Cucumber leaves are wrapped what to do. Cucumber leaves are curling - what to do? The appearance of root rot

The main causes of leaf deformation are mineral deficiency, care errors, and common diseases. Leaf curl rarely appears on its own, it is usually a symptom of an infection or a sign that something is wrong with the growing conditions. Timely elimination of the problem helps to save crops and get a good harvest.

Why do cucumber leaves curl?

Leaf plates wrinkle and shrink for various reasons. It is mainly influenced by climate, diseases, nutrition and the presence of pests. Leaf curl in cucumbers indicates problems with care: for example, too much or not enough watering. Most often the reason is:

  • violation of temperature and humidity levels;
  • lack of mineral supplements;
  • spread of weeds, general weakness of the soil;
  • errors in the care of crops;
  • inaccurate transplanting of seedlings into the ground, injured roots;
  • too tight a scheme for placing plants in the garden;
  • pests and diseases;
  • ammonia burn.

For every cause there is a solution, so it is important to determine what exactly causes the deformation of plants. Such a problem occurs at any stage of growth: the leaves of the seedlings on the windowsill, greenhouse crops, cucumbers in the ground curl. The leaves shrink from sudden temperature changes, direct sunlight. Of course, the human factor strongly influences: an ammonia burn is formed due to improper manure fertilization, and the drying of the soil is a consequence of inattention to the beds.

Inspect plants regularly for pests and: often curling is a symptom of an infection or demonstrates nutrient efflux.

Weather

Temperature fluctuations are dangerous for cucumbers. Therefore, they are most often grown in protected ground or prepared seedlings in the heat until the soil warms up. Cucumbers need high humidity, up to 80%, as well as a comfortable warm climate. In open ground, seedlings are threatened by sudden showers, wind, and the sun, which can burn green plants. Such a burn is a common cause of twisted leaves. Long exposure to direct sunlight often causes wrinkling and drying. You can save cucumbers with the help of protective flooring. Try to arrange the crops so that they receive enough light without suffering.

Cold for cucumbers is no less dangerous. From hypothermia, the leaves can also curl, and low temperatures destroy the immune system, causing disease and opening the way for fungal infections. In open ground, cucumbers can be protected by mulching the soil. Try not to plant them too early. In greenhouse cucumbers, such problems are less common, but in a greenhouse it is also important to control the climate. Ventilate the room in time, monitor the temperature.

If the leaves begin to curl around the cucumbers on the windowsill, remove the seedlings from the glass. It quickly heats up and cools down, burning plants or causing hypothermia.

Pests


Cucumber leaves often curl and dry due to pests. A common problem: melon aphid, which is also a carrier of infections. Spider mites can harm: colonies of these insects are located on the back of the leaf. Pests make it difficult to feed plants, pulling nutrients from the leaves, causing them to curl and dry out. Therefore, insect control is a mandatory item in the plant care program.

Pests reduce the resistance of plants to diseases, spoil the crop. The leaves are curled up, the edges turn yellow. You can use chemistry only during growth and flowering, after that it is better to confine yourself to folk remedies, safe biologics. For example, a solution of onion peel works against aphids. It is diluted with hot water in a ratio of 1: 1, insisted for a day, then filtered. The solution is poured into a spray bottle and sprayed on the plants. The finished analogue is ammonia. A mixture of ash and soap chips, diluted in water, also helps. Soap is needed to fix the composition on the leaves.

Garlic infusion will help against ticks. Half a kilogram of garlic is poured into 3 liters of water and left for a week. The resulting concentrate is used for foliar processing.

Diseases and viruses


Leaves shrivel as a result of diseases. Most often, plants are affected by powdery mildew, root rot, mosaic virus. Each disease has its own additional symptoms: yellowing, pale spots, characteristic color. But in almost all cases there are twisted wrinkled leaves. To prevent diseases, you need to observe the humidity, the temperature in the room, if you grow cucumbers in a greenhouse, clean the soil from weeds in time. Weeds often store pests and viruses in a dormant state.

