Cucurbit wilt and crisping

Question: I recently transplanted out cucumbers and melons. In a few days the plants started wilting, the base of the stem is sort of sucked in at soil level on some of the cucumbers. With the rest of them and the melons their leaves have browned with curled crisp edges. In a day the whole plant or many of the older leaves have crisped up and are brown. Some of the leaves have brown sections but the rest of the leaf is greening up some. I just started to notice similar crisp brown leafy sections on my more established zucchini plant with one brown section on a stem. Some of the fruit is pockmarked and bumpy then  the fruit goes brown and shrivels. The zucchini plant is aborting most of its fruit and the lower leaves are yellow with crisp brown edges. Do you have any thoughts as to what this could be and ways to save the rest of the plants? Thank you!

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 23, 2023, 5:42 PM EDT
response: Thank you for your question, Emma.  Browning and curling of leaves is caused by either too much or too little water.  Your soil appears to be very dry, and has too much fiber (wood).  Although soil should have organic matter, it needs to be finer than the shredded bark that is there.  Yellowing occurs when the plant lacks one or more nutrients which are dissolved in the water.   Plants abort fruit when they are starving to death, often because the soil pH is in the wrong range.  You can get a soil test, but I suggest that you obtain some potting soil, and replant the plants in it so they get help before they die.  This publication has more comprehensive information:  https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/em-9027-growing-your-own Here is more specialized advice for all cucurbits:  https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/grow-your-own-cucumbers Good luck!

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 29, 2023, 10:46 AM EDT
response: Hi Thank you for your suggestions to my question #0107162.I'm happy to say more water has been helpful and many of the cucurbits are doing better. But I think there is more to it and am hoping for your thoughts. Many of my watermelons are wilting midday and I pulled one up to find wire worms eating into the base of the stem. Do you have any recommendations on how to deal with them? Image below. Also Some of my other melon starts have a rot spot at the bottom of the stem going into the root. I looked up black rot but the ones I have don't seem to be oozing, could it be something else? How would you describe the crisp leaf of a plant dealing with black rot, I don't see obvious concentric circles in the brown lesions.Thank you so much for your time.Any recommendations are welcome.On Fri, Jun 23, 2023 at 1:21 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:  Dear Emma, Thank you for using Ask Extension. A request for support has been created and a representative will follow-up with you as soon as possible. Questions are usually answered within two business days. You can view this question's progress online. YOUR QUESTION #0107162: Cucurbit wilt and crisping I recently transplanted out cucumbers and melons. In a few days the plants started wilting, the base of the stem is sort of sucked in at soil level on some of the cucumbers. With the rest of them and the melons their leaves have browned with curled crisp edges. In a day the whole plant or many of the older leaves have crisped up and are brown. Some of the leaves have brown sections but the rest of the leaf is greening up some. I just started to notice similar crisp brown leafy sections on my more established zucchini plant with one brown section on a stem. Some of the fruit is pockmarked and bumpy then the fruit goes brown and shrivels. The zucchini plant is aborting most of its fruit and the lower leaves are yellow with crisp brown edges. Do you have any thoughts as to what this could be and ways to save the rest of the plants? Thank you! Ask Extension offers one-to-one expert answers from Cooperative Extension/University staff and volunteers within participating Land-Grant institutions across the United States. If you wish to provide additional comments or information regarding the issue, please login to your account for a complete archive of your prior questions and answers.  This message for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for personalized professional advice. For specific local information, contact your local county Cooperative Extension office or other qualified professionals. eXtension Foundation does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, professional services, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned. Reliance on any information provided by eXtension Foundation, employees, suppliers, member universities, or other third parties through eXtension is solely at the user's own risk. All eXtension content and communication is subject to the Terms of Use which may be revised at any time.

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 29, 2023, 11:02 AM EDT
response: Here is information about wireworms, and chemicals available to homeowners:  http://pnwhandbooks.stage.extension.oregonstate.edu/insect/vegetable/vegetable-pests/hosts-pests/pumpkin-squash-wireworm There are several fungal and bacterial diseases that can cause the symptoms you are observing:  http://pnwhandbooks.stage.extension.oregonstate.edu/plantdisease/host-disease/squash-cucurbita-spp-sclerotinia-stem-rot http://pnwhandbooks.stage.extension.oregonstate.edu/plantdisease/host-disease/cucumber-cucumis-sativus-bacterial-wilt And, although not a disease, this soil-based problem:  https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/horticulture-resource-center/common-pest-problems/documents/tomato-blossom-end-rot.pdf Most of the chemicals mentioned in the first two articles are either not effective, or are available only to commercial growers.  A soil test could help determine if the problem can be 'fixed' by soil amendments.  https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em8677