pickling cuc ?

blurose

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What would cause some of my pickling cucs to turn yellow on the vine when only little tiny still? Some of the leaves are turning yellow down towards the base of the vines as well. I'm really disappointed in my garden this year. The weather has just not been warm enough, I think, to get a good garden. What a bummer. I've got tomato plants loaded with lots of green fruit now, but am worried that none of it will ripen before it gets too cool.
 

curly_kate

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I've had the same problem with a few of my cukes, but they've started to cooperate. Also had the same issue with my leaves last year, but it didn't seem to make a difference to the fruit. What part of the country are you in? It took a while, but my garden has finally taken off. FINALLY! :rainbow-sun
 

blurose

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I'm in the PNW, zone 7 I think
 

Grow 4 Food

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Too much water? Or to much change in the amount of water (dry - flooded)?
 

bills

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Zone 7 is actually a pretty warm zone, so there is still a good bit of growing season yet. If worse comes to worse with your tomatoes, you can still ripen them on the window sill.

A couple of thoughts on your pickling cukes.

I find that any members of the squash family, cukes included, will have the very tiny fruits yellow, and eventually dry up, if not pollinated. The window of opportunity for the pollination can be quite short, especially if your weather has been on the cool side, or just a general lack of bees. How big are they before they go yellow? Just mini's? I wouldn't worry about a few yellowing leaves, as that seems fairly normal.

Watering can be another issue, if there appears to be yellowing and end rotting of the forming fruit. Usually that is from not enough water, and/ or a calcium problem. Lot's of discussions have been had on those problems, and cures.
 

OaklandCityFarmer

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I agree with bills on this issue. I think the biggest problem that you're having is lack of pollination, assuming they are very small. The window of opportunity is usually only 1 day. I really can't think of anything else that would cause this. You can take some male flowers and brush them against the female flowers to ensure adequate pollination.

Also, be sure to reduce the use of any chemicals, sprays, powders (organic or non-organic) you may use in the garden that can adversely affect the populations of pollinators, DE, Sevin, etc.

One side note. Although common practice, placing unripened tomatoes on a window sill to ripen can actually reduce the flavor, storage life and overall quality of your tomatoes. Placing them in a darm, warm place is typically a better solution. And never refrigerate them.

Good luck!
 

bills

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OaklandCityFarmer said:
One side note. Although common practice, placing unripened tomatoes on a window sill to ripen can actually reduce the flavor, storage life and overall quality of your tomatoes. Placing them in a darm, warm place is typically a better solution. And never refrigerate them.
Good luck!
Good advice, but did you mean a damn warm place, or a damp warm place? I have lots of damn warm places like my attic, and sunroom, but at this time of year not many damp warm places..:)
 

OaklandCityFarmer

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bills said:
OaklandCityFarmer said:
One side note. Although common practice, placing unripened tomatoes on a window sill to ripen can actually reduce the flavor, storage life and overall quality of your tomatoes. Placing them in a darm, warm place is typically a better solution. And never refrigerate them.
Good luck!
Good advice, but did you mean a damn warm place, or a damp warm place? I have lots of damn warm places like my attic, and sunroom, but at this time of year not many damp warm places..:)
LOL. I meant dark warm place. oops. :p
 
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