[kezlou]

Hi everyone finally got out into the yard today and what a state.

My beetroot, kale and lettuces are bones and nothing else.
Will this beetroot still grow if i leave it or should just eat now?


I also found this all over my cucumbers does anyone know what it is.


It rubs off after a while, it has  only appeared in the few days since the rain came. It has been outside the whole time and it has two nice looking cucumbers on it growing as we speak. Should i dispose of the cucumbers or leave on?

Answer on a postcard to a miffed lass who only wanted a bit kale,
 thanks for looking.  
kez

[blackisgreen]

hi not sure about your beetroot but it looks like powdery mildew or the like on your cucumbers , they need plenty of air circulation and regular watering so they dont get stressed it possibly had it im afraid .

[GreenOwl]

It does look like powdery mildrew.  My courgettes get it every year towards the end of the season.  They still crop.  I do remove the worst-affected leaves.  You've got nothing to lose by doing that, giving it some TLC and crossing your fingers.

[Trillium]

As for the beets, I've left mine after any 'strippings' and they'll grow leaves again and size up, provided there's no more pest damage. But your container seems a bit small for any real growth - beets do have a long thin tap root below the main 'ball'.

[kezlou]

Thanks everyone for your help, i'll go out now and attend to the cucumbers again. Hmm air circulation, looks like i have to find a new place for them i think other than outside in the yard. Any ideas would be grateful. Is they anyway to get rid of the powdery  mildew?

Trillium:- how big does the root ball grow too? First time growing beets so i have no idea about what to do with them.

Thanks

Kerry

[Trillium]

Beets are tastiest up to tennis ball size. After that, they're a wee bit tougher but still nice. Some of mine are quickly approaching bowling ball size from all the rain we've been getting the last month. But I use those for pickling and making a jelly with. The leaves are good washed and chopped into salads.

The powdery mildew can be minimized with a water and some milk solution, or water and some baking soda, or make some chamomile tea, let it cool and dilute it a bit before spraying over everything. But they definitely need better airing and some water. Contrary to popular belief, powdery mildew happens because the plant also gets too dry at the roots.

[kezlou]

thanks Trillium i'll try that with baking soda and water today. Thanks for the advice i'll know now for next year. Think i need a bigger pot next year the one they in i think is far too small, so i think it has been helped by that.