I am sure you have been trying to water your cucumber plants appropriately. However, are you still wondering why your cucumber leaves are wilting and dying? Here you find an eye-opening answer:
Lack of water is the main cause of cucumber plant leaves drying up. However, overwatering a cucumber plant also leads to leaves turning brown around the edges, wilting, and dying. Another reason your cucumber leaves are curling could be too much intense sunlight.
Wow! So, besides the obvious reason of lack of water, the opposite could be the case! Either way, you have to identify the problem to try to save your dying cucumber plant and prevent further damage.
Let’s have a look at each different cause of cucumber leaves drying up and how to fix it:
1. Lack of water in cucumber plants
If your cucumber leaves feel crispy, your plants might be suffering from a lack of water. Check the soil’s moisture with your finger and determine if it’s been drying out. Water your plants immediately if more than the top inch has dried out.
A typical sign of lack of water in cucumber plants is the “dying from the bottom up.”
To avoid your cucumber plants drying out, you need to know how much water they need in the first place. Also, don’t forget to consider fallen rainwater when figuring out what your plants need.
How often should you water cucumbers?
You shouldn’t water cucumbers every day. It is better to deep-water them 2-3 times per week. 1 – 1½ inches of water per week is required for the plants to grow well. Cucumbers have a reasonably high water content and can easily tolerate up to 2 inches per week once fruits start to form.
Here you find a complete guide on how much water different vegetables need and how to best measure the given amount. (A simple rain gauge can do the trick!)
2. Overwatering cucumber plants
An overwatered cucumber plant looks very similar to one suffering from a lack of water. The leaves also start wilting and slowly turn yellow and brown. However, overall growth is stunted, and the roots might be rotting away. The plant can even begin to drop old and new leaves simultaneously.
The common problem here is if one assumes these signs point to a lack of water and then keeps watering the plant even more. The plant will only become worse.
So, if you are sure your cucumber plants are not suffering from a lack of water, consider if you’ve been overwatering them (or if there may have been too much rainwater lately?).
How do you fix overwatered cucumbers?
Once you identify overwatering as the cause of your cucumber plants drying up, you have a good chance of saving them. Here is how to fix your overwatered plants:
1. Stop watering
Let them fully dry out. Allow time to pass. Depending on the amount of water your plants got, it might take several days until the roots and soil are dry again.
2. Place the plants in the shade
Or create shade over them. Overwatered plants have trouble transporting water from the roots to the leaves, so the upper leaves can dry out and die if they get too much sun.
3. Place the plants in a windy spot
If possible, bring your plants to a windy area. It will help them to dry up faster.
4. Remove mulch around your plants
Uncover the topsoil to help water and moisture in the soil evaporate.
5. Dry the soil with a hairdryer
If you want to support the drying process actively, you can use a hairdryer to dry the soil around your plants.
If you haven’t made sure before, check if your plants have proper drainage, especially if you are growing cucumbers in a pot. Overwatering plants often also leads to fungal infections. So, check your plants and take action if necessary.
3. Sunlight is too strong
A common reason for cucumber leaves curling is too much exposure to strong sunlight.
Cucumbers need direct sunlight; however, it is possible for cucumber plants to get too much sun. Excessive heat can cause wilting, leaf drop, sunburned leaves, and plant collapse. To protect cucumbers from extreme heat, apply mulch to cool the soil or provide shade from direct sunlight.
Here is a helpful guide on how much sunlight different vegetables need.
How do you revive a dying cucumber plant?
To save your dying cucumber plant, first, you need to figure out the reason. If it’s a lack of water, you need to water your plants appropriately. If you have been overwatering your plants, stop watering and let them fully dry out. If the reason has been excessive heat, provide some shade.
The key is to find out what is happening with your plants before you can take action. If your cucumber leaves are showing other symptoms as well, you should research even further to identify the cause. Symptoms such as holes are often caused by pests, or yellowing of the leaves might have diseases involved.
Often, it is possible to save a dying cucumber plant once you identify the causes early enough and are able to take action and prevent further damage.
Related questions:
Can a cucumber plant survive without leaves?
A cucumber plant can’t survive without leaves. The leaves are the main place where photosynthesis takes place, which is necessary for a plant to live. The leaves also serve as a natural sun shield for the fruit, and they help to keep weeds from growing too close to the plant.
Why are my cucumber leaves getting yellow spots?
The leading causes of cucumber leaves getting yellow spots are watering problems, soil deficiencies, and diseases or pests that affect cucumber plants. In order to fix yellow cucumber leaves, you need to identify the reason behind it and then solve the problem accordingly.
Here you find 5 different causes of cucumber leaves turning yellow and how to fix them.
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