cucumber beatle ? You're a child of the 60s I guess.

Have you tried attracting more birds to the garden?

Have you tried growing "weed" plants to attract the cucumber beetles and subsequently, insect predators?

Rather than mashing plants row covers if supported only by the plants have a tendency to fly away with the wind. You can easily make some hoops for support over the plants from PVC pipe, but be sure to staple the edges to the ground well.

There are various types of row covers, you want the lightweight (less than 1 oz per sq yard) spun polyester floating row covers. We hold them down by placing lattice strips along each edge - the cover catches on every little splinter so we make that work for us. We use it on most of our vegetables and as long as it isn't pulled tight even the lettuce is not damaged by it.

I use agribon-15 (.45 oz/square yard)...

Thanx folks. That seems to make a lot more sense. I'll be searching locally for the light-weight stuff.
Jim

Okay I am going to disagree with light covers for insect control. I love using agribond ag30 covers in the summer. I keep them off of the plants using hoops made from #9 fence wire you buy in rolls at any farm store (TSC/Farm and Fleet, the local feed mill, etc). Cut the wire to 6' to 7' lengths. I weigh down the edges of the row cover with rocks (5lb or heavier) placed about every 4' feet (closer if you have chronic heavy wind).

Be sure to put the covers on as soon as you have planted the seeds/transplants.

Here is a link that might be useful: Row cover article

I use row covers on many plants, mostly cole crops against the cabbage butterfly, but the best way I found to protect cukes is to grow only County Fair, a delicious cuke that is highly resistant to the wilt carried by the cuke beetle. It's a pickling cuke, but is delicious as an eating one.