Clear the soil regularly after the season to get rid of plant debris. Additionally, it is worth disinfecting it and sprinkle it with fertilizers - for example, wood ash.

Leaves can curl when the plant is infected with powdery mildew. This disease often appears on the beds in the middle of summer. Leaves lose color, covered with a characteristic white coating. The cause of the disease is temperature fluctuations, a decrease in plant resistance. Sometimes the infection is transmitted from the leaves of one plant to another if they are planted too tightly.


Powdery mildew can be treated with a solution of copper oxychloride: To do this, 20 grams of the active substance is diluted in 5 liters of water. For each square meter, you will need about 100 ml of spray solution. Folk remedies are effective when the first fruits have already appeared. They act more gently, without harming plants and without saturating cucumbers with toxic substances. Suitable infusion of mullein, a solution of soda or ash with soap.

Another reason why cucumber leaves curl inward is root rot. With this disease, the root system is weakened, at the lower levels. The culprits of rot are cold and dampness. It occurs with excessive watering with cold water, prolonged showers in unprotected soil. As soon as you notice the first symptoms, treat the plant in stages with Previkur and Fitolavin. Then disinfect the soil, dig up the soil and restore the nutrient balance.

During fruiting, it is better to use biofungicides: Trichodermin, Gamair, Gliocladin. They act more delicately on plants and do not harm the fruits. In addition, the normalization of climate and humidity helps, especially in the greenhouse. Ventilate the room so that the air does not stagnate. In open ground, keep an eye on the weather in order to cover the crops with a protective film in time.

If cucumbers are infected with a virus, then it is useless to treat them. It would be best to remove the affected bushes from the garden so that the virus does not spread to the rest, healthy cucumbers. Damaged vegetation should be burned in a separate area. You can recognize the mosaic by the characteristic yellow spots that appear in the form of an ornament on the leaves. They also dry up and curl up, but these symptoms are secondary.

Remember that viruses can sleep for a long time. In weeds or soil, the mosaic can last up to three years.

Mistakes in care

Most often, the reason why seedlings or cucumbers in the garden curl leaves is improper care. Too much watering, lack of fertilizers or improper use of them can harm plants and future crops.

Excess or lack of moisture


The first thing to remember is watering. Cucumbers need moisture regularly. In greenhouse conditions, an optimal climate is maintained by spraying. It is better to do this in the morning so that the moisture has time to evaporate and not cool the plants. Measure the humidity level: it should not exceed 85% and fall below 65%.

In open ground, you need to water the plants according to the schedule. In an optimal climate, one watering every 3-4 days is enough at the stage of germination and leaf formation. After the formation of ovaries, watering is increased, then the frequency is slightly reduced during the appearance of buds and resumed when the first cucumbers appear. During dry periods and heat, cucumbers can be watered every day, the main thing is to control the level of moisture and not flood the crops. Before moistening the soil, loosen it. This will improve aeration and increase moisture absorption. The soil should be saturated to a depth of at least 10 centimeters.

Dryness and lack of moisture is a harmless cause of leaf curl, which is solved by setting a regular watering schedule.

Too much water is not good either. High humidity and stagnant water in the soil provoke the development of fungi, reduce the resistance of plants to diseases. In this state, it is more difficult for cucumbers to adapt to temperature changes and resist infections. If you have watered the plants too much or if they have suffered from prolonged rains, stop watering until the soil dries out. When the soil and plants return to normal, return to the usual mode.

mineral deficiency


Wrinkled leaves in cucumber seedlings often show a deficiency of useful elements. Most often, the plant loses color, becomes more stunted, grows more slowly. Before the fruiting period, cucumbers need to receive a sufficient amount of nitrogen. He is responsible for the development of the green part, the strength of the lashes, resistance to disease. Deficiency of this mineral can manifest itself at different stages: the leaves curl even in cucumber seedlings before planting in the ground.

A lack of nitrogen is manifested by twisting inward or upward: the central vein is pulled out, and the rest of the leaf does not keep up with it. Often the problem is accompanied by the appearance of light areas and spots on the leaves. You can eliminate nitrogen starvation with ammonium nitrate, urea, or any nitrogen-based fertilizer: manure or peat will do.

