Growing Cucumbers in Southern California

How do you water you cucumbers? They don NOT like being watered from above. Water directly on their leaves causes them to mildew and get fungus. The yellowing, suggests to me that you are watering from above the plants. Cucumbers also love to climb, this keeps the plants off the moist ground. Start by watering them at soil level, and getting a spray for mildew and fungus in gardens. Spray that all over the leaves and stems. I think you'd be better off pulling these and planting more. Add some compost (you can just buy a bag at Lowes or Home Depot, if you don't compost) to amend the soil, and make it healthier. I think your growing season is similar to ours. You should be able to plant now and have them grow fine. Do a quick google search about gardening in southern California, and you should let lots of information about when to plant. With all that said, you might not be able to salvage these plants. However, you could try watering differently and getting fungus spray, like I mentioned earlier. If you get new plants, you might consider getting something for them to climb on. (If you don't already do that.)

Do you have plenty of flowers around to attract butterflies and bees?

I think you can start with new plants in the long growing season. Sounds like the plant just lived out its life cycle. My bush beens were also done when I got back from vacation and I was going to plant climbing cucs in their place. So, go for it.

Ditto what Bug advised from what I've observed. My Dad grew cucumbers successfully here in North OC for many years, he passed in February or I would ask his advice, but Bug sounds right on.

My brother put mulch on our cucumber plants last year and they grew and grew and grew. I never seen so much cucumbers in my life. If the leaves are turning yellow it can be that they have had to much water, too much heat and no water.

Watering them from inside the vines closer to the roots aids them in growing also having some place for them to grow on helps. (like a fence, a post or gate).

When the season is over cover them with mulch so they can stay warm from the snow. In the spring on cover them so they should regrow on their own.

Hope this helps. (growing faster plants use your left over egg shells and coffee grinds to give them extra protein that doesn't cost you a lot)

My husband does our growing so I can't answer all your specific questions. However, we live in Northridge - not far from you - and we don't have good soil for growing vegetables so we've been growing them in big pots and they do great - we've grown basil and tomatoes with a lot of success. Haven't tried cucumbers yet. Hope this helps!