GardenBanter.co.uk - Something is wrong with cucumbers??

"Jim Marrs" wrote in message news:...
It is probably a combination of red spider mites and cucumber beetles.
Look under the leaves and check for small red/black specs and small webs.
Also looks like a little mildew could be present. Spay with a neem oil
solution and your favorite fungicide.

JEM

"Mark" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have some questions:

I have planted tomatoes, cucumbers and watermellons.

Here are other little details.
1. I plant on a slope.
2. I plant in a plastic 5 Gallons containers, I buy from Home Depot.
(Will it be big enough to grow the plants? Or should I cut out the
bottom of it.? Or buy bigger containers?)
I feel container 50% with dirt 50% with compost. Dirt is from the slope
where I plant. Compost is from the city dump. They sell it to you at
$8.00 per cubic yard. Very good deal. If I buy from Home depot in
plastic bags, it will cost me about $200.00 per cubic yard.

Anyway;
First 2-3 tomato plants I have planted in a soil I have bought from
Home Depot. On the bag it was written something like "soil for Tomato
Plants"

The rest of tomatoes I have used the mix I have described above.
It is apparentl that first 2 plants are much better off. They are
juicy, tall with alot of green juicy leaves. The ones that live in a
mix I have made do not look that healthy.
What is the reaso? Maybe I should add something else to the soil as I
make it?

Another question. Apparently, at least half of cucumbers I plant and
use the same soil mix are dying. Another half lives but they do not
look healthy. Why? What coudl be wrong with the soil?

Also, could it be the mulch I am covering the soil around the plants
when I plant it?
The mulch. I make my own. Probably it is not perfect. Maybe it is bad.
Let me know. This is what I do.

The place where I plant had big bushes growing. I have cut the bush.
Cut the branches off.
Cut branches in small pieces. About 2-4 inches long. Small pieces that
contain both branch and leaves. Use these pieces as mulch. Anything
wrong with that? Could it be the thing that hurts the cucumbers.
Apparently it is OK with tomatoes and Watermelons.