Sometimes the plant is deficient in potassium, it can be seen by twisting the leaves down. This element is responsible for metabolism and water balance, saturating cucumbers with moisture and keeping it in the cells. Deficiency leads to wilting of the bush, deformation of leaves and fruits. Replenish it with potassium salt fertilizer. Alternative - wood ash solution:

  1. 0.5 kg of ash is poured into 3 liters of water.
  2. Leave to infuse for 10-12 hours.
  3. Dilute with clean water in a ratio of 1:5.
  4. Water the resulting solution under the root or spray from a spray bottle.

Ammonia burn


Fertilizers are good for plants, but even with them you can make mistakes. Excess manure in the beds leads to ammonia burn. The same unpleasant effect can be obtained if you use fresh fertilizer instead of rotted. Burnt leaves curl in and out, depending on a combination of factors. Follow the dosage and apply the fertilizer correctly to prevent the problem. If you have already burned the plants, remove the entire topsoil and replace it completely.

When changing the soil, be careful not to damage the roots of the cucumbers.

Improper landing in the ground

Two common mistakes people make when planting cucumbers are too tight placement and sloppy picking. Plants need free space so that they can eat and not harm each other. The optimal amount is 3-4 bushes per square meter of the garden. If planted too closely, the leaves curl, turn yellow, diseases are transmitted more easily, virus infection spreads faster. Remove excess plants or transplant them to a new location to make room for the crops.


The root system is the weak point of cucumbers, especially young ones. Picking can seriously harm them, transplanting to another place may well cause the bush to dry out and curl the leaves. When transporting, watch the roots, use stimulants that will strengthen the root system. Plant seedlings in separate containers or peat pots to avoid damage to the roots when transplanting to a new place.

When and how to feed cucumbers

For active growth, cucumbers need nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in sufficient quantities. Usually these substances are obtained from the soil, but on poor soils or with a large number of plantings, additional feeding may be required. In the first stages, nitrogen is especially important, it helps the stems and leaves develop, when fruit is set, phosphorus improves the taste of the fruit, and potassium is useful at any stage, since it retains moisture important for cucumbers in the cells.


The first top dressing takes place even before planting seedlings: the seeds are soaked in a solution that stimulates growth. It allows the sprouts to hatch faster. The second feeding is carried out when the third leaf appears, and continue to add fertilizer every 1-2 weeks during the entire growth and fruiting phase. Chemicals and folk remedies are suitable for feeding. The former are best used at the very beginning, the latter - after the formation of buds, so as not to harm the plants. Superphosphate, nitrophoska, mullein infusion, potassium sulfate, wood ash, ammonia, bread solution are often used. Fertilizers can be applied from a watering can, under the root or by spraying from a spray bottle.

Preventive measures


The best way to deal with a problem is to prevent it from occurring. Many causes of leaf curl can be avoided with proper soil preparation and plant care.

  1. Observe crop rotation: cucumbers cannot be grown in the same garden for years.
  2. Before planting seedlings, disinfect the seeds and hold them in a stimulating solution, this will strengthen them.
  3. Keep the temperature in the greenhouse comfortable for cucumbers and humidity at the level of 70-80%.
  4. Transplant seedlings carefully, being careful not to damage the roots. Plant seeds in separate containers.
  5. Dig up the soil after the season to get rid of excess debris and crop residue.
  6. Fertilize plants at the first sign of a mineral deficiency.
  7. Incorporate pest control into your plant care routine.
  8. Loosen and moisten the soil regularly, but do not overwater the plants.
  9. Water cucumbers with water at room temperature.

A timely response will prevent most problems and protect crops from the destructive effects of diseases and pests. If you notice that the leaves have begun to curl, assess the soil moisture and temperature outside or in the greenhouse, check the bushes for other signs of pests, diseases, or mineral deficiencies. Water the plants with warm water in time, apply fertilizers - and then the cucumbers will grow healthy and give a good harvest.

