Question about bacterial wilt on cukes

noinwi · July 14, 2012

I have 4 bush cukes in a 4 gal pot(most years I have 3). I think one of them has bacterial wilt. The plants have been wilting on a regular basis as they are in full afternoon sun and I have been giving them a drink in the afternoon after which they always perk up. I did this again today, but one of the plants has not completely perked up. Several of the lower leaves are still wilted, the newer growth seems ok. I have seen what I believe are spotted cuke beetles over the last few weeks, but only a couple. They were on my zukes which are in a different area. I squished them.
I cut off a leaf and dipped it in water, but didn't really see any milky substance in the water...or do I need to do it with the stem? I've never had this happen before so I'm a little confused.
Does the wilting start at the bottom of the plant and if I need to pull this plant is it possible that the others will be ok? I don't have any pyrethrins, but have sevin powder. Could I mix some with some water and drench the potting soil?
I'm just now starting to harvest cukes. I don't think I have time to start more plants, but I suppose I can try.
Any info/advice is greatly appreciated.

noinwi · July 14, 2012

Thought a couple photos might help.

noinwi · July 16, 2012

Sigh. No one has had this happen? Ah well. I pulled the affected plant. The rootball was small and easy to pull up. I cut the stem and didn't see any threads or stringy stuff. I've seen a few posts elsewhere on Sudden Wilt? Maybe that's it?
In any case, the other plants appear to be ok(knock wood). The squash and zukes in the other area are ok too for now. I'll keep you posted(whether you like it or not, LOL).

RayR · July 16, 2012

I'm very familiar with Bacterial Wilt of Cucurbits ( Erwinia tracheiphila). Some years, like the last 2 I can't get a decent crop of cukes or squash because of it. The bacterium is spread by cucumber beetles who feed on the leaves, if the beetle is infected with the bacterium, it can transmit the disease into the vascular tissue of the plant. After that you've got about 2 weeks before the plant wilts permanently and collapses.
This year I have been lucky so far and the cukes and zucchini are doing fine, I have only found 1 cuke beetle and quickly dispatched it. Last year I was infested with beetles, I hand picked well over a hundred beetles with tweezers, you can't miss them in the early mornings and evenings, they will be relaxing inside the flowers mostly.
If bacterial wilt is what you have, cut a piece of wilted stem and push you finger against it and pull back, if it's sticky then you have bacterial wilt. Cucumber vascular fluids are very watery in a healthy plant.

Mark0820 · July 16, 2012

Cucumber beetles and bacterial wilt are a yearly problem here. I've never had much luck with Pyrethrins. It would kill the beetles if they were on the plant when I sprayed, but didn't seem to do too much good if the beetles returned at a later date to snack on the leaves. Sevin is the only product that allows me to keep my cucumber plants alive for the entire summer. The powder works fine when the plants are small, but I prefer the concentrate version of sevin. It comes in a red, 16 oz. bottle. For cucurbits, just mix 3/4 to 1 1/2 fluid ounces per gallon of water (per instructions), shake well, and spray.

noinwi · July 16, 2012

Thanks for the replies. Problem is, I never saw cuke beetles on my cukes. I saw a couple in a different area where my squash plants are. I did kill one, the other was too quick for me. I seldom get out there early(senior, disabled, yada yada). I go to sleep about 2am and get up around 9am. By the time I make coffee and feed the cat-brats it's late. If I go bug hunting at night, I'm swarmed by skeeters(we're next to a lake).
The affected plant was fine one day and the next day was as in the photo. I have been gardening in this spot for about 4 years now and have never had this happen to my cukes, which are usually in or near the spot they are in the photo and in containers.
I was going to drench the soil with sevin to get any larvae, but read that it would be taken up by the plant and become systemic so I didn't.
I'll probably use fine netting or something over them next year, but I also read that they are present earlier in the season. The ones I saw were here in the last week or so...doesn't seem that early to me. I'll just have to leave it up to the birds, bats and other beneficials and squish the beetles when I do see them.
Thanks again.

