How to stop bugs from eating cucumber plants naturally?

Author: Hester Mraz I  |  Last update: Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Planting borage, scarlet runner beans, and other flowers near your cucumbers attracts bumblebees, whose presence helps deter cucumber beetles. Grow repellent plants. Flowers like nasturtium and marigolds, an herb such as catnip, and veggies like radishes and corn help keep cucumber beetles away.

What is the best insect repellent for cucumber plants?

Bifenthrin, cyhalothrin, or cypermethrin will control cucumber beetles, squash bugs, squash vine borers, and pickleworms, but wait 3, 7, or 1 days, respectively, after spraying and before harvest.

What is a homemade pesticide for cucumbers?

Mix 1 cup of vegetable oil with 1 tablespoon of mild liquid soap. Add 2-8 teaspoons of this mixture to 1 quart of water and spray your plants as above. The oil in this spray smothers the insects, so it is effective on aphids, thrips, mites, and scale.

What bug is eating my cucumber plants?

Cucumber beetles, squash bugs, squash vine borers and other pests can attack cucumbers. Some of these pests also transmit diseases.

What animal is eating my cucumber plants at night?

Cucumber beetles and flea beetles can find crops shockingly fast, so it's best to be prepared with a physical barrier over them as soon as possible. Prevention is key; once you have those pests they can be tough to manage.

How to Prevent and Control Cucumber Beetles 5 Ways

What is the best homemade insect repellent?

10 Natural Insect Repellents For Your Home
  1. Citronella Oil for Mosquitoes. ...
  2. Chalk for Ants and Slugs. ...
  3. Beer for Slugs. ...
  4. DIY Spider Repellent Spray. ...
  5. Cinnamon, Paprika or Garlic to Keep Out Ants. ...
  6. Diatomaceous Earth for Most Insects. ...
  7. Essential Oils for Ticks. ...
  8. Garlic Solution on Strips of Cloth.

How to stop bugs from eating leaves?

Use repellents. Non-toxic repellents are available in garden centers that naturally repel bugs with such ingredients as garlic or hot-pepper oil. Some are spray-on liquids, others are granular that can be scattered around the base of plants.

Will coffee grounds help cucumber plants?

Acidic-loving plants such as azaleas, blueberries, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, and roses will benefit from a sprinkling of coffee grounds around the base of plants. Vegetable crops that may benefit from coffee grounds include carrots, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, and radishes.

How do you make homemade bug spray for plants?

Insecticidal soap

To create insecticidal soap, combine one cup of vegetable oil with one tablespoon of dishwashing soap or pure castile liquid soap at Walmart. For this method, as well as any others that call for dishwashing soap, avoid those containing a degreaser or bleach, as these can cause more harm than good.

Can you spray soapy water on cucumber plants?

High concentrations of soap can burn plant foliage, especially when plants are stressed, temperatures are over 90°F and humidity is high.

Can you put baking soda around cucumber plants?

If you're struggling to keep your cucumber plants healthy, consider adding baking soda to your care routine. This simple step can make a big difference in the health and growth of your plants. Read on to learn more about why baking soda is an effective tool when it comes to caring for cucumbers.

What is the best spray for cucumbers?

Fungicide that has ingredient 1. Carbendazim mancozeb 2. Pyraclostrobin. spraying is twice in a week, and you can mix both the fungicide and insecticide.

Do coffee grounds repel cucumber beetles?

Claims and Counterclaims. Many gardeners claim that coffee grounds repel harmful insects and other garden pests, including flea beetles, lily beetles, aphids, slugs and even cats, but this idea would appear to be mostly wishful thinking. Every time a serious study is done on the issue, the result is always negative.

What smell do bugs hate the most?

Bugs hate the smells associated with repellency, such as lavender, citronella, vinegar, peppermint, and geranium. These oils are considered a natural way of driving away bugs from your home without harming you, your family, and other animals.

Does vinegar keep bugs away?

Vinegar is one of the best ingredients to make a pest control spray. Vinegar is one of the best ingredients to make a pest control spray. It is effective in repelling ants, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and many others. Creating a mix is quite simple and is considered safe for humans and pets.

How do I get rid of bugs on my cucumber plants naturally?

Planting borage, scarlet runner beans, and other flowers near your cucumbers attracts bumblebees, whose presence helps deter cucumber beetles. Grow repellent plants. Flowers like nasturtium and marigolds, an herb such as catnip, and veggies like radishes and corn help keep cucumber beetles away.

What does Epsom salt do for cucumber plants?

Epsom salt is beneficial to cucumber plants because of the chemical compound it's made from. It includes magnesium and sulfur, which make this salt great at boosting plant growth. When there is magnesium in the soil, it prompts the roots to absorb the nutrients they need, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus.

What does baking soda do for plants?

Prevent Fungal Disease

MAKE IT: Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 2-3 drops of liquid soap in 1 liter of water. Spray the solution on the infected plants. Baking soda helps the plants become less acidic and prevents fungal growth.

What is the best pest control for cucumbers?

Spinosad sprays can be applied as soil drenches to kill larvae before they pupate in the soil. B. bassiana sprays infect and kill cucumber beetles once they have hatched. They are most effective when targeting non-adult stages.

Why are my cucumber leaves getting holes in them?

Slugs and snails chew leaf holes in many plant types, including hibiscus, hosta, basil, cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and pepper plants. Leaf holes from slugs and snails offer these clues: Holes are large and irregular in shape. Hole edges are relatively smooth.

What bug eats cucumber leaves?

Cucumber beetles can damage foliage and fruit. Striped cucumber beetles can transmit the bacterial wilt pathogen that can kill cucurbits. Cantaloupe and muskmelons are severely affected by bacterial wilt. There are nonchemical and chemical options available for managing cucumber beetles.

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