All about rot on cucumbers

Cucumbers are among those crops that can suffer from rot. Often the causative agents of the disease are pathogenic types of fungi. Plants that are grown in greenhouse conditions suffer most from rot, since the fungus does not multiply so quickly in the open field.

Often, cucumbers growing in a greenhouse suffer from the attack of white rot. This ailment is capable of infecting not only the roots of a culture, but also its stem, petioles, foliage. The causative agent of this disease is the sclerotinia fungus, which can persist in the ground and on plant debris. The spread of cucumber rot is carried out by the wind or with water, a substrate. In the course of its life, the parasitic fungus releases toxic substances that destroy plant cells.

The reasons for the appearance of the disease on cucumbers are the following:

• high humidity, as well as low temperature in the greenhouse;
• irrigation with cold water;
• thickening of plantings;
• untimely pruning of the plant.

If the gardener noticed that a flocculent bloom similar to cotton wool has appeared on the cucumber bushes, on which sclerotia appear over time, then this may indicate infection with white rot. In addition, the stem and fruit of the culture becomes soft, mucus appears on it. In a diseased bush, turgor disappears, and its fruits become slimy, bitter and unusable.

To save cucumbers from this dangerous disease, you will need to use the following methods.

• In the fight against sclerotinia, it is worth using copper-based drugs.... These can be called "Abiga - Peak", "Khim", "Ordan". Cultures can be treated with the well-known "Fitosporin", which shows good results after application. It is necessary to process the plants when the first signs of the disease appear on them. Spraying is done 2-3 times, observing an interval of 10 days. After processing, cucumbers should not be eaten for 14 days.
• If the lesions are small, then a good effect can be given biological products: Planriz, Alirin B, Gamair.
• By implementing spraying, gardeners should fertilize the bushes with nitrogen-containing substances.
• Necessarily needed remove affected foliage, shoots and greens.

In addition to the above methods, you can use folk remedies to combat white rot:

• plaque can be collected manually, and damaged areas must be treated with potassium permanganate, ash, tobacco dust;
• spray the bushes with milk with iodine, diluted in a ratio of 1 to 10;
• lubricate the cuts with a paste based on chalk, ash and water.

Preventive measures include the following.

• Regular airing of greenhouses, as well as reducing the humidity level to 80-85%.
• Removal of damaged parts of the culture.
• Reducing the number of waterings.

Gray rot on cucumbers is manifested by the appearance of a gray fluffy bloom, as well as brown spots on the cucumber foliage and stems. Affected flowers and ovaries turn brown and subsequently die. The fruits of the infected plant also rot. Gray rot on cucumbers can appear in the absence of compliance with the temperature regime, improper watering, feeding crops, as well as violation of the rules of crop rotation. Every gardener should know what to do in such a situation in order to get rid of the disease as quickly as possible.

Cucumbers should be processed using a pump sprayer. Thanks to him, not only the solution is controlled, but also the uniformity of its excretion is determined. Spraying should be carried out with a protective mask and gloves. The best time for processing is considered to be morning or evening, after dew has subsided or formed. Biological products are considered safe for humans, but at the same time quite effective against white rot. They can be used in dry and cloudy weather. Many gardeners in order to eliminate the disease on cucumbers use "Gamair", "Zaslon", "Trichodermin", "Glyokladin", "Fitosporin". Biologicals can be used in different growth phases of cucumbers. In order for spraying to bring a positive result, it must be carried out 2 or 3 times.

When using chemicals, it is worth remembering that the finished solution quickly loses its properties. Currently, the following chemical products have proven themselves well.

• Hom. They are sprayed with bushes twice, observing an interval of 14 days.
• "Rovral" used 2-3 times in 10-14 days.
• "Euparen Multi". Cucumbers are sprayed with the drug three times, taking a break between procedures for 10 days.
• Bayleton. The drug is not used for particularly weak vegetation. With its help, the culture is treated 2-3 times after 10 days.

When using folk remedies to combat gray rot, it is worth remembering that their active ingredients may lose their activity. Treatment of sick cucumbers is carried out 3-4 times in compliance with an interval of 5-7 days. For better adhesion of the solution to the foliage, it is recommended to add about 40 grams of laundry soap to the product.

Examples of popular methods of combating gray rot are the following.