Cucumbers are one of the most common vegetable crops that can be found in a summer cottage. In the process of growing them, summer residents may encounter some problems, in particular with leaf curl. Such a phenomenon may indicate vitamin deficiency, a viral disease, an invasion of pests. Let's look at these reasons in more detail.

Why do cucumber leaves curl? The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

Often, leaf curl is the result of insufficient crop care. If you do not water it on time, they will begin to dry and curl into tubules. It is easy to solve the problem: it is necessary to restore the water balance in the soil. Timely watering of cucumbers in the greenhouse is the key to the proper development of the plant. Moisten the soil to a depth of at least 10 cm.

Another factor that can affect leaf curl is excessive air dryness. You can solve the problem by spraying the bushes and the inside of the greenhouse. It is desirable to carry out the procedure in the first half of the day, so that by the evening the drops of water have dried up. The optimal indicator of air humidity in the greenhouse for cucumbers is 80-90%.

Watering cucumbers. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

Nutrient deficiency

Cucumber leaves may begin to deform due to a lack of nutrients. If they were found to have lost their brightness and curled inwards, the plant is most likely deficient in nitrogen. To activate the growth of leaf mass, the culture must be fed with urea, ammonium nitrate, or use any other fertilizer based on nitrogen.

Twisting the leaves up indicates that the soil needs to be fertilized with potassium. In this case, a solution of potassium salt must be added to the soil (3 tablespoons per 10 liters of water).

Burn or hypothermia

Cucumbers do not tolerate sudden changes in temperature. A cold snap causes their leaves to shrivel and begin to turn yellow. The same effects can occur in the heat.

Read also:

We grow strong seedlings of cucumbers

If cucumbers are grown on a balcony, window sill or glass greenhouse, seedlings should be planted in such a way that the leaves do not adhere to the glass. The thing is that it quickly heats up and cools down, and this can harm a young plant.

The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

Pest Invasion

One of the most common causes of leaf deformation can be attributed to the invasion of pests. Finding them is easy: you just need to examine the back of the leaves. If they are settled by aphids or spider mites, they can be seen with the naked eye.

If pests have been identified, it is necessary to immediately begin to combat them, as they slow down the development of the plant and may be carriers of viral diseases.

To exterminate aphids, insecticide treatment will be required (Aktara, Arrivo, Barguzin, Decis, Inta-Vir, etc.). Destroy the tick under the power of acarcides ("Aktellik", "Aktofit", "Fitoverm").

Most pest control products are dangerous to human health, so they must be used before the formation of ovaries. Otherwise, the fruits will absorb chemicals.

Folk remedies differ in a milder effect. Garlic infusion will help to cope with cucumber pests. To prepare it, you need to chop 500 g of garlic, pour 3 liters of water and put in a dark place for 5 days.

Cucumber pests. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

Powdery mildew attack

Preventing powdery mildew on vegetable crops is not easy. This disease makes itself felt in the middle of summer. If you do not recognize it in time, the leaves will begin to deform and curl.

The leaves can be deformed as due to a deficiency of substances, which is easy to correct with feeding. But sometimes a disease or a virus becomes the cause: in this case, it is often too late to save the plant, and you need to remove it so as not to harm the rest of the crops. We analyze the main reasons why cucumber leaves curl inward and how to deal with it.

Even proper care does not guarantee that the crops will grow flawlessly. Often external factors, infections and pests interfere with the growth of cucumbers. But the human factor should not be discounted. Incorrect watering, lack of complementary foods or lack of sunlight also lead to problems. The leaves are curled at the seedlings on the windowsill, greenhouse crops and cucumbers in the ground. All reasons can be divided into four categories:

  • weather;
  • pests;
  • infections and viruses;
  • care mistakes.

It is important to correctly determine the cause in order to eliminate it in time and not harm the landings. Assess the condition of the plants as a whole: curling can indicate serious problems if combined with discoloration, spots and other symptoms.

