What's happening to my basil leaves?
Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 2:03 pm
by swevrywhere
A few weeks ago, I bought a couple basil pots at Trader Joe's. I've kept them in the pot, set them near the window where they get a lot of direct sunlight, and have been watering them every evening. Recently, I've been getting some sick spots (see [url]https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1b-b60iH20CS135dKmBpJQ?feat=directlink[/url]) on my leaves and am unsure if it's bugs or something else. Does anyone know what this could be? If so, what can I do to fix it?
Thanks!
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:18 pm
by z
It looks to me like fungal leaf spot.
It could also be leaf miner damage.
In the latter case, the leaf miner lives inside the leavesand sucks out the upper layer of flesh, leaving a greyish effect as in your picture. It will also leave squiggly lines caused by the tunnelling movements that the parasite makes, as in the paler stains on your leaves.
Organic pesticides may be sprayed at two or three intervals. The substance usually used is Spinosad, which is poisonous for bees and probably not the best option, especially is your basil plant is harvested for food.
The best response is to remove the affected leaves, and care for the basil by watering it only in the morning, so the plant has the rest of the day to dry. Damp conditions are good for fungi, and the foliage should be kept dry. Sanitation should impede the chances of a repeat attack by miners/fungi. Leave the plants growing in a place of good air circulation.