• Whey diluted 1 to 1 with water.
• 300 grams of wood ash, filled with 3500 mg of water, is boiled for 15 minutes. The resulting mixture is brought to the amount of 10 liters, then infused for 3 hours and filtered.
• In 10 liters of water, 80 grams of copper sulfate and 50 grams of soda ash are diluted.
• In 1 liter of milk, 30 drops of iodine are diluted and dissolved in 10 liters of water.
• In 10 liters of water, dilute 10 ml of brilliant green or 1.5 grams of potassium permanganate.
• For 10 liters of water, take 10 grams of boric acid, 1.5 grams of potassium permanganate, 30 drops of iodine.
• Soda dissolved in water.

The working solution for processing cucumbers should have a temperature of 25 degrees. The condition of the bushes must be constantly monitored, in the event of new foci of the disease, parts of the plant are cut off, and the wounds are treated with a fungicidal paste. Timely prevention is of great importance for the health of cucumbers and prevention of infection with gray rot:

• the right choice of seedlings, preferably those that are resistant to fungal diseases;
• disinfection of home seeds;
• elimination and destruction of the remains of affected plants;
• disinfection in greenhouses with formalin;
• replacement of soil in a greenhouse;
• timely pruning of bushes and their formation;
• correct fertilization with high-quality preparations;
• irrigation with warm liquid in the morning.

In addition to the above diseases, other types of rot may appear on the tip and stem of vegetables. Gardeners are often troubled by stem, dry rot on cucumbers. When any of the ailments appears, it is worth immediately take measures to eliminate it.

The main symptoms of fusarium cucumber:

• gradual wilting of foliage on the plant;
• blanching of the green mass, the appearance of yellow spots;
• the appearance of a pink bloom on the stem;
• darkening of the stem, its cracking, decay;
• yellowing and dying off of the ovaries;
• lack of fruit development;
• wilting of the plant as a whole, as well as its death.

Since Fusarium is difficult to detect at an early stage, it is difficult but possible to overcome it. The main group of drugs is valid only at the first symptoms of infection.

Options for protecting cucumber plantations from fusarium.

• Chemical drugs such as Fundazol, Maxim, Gymnast, Acrobat. To make cucumbers resistant to this type of disease, seeds and seedlings should be treated with "Humisol".
• Biologicals... The most popular substances in this category include Trichodermin, Planriz, Tikhophyte, Baktofit.
• Folk remedies... A good effect in the fight against fusarium is observed after using a solution of whey, iodine with milk, garlic tincture, infusion of wood ash. In addition, gardeners often use yeast treatment of plants. In this case, 100 grams of the product is diluted in 10 liters of water and poured into the soil.

In some cases, the tops of the cucumber begin to darken, giving them a rough leathery appearance. After a while, the fruits begin to blacken and rot.

The main causes of top rot are:

• damaged roots;
• lack of regular watering;
• potassium deficiency in the nutrition of crops;
• excess nitrogen.

If the gardener noticed that the tips of the cucumbers are beginning to rot, then you need to immediately take the following measures:

• carry out soil mulching;
• introduce mineral fertilizers to plants;
• adjust the stability of irrigation.

Late blight is a fungal disease that causes great harm to the flora. Cucumbers often suffer from this disease. If it is detected late, then the treatment will be quite difficult. In the case of deep damage by phytophthora, experts recommend eliminating the culture from the site and destroying it.

Quite often cucumbers, which are grown in greenhouses, suffer from late blight. This fungus actively develops at high air humidity and a temperature of 15-20 degrees Celsius. In addition, the cause of the disease can be hidden in the frequent and abundant irrigation of vegetables, dense planting of plants, a large content of lime in the soil, as well as the lack of disinfection of seeds before planting.

It is difficult to miss this disease on your site, since it has obvious signs:

• the appearance of small brownish-brown spots on the foliage;
• the presence of a white spider web on the back of the sheet plate;
• curling of foliage, its wilting and falling off.

You can get rid of late blight in the following ways.

• Chemicals such as "Hom", "Oxyhom".
• Biologicals, for example, "Fitosporin", "Copper sulfate".
• Folk remedies:
  • watering yeast that is diluted in warm water;
  • a solution based on garlic and potassium permanganate;
  • sprinkling with wood ash;
  • spraying with milk whey, which is diluted with water in a 1 to 1 ratio;
  • spraying with saline.

In addition to all of the above, it is recommended to pay attention to the greenhouse:

• process structural elements with a steam cleaner;
• rinse with "Pharmayod";
• remove the top soil layer and change it to a new one;
• sow white mustard and dig up the soil before flowering.