Causes of pale green cucumber leaves and methods to combat the problem

In healthy, properly developing cucumber vines, the foliage is bright green. But their appearance can change under the influence of various factors. Pallor or yellowing of leaves is a reason to urgently take action to save the crop from possible rotting.

Reasons why cucumber leaves are pale green

Discoloration can occur over the entire surface of the leaf, along the edges, or in the form of individual spots. The plate may also have prominent bright veins and a pale space between them.

When you notice the first signs of a problem, carefully inspect the cucumbers. With such symptoms, the plant may shed all its ovaries. Let's look at the most common reasons.

Lack of micro- and macroelements

An imbalance of nutrients leads to cucumbers losing their presentation and deformation of the fruit. Nitrogen is responsible for the pigmentation of foliage - its deficiency affects not only the color, but also the development of young seedlings and the formation of lateral vines.

Reference. The lack of nitrogen fertilizers is determined by the following signs: the leaf becomes paler, then turns yellow, and all the veins remain bright and become discolored just before falling.

But in some cases, even a sufficient amount of nitrogen in the soil does not guarantee normal growth of cucumbers. If the tops have a poorly developed root system, it does not absorb nutrients in the required amount, so you will have to look further for the exact cause.

The most important substances and other fertilizers for cucumbers:

1. Calcium. Adult leaves do not respond to its lack, and young leaves do not develop to a large size and look unnaturally bright at first and become pale gradually, discoloring from the center to the edge in stripes.
2. Copper. The tops become pale green, and the plant slowly fades, which indicates a lack of this element.
3. Potassium. Its deficiency is manifested by blanching and further acquisition of a brown tint by the tops. If there is excess peat in the soil, the plant will quickly and completely die.
4. Phosphorus. The development of the bush stops, it does not stretch upward, the leaves become pale yellow and hard to the touch, and fall off after a few days.

Excess fertilizer is also contraindicated for cucumbers. For example, if they are sprayed excessively with Bordeaux mixture and excess boron, mature leaves begin to turn pale and yellow at the edges. Then colorless spots spread across the entire plate, the leaf wrinkles and falls off.

With iron deficiency, the young leaves turn pale and yellow first, then the problem spreads to the entire bush. If you don't make feeding, the crop is completely destroyed.

Diseases

A common cause of pale tops is infection and pest attack. The plant becomes vulnerable to disease if the air temperature drops below +15°C and the soil is excessively moist.

Gardeners most often encounter the following diseases:

• fusarium – affects the root part and vascular system, the greens become watery and lose color;
• peronosporosis (downy mildew) - a coating forms on the leaf blades, but not white, but a yellowish-grayish color, over time they turn yellow and dry out (the reason is excessive watering or temperature fluctuations);
• anthracnose – manifested by the blanching of individual areas of the plates, and then the formation of brown spots in their place;
• angular spotting – the leaves become discolored, holes form on them, and a pinkish liquid appears (the fruits become deformed with brown ulcers).

If the bushes are attacked by insect pests, then urgent agricultural measures will be required. The introduction of special chemical compounds will help the correct development of the vines and increase the crop's resistance to damage.

Unwanted guests on the site are spider mites, whiteflies and melon aphids.

Agrotechnical errors

Inexperienced summer residents are sure that the more ovaries remain on the bush, the richer the harvest will be. This is one of the biggest mistakes. For optimal load and sufficient saturation with nutrients, it is necessary to leave no more than 20 ovaries, otherwise the whip will turn pale due to lack of vitality.

The reason for the color change is also insufficient pollination of plants. This problem is more often encountered by owners of greenhouses, where insects do not have access to cucumbers. They need to be attracted by planting honey plants in the greenhouse. But you should be wary of the cockchafer: it will destroy the entire crop with lightning speed.

Important! The plant reacts sharply to watering with cold water. It is recommended to use only warm water, approximately the same temperature.

Frost

Temperature fluctuations and night frosts are strictly contraindicated for plants. Such changes cause the foliage to turn pale, and then the ovaries are shed.In addition, in persistently cloudy weather, the process of photosynthesis is disrupted and the brightness of the tops disappears. But as soon as sunny days return, healthy bushes acquire a natural bright green color.

Why do cucumber seedlings have pale green leaves?

Young specimens sometimes lose their bright color, and active growth stops. First you need to identify the cause of this problem, and then begin to eliminate it:

• planting too early in an open area (the soil has not yet warmed up enough, all the foliage may not only lighten, but also completely crumble);
• excess organic fertilizing (temporarily stop adding chicken manure and replace it with bread or ash solutions);
• lack of moisture and watering with cold water (young roots freeze);
• too many ovaries (young formations quickly drain all the strength from the plant, the seedlings become lethargic and lose color).

