Is it normal for cucumber plants to wilt after a short time ?

[powerserge]

I planted some squash and cucumbers on some peat pellets" indoors" . they grew fast, stems got around 5 inches long but after that they started to wilt or die down . Theyre still green and 1st leaves are just about to open .The same thing happened to my squash, is this normal? or am i watering to much or not enough ? the instructions say to keep pellets moist till 1st leaves appear then take em out to sunlight at intervals during the week . then transplant . however the stems are wilting. I checked for bugs and for fungi , but dont see that present . Any help would be much appreciated .....

 

[digitS']

Well powerserge, 5" is quite a jump on just the seed leaves. Could the seedlings be light-deprived? They may just have expended a lot of their stored energy.

Honestly, I don't like peat containers. My experiences with them have been really bad and it had to do with them wicking away moisture from the plants.

I am potting up seedlings from 4-packs to 4" pots right now. The soil mix is a variation on what I usually use - same company, different formula.

It has so much peat I went to the garden center after I first began using it last year and told the guy that I just had to get something mixed in to better hold the moisture. I ended up with a high-tech, expensive polymer additive.

Altho' it is a useful material for growing, too much peat can make the process difficult - at least, for me.

Steve

 

[journey11]

Cukes are pretty sensitive anyway. They don't really like to be transplanted, but it can be done.

 

[powerserge]

this is what they look like

 

[AmyRey]

I think those babies are looking for light.

 

[Dace]

Those seed leaves should be much closre to the soil....as in not much of a stem.

How old are they?

Agreed, they are desperate for sunshine.....just be careful.

 

[lesa]

That is what the gardening world calls "leggy". As other have mentioned they were starved for light and were reaching for it... thus, the weak, tall stems. I have very good luck transplanting cukes, but I start them outside in cold frames. There is quite an art to starting seeds and a steep learning curve- don't give up! Happy Gardening!

 

[wifezilla]

You can also start seeds outside early with a frost blanket.

 

[vfem]

That is what the gardening world calls "leggy". As other have mentioned they were starved for light and were reaching for it... thus, the weak, tall stems. I have very good luck transplanting cukes, but I start them outside in cold frames. There is quite an art to starting seeds and a steep learning curve- don't give up! Happy Gardening!

Agreed!

 

[hoodat]

I never start cukes or squash in pots. They usually don't transplant well. I always start them right in the ground. If your soill is still too cool you can make a tent out of trasparent plastic, like a miniature green house, to warm it up. If you are only planting a few you gan put wide mouthed jars over them to do the same thing. Air the jars out once they are up by removing them to dry for a few minutes once a day so they don't get too moist and cause mold. When the first true leaves show they can be removed.