Wrong watering


Cucumbers are moisture-loving plants. For good growth, they need to get enough water, and indoor humidity, if you grow vegetables in a greenhouse, should be at the level of 70-80%. In hot, dry weather, cucumbers should be watered regularly, even every day. Dryness and lack of moisture is the most common but harmless cause of leaf curl. Solving the problem is simple: you need to make watering regular and monitor the humidity of the air and soil.

Don't limit yourself to surface watering. The soil must be moist at a depth of at least 10 centimeters.

Under normal conditions, cucumbers should be watered no more than once every 4 days. Water should be at room temperature, the approximate consumption is 4-5 liters per square of plantings. After the formation of the ovaries, watering becomes more frequent, now the soil needs to be moistened 3-4 times a week and spend twice as much water. The same goes for the harvest season. Be sure to loosen the soil before watering: this way the water will have more access to the roots. Curling of leaves in cucumbers in a greenhouse often appears due to a lack of moisture not in the soil, but in the air. In order to raise the level to normal, spray the plants and the walls of the room with clean water from a spray bottle. It is better to do this in the morning, so the moisture will have time to evaporate during the day.

At the same time, it is also harmful to transfuse plants: an abundance of water causes the development of fungal infections and reduces immunity. Stagnation of moisture also leads to curling of the leaves and loss of their shape. If you haven't noticed any other signs of infection or pests, then it's most likely due to overwatering. Stop watering the plants until the soil dries out, and then return to normal mode. The abundance of moisture leads to waterlogging of the soil, the formation of a crust and salting.

mineral deficiency

Another reason why the leaves of seedlings or cucumbers curl inward or outward is the lack of the necessary elements in the soil. In this case, twisting is often accompanied by blanching of the sheet. Color loss results from nitrogen deficiency, which is especially important in the early stages of growth. Nitrogen starvation is accompanied by elongation of the central vein and a lag in the development of the main part of the leaf plate. Ammonium nitrate, urea or nitrogen-based fertilizers will help to cope with the problem. Sometimes the edges of the leaves turn yellow or light spots appear.

Twisting also causes potassium deficiency. In this case, the leaves curl down. You can replenish it with potassium salt or wood ash. The ashes are diluted in a ratio of 1 to 6, infused for 10 hours and diluted with clean water to a weak consistency. The ash solution is poured under the root of the plant or, if cucumbers have already appeared, sprayed from a spray bottle.

Temperature changes

A warm, humid environment is comfortable for cucumbers; sudden climate changes harm crops. Too cold weather causes the leaves to curl up, and sunburn causes loss of color and wrinkling. Protect crops from direct sunlight with an awning or a canopy made of film. Sunburn often causes leaf wrinkling. Control the temperature outside, in case of a sharp cold snap, cover the beds with flooring or mulch the soil. When growing seedlings at home, for example on a windowsill, try to keep the leaves from touching the glass. It quickly changes temperature: it instantly cools at night and heats up from the sun.

Pests


Plants shrink due to insects that actively occupy fresh plantings. This problem can be seen with the naked eye: most pests are concentrated on the underside of the leaf and some cause active deformation and color changes. Cucumbers are often attacked by melon or gourd aphids. Ticks can be recognized by their characteristic web-like coating.

Pests must be disposed of as quickly as possible: they deprive cucumbers of nutrients, carry viruses, reduce immunity, and spoil fruits. Insecticides help against aphids. You can use drugs such as Aktara or Inta-Vir. Acaricide Aktofit helps against ticks.

Chemistry is effective, but it should be used with caution so as not to harm the crop. The accumulation of toxins will negatively affect the taste and benefits of cucumbers.

Safe pest control methods are folk remedies. They can be used at any stage of growth without fear of getting a toxic crop. Against pests, a solution of ash with the addition of soap or garlic infusion is good. It is prepared from a kilogram of garlic, filled with 6 liters of water. The mixture is infused for 5-6 days, and then the crops are sprayed. You can also use ammonia: its smell repels pests, so the product is suitable for preventive measures.

