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Why cucumber stems crack: what gardeners need to know
15.06.2024 04:10
Many summer residents who grow cucumbers in open ground and greenhouses complain that the stems of this crop suddenly crack or burst.
Such a problem can lead not only to serious deformation of the entire above-ground part of this vegetable crop, but also to the death of the plant.
Cracking of cucumber stems can be caused by dangerous fungal diseases and viruses, agricultural errors and pests.
Cucumber mosquito
This small insect, as a rule, attacks only weak, young plants, as well as crops affected by diseases and other pests.
The gnat larvae create numerous tiny passages all over the surface of the stems. This causes the damaged stem to gradually crack and become deformed.
In damaged parts of the stems, parasites and pathogens of various diseases start to appear, which further weaken the plant.
Diseases
Various diseases and viruses are the most common cause of cucumber stem cracking.
The most dangerous disease is the cucumber mosaic virus, as it very quickly affects cucumbers growing in greenhouses or open ground. The pathogen of this disease lives on weeds or is carried by aphids and other parasites.
On the stems of cucumbers affected by this dangerous virus, numerous cracks appear, and yellow spots form on the leaves.
Fusarium can also cause the stems of cucumbers to crack and subsequently die.
The stems of cucumbers affected by this infectious disease are first covered with a pink coating, then darken and crack, rot and die.
Cucumber ovaries turn yellow and wither, and if there are fruits on the plant, they do not develop.
Agrotechnical errors
Stem cracking can also occur due to the fault of the gardener growing cucumbers.
Thus, cucumber stems can crack due to intensive or too frequent watering. In this case, excess moisture gradually accumulates around the roots.
This leads to the fact that the stems of the vegetable crop first rot at the base, and then burst or become covered with numerous cracks.
Not only excess but also lack of moisture can cause stem cracking. Insufficient watering can lead to color changes and thinning of cucumber stems.
Earlier we talked about why petunia leaves sometimes curl.
