A day of devastation

I've killed all my cucurbits!   I'm absolutely devastated. 

I've got no one to blame but myself which is even worse. We have two sprayers, a middle sized and a big one. I mostly, but very seldom, use the smaller of the two. P has used the bigger one but not for some 5-10 years. I made up my potassium bicarbonate solution and put it in the midllesized sprayer which failed to pump. So I transferred the mixture to the bigger one and merrily sprayed every cucurbit leaf I had both upper and lower surface, against powdery mildew. I bet you can guess the rest of the story.  Half way through the day, which was cloudy, I noticed the courgettes were drooping then later on they were all collapsing.  I fear the big sprayer might have had weed killer residue but neither P or I have any recollection of using weedkiller in the near past,  it's just something we don't use.  I didn't think to swill out the sprayer, even if that would have helped. 

I have washed the leaves with a hose as well as possible but fear the worst. I understand cucurbits are especially sensitive to herbicides. All my courgettes, squashes and cucumbers are toast. I feel like throwing my hands up a giving up gardening.

I can't Like that ;(
Don't despair, they may bounce back. If its any consolation (and I doubt it) you can still sow more seeds. I'm going to sow more courgettes next week.

That’s a day to walk away from the garden. Just for the day though! We’ll have no talk of quitting anything, thank you. I also suggest pouring yourself a large glass of something ( any excuse, right ).
Honestly I feel your pain.


Also can’t like your post.

This evening I've sown two seeds each of 7 courgettes and some cucumbers. I'm not hopeful of much in the way of crops, we dont have your temperate South Wales climate, Veggie. Unfortunately I've run out of Delistar, my favourite cucumber, but had plenty of Beth Alpha an acceptable substitute. I've not hit the booze but am currently chomping on a choc ice, there may be more choc to follow. I am so cross with myself and so gutted. 15+ plants ruined. On the upside I suppose I'll now have room for all those extra beans I've been trying to find homes for. I can't imagine a summer without courgettes.

Another who can't 'like' your post!

This evening I've sown two seeds each  of 7 courgettes and some cucumbers. I'm not hopeful of much in the way of crops, we dont have your temperate South Wales climate, Veggie. Unfortunately I've run out of Delistar, my favourite cucumber,  but had plenty of Beth Alpha an acceptable substitute.  I've not hit the booze but am currently chomping on a choc ice, there may be more choc to follow. I am so cross with myself and so gutted. 15+ plants ruined. On the upside I suppose I'll now have room for all those extra beans I've been trying to find homes for. I can't imagine a summer without courgettes.

You should stop thinking that the climate here is perfect, JJB. I haven't picked a single courgette or cucumber this year - and there's no sign of any developing yet. Your plants were far ahead of mine and I have every confidence that your new sowings will still be more productive than mine.

I don't think weedkiller would work that fast. How much potassium bicarbonate did you use? I usually stick with a 0.5% solution, so 5 grams per litre of water. Did you also use soap?

Might be worth ordering some plants off eBay? Or perhaps someone near you has spares? Gumtree and Facebook are good for finding plants.

DT Brown have some dwarfish cucumbers for sale - https://www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk/products/...9cm-plants

I don't think weedkiller would work that fast. How much potassium bicarbonate did you use? I usually stick with a 0.5% solution, so 5 grams per litre of water. Did you also use soap?

1 tablespoon to one gallon, ½ teaspoon soap (a bit of hand wash which might be the culprit) and a  ½ teaspoon of veg oil.  Whether its the soap or weedkiller residue I'm still stuffed.