Holes in Cuke Leaves

[Winemaker]

I have Tomatoes and Cukes in Earthtainers. No problems with the Tomatoes but my Cukes are getting lots of holes in the leaves. I have picked leaves and inspected with magnifying glass but really can't see the culprits. I have sprayed with Take Down on tops and bottoms of leaves but new leaves are still having probs. Could this be some sort of worm only operating at night? Should I use a Thuricide? Here are some pics.

[rnewste]

I am seeing the same thing here as well. I suspect snails/slugs are doing it.

Raybo

[RayR]

Are you sure it's not cucumber beetles?
It looks like their work.

[Winemaker]

I figured if it was beetles the Take Down would have dealt with them. Trying to figure out how snails or slugs could get into Earthtainers that are on furniture dollies on a basketball court. I think tonight I will spray them with the Thuricide. If they are any kind of worm, they will be finished.

[rnewste]

I flicked a few small ones off cuke leaves yesterday, then sprayed the plants with Monterey Garden Insect with Spinosad.

Raybo

[Winemaker]

What were they Ray? Insects or worms or slugs?

[rnewste]

I've never seen cuke beetles in this part of California. I did witness 2 small snails on the surface of leaves , so that is why I concluded they were the culprits.



I am now alternating spraying Spinosad and Take Down every other weekend:



I've also put down some Corry's Snail Death around the base of the EarthTainer to kill the ones on the ground before they can climb up the sidewalls. I have sometimes found them in the water filler tube.

Raybo

[carolyn137]

For the folks in CA and one said no cuke beetles:

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...ves+california

Several links CA specific.

Both striped and spotted cuke beetles can carry and inject more than one disease at a time, so look at the links for that.

Also fungus gnats and squash bugs can attack cukes as well. So it isn't easy to make a Dx of what's going on.

From the time I set out cuke plants I'd cover them with row cover until blossoms started appearing, then remove the row covers so pollination could occur. Of course then cuke beetles and whatever had access but the lag time before disease would appear was long enough that I'd still get plenty of cukes.

And yes, I confess that later in the season I'd pull out the withering diseased vines and since I planted 3 plants to a hill sometimes only 1/3 wouldbediseased, but what they had was Bacterial Wilt, one of the diseases that cuke beetles can transmit.

Carolyn

[Stvrob]

I wish my cucumber leaves looked that good. Id be too embarassed to post a pic of mine.

[Winemaker]

I did the Thuricide 2 days ago but it looks like I am getting some fresh holes on new leaves so will use the Spinosad tonight on the cukes and tomatoes. Thanks for the tip on every other weekend. I pretty much was unsure how often to spray. None of my neighbors have vegetable gardens so this is pretty much new in the area. Seeing a few white flys and a few aphids.

[Fred Hempel]

Looks like cucumber beetles to me

[Winemaker]

If they were cucumber beetles you would think they would be easy to spot with their distinctive yellow collor. I have yet to see anything, even inspecting at night. Tonight will be the Spinosad so hopefully with the triple whammy of Take Down, Thuricide and Spinosad they will be history.

[rnewste]

I also have not seen a single cuke beetle so far... not to say they aren't the cause - but I (wish) I could just find a single one dead or alive.

I've got a new set of Sweet Success cukes growing in an elevated EarthBox on the deck:



So far, no holes in any of the leaves. The legs on the EarthBox stand make it near impossible for snails to get into this unit - so we will see if the leaves become eaten, which then would confirm a flying insect issue. Stay tuned.....

Raybo

[Kazfam]

Looks like cucumber beetles to me.

Pick off (try the evening) and squish.