If plants are struggling and not growing well, use this garden troubleshooting guide to help determine the problem and the possible solution.
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Garden Troubleshooting Guide: How to Identify & Solve Common Garden Problems
| Problem: | Often caused by: | Solutions to try: |
| Plants are weak, spindly, pale and not growing well | Weeds: Weeds can choke out other plants and take sunlight, moisture and nutrients | • Pull weeds by hand before they set seed • If area is severely infested, consider solarizing area |
| Plants are weak, spindly, pale and not growing well (cont.) | Poor soil | • Add good quality compost • Amend garden with a balanced organic fertilizer • Add worm castings • Add vermicomposting bins to beds • Add organic matter often to soil • Add vermiculite/perlite and coconut coir to increase water-holding capability |
| Plants are weak, spindly, pale and not growing well (cont.) | Wrong growing season | • Plants have a preferred growing temperature; plant at the right time • If it is still hot, wait to plant cool-season crops • If it is still cold, wait to plant warm-season crops |
| Plants are weak, spindly, pale and not growing well (cont.) | Lack of sunlight | • Move containers or raised beds to areas that get enough light • Reduce shade by removing trees, etc. • Thin plants – avoid crowding plants too close together • Plan your garden to avoid taller plants shading smaller plants; put trellises on the north side of your garden • Use a grow light when starting seeds indoors; keep light just a few inches from plants |
| Problem: | Often caused by: | Solutions to try: |
| Plants look dry around the edges and curl upward | Wind: Wind can be drying and stressful for plants | • Take advantage of natural windbreaks in garden planning • Add windbreaks; use poly tunnels or cloches for temporary wind protection |
| Black spots, soft spots after a freeze | Frost Damage | • Remove the entire plant (annual) or wait until after danger of frost to cut it back (perennial) • Cover frost-susceptible plants during frost events |
| Burned or yellow leaves and sunscald or burned fruit | Sun damage | • Provide shade during the hottest months of the year • Avoid planting sensitive plants in areas that receive afternoon sun • Harden off transplants before planting |
| Yellow leaves, slow growth, brown dry lower leaves | Underwatering | • Increase watering • Use a moisture meter to get an accurate idea of soil moisture |
| Plant wilts easily (Many plants in the Cucurbit family do this normally in the heat of the day; they usually perk back up as temps cool down) | Frequent, shallow watering builds fewer, shallower roots that don’t store as much moisture for the plant to use when it’s stressed | • Water the entire depth of your raised bed or container to encourage the roots to grow deep • Deep, healthy roots will provide moisture for the plant during the heat of the day |
| Plant looks wilted and may have any or all of the following: • Wet soil • Brown leaves • Yellow falling leaves • New growth falling off • Floppy plant • Mold • Slimy or foul-smelling roots(root rot) |
Overwatering | • Do not water again until the top inch or more of soil is dry • Remove flowers • Use a moisture meter to get an accurate idea of soil moisture. • Water only when soil is dry to the touch an inch or two below the surface |
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Garden Troubleshooting Guide: How to Identify & Solve Common Garden Problems (cont.)
| Problem: | Often caused by: | Solutions to try: |
| Light-green new growth with smaller leaves | Possible nitrogen deficiency | Feed with fish fertilizer if lacking nitrogen |
| Red or purple leaves (that are supposed to be green) |
Phosphorus deficiency | Feed with seaweed fertilizer |
| White (bleached) spots on leaves of newly planted seedlings | Too much sun exposure | Harden off seedlings gradually |
Problem: |
Often caused by: | Solution to try: |
| Poor harvest | Plant does not produce desired harvest | • Choose varieties suited to climate (i.e., in the low desert, choose shorter days to harvest and heat-resistant varieties) • Plant at the correct time and temperature • Care for plant correctly – pay attention to plant each day • Plant in well-draining soil |
| Cracked tomatoes, Splitting fruit & vegetables | • Irregular watering • Heavy rains |
• Use an automatic timer, oyas, drip irrigation to water tomatoes • Tomatoes don’t like big fluctuations in soil moisture • If a large amount of rain is expected, harvest fruit prior to the rain |
| Bolting plants (central stalk forms and develops a seed head) | Plant switches from food production to seed production | Temperature extremes (usually too hot) |
| Powdery mildew (a white, powdery-looking substance on leaves; usually begins as small white spots on the top of leaves and spreads) |
• Water on leaves • Not enough sunlight or airflow • Humid, wet conditions |
• Remove affected leaves • Move the container to a sunnier location • Prune overcrowded branches or plants to increase air circulation • Spray plants with a solution of 1 tsp baking soda or potassium bicarbonate and castile soap mixed with 1 quart water • Remove heavily-infected plants |
| Tomatoes won’t ripen | Too hot, too cold | • Top plant by removing cutting central stem. • Remove suckers, blossoms, and diseased leaves • Smaller tomatoes will ripen faster • Harvest fruit as soon as it flushes color (it will finish indoors) • Cover plants at night when temperatures are below 50°F • Move the container to a sunnier location |
Garden Troubleshooting Guide: How to Identify & Solve Common Garden Problems (cont.)