tjg911 · July 17, 2012

you don't have to see them, they are small and very fast moving. the best time to kill them is early morning before they warm up.

i never had problems with BW in anything but cukes. the solution, if you don't want to use toxic chemicals on your food, is to grow a BW resistant variety. i switched to county fair 4 or 5 years ago and never have had a problem since. it severely limits the varieties to just a few but it's better than getting nothing.

tom

July 14, 2012	#1
noinwi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: PNW Posts: 486	Question about bacterial wilt on cukes I have 4 bush cukes in a 4 gal pot(most years I have 3). I think one of them has bacterial wilt. The plants have been wilting on a regular basis as they are in full afternoon sun and I have been giving them a drink in the afternoon after which they always perk up. I did this again today, but one of the plants has not completely perked up. Several of the lower leaves are still wilted, the newer growth seems ok. I have seen what I believe are spotted cuke beetles over the last few weeks, but only a couple. They were on my zukes which are in a different area. I squished them. I cut off a leaf and dipped it in water, but didn't really see any milky substance in the water...or do I need to do it with the stem? I've never had this happen before so I'm a little confused. Does the wilting start at the bottom of the plant and if I need to pull this plant is it possible that the others will be ok? I don't have any pyrethrins, but have sevin powder. Could I mix some with some water and drench the potting soil? I'm just now starting to harvest cukes. I don't think I have time to start more plants, but I suppose I can try. Any info/advice is greatly appreciated.

July 14, 2012	#2
noinwi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: PNW Posts: 486	re:cukes Thought a couple photos might help.

July 17, 2012	#7
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	you don't have to see them, they are small and very fast moving. the best time to kill them is early morning before they warm up. i never had problems with BW in anything but cukes. the solution, if you don't want to use toxic chemicals on your food, is to grow a BW resistant variety. i switched to county fair 4 or 5 years ago and never have had a problem since. it severely limits the varieties to just a few but it's better than getting nothing. tom __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

July 16, 2012	#3
noinwi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: PNW Posts: 486	Sigh. No one has had this happen? Ah well. I pulled the affected plant. The rootball was small and easy to pull up. I cut the stem and didn't see any threads or stringy stuff. I've seen a few posts elsewhere on Sudden Wilt? Maybe that's it? In any case, the other plants appear to be ok(knock wood). The squash and zukes in the other area are ok too for now. I'll keep you posted(whether you like it or not, LOL).

July 16, 2012	#4
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	I'm very familiar with Bacterial Wilt of Cucurbits ( Erwinia tracheiphila). Some years, like the last 2 I can't get a decent crop of cukes or squash because of it. The bacterium is spread by cucumber beetles who feed on the leaves, if the beetle is infected with the bacterium, it can transmit the disease into the vascular tissue of the plant. After that you've got about 2 weeks before the plant wilts permanently and collapses. This year I have been lucky so far and the cukes and zucchini are doing fine, I have only found 1 cuke beetle and quickly dispatched it. Last year I was infested with beetles, I hand picked well over a hundred beetles with tweezers, you can't miss them in the early mornings and evenings, they will be relaxing inside the flowers mostly. If bacterial wilt is what you have, cut a piece of wilted stem and push you finger against it and pull back, if it's sticky then you have bacterial wilt. Cucumber vascular fluids are very watery in a healthy plant.

July 16, 2012	#5
Mark0820 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 907	Cucumber beetles and bacterial wilt are a yearly problem here. I've never had much luck with Pyrethrins. It would kill the beetles if they were on the plant when I sprayed, but didn't seem to do too much good if the beetles returned at a later date to snack on the leaves. Sevin is the only product that allows me to keep my cucumber plants alive for the entire summer. The powder works fine when the plants are small, but I prefer the concentrate version of sevin. It comes in a red, 16 oz. bottle. For cucurbits, just mix 3/4 to 1 1/2 fluid ounces per gallon of water (per instructions), shake well, and spray.