Diseases and viruses


In high humidity, plants are often affected by fungal infections, which can cause deformation and curling of the leaf. To prevent the development of diseases, take care of the crops, do not overwater them, maintain the temperature regime and pull out weeds in time - they, like aphids, often become carriers of infection. Common diseases of cucumbers:

  • powdery mildew;
  • root rot;
  • mosaic virus.

Powdery mildew appears in July. If you notice that the leaves have turned yellow, shrunken and wrinkled, then the reason may lie in a lack of nitrogen, as well as powdery mildew. This disease affects plants during sudden changes in temperature and weakened immunity. Also, too dense plantings can become the cause, the disease can migrate from bush to bush. The following recipe helps against powdery mildew. Take 40 grams of copper oxychloride, dilute in a bucket of water. Spray plantings at the rate of 100 ml per square of plantings. An alternative is a 20% solution of colloidal sulfur, which is rubbed on the leaves from all sides. Folk methods also help:

  1. An infusion of mullein in a ratio of 1 to 3 is infused for 3 days, and then diluted twice with clean water and sprayed with crops.
  2. A liter of sour milk is diluted with a liter of water, filtered and applied with a spray bottle once a week.
  3. 100 grams of baking soda is combined with 100 grams of soap chips, diluted in a bucket of warm water and sprayed on plants once a week.

The leaves shrivel, shrivel and curl up on the outside as the root system declines. This often appears due to root rot. It causes the appearance of yellowness on the green part of the plant, especially from below. The reason is often cold water for irrigation: it destroys the immune system and interferes with the absorption of moisture and minerals. The following scheme will help to cope with the disease:

  1. When the first symptoms are detected, water the plants with a solution of Previkur.
  2. After 5 days, pour cucumbers with 20 ml of Fitolavin, diluted in a bucket of water.
  3. Disinfect the soil against fungi.
  4. Restore the content of nutrients in the soil with the help of fertilizers.

You can treat plants with Trichodermin or other biofungicides. Cucumbers in the greenhouse can be treated with the fungicide Gamair. Two tablets of the substance are dissolved in a bucket of water and the rotten part of the plant is treated. The microbiological fungicide Glyokladin also works well, which helps with an overdose of beds with organic matter. You can avoid the appearance of root rot if, before planting cucumbers in the ground, disinfect the soil with a solution of manganese. Compliance with the regime and conditions of irrigation helps, and regular ventilation in the greenhouse.

The most unpleasant option is the infection of cucumbers with a virus. The most common mosaic is an ordinary one, which can be recognized by the characteristic ornament that forms on the sheet. Bushes affected by the virus must be burned to protect other plants. The virus is insidious and can overwinter in soil, weeds, or plant debris. Regularly renew the soil, dig it up and remove the remains of past crops before planting the next.

It makes no sense to treat viruses, the most correct way out is to destroy the damaged plant and its traces.

Ammonia burn


A burn can be obtained not only from the sun. Sometimes it happens that the leaves on cucumbers dry and curl due to improper fertilizer. Excess saltpeter or unrotted manure can lead to a chemical burn. To avoid this problem, do not use fresh manure and follow the dosage. Since such dressings are usually applied directly to the soil, changing the soil will help against trouble. Remove the top layer as far as possible and replace it with a new one.

picking

Cucumbers do not have a very strong root system, which can react negatively to transplantation. During the movement, the plant may suffer or even wither away. If the roots were damaged during transportation, the leaves may begin to curl, and the stem of the plant will sag. It is important to protect cucumbers from such risks from the very beginning. To do this, seedlings are planted in separate containers, such as peat pots, and transplanted carefully. During picking, you can additionally use stimulating substances by dipping rhizomes in them before planting in the ground.

Violation of the landing pattern

Cucumbers should not be planted tightly. The optimal number in open ground is 4 bushes per square, in a greenhouse - 3. If the plants are too dense, the roots grow and lack elements, taking them from each other. As a result, the leaves of cucumbers curl up, dry, turn yellow. You can cope by thinning the beds. It is better to prevent such problems by choosing a planting pattern in advance and distributing seedlings evenly.

