Cucumber plants are one of the popular plants for any home gardener to grow. They are very tasty, juicy, nutritious, and great for the summer season.
Although they are very easy and simple to grow, they can become susceptible to many problems. When these issues become more severe, the vegetable gets dry faster and the leaves of cucumber can turn yellow.
Cucumber plants’ yellowing is not a minor or simple issue that can be prevented. In some cases, the plant may die before producing fruits.
Is your cucumber leaves turning yellow? Do you want to prevent it?
Then you are at the right place. We have curated a list why cucumber leaves turning yellow and its prevention.
So let’s dive into the effective guide below and find out the reasons and prevention of cucumber leaves turning yellow.
Reasons and prevention of cucumber leaves turning yellowPrevention
Nitrogen Deficiency
It is expected that when there is a nitrogen deficiency, the cucumber leaves can turn yellow. So It is necessary to correct this issue or the plant can die.
Nitrogen is a vital nutrient for the cucumber plant and is responsible for plant growth and foliage. It helps the plant to keep the leaves looking healthy.
So it is often necessary to add nitrogen to your plant. The best and easiest way to add nitrogen to the soil of your plant is to add a couple of tablespoons of fertilizer that contain nitrogen.
You can add a fertilizer with a ratio of 5-10-10. It is always recommended to follow the directions when using fertilizer, as using too much can also harm the plant, and then you cannot produce cucumbers.
You can also add ammonium nitrate to the soil when your plant begins flowering. All you need to add is a tablespoon of fertilizer to the plant. Repeat this several times 3 weeks later.
You can also try adding a thin layer of compost to your soil that will enrich the soil with nitrogen content. These solutions can rectify the yellow leaves if the cause is a nitrogen deficiency.
Overwatering
Sometimes cucumbers can be overwatered, just like any other plant that may cause yellowing of leaves. Cucumbers only need about 1 to 2 inches of water per week.
If it gets too much water, it could lead to oxygen-deprived roots, which can cause the leaves to turn yellow or wilt.
The problem could be caused by soil drainage as well, but you can rectify this problem by loosening the soil with sand or growing your plant in raised gardening boxes.
Sometimes underwatering can also cause wilting. So keep that in mind and water your plant as much as needed.
Light
Light can be one of the main reasons behind cucumber leaves turning yellow. Cucumbers require at least six to eight hours of sunlight daily. So if these plants get insufficient light, they can show the symptoms of yellow leaves
Whether you’re growing your plant indoors or outdoors, provide your plant with proper lighting and make sure they are getting enough sunlight.
So if your plant is not getting enough light, shift the plants to a location where they will get at least six hours of light. If you are growing plants indoors, and unable to provide enough lighting use LED supplementary or fluorescent lighting.
Chlorosis
Chlorosis is a condition of the plant in which plant leaves are unable to produce insufficient chlorophyll.
As everyone knows, chlorophyll is the green leaf pigment in the leaves that can grab sunlight to fuel the production of food. Thus, without enough chlorophyll, cucumber leaves can start turning yellow and starving.
Sometimes the leaves can turn yellow due to chlorosis. The yellow leaves gradually turn brown, then dry and fall off from the plant over time.
If your cucumber leaves turn yellow due to chlorosis, figure out why chlorosis is happening, study your cukes for other clues and take the necessary the teps to avoid it.
Spider mites
Spider mites can cause disease and turn the leaves yellow. Spider mites whether adults, nymphs, or larvae, can wreak havoc on your cucumber plants. These insects can damage the leaves by sucking the sap from them. These insects reside on the underside of leaves, where they leave a fine silver-colored web.
Spider mites can appear in the plant from late June through August. They are especially more widespread in dry and hot weather. Adult spider mites are very small in size having yellow to dark crimson coloring.
Feeding marks may display as light dots on the leaves if it is infested by spider mites. As the feeding progresses, the plant shows the symbol of yellow cucumber leaves. In most of the worst cases, it may dry out and fall off.
To protect your plant from spider mites, avoid stressing your plants or creating dusty or dry conditions. Use clove, garlic, neem, or rosemary essential oils on the cucumber plants to avoid these insects.
Spray insecticidal soap in your plant when you first spot mites to keep these unwanted bugs away. You can also eradicate the leaves from the bottom of the plants.
It is recommended to pray cucumber plants with an appropriate solution until it starts dripping from the leaves. You can also use row covers over the plant’s leaves at the beginning of the season.
Conclusion
Growing cucumbers at your home are very easy and allow you to have this crunchy treat available all year round. If your cucumber leaves turn yellow and die, it shows that something is wrong with the plants. It can happen with every gardener from time to time.
By knowing the reasons and implementing our tricks, you can save your vine crops. If you are unable to deal with the cucumber plant problem, talk with a skilled local agricultural specialist. The expert can surely find out the proper reason and offer you more tips to treat yellow leaves on cucumber plants.
