Cucumbers can be found in every summer cottage. This vegetable, refreshing on hot days, is not only tasty, but also healthy. Unfortunately, it happens that white spots appear on the green leaves of a spreading bush that creeps along the ground. Often this leads to the fact that the plant stops bearing fruit or even dies. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to identify the cause in time.
Improper agrotechnical care
Often this problem appears if the gardener does not properly care for the plantings. In this case, the cause of the appearance of white spots may be:
- lack of light;
- deficiency of micronutrients and vitamins;
- boarding too early;
- improper watering;
- soil acidity.
What to do
If agricultural technology is incorrect, it is urgently necessary to review and correct it. It is recommended to plant cucumbers in a well-lit area so that the plant does not experience a lack of sunlight.
During active growth, the vegetable itself requires a lot of vitamins and microelements. To ensure that there is no deficiency and that the bushes develop normally and bear fruit well, fertilizers are added to the soil once every 2-3 weeks. Organic fertilizers, which are always on hand, or complex fertilizers, which can be purchased in specialized stores, are suitable for this.
ATTENTION! Organic fertilizers (humus, manure, herbal infusions) are evenly distributed over the site, after which the soil is watered abundantly. When using complex fertilizers, follow the instructions on the package.
Cucumbers are a heat-loving crop, so there is no need to rush into planting. Wait until the weather is warm and only then plant the plant in open ground.
Water the plant with warm, settled water for the same reason. In hot weather, moderate watering is carried out daily. If it rains frequently, watering is reduced.
High acidity of the soil has an adverse effect and causes white spots to appear on the foliage. In this case, wood ash is added to the soil. You can do this in two ways:
- scatter ash on the site;
- make a composition (dilute 250 g of ash in 5 liters of water).
Diseases and pests
If the agricultural technology is correct, but white spots continue to appear on the leaves, they are caused by garden diseases or the presence of insect pests.
The following infections and insects can cause the characteristic signs and spotting:
- powdery mildew;
- white mosaic;
- spider mite;
- azcochitosis;
- anthracnose;
- greenhouse whitefly.
What to do
To prevent vegetable diseases, it is necessary to periodically remove weeds from the area and keep it clean and tidy. After each harvest, treat the bushes on the site with special means, for example, “Quadris”. Watering should only be done with warm water.
To combat emerging diseases, experienced gardeners often use folk remedies and only in extreme cases chemicals. The bushes can be treated with skim milk solution, kefir or yogurt. The lactic acid bacteria contained in these products perfectly fight fungal diseases and do not harm cucumbers.
You can also use a mixture of manure and water or an herbal infusion. To do this, manure or green nettle mass is poured with water in a ratio of 1:10 and left to infuse for 3 days. After this, the solution is ready for use. If folk remedies are powerless, use chemicals, which are always sold in specialized stores.
If insects are present, the bushes are treated with insecticidal preparations, and heavily affected areas are destroyed.
It is easier to prevent any diseases than to fight them. As a preventive measure, keep your site clean and carry out proper agricultural care.
Have a good harvest!
