Hi again. I didn't mention that I have seen 1-2 squash bugs occasionally on the cucumbers. I also have Waltham butternut squash growing up a trellis, and haven't seen them on those. I did pull all the wilted cucumber plants out, and found this at the bottom of the stem on all of them. Don't know if the ones that haven't wilted have this since I didn't want to pull good ones out! Here's a picture of the bottom of the stems. Is this a telltale sign of anything? Thanks for your input!

Could this be Squash Vine Borer damage ?????????

Thanks yolos. That's what I'm wondering. I've just never seen this with cucumbers before. But I've seen a couple of those bugs on the cucs recently, so I think you could be right. I wonder if a soap spray would discourage them? I suppose it wouldn't hurt. I also have seen one on my butternut squash. I have it growing up a swingset trellis and haven't seen any for several years, since I moved the zucchini away from the garden. But maybe they found their way back.

Thanks again!

I have a terrible cucumber year as well and some of my friends complain about meager harvest. I blame it on wilt from cucumber beetles and some of them are double of usual size. Out of my 10 plants I had may be 20-30 cucumbers at most and getting rid of shriveled, yellow and parchment- looking leaves and plants every day. One month without rain in June-July did not help as well, even though I watered them twice a day. No cucumbers in next year for sure.

I'm having my first cuke failure since 1974. I don't know what's wrong; not bacterial wilt, not downy mildew. The vines are just on the small side and though I 'm getting plenty of cukes to eat, not enough for pickles.

No problems here with cukes this season, we're all pickled out and the neighbors are refusing to take any more, my hens are getting tired of eating them, even had to compost many cukes. Still picking about 20 each day now. Only wish I could say the same about my watermelons, worse season ever in that dept.. Also, very few cuke beeltes, lowest number of striped and spotted beetles in years, on the other hand the squash bugs are plentiful as usual.

I guess there can be so many changes in nature from year to year that affect the weather, the various bug populations, the conditions for wilts, etc. It's funny, but it has made me aware of how much cucumbers from the garden mean to me! haha I love Danish cucumber salad, fresh cucumbers (their scent reminds me of fishing at a lake in the rain when I was young). And I've learned to make refrigerator pickles that my family loves. But I guess sh*t happens and I have to keep it in perspective (i.e. no one I love has died from Covid!).

This cucumber "catastrophe" has forced me to get a bit more educated on the squash bug and the squash vine borer (never knew there were 2 different ones).....and how they live and the effects they have. I just assumed wilt was always from the cucumber beetle. I went out yesterday and put aluminum foil around the bottoms of the cucumber stems (read that can help). I looked for and caught several squash bugs (borers?) and drowned them in soapy water. That was really hard for me 'cause I don't like killing anything. But.....it was them or the cucumbers.

I don't use chemicals, which makes me have to think harder about controlling them. I just saw a You Tube where a guy who was growing his squash up a trellis/stake, removed all the lower leaves so that circulation and sun can get to the stem, and then dusted the around around the stem with diatomaceous earth. I have some food grade stuff left over from my chickens, so I might try that too. I guess I'll have to rotate where I grow these cucumbers (up a cattle panel arch), and butternut squash (up a concrete reinforcing wire-lined swing set)....which will be a challenge since they are so big. I rotate where I grow my tomatoes, but I never thought I had to do it with cucumbers and squash. So......I have a plan. So far the butternut squash plants look okay, but it's the cucumber plants that have been attacked so badly. It isn't easy having a garden....so many bugs/diseases/raccoons/chipmunks, mice, etc., etc. But I have a great fence and solar electric fencing, so I, at least, have maybe kept out the coons. Okay.......I better stop talking. Can you tell I just had some caffeinated coffee? Good luck out there with these squash varmints.