Greetings, I'd like to know what's up with my cucumber plants. As you'll see in the photos, some of the leaves are turning yellow, then brown ... then they die (the leaves - most of the plant seems OK). My Pumpkin plant seems to be doing the same thing (the pumpkin also either has or had thrips and black aphids) These plants came as starts from a local nursery, are in pots in an organic garden mix to which we added lots of Perlite. Since I am 100% organic, inside and out, (and even filter the chlorine and other contaminants out of the garden water -- AND use a food-quality hose), I use Dr. Earth's 3-3-3 liquid fertilizer concentrate (diluted, of course) and for pests I spray on a weak dilution of TKO Orange. So, my question is... 1) What's up with the cucumber's leaves? (is this normal? and what should I do) TIA - drcarl ------------------------------------------- PS - since others have asked, and in case someone want to tell me I am making a big mistake or something, here is the TKO concoction I make, the link to the manufacturer, and my source. The Organic TKO is supposed to keep the bugs at bay and act as a fertilizer facilitator for the plant. At first I used a lighter "Mist" concentration. I have since upped it to the "Plant Spray" mix. Here's my recipe: Plant Spray (PER GALLON OF WATER) 2 Tablespoons of TKO 1 Tablespoon. of White Vinegar 1 Tablespoon of Epson Salts I make it up in quarter recipe as follows: 1 qt = 32 oz water 1.5 t TKO Orange .75 t white vinegar .75 t Epsom salts and, I also add... 1/2 t baking soda 4 drops Murphy's oil (soap) 15-20 drops colloidal silver Here's the company info TKO Orange Here is where I buy mine: Sacred Medicine Sancturary I think it's too early to know if this combo I put together works or not. It seems that I have very few bugs, generally. The simple "Mist" spray completely saved a neighbor's garden according to her. My roses are still plagued with blackspot. I should probably apply it more often and invite any and all comments.
If it is just lower leaves turning yellow, this seems to be normal. My cucumbers and some varieties of tomatoes do this when they start producing fruit.