Cucumber seedlings can also be affected by diseases: mosaic disease, powdery mildew, root rot. Affected parts of the plant must be promptly identified and destroyed, since the spread of infection and fungal infections occurs quickly.

Is this dangerous for the crop?

When properly developed, cucumbers should have bright green leaves. Their paleness is an alarming signal that indicates that the crop may be in danger of complete destruction.

Any deviation is fraught with negative consequences and negatively affects the vegetative process. On disease-affected bushes, fruits become unfit for consumption.

What to do

The harvest needs to be saved promptly by correctly identifying the cause of the blanching of the tops. First of all, it is necessary to follow the rules for timely application of fertilizers:

• first feeding – 14 days after planting young seedlings in an open area;
• the second - with the beginning of flowering;
• the third - during the fruiting period;
• fourth – 20 days after the previous one;
• fifth - required only for depleted soil.

Plants must be inspected for the presence of pests, and Actellik or other means of protection must be used to destroy them.

Important! Treatment with insecticides and any chemicals should not be carried out later than three weeks before harvest.

How to feed cucumbers

To restore the balance of nutrients, vegetables are fed with any available means:

• 1 liter of mullein is diluted in 10 liters of water and the bushes are watered carefully to the very roots;
• grind the weeds and dilute them in a ratio of 1:5 with water, leave for 10 hours and water the soil;
• 1 tbsp. l. urea dissolve in 10 liters of water;
• 200-250 g ash for a ten-liter bucket of water (1 liter for each bush);
• 1 pack of fresh yeast per 10 liters of water (a rich source of iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen).

An effective comprehensive fertilizer for cucumbers is chicken manure; you can use fresh or rotted manure (diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10). 700-800 ml of infusion is enough for one bush. To add this in the evening feeding, the beds need to be watered in the morning to prevent burning of the roots.

Preventive measures to prevent the problem

To prevent the tops from withering and discoloring, it is recommended to take the following measures:

1. Feed the plants regularly, every 15 days, applying fertilizer only in the evening and not exceeding the dosage indicated by the manufacturer on the package.
2. Maintain crop rotation (cucumbers cannot be planted in the same area for more than two years in a row).
3. Water regularly and use only settled warm water.
4. Mulch the soil with grass clippings or weeds to prevent rapid evaporation of moisture.
5. Control air humidity in the greenhouse.
6. Attract insects to greenhouses for natural pollination (plant dill, honey-bearing herbs nearby, or spray the plantings with boric acid from a spray bottle).
7. Remove excess ovaries, leaving no more than 20 pieces per bush.

Plants immediately after the first shoots appear must be treated with a preventive solution, which will strengthen their immune system and protect them from pests. To do this, use the following composition:

• 20 g laundry soap;
• 30 drops of iodine;
• 1 liter of milk.

The solution is sprayed on young seedlings 15 days after germination.

Important! Cucumber is a moisture-loving plant, so delay or insufficient watering is disastrous for it.

Advice from experienced gardeners

How to protect the crop from destruction and prevent the leaves from turning pale? For those who plant seedlings in a greenhouse, the key to success is preliminary cleaning in the greenhouse before the planting season. It is necessary to remove all old foliage, wash and disinfect the walls with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Despite the high effectiveness of folk recipes for feeding cucumbers, it is recommended to use professional products. These are balanced compositions that may cost more, but have a beneficial effect on the development of vegetables.

For example, “Magbor”, “Kaltsinit”, “Uniflor”, “Omex”, “Molibion” are produced containing individual microelements.

Reference. For emergency replenishment, you can use two-component formulations - “Azofos” and “Diammophos” (phosphorus with nitrogen) or a three-component composition – “Nitrophoska” (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium).

Summer residents recommend using a simple method to determine alkaline soil in which phosphorus is poorly absorbed: to do this, check the reaction with litmus paper. If you get positive results, add peat or sawdust to the soil.

An important rule for caring for cucumbers is regular processing and disinfection of garden tools. For example, mosaic can even damage seeds, and its activity lasts for about three years.

Conclusion

Discolored leaves can indicate that something is wrong with the plant. The sooner a problem is detected and diagnosed, the more effective its elimination will be. The task of every gardener is prevention, timely diagnosis and proper care of the crop. The reward for your efforts will be a high-quality and rich harvest.