Why do cucumber seedling leaves dry out and turn yellow? How to treat it

Growing cucumbers from seedlings allows for an early harvest. However, it's important to consider many nuances and adhere to certain rules to ensure healthy and beautiful cucumbers. However, even when following all the rules, cucumber seedlings can still experience yellowing leaves. Identifying the cause and responding quickly will help you eliminate the yellowing promptly and without harm, ensuring a bountiful harvest.

Causes of yellowing leaves of cucumber seedlings

When yellow or white areas appear on cucumber leaves, or they simply begin to wilt and dry out, this may be due to:

1. Insufficient light. When light levels are low, the cotyledon leaves (the first two leaves to appear on seedlings) are the first to turn yellow.
2. The wrong pot size. As the plant grows, its root system also develops. If the container it's planted in is too small, it becomes cramped, lacks micronutrients, and the plant wilts.
3. Too little or too much moisture. If a plant doesn't receive enough moisture, its roots rise out of the soil and then dry out. If it receives too much moisture, the root system rots, leading to yellowing of the seedling leaves and eventually death of the vegetable crop.
4. Fungal diseases. When growing cucumbers in a greenhouse, watering and temperature control can be inadequate. This can lead to fungal diseases.

5. Insufficient nutrients. This manifests itself as yellowing of the leaf edges, which progresses to complete drying out of the plant.
6. Sunburn. When watering, it's important to ensure there's no condensation on the plant. To do this, water gently at the roots.
7. Root damage. This can occur after early planting or root damage during loosening or weeding.
8. Low temperature.
9. Pest infestation.

It's important to identify the cause of yellowing cucumber seedling leaves before it leads to root death and begin addressing the problem immediately.

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What to do if the leaves of cucumber seedlings turn yellow

There are certain rules and recommendations to follow when cucumber leaves turn yellow and dry out:

• top dressing;
• irrigation regulation;
• the influence of light and heat on young seedlings;
• landing errors;
• protection from diseases and pests.

Top dressing

For the proper growth of a dicotyledonous plant, it is important top dressing throughout the entire growth and fruiting period. The first application of organic fertilizers occurs after the cucumbers have been planted in open ground. Subsequently, to determine which fertilizers to apply, it is necessary to observe where the cucumbers begin leaves turn yellow and dry outFor example, if a plant lacks potassium and magnesium, the edges of cucumber seedling leaves will dry out. If yellowing starts at the top, it's a copper deficiency, and if the entire leaf turns yellow with green veins, the soil is low in manganese.

The photo shows how the leaves of seedlings turn yellow depending on the lack of a certain micro- and macroelement.

Fertilizing is carried out according to the following scheme: in early summer, the bushes are fed with nitrogen fertilizers, and in late summer, with potassium fertilizers. Humus or compost is used as organic fertilizer. One kilogram per bucket of water is sufficient. This solution is then watered. For inorganic fertilizing, 2 tablespoons of superphosphate, 1 tablespoon of urea, and 250 ml of ash are diluted in 10 liters of water. This fertilizer is sufficient for 1 square meter.

Irrigation regulation

If the yellowing is due to improper watering, a new schedule should be established. This should take into account the soil type, the condition of the seedlings, and the weather conditions. If the soil is dry, moisten it with warm, settled water. If the soil is very wet, remove excess moisture with an absorbent material such as paper or cloth. If possible, add river sand to the bed. Water three times a week, applying water to the roots, avoiding contact with the foliage.

The influence of light and heat on young seedlings

If your cucumber seedlings' leaves are turning yellow, they may not be getting enough light. This could be due to a planting pattern that's not being followed correctly: rows should be one meter wide, with 55 cm between plants within rows. This pattern ensures each plant receives adequate ventilation and light.

Temperature also affects the health of the dicotyledonous plant. A sudden drop in temperature damages the roots, preventing the plant from receiving sufficient nutrients and resulting in its death. Transplanting cotyledons into open ground should occur when the nighttime temperature reaches at least 12 degrees Celsius.

