Problems With My Upside Down Cucumbers

Wrong Variety

• Not all cucumbers are equally-suited to upside down planting. When selecting plants to put in your inverted planter, your cucumber variety should be a climber and not a bush cucumber. Also, select a relatively small variety like a miniature gherkin or a pickling cucumber. Larger cucumbers are heavier, and the force of gravity on three or four large fruit may be enough to pull the plant out of the planter or break stems off the plant.

Bitter Flavor

• A bitter flavor in the mature cucumbers is a sign of stress. In upside down cucumbers, this is most commonly related to the amount of moisture reaching the fruit. In general, it means that only the very top of the planter is getting water. To correct the problem, water the cucumbers more deeply, giving all the root system water. Other possible causes include too much sun, too much heat, and a lack of nutrition in the soil.

Misshapen Cucumbers

• Misshapen cucumbers occur both in upside down planters and on the ground. When cucumbers are not well-pollinated, they curl up like elbow macaroni and may have a twisted appearance or grow unevenly. These cucumbers should be pulled from the plant and discarded as soon as their poor development is noticed. They will not taste right, and allowing them to remain on the vine is a waste of plant energy.

Pests

• Although pests are less of a threat to hanging plants, occasionally an infestation occurs. Common cucumber pests include squash bugs, cucumber beetles and aphids. Squash bugs suck the liquid from the plant and make it droop or look wilted. Aphids' saliva may make the plants foliage look shiny or wet. Cucumber beetles feed on the leaves, leaving small holes, and may also cause the plant to wilt. These pests can be treated chemically by covering the plant with sevin dust, or organically by spraying the plant with a heavy stream of water to flush away the bugs, and hand-picking to remove any remaining pests.