[Bluedave]

Hi all,

I have a cucumber plant in the greenhouse that is looking a bit droopy - any idea whats causing it? The temp in the greenhouse is around 30-35 oC during the day and around 2-4 oC at night and it's well watered. Pics below:





I also have some tomatoes in the greenhouse which are doing well overall but some of the lower leaves are going yellow and 'spotty'?! What is causing this? More pics:





Everything else is doing well though - potatoes:



Apple and pear trees and strawberries:



Carrots:





Brussels, toms and cuc seedlings doing well:





So generally everythings ok but any comments on what to do about the Cucumber and tomato leaves would be greatly appreciated!

[8doubles]

The tomato looks like magnesium deficiency so a dose of epsom salts will sort that out.
I would say that the temperature fluctuation is hitting the cucumber hard as they like a steady temperature.
Cucs do not need much excuse to curl up and die.

[prakash_mib]

water retention by cues stems/leaves/fruit are great (treat them like melons) only feed water when you feel it is dry. too much water makes them confused.

[JayG]

I've seen dead parrots with more will to live than cucumbers!! 

I think any temperature below 10C/50F at any time will put them into a major sulk; I would bring them into the house if possible but it may already be too late.

Rest of your stuff looks great! 

[unconcerned]

I have planted three this year - Carmen (given the price I would wipe it's ar*e), burpless...wonderful, constant and rather resiliant, and marketmore which has proved to be the least (I hesitate to use the word) hardy.

outdoor cucumbers apparently need the most love to start with....and boy do they need love.

The OH hates them as when he was a teen he had to pack them for a summer job, and the dead ones were sick on him all day

[Bluedave]

cheers guys - i'll bring the cucumber indoors for a bit then - i figured as the toms were doing so well that it would be alright - learnt something today!

As for the toms - would some tomato liquid fertiliser suffice (i.e. would this contain the relevant amount of magnesium) or would it have to be epsom salts - i only ask because i've got loads of tom fert but no epsom salts! Also should I remove these leaves or leave them on?

[unconcerned]

cheers guys - i'll bring the cucumber indoors for a bit then - i figured as the toms were doing so well that it would be alright - learnt something today!

As for the toms - would some tomato liquid fertiliser suffice (i.e. would this contain the relevant amount of magnesium) or would it have to be epsom salts - i only ask because i've got loads of tom fert but no epsom salts! Also should I remove these leaves or leave them on?

Plant a couple more too.

[Trillium]

Some tomato food would do the job, just water it down a bit from recommended doseage as the plants are still young and stressed.

And I agree that the cukes have simply had too much temperature fluctuation.

[Bluedave]

cheers guys - i'll bring the cucumber indoors for a bit then - i figured as the toms were doing so well that it would be alright - learnt something today!

As for the toms - would some tomato liquid fertiliser suffice (i.e. would this contain the relevant amount of magnesium) or would it have to be epsom salts - i only ask because i've got loads of tom fert but no epsom salts! Also should I remove these leaves or leave them on?

Plant a couple more too.

A couple more what? Toms or Cucs? lol

This is the first lot of both anyway - there are 12 more toms and 4 more cucs planted on the table in the picture - i'll bring in all the cucs, the others of which are just sprouting from seed now. The plan is that when it gets a bit warmer and the seedlings a bit bigger all the potatoes, carrots and fruit trees (and all of the wifes bedding plants!) will go outside and i'll plant the rest in grow bags.

Some tomato food would do the job, just water it down a bit from recommended doseage as the plants are still young and stressed.

And I agree that the cukes have simply had too much temperature fluctuation.

cheers trillium, i'll give them some tom food later. I hadn't done so, so far because the instructions said to leave for a bit and now i'm confused about trusses! What the blooming 'eck are they as i'm supposed to be feeding every 3-4 days once the second trusses are present according to the instructions!?

[mumofstig]

First of all you wait for a little 'bunch' of flowers and then once they are pollinated they turn into a 'truss' of little green tomatoes and this is when you usually start feeding the plants.
But as yours look as if they lack magnesium already...then they need a weak feed now

[Bluedave]

Thanks MOS - a couple of them have the beginings of little flowers.

Should I leave the affected leaves on or take them off though?

[mumofstig]

I'd leave them on for now as they are still making some energy for the plant. But once they are nearly all brown then pull them off as then they are useless, but by then there will be others to replace them

[Kristen]

I'd bring the Toms in too (well, it seems to have warmed up at night now, but I expect we'll get a few more cold nights before May is out ...)

I think its really early for Magnesium deficiency, particularly in young plants, but maybe folk have seen that before?

I don't think Toms or Cues like to be below 10C.  Dunno if your greenhouse is near the house? but just brining them in to the utility / corridor for the night, and back out during the day, so they don't get cold-shock should keep them happier.

Mine you, nothing wrong with a weak feed either, so that can only help the Toms.

I reckon the Cucumber has had it once it gets to the "dejected-wilt" stage ...

[Bluedave]

yep, the cuc looks like it's had it! Good news is the other seeds I planted are all starting to come through indoors so lesson learnt.

Toms are still doing well in the greenhouse after a weak feed on the weekend. I can't bring them in now, unless I re-pot them as they are in growbags. They are growing well though with trusses coming through -  just a couple of yellowing/spotty leaves at the bottom on a couple of the plants.

[Kristen]

Ah, I reckon if I brought growbags into the utility room each night that would upset the management! (and the Toms too I expect!)

Hopefully they'll be OK, but you might want to wrap them in fleece if we get a cold snap ... or cross your finders