Landing errors

Yellowing leaves on cucumber seedlings can initially be caused by improper planting. Therefore, before creating a cucumber bed, consider the neighboring dicots, avoid over-fertilizing, and follow the planting pattern. It's important to harden off the seedlings for seven days before planting. The bed itself should be replaced with a new one every year, and the old one should be returned to after four years.

Protection from diseases and pests

Cucumbers can become infected with powdery mildew, root rot, fusarium, or downy mildew. In these cases, use Previkur for root rot, and Topaz or Fitosporin for powdery mildew. You can also spray the plant and surrounding soil with a 1:1 solution of baking soda and water. To prevent the infected plant from infecting neighboring plants, remove it.

Yellowed seedlings may also indicate a pest attack. Most commonly, these are spider mites and aphids. To combat these, use pesticides such as Aktara, Akarin, Fitoverm, Grom, and others. Prepare the solution according to the package instructions.

How to treat cucumber seedlings when they turn yellow

You can stop the yellowing of leaves or prevent this process completely using some solutions:

1. With milk. Dilute 1 liter of the drink in 10 liters of water. Add 30 drops of iodine and 20 grams of laundry soap shavings. Treat the leaves for 10 days.
2. Using iodine-infused bread. Soak a loaf of bread in 10 liters of water for 12 hours. Mash the bread and add one bottle of iodine. Dilute one liter of the resulting solution in a bucket and spray the bushes every two weeks.
3. Potassium permanganate. Use a 1% solution for spraying.
4. Onion infusion. Add 0.8 liters of onion peel infusion to 10 liters of water and bring to the boil. Once it boils, remove from heat and cover tightly with a lid to steep. After 13 hours, strain the solution and dilute with water in a 1:4 ratio.

These solutions are sprayed on the bushes, starting from the top leaves and ending with the bottom ones. Any remaining solution is poured under the bushes.

Recovery methods and prevention

If yellowing appears on the bushes, you should immediately take action:

• apply fertilizer to vegetable crops;
• treat against fungal diseases;
• regulate the watering regime;
• treat the bushes against pests;
• thin out the beds if the planting is dense.

If the first signs of yellowing appear, you can use a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

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Preventative measures include preparing the seeds and soil. The seeds need to be hardened off. This is done by alternating between warm and cold temperatures. Afterwards, they should be soaked in a potassium permanganate solution for disinfection. These simple procedures will make them disease-resistant.

A special peat soil is used for planting. The seedlings themselves should be grown on a windowsill or in a greenhouse. Some gardeners even heat the soil in an oven at up to 90 degrees Celsius. This destroys any potential parasitic microorganisms in the soil, as well as pathogens. Before planting, the bed should be prepared by digging it and fertilizing it. 5 kg of fertilizer per square meter is sufficient.

When replacing a cucumber bed, ensure that the previous crop wasn't zucchini or pumpkin. These can cause fungal diseases. It's also important to ensure proper watering: don't overwater the soil or allow it to dry out. If adequate watering isn't possible, mulch the bed with straw or grass.

As soon as 3-4 leaves appear on the seedlings, they can be treated with a milk solution as a preventative measure. Spraying should be done every 10 days. To prevent fungal diseases, water the bushes with a soda solution.

Reviews

Valentin

I've been growing cucumbers in a greenhouse for years now, selling them commercially. But last year, the leaves on my cucumbers started turning yellow at the edges. No matter what I did, the problem persisted. It turned out to be very simple – they were being exposed to toxic substances. I had polystyrene foam in the greenhouse, and as soon as I removed it, my cucumbers stopped turning yellow at the leaf tips and dying. I no longer use polystyrene foam in the greenhouse.

Irina

When growing cucumbers, I prefer folk remedies. First, I rotate the beds every year. Second, I use compost and ash as fertilizer. And third, I spray them with a soda and yeast solution as a preventative measure. And if pests appear, a solution of soda and iodine works well. With these treatments, my cucumbers are delicious every year.

The main reason why seedlings fail to grow and their leaves turn yellow and wilt is poor care, disease, or pests. By following the proper seedling planting plan and taking preventative measures, you can prevent the unpleasant yellowing and wilting of leaves. It's much easier to follow proper care than to spend time trying to restore your vegetable crop later.