| I have a 10' by 25' garden with partial sun (6 hrs on average) and for all past seasons except the first year of planting, the cucumbers are totally dead by mid-August because of bacterial wilt (according to County Extension Service. I'ved moved the cukes as much as I can without success. Which variety of cucumber would you suggest I try for a fighting chance of success? |
| If there's a way to trellis your cukes so that the vines get maximum sun in your garden, they'll grow more vigorously and hopefully resist disease better. Since bacterial wilt is spread by cucumber beetles and vine borers, I suggest that you choose a cucumber that doesn't require pollination (greenhouse varieties), and keep the vines covered all summer with a fabric row cover. This will keep the pesky disease-spreading pests away from your plants. According to a Missouri Botanical Garden bulletin, there are varieties that are less suceptible to the disease: County Fair' and ?Saladin?. Some varieties are less appealing as food for cucumber beetles. These include ?Ashley?, ?Chipper?, and ?Gemini? cucumber. Better luck this year! |
