Vegetables Gardening - Growing Organic Vegetables

I have set up T-Posts for squash, cucumbers, cantelope and tomatoes. The tomatoes are doing well. The squash isn't too bad. But I have lost about half of my cucumbers and cantelopes. It seems that the plants are doing well, then I move them to get them to go up my string and the next day they are dead! Last year I had a powdery mildew that set in later in the season and wiped out my cucumbers and cantelope. But these are not that old and there is no sign of the disease. Plus I have been using a fungicide product that is supposed to prevent the mildew.

I am wondering if I am disturbing the plant too much when I wrap them around the string? Some of the time just that main vine dies. Other times the whole plant is dead in a day or two.

Any ideas?

Berlan in SW Missouri

Berlan & Group:

One of two things are probably happening.

If you are forcing the plants' stems at all they can break, but you would usually notice that when it happens.

More likely is that there is soil-level damage to the stem, from 1) damping-off disease or 2) cut worms, etc.

Look carefully at the stems and see if it is a new clean break across the whole stem, or if it is older damage. If the stem is wet or soft the problem is likely damping-off.

Jim Kennard

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