Vegetable Garden Problem Solving

 Here is a list of the common vegetable problems in this area.

First listed is what you see, in red is the likely cause, followed by what we recommend.

Common Insect Problems

Tiny holes: Flea Beetles: Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

New seedlings disappearing: slugs or earwigs: DE, Sluggo Plus

Holes on cabbage/broccoli/B sprouts: cabbage lopper: Spinosad or Bt

New plants cut at base: cut worm: Sluggo Plus, DE, dig and smash

Holes on potato foliage: Colorado potato beetle: Spinosad, crush

Tomato foliage disappearing: horn worm: find and smash, Spinosad

Common Animal Problems

Tops of plants eaten off: deer: repellants on ground not plants, fence

Leaves disappearing lower down: rabbits: repellants on ground not plants, fence

Plant disappearing completely: woodchucks: fence, repellants, smoke bomb den

Using garden for “their business”: cats: cover soil with chicken wire

Common Disease Problems

Spots on leaves: leaf spot fungus: Actinovate, Serenade, Copper

Gray mold on leaves: powdery mildew: Green Cure or products above

Yellow leaves/spots tomato foliage: early blight: Copper fungicide

Common Cultural Problems

Curled foliage: water/wind/heat stress: water deeply less often

Browned edges on leaves: fertilizer burn: water well before fertilizing, use organic fertilizers

Older leaves yellow and turning brown: drying: water deeply less often

Whole plant yellow: too much water: water deeply less often

Whole plant yellow: lack of nitrogen: fertilize with fish/seaweed

Plant dies after spraying: sunburn: some products make plants sun sensitive – read the label, don’t spray on hot, sunny day.

You can download a printable pdf of this list on the Resources/informational handouts page of this website.

Dealing with the problems that come along is worth it when the reward is the tastiest food on earth.