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Jun 30, 2015 3:27 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Julie Bauer
Vallejo, California (Zone 9b)
I live in the Bay Area of California and I have two Bush Cucumbers that are lush and exploding with cucumber flowers and emerging cukes....But now I have a problem with something that has been eating the cucumbers....There is no damage to any of the leaves and I have not really seen any bugs on the plant...I look on and under the leaves but see no insects....the only insects close by are ants which are speeding up and down the brick area of the raised bed it is in...I have placed some ant bait traps along the route but I don't actually see the ants on the plant...Last week I noticed two cucumbers about 2-3 inches long that fell off of the plant....Then I spotted a nice healthy cuke about 5 inches long.... The next day there was a chunk taken out of the cucumber...there were no holes to indicate worms...the damage was from the outside in....by the next day a few more chunks were taken out of the cucumber....The day after the whole cucumber is cleaned out except for part of the rind and the two ends of it....Now I have another cuke about 4 inches long and the same thing is beginning to happen to it...I have checked like mad and still see no visible sign of any insect....Help before the invisible invader eats all my cucumbers....This is the first time I've grown cucumbers in the ground....
Last edited by bauerjulie Jun 30, 2015 4:26 PM Icon for preview
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Jun 30, 2015 11:00 AM CST
Name: Carol
Santa Ana, ca
Sunset zone 22, USDA zone 10 A.
Bookworm Charter ATP Member Region: California Hummingbirder Orchids Plant Identifier
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
I have seen mice cause that kind of damage on cantalope. My cucumbers have always been trellised.
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Jun 30, 2015 12:32 PM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Butterflies Birds I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Greenhouse Region: United States of America Region: Michigan Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Welcome to All Things Plants, Julie !

I've never had that happen with cucumbers -- but like Carol, I almost always grow vining types on a trellis. Slugs, maybe?
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer
C/F temp conversion
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Jun 30, 2015 2:15 PM CST
Name: Arlene
Southold, Long Island, NY (Zone 7a)
Region: Ukraine Dahlias I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Houseplants Tomato Heads Garden Ideas: Level 1
Plant Identifier Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Slip the foot part of knee high stockings around the next few cukes and see what happens.
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Jun 30, 2015 4:35 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Julie Bauer
Vallejo, California (Zone 9b)
Pirl....that's a good idea...I'll try that and see if anything happens...unfortunately the raised bed it's in is not very big so my tomatoes are in the back of it with the trellises since they are the cherry type of tomato...I can't put any trellis with the cucumbers because it would block the sun for the tomatoes behind them....the cucumber plants were bush type and since I have never really grown anything other than tomatoes I didn't have a good idea of how big they get....the information tag on it gave no indication of height or width only that it was sized for pots and small areas....well they are all over the place....I did put small tomato cages on them and have some of the vine growing up on the cage but I guess I should have gotten bigger cages...the cucumbers being eaten are close to the ground but I've seen no slugs or snails or signs of their telltale snot trails as I call them....I had seen a couple of Cucumber Beetles on them and crushed them when I found them but I have not seen too many...mostly those Beetles like my roses which are being affected in that they chew around the edges of the roses or they are smaller in size than usual....I haven't seen mice around and I do have three cats so if it is mice those cats better earn their keep...LOL....I may call my local agricultural center to see what they say...Thanks for your advice! Thank You!
Thanks for your
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Jun 30, 2015 4:57 PM CST
Name: Carol
Santa Ana, ca
Sunset zone 22, USDA zone 10 A.
Bookworm Charter ATP Member Region: California Hummingbirder Orchids Plant Identifier
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Julie, Try putting some loosely rolled newspaper near them in the evening. In the morning shake it out carefully to see if you caught any suspicious bugs that could be feeding at night.
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Jun 30, 2015 5:27 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Julie Bauer
Vallejo, California (Zone 9b)
I'll try that too Carol...thanks!
Last edited by bauerjulie Jun 30, 2015 5:28 PM Icon for preview
Avatar for Frillylily
Jun 30, 2015 6:28 PM CST
Missouri (Zone 6a)
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Plant Identifier
rats, turtles, squirrels. rabbits

Anything that is looking for moisture that can reach it. Sometimes they are just after the liquid if it has been really hot and dry out. I know I used to have squirrels and turtles eat my tomatoes. They can take fairly large bites of them. Of course they don't eat the whole thing, they eat ONE bite out of every one Rolling my eyes.
Avatar for sandrapemberton
Jul 9, 2020 12:33 PM CST

i live in kagel cyn near sylmar and have raised beds i noticed whole cucumbers missing and no summer squash or zuccini very little on the plants like nothing then this morn i found cucs half eaten or completely eaten and still nothing on the squash plants i think im going to spend the night in my garden
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Jul 9, 2020 12:51 PM CST

sandrapemberton said:i live in kagel cyn near sylmar and have raised beds i noticed whole cucumbers missing and no summer squash or zuccini very little on the plants like nothing then this morn i found cucs half eaten or completely eaten and still nothing on the squash plants i think im going to spend the night in my garden


Try an experiment: put out a planter tray filled with water near your beds. If the critters are just after water they will leave your vegetables alone and drink the water. I always have one near my vegetable patch, chiefly to keep the squirrels at bay. It works really well.

If you want to catch the culprit(s) creep up on the vegetable patch after 11PM with a powerful flashlight and turn it on at last minute. That should blind them for a few seconds and give you the opportunity to see what your dealing with. It's up to you to decide to bring a varmint rifle or not.
Avatar for sandrapemberton
Jul 10, 2020 8:13 AM CST

so. cali
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Jul 11, 2020 12:30 AM CST

sandrapemberton said:so. cali


I take that means: "Cannot shoot at it without a silencer". nodding
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Jul 13, 2020 12:29 PM CST
Name: Carol
Santa Ana, ca
Sunset zone 22, USDA zone 10 A.
Bookworm Charter ATP Member Region: California Hummingbirder Orchids Plant Identifier
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Obviously familiar with So. Cal.
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