GROWING CUCUMBERS IN HIGH TUNNELS

Steve Bogash

Horticulture Educator / Researcher

High tunnel cucumber trial

Spider mites

Insect pests• Green Peach Aphids

• Melon Aphids

• Striped cucumber beetles

• Spotted cucumber beetles

Cold damaged (Late October)

Downy Mildew

Powdery Mildew

Pruning and training

High Tunnel Cucumbers (3 plots with 4 plants)

Variety Total Count

Total Weight Average Weight

Total Cull Count Total Cull Weight Cull Weight (% of Total)

Corinto224 164.91 0.73 7 2.24 1.34

Diva99 62.16 0.62 4 1.63 2.56

Excelsior193 101.91 0.52 4 1 0.97

Katrina171 83.29 0.48 20 9.28 10.02

Lisboa165 117.16 0.71 6 2.95 2.46

Picolino242 103.64 0.42 7 3.4 3.18

Rocky213 91.39 0.42 16.5 4.92 5.11

Socrates208 123.93 0.59 31 15.8 11.31

USAC0030174 103.33 0.59 23 9.05 8.05

USACX0329218 113.518 0.52 42 18.05 13.72

USACX8835208 107.78 0.51 68 11.51 9.65

Best tunnel cucumbers

Socrates

Best tunnel cucumbers

Rocky

Iznik

Best tunnel cucumbers

Picolino

Consistently one of the earliest and longest in production

Best tunnel cucumbers

Katrina

Best tunnel cucumbersCorinto

Corinto cut

Best tunnel cucumbers

Lisboa

Lisboa cut

Best tunnel cucumbers

Excelsior

Disease management program• Basic proactive program

– Regalia – Actinovate AG – Stimplex

– 5 day interval

• Downy mildew pressure had us use Tanos or Curzate or Ranman

• Early crop had a single bout with PM

– Single application of Torino fixed that

• As cuke plants age, PM challenges increase

Insect and mite management• Removal of cucumber beetles simplifies

entire pest management program.

• Mites, Aphids and Thrips:

– Weekly preventative:

• Grandevo

• MET52

• M-Pede at 3%

Pest management by backpack

Field-grown Corinto’s

THANK YOUYOUR QUESTIONS PLEASE

Steve Bogash

Horticulture Educator / Researcher

717-240-6500 ext. 6507

smb13@psu.edu