Feed for cucumbers


Wrinkled leaves are often the result of improper feeding. Growth stimulants and fertilizers also need to be applied on time, otherwise it will harm the plants. Cucumbers need different nutrients during their growing cycle. Nitrogen helps stems and green parts grow, potassium and calcium are responsible for metabolism and water retention in cells, and phosphorus is good for fruits.

Before planting seedlings, cucumbers are soaked in a growth stimulator, having previously been disinfected. For the first time, the sprouts are fed after the appearance of the second pair of leaves: nitrophoska, mullein infusion and potassium sulfate, as well as other nitrogen-based fertilizers, are suitable. Further crops are needed every 7-14 days, depending on the condition. If you notice that the leaves have curled, become dry and wrinkled - add nutrition. At the first stages, you can safely use chemistry, and closer to fruiting, it is better to switch to folk methods. Even for the initial period, watering is well suited, and for the final - spraying.

Prevention


Most of the problems that cause leaf curl can be avoided. To do this, it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations for a particular variety, maintain optimal humidity and temperature. Cucumbers love moisture, but its excess also harms them, so watering also needs to be regulated. Top tips to help avoid curled leaves:

  • maintain an optimal climate in the greenhouse;
  • observe crop rotation, one crop cannot be planted in one place for too long;
  • regularly decontaminate and disinfect the soil before sowing;
  • grow seedlings in separate containers and transplant carefully;
  • replenish the deficiency of minerals on time;
  • loosen and moisten the soil, do not let it dry out;
  • treat seeds before planting;
  • remove the remains of previous crops from the soil;
  • Inspect plants regularly for irregularities.

It is important to respond in time if the leaves curl up or down, wrinkle and dry out. This happens not only in open areas, but also in a greenhouse, and with cucumbers in seedlings on a windowsill. In most cases, the problem can be fixed in the initial stages and not harm the crop. Prevention plays an important role. Proper care, timely, but not too plentiful watering, soil preparation, protection from direct sunlight and top dressing with fertilizers will help grow cucumbers beautiful and tasty.

Home cultivated plants require precision in the level of watering, lighting, humidity. Deviation from the norm of any factor leads to fruit set. The causes of leaf curl are:

Methods for preventing the foliage from curling cucumbers

Treatment methods directly depend on the cause of the clotting. If the seedlings thus react to insufficient watering, then the earth should be loosened and the soil should be well saturated with warm water. Additionally, biostimulants will help bring the culture back to its previous state, such as:

If cucumber leaves curl inward due to a lack of nutrients, then appropriate feeding should be applied. The best option would be to use the complex remedy of Diammophos, Agricola, Master. To get rid of pests (mites, aphids), the folk method is widely used - spilling the beds with a solution of laundry soap. 200 g of soap chips are applied to a bucket of water. Special preparations for insecticides include Metafos, Hyphen, Kinmiks, Fitoverm.

Observing all the norms and rules for caring for vegetables, you can grow a quality crop. Prevention of diseases will prevent the death of cucumbers and infection of other crops in the garden. Attentiveness and care are the main principles in garden chores.

Twisting the leaves of cucumber plants can indicate serious problems - from vitamin deficiency to a virus. We know how to identify a problem and solve it.

Many summer residents prepare seeds for sowing and take care of seedlings, it would seem, according to all the rules.

But as a result, they are perplexed why the leaves of cucumbers curl after picking, on the windowsill or in the greenhouse. It can be both in cultivation errors and in the invasion of pests. And the yellowing of the leaves, in addition to their deformation, may also indicate more severe "misfortunes".

Let's look at the six most likely causes and how to fix them.

1. Insufficient watering

Most often, the leaves of cucumbers are twisted due to an oversight: they did not have time to water on time, dry weather. The result - the leaves of the plant dry and curl into tubules.

Fixing the problem is simple: you need to restore the water balance in the soil. Competent watering of cucumbers in a greenhouse - when the soil is moistened to a depth of at least 10 cm.

