What is this mould??

[Susie]

Hi - my cucumber leaves (starting first on the lower leaves but gradually moving up) have got a white mould type thing affecting the leaves - was wondering if anyone knows what it is and if I can do anything about it?? Should I remove the affected leaves?? Please help!!! Going to try to attach a photo - bit blurred but might be help with diagnosis??

[saznpaul]

someone please correct me if I'm wrong here but I looked up my 'wee book' to see what the answer could be.

According to the book (and if I'm correct) it is Grey Mould which they class as a general vegetable disease. Book says that there are no sprays for it but to always remove dead and diseased leaves.

Hope this helps... or if if I'm wrong... please someone tell us!

[Susie]

Hi - thanks very much for that - it also seems to have jumped across the greenhouse and is just starting on another cucumber plant - although - maybe i've transferred the disease by touching the leaves??? Do you happen to know if the cucumbers will be fine though??? They seem to be growing fairly well (only small at the moment) - but are they safe to eat when they're grown I wonder???

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Susie, it could be powdery mildew which is like a dusty mold. The spores are airbourne so it will infect your other cucumber plants and it loves humid conditions like there are in greenhouses. You can buy chemical treatments from the garden centres but apparently spraying the plants with skimmed milk diluted to one part milk to nine parts water also works. I haven't tried it though! The cucumbers will be perfectly safe to eat.

[Susie]

Thanks Lesley Jay for the information - yes it does look like mildew!! - I have already run into the greenhouse and snipped off all the affected leaves!!! - hope the cucumbers will still grow??? - think I panicked and got a bit scissor happy!!!

[Lesley Jay]

Susie, remember the spores are airbourne so try the milk treatment as a weekly spray to prevent the powdery mildew returning.

[Susie]

Hi Lesley - thanks for that - does it have to be skimmed milk or can it be semi'skimmed?? I'm guessing perhaps there's a reason for you saying 'skimmed' and not just 'milk'?? Is it something that will only be confined to the cucumbers or would it be best to spray everything in the greenhouse??? Sorry to be a pain but i'd hate to lose everything in the greenhouse

[Susie]

And another question....... is it best to leave the window or door slightly ajar at night to prevent it getting so humid in there???

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Susie, I have always left the greenhouse door half open at night once the weather starts to warm up. There are different types of powdery mildew that affect different vegetable families so technically powdery mildew on cucumber plants shouldn't affect tomato plants but it's best to keep your eye on the other plants. As for the milk, I always thought it was like an old wives tale but looking on Google a scientist in Brazil recommends using skimmed milk sprayed in the evenings once a week. Milk freezes so you could buy a pint of skimmed and freeze it in ice cubes trays for easy use.

[Susie]

Hi Lesley Jay - skimmed milk on the shopping list for tomorrow - i'm determined not to lose all the plants to this mouldy thing!!!! Will let you know how I get on!! Thanks for the excellent advice!!!

[saznpaul]

oh susie....so sorry u snipped away @ your cuc's. really hope they will be ok.

we are having our first ever go @ home grown veggies cuc's included & we are certainly learning from our triumphs & cock ups to date & are relying on books & t'internet to see us through.

Look forward to seeing how yours progress. sorry again about making u panic & snip!!! xxx

[Susie]

Hey - don't worry!!! - i'm glad that I snipped the pesky leaves off - every minute they were in there was another minute for it to spread!!! All seems okay so far = fingers crossed!!!

[Susie]

It's my first year too!!! - have tried to grown tomatoes before but failed miserably!!! We'll have to compare notes at the end of the summer!!!

[saznpaul]

yeah that'd be good! have to admit I think I went a bit 'sow happy' and we have loads of plants... but have just told family and friends they will be getting our excess! On a good note though they are coming on at different rates...and have a mix of grow bags,bags and pots so it will be interesting to see which one's come on the best and what works and what doesn't.

In honesty, I usually have anything but green fingers when it comes to plant life so I probably didn't expect half of them to come on... but they have! lol oh well...

finding it all very exciting seeing us give life to these little plants. I'm forever out pottering and making sure they are OK! lol

Look forward to seeing how you get on Susie!

[Susie]

Amazing - I could have written that post myelf - I have done exactly the same - tried loads and loads of things in different ways and wait and see - it's great fun - i'm absolutely bitten by the gardening bug now!!!