too much, they fall off. Cucumber plants are able to resist small infestations, but a large infestation can kill them.
As an alternative to using insecticides, it’s a good idea to develop good practices for growing your crops. Among the beneficial insects you can encourage are ladybugs, lacewings, and minute pirate bugs, since they feed on the potato leafhoppers and do not damage your crops.
Protect Your Crops With Companion Plant Pants
Companion plants can also contribute to healthy cucumber growth and disease resistance. Peas, beans, radishes, carrots, and onions are good companion plants for cucumbers.
Floating row covers are recommended during the winter months to create a physical exclusion barrier around your plants. Dormant oil can also be used in winter to eliminate breeding adults, insecticide at the very early stages of the infestation (it is more effective on the young nymphs rather than the adults), and dormant oil in summer to eliminate breeding adults.
Creating a protective layer of mulch around your plants and, after the season has ended, removing it and throwing it away to eliminate potato leafhopper eggs in the soil is also a good idea.
Take the preventive measures outlined above to keep your cucumber plants healthy and free of yellow leaves.