What happened to my cucumber?

[bario1]

Anyone know why my cucumber plant decided to go rotten at the base? It had just set two little cucumbers and everything! So sad... i had it in an Asda flower bucket with the bottom cut off sunk in the ground, and was only watering around the bucket, not the plant, to avoid this very thing happening!

[WendyC]

Did you plant deeply? I tend to plant on a mound to make sure water drains away. If it's not too late you might be able to get the top to throw out new roots by putting it in water. I'd take off any cucumbers though.

[Shadylane]

Mine did the same, I watered into a plant pot sunk in the ground but it still rottted. Fortunately I had spares. Cucumbers are just a bit prone to it and can give up and die at the slightest sign of trouble.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Whilst over watering, leaving the stem in wet compost can cause basal stem rot it is in fact a bacterial disease and just happen anyway.

As Wendy has said if you have not binned it use the top 6 inches to form a new plant by putting it in a milk bottle full of water. After a week or so it will look like pic one, second pic taken at 18 days.

[bario1]

Thanks Pots, I have fished it out of the compost bin and have it sitting in water now... hopefully it'll root! I had a spare but i gave it to my neighbour - guess i was a bit hasty, but then Neighbours, Everybody needs good neighbours
With a little understanding
You can find the perfect blend.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Keep the bottle topped up with water every day so that the stem is fully immersed. Should take 4 to 5 days for the roots to start growing then the growth rate will speed up.

When you pot on keep the compost moist for a couple of days whilst the plant gets used to being in compost, it may flag but should pick up again.

Good luck

[lottie dolly]

what a good idea,did not know about rooting the tops,we live and learn,wonder if the same can be done with side shoots.

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^^^^^^^ yes most certainly and the leading shoots of toms should you need too. This is a Tumbler I had to do.

[lottie dolly]

thanks i have already done it with toms,and sweet pea tops,aha,will give pea tops a go,

[bario1]

Update! My cuke is now looking good as new, I've had one delicious little fruit off it already. Pots, can't thank you enough for this invaluable advice. For plants renowned for their suicidal tendencies, this one is a fighter!


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