| Problem: | Often caused by: | Solutions to try: |
| Lack of pollinators and beneficial insects | • Pesticide use • Lack of flowers, herbs, diverse plantings |
• Do not use pesticides • Use organic controls sparingly • Plant a variety of vegetables, flowers, and herbs • Allow herbs to flower • Interplant different types of crops throughout your garden • Grow flowering plants that provide nectar and pollen |
| Seeds won’t germinate | • Not enough time has passed • Poor seeds • Seed dried out • Wrong temperature (too hot or too cold) • Soil is too wet • Birds / slugs ate seeds |
• Do not allow newly-planted seeds to dry out • Use garden markers to mark newly-planted areas • Start indoors or in containers, and then transplant • Use fresh seeds • Use barrier methods to prevent seed loss from animals and birds • Start seeds indoors under controlled conditions |
| Diseases | Planting crops in same location each year | • Rotate different crop families – try to allow 2 years between planting the same family of crops • Alliums: garlic, onions, chives • Amaranths: beets, chard, spinach • Asters: lettuce, sunflowers, chamomile • Brassicas: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, radish • Cucurbits: squash, cucumber, melon • Mint: basil, mint, rosemary, sage • Legumes: beans, peas • Nightshades: tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant • Umbels: carrots, celery, cilantro, dill, parsley |
| Problem: | Often caused by: | Solutions to try: |
| Diseases (cont.) | Planting crops too close together | • Plants need sufficient airflow to be healthy • Plants that touch each other are more likely to have problems with diseases |
| Diseases (cont.) | Overwatering | • Many fungal diseases are caused by too much water in the soil or on the plant’s leaves • Plant in well-draining soil |
| Diseases (cont.) | Lack of sunlight | Most plants need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight to be healthy |
| Damage to plants | Rodents | Traps, cats |
| Damage to plants (cont.) | Birds | Bird mesh, barrier methods |
| Damage to plants (cont.) | Insects | • Barrier methods, organic gardening methods, beneficial insects • Various treatments and causes • See the article, “Organic Pest Control That Really Works”, for pest identification and treatment options |
| Problem: | Often caused by: | Solutions to try: |
| Blossom end rot (a brown, leathery rot developing on or near the blossom end of tomatoes, peppers, etc.) |
• Irregular watering • Improper soil pH • Lack of calcium |
• Maintain consistent moisture levels throughout season • Cold soils limit nutrient uptake • Apply mulch to prevent moisture loss • Apply a fertilizer higher in phosphorus • Maintain soil pH at or near 6.5 |
| Damping off (Fungal disease that causes the stem to rot and kills seedlings) |
• Crowded seedlings • Overhead watering |
• Use sterile potting mix • Grow in well-drained soil with plenty of light • Do not crowd seedlings • Water from the bottom • Thin layer of sand, perlite, or sphagnum moss on the top of the soil • Use a fan to circulate air |
| Squash, cucumbers, etc. not forming fruit (plenty of flowers, no fruit) |
Lack of pollination | Hand pollinate: • Best done early in the morning • Remove the male blossom; pick off or pull back the petals and rub the stamen against the pistil of the other flower • Alternatively, use a cotton swab to transfer the pollen from the male flower to the female flower |
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