It should also be borne in mind that for cucumbers, especially when grown in protected ground, dry air is detrimental. Do not forget to regularly spray the bushes and the inside of the greenhouse (this should be done in the morning so that the drops of water have time to dry by the evening). The optimum air humidity in the greenhouse for cucumbers is 80-90%.

2. Nutrient deficiency

Another possible cause of leaf deformation is the "starvation" of plants.

If you noticed that the leaves of the cucumbers turned pale and curled inward, it is possible that the problem is a lack of nitrogen. In such plants, the rachis (central vein) stretched out, and the leaf plate behind it "did not ripen." Feeding with urea, ammonium nitrate or any other nitrogen fertilizers (according to instructions) will help stimulate the growth of leaf mass.

If the leaves of cucumbers curl up, most likely, this is a signal of potassium deficiency in the soil. Such plants need to be fed with a solution of potassium salt (3 tablespoons per 10 liters of water).

3. Burn or hypothermia

Cucumbers, like any living organism, react equally badly to both an excessive decrease and an increase in temperature. As a result of a sharp cold snap, the leaves turn yellow and wrinkle. The same thing happens as a consequence of sunburn.


If you are growing cucumbers on a balcony, window sill, or in a glass greenhouse, plant the seedlings so that the leaves do not come into contact with the glass. It heats up and cools down quickly, and the young plant has no way to "dodge".

4. Invasion of pests

Suppose you water your cucumbers regularly, do not allow them to overheat or hypothermia, do not forget about top dressing, and the leaves still curl. What can be wrong?

Another common reason for the deformation of the leaf plate is the "attack" of insect pests. It's easy to check - just look at the back of the sheet. Aphids or spider mites, the worst enemies of cucumbers, will be visible to the naked eye.


If your fears are confirmed, do not waste time - insects not only inhibit the development of the plant, drawing all the juices out of it, but can also carry viruses.

To get rid of aphids, cucumbers are sprayed with insecticides (Aktara, Arrivo, Barguzin, Decis, Inta-Vir, etc.). They fight the tick with acaricides (Aktellik, Aktofit, Fitoverm).

Many of the pest control products are dangerous to humans, so they should be used with caution - before the formation of ovaries, if you do not want to get a dose of poison for insects along with a fresh summer salad.

Of the folk remedies for pest control of cucumber, an infusion of garlic is often used. To prepare it, 500 g of cloves are crushed, poured into 3 liters of water and infused for 5 days.

5. Powdery mildew

In the middle of summer, the appearance of powdery mildew on vegetable crops is not easy to avoid. It is worth missing the moment - and the leaves begin to turn yellow and curl.

Factors that provoke the development of this disease are dense plantings, poor ventilation of greenhouses (or balconies where you grow cucumbers), watering with cold water, and sharp temperature fluctuations.


It is possible to understand that the leaf is twisted precisely because of powdery mildew damage by a characteristic whitish coating.

The easiest and most effective way to deal with this scourge is to spray the plants with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.

6. Root rot

Cucumber leaves often curl around the edges and turn pale as a result of root rot. However, the most characteristic symptoms of this disease are wilting, yellowing of the leaves starting from the bottom. In this case, the stem near the ground becomes brown.

To avoid this problem, before planting, disinfect the soil with a pink solution of potassium permanganate, do not water the plants with cold water, and ventilate the greenhouse regularly to prevent overheating. At the first sign of illness, treat cucumbers with Trichodermin.

7. Ammonia burn

A common reason for curling cucumber leaves along the edges of the leaf plate is ammonia burn. This happens if you add unrotted manure or an excessive amount of ammonium nitrate under the plant.


In this case, it is worth trying to remove the introduced manure from the roots of the plants and water the cucumbers abundantly several times so that the ammonia is washed out of the soil.

8. The defeat of the virus

If your cucumbers do not show any of the above problems, and the leaves are still curling, most likely the cause lies in the defeat of the virus.


Unfortunately, in this case, you will have to quickly dig up and burn the plant in order to prevent the virus from spreading throughout the garden.