Cucumbers - Potted on & dying

[Jonny.D]

Potted 10 of these on and around 8/10 days later some started wilting and a few have died.

It looks like I'll end up with 3 out of the 10.

I had the same thing happen last year and I put it down to the cold and sowed them later this year.

They've not been over watered.

Any ideas what has happened so I can get it right next year?

TIA


JD

[nickdub]

where-abouts do you keep them ? Did you check the roots of one of the dead one to see what they looked like ?

Pots look a little too large BTW, but I don't think that's the problem

[Dynamite]

The soil doesn’t look right to me. Too woody. I’m no expert though Jonny. I would use multi purpose compost. Cubes are notoriously difficult and need loads of nurturing.

Kind Regards.............Rob

[Potstubsdustbins]

Try this it might just save them, this is a Tumbler tomato but I have done it many times with cucumbers to. Just cut the best bit off the top of the plant and immerse it in water after about 7 days with a bit of luck you will have a root system ready to plant up.

[Kirk]

|Whatever they are in looks poor, I would repot into something that resembles a compost as whatever you have used just looks wrong.

Are they intended for planting in soil or a bed, or are you intending to grow on to full size in pots. If soil or bed then I would half think of making sure the soil is dug over and putting them in the soil now.

Otherwise a maybe bigger pot (always useful) even if just changing the compost and a better compost and give them a soaking. Stand them in half an inch of water tonight. One photo looks very dry.

[Jonny.D]

First - Thanks for all the replies & advice

Kept in the conservatory, windows open so they don't get cooked (There's other plants in with them that are doing fine)

Compost is my own from last year.

Pots are 3 litres.

Postdusbins - I'd already binned them and this one does not look recoverable??


I'll pot them on into multi purpose compost next year and see how they get on.

[bario1]

I wouldn't use home made compost for anything but 'final' potting mixes, and even then I would mix it with commercial stuff. The home made stuff contains all sorts of non sterile matter that could disagree with tender seedlings, i generally use it for bulking out stuff like potato bags, and spreading over beds as a mulch.
I would try Potty's method on that last one, it looks doomed, so there's nothing to lose... I tried it one year and it worked a treat!

[nickdub]

First - Thanks for all the replies & advice

Kept in the conservatory, windows open so they don't get cooked (There's other plants in with them that are doing fine)

Compost is my own from last year.

Pots are 3 litres.

Postdusbins - I'd already binned them and this one does not look recoverable??


I'll pot them on into multi purpose compost next year and see how they get on.

OK 1) the growing location sounds fine 2) the pots are definitely too large for them at this stage, 1/3 the size would be about right 3) as has been said, homemade compost ifs fine once the plants are large enough, but these aren't.

I'd try gently lifting one of the ailing ones you have left with something like a eating fork and washing off the roots in water. If the root looks brown and slimy the plant has had it - should be whitish - my best guess in this case is disease from non-sterile compost, probably coupled with the v cold weather we were having a few weeks ago. If on the other-hand the roots look OK, replant in a small pot with new compost and keep largely in the shade for the next couple of days.

PS if replanting :- handle by the leaves only, press the compost down firmly, but take care not to damage the stem, soak on a saucer of water for 30 minutes.

[gringo]

Try this it might just save them, this is a Tumbler tomato but I have done it many times with cucumbers to. Just cut the best bit off the top of the plant and immerse it in water after about 7 days with a bit of luck you will have a root system ready to plant up.

I may have to adopt this method! Do you leave the jar of water in the sun or shade? Indoors?

[Jungle Jane]

There’s still time to sow more seeds!!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Gringo I leave them on the kitchen window sill purely because it is easy.

Check the water level every day and keep it topped up as the roots grow only on the immersed part.

[Baldy]

Cucumbers are notoriously suicidal - your pots are too big and the compost might be an issue.
Personally I'd just start again...

[carly]

Hi guys. Have been followin* this thread with interest. My cucumbers are in just smaller pots than the ones shown in the picture. They seem to be doin* well.
I was just wondering what the danger was of potting into somethin* too big?
Why would it be @ problem?
Thanks

[nickdub]

I'm not exactly sure what the mechanism is that causes it, but if you put a little plant in a very large pot you generally have problems. Somehow the compost on the outside where there are no roots goes "sour" and usually the plant itself does grow on properly.

The only way to deal with this that I know of is to pot on seedlings several times before they get to the final container you have for the full sized plant. It does also depend a little bit on the type of plant you are growing. I do a few tree and shrub seedlings and some of those like to put down long roots - I use deeper pots for those say up to 10", because I know they like to go down more than out.

[Baldy]

^^^ i don't pot on as much as I should but I've often found that if I go to big too soon it goes a bit pear shaped - think Vin Diesel in a GH without some sort of miraculous dénouement