Hi gardeners,
I bought a mint plant a few months ago from my local organic co-op. It seemed to be doing well for a while but then it started suffering from a host of problems. First it had what I think were aphids - tiny green bugs, mostly hanging out on the stems. I sprayed several times with a soap solution and when the bugs were gone rinsed the whole plant a few times under the faucet. This new problem is much harder to crack. Does someone know what is going on with this plant and if it can be saved?
I keep the mint plant indoors under a grow light on top of the fridge (see pictures below). It should be getting plenty of light but it's looking rather sickly. Lately, small black dots have appeared on many of the leaves leading to dead spots in the areas where they are clustered. It's more pronounced towards the bottom of the plant but I've noticed lately that new growth near the top will look fine for a few days and then start to resemble the infected leaves lower down. At first I thought that maybe I had put too much soap in the soap spray that I used to kill the aphids but this has now been going on for much longer than the spraying and the black dots have become more pronounced. The scary thing is that, whatever it is, it has spread to the sage seedling that was sprouting next to the mint plant (last photo).
I've googled high and low and haven't been able to find a picture that looks much like what my plant has got. Any help is greatly appreciated. Everyone on this forum keeps saying how hard it is to kill mint. Well, if we're unsuccessful at curing this plant, we can all reclassify this as a tried and true way to kill a mint plant! ... I'm still hoping it doesn't come to that, though. Thanks for all your help - posting pictures below.
[img]https://i1144.photobucket.com/albums/o497/Hobbyist7/ecc73cdb.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1144.photobucket.com/albums/o497/Hobbyist7/5bf2aebc.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1144.photobucket.com/albums/o497/Hobbyist7/2fb39970.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1144.photobucket.com/albums/o497/Hobbyist7/bade9971.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1144.photobucket.com/albums/o497/Hobbyist7/15bf7fde.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1144.photobucket.com/albums/o497/Hobbyist7/841c591a.jpg[/img]
- applestar
- Mod
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- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
I absolutely agree the sage needs more light. One option would be to make a hanging pot out of something like a one pint cottage cheese container (lots of holes for drainage, wire below the rim and strings or wire attached to the wire and hang it from the light fixture itself (I would rig something to make it easy to hang and remove and to adjust the hanging length).
OR you could be more conventional and raise the sage pot on something (large can, etc.) so the sage leaves are only a few inches below the tubes. (if it feels too hot for your hand, it's too hot for the plant). You may want to move it closer to the light gradually since these leaves look stressed already.
Take the opportunity to Uppot the sage into 1/3 sand (or perlite) and 2/3 potting soil mix with maybe a pinch of lime. It looks like you have it in one of those peat pellets. Peat tends to be acidic and sage prefers soil on the alkaline side.
Depending on the condition where you are growing these, I have two opposite theories for the brown spots.
(1) there is too much humidity and they are getting mildew. Spray with 1/4 to 1/3 milk and filtered water solution. Don't rinse off. Allow the surface of the soil to dry between watering as already recommended.
OR
(2) there is too much dry hot air from the back of the fridge and they have been infested with red spider mites. Look for teeny tiny red specks under the leaves that rubb off in red streaks. Look for webbing under curled leaves and leaf nodes. Soapy spray/rinse cycle you used for aphids should also work on the red spider mites. Place a deep tray filled with gravel under each and keep the tray filled with water but don't allow the water to touch the bottom of the pots AND/OR spray thoroughly morning and evening with filtered water.
OR you could be more conventional and raise the sage pot on something (large can, etc.) so the sage leaves are only a few inches below the tubes. (if it feels too hot for your hand, it's too hot for the plant). You may want to move it closer to the light gradually since these leaves look stressed already.
Take the opportunity to Uppot the sage into 1/3 sand (or perlite) and 2/3 potting soil mix with maybe a pinch of lime. It looks like you have it in one of those peat pellets. Peat tends to be acidic and sage prefers soil on the alkaline side.
Depending on the condition where you are growing these, I have two opposite theories for the brown spots.
(1) there is too much humidity and they are getting mildew. Spray with 1/4 to 1/3 milk and filtered water solution. Don't rinse off. Allow the surface of the soil to dry between watering as already recommended.
OR
(2) there is too much dry hot air from the back of the fridge and they have been infested with red spider mites. Look for teeny tiny red specks under the leaves that rubb off in red streaks. Look for webbing under curled leaves and leaf nodes. Soapy spray/rinse cycle you used for aphids should also work on the red spider mites. Place a deep tray filled with gravel under each and keep the tray filled with water but don't allow the water to touch the bottom of the pots AND/OR spray thoroughly morning and evening with filtered water.
You are both the best! Thanks for the great replies!
At first I excepted spider mites, since if one of my houseplants becomes infected with something, that's usually the culprit. No mites this time.
I will try the milk/filtered water solution. I haven't ever tried that before but I think it could very well be mildew, as you suggested. And I've moved the mint to a window too, so hopefully that will help dry it out and increase air circulation in general. I'm wondering if some of this has to do with the soil I bought to fill these pots. I've moved to a city and the adjustment to indoor gardening, such as it is, is taking a while. Normally, I would have gone out back and dug up some soil and just added peat, perlite or whatever. Instead, I bought this Miracle Grow soil that purports to control moisture. It claims to prevent both drying AND overwatering, which I thought would be great for when I leave for long weekends. The soil does seem to remain overly moist for a long time after watering.
Thanks for the tips on the mint and for the potting recommendations for the sage. I will try the hanging basket out the window idea. I was hoping to overwinter the sage (and mint) indoors when things get cold outside in a couple of months and this seems like it could be the best of both worlds.
I'll post pictures if everything works out. Thanks again!
At first I excepted spider mites, since if one of my houseplants becomes infected with something, that's usually the culprit. No mites this time.
I will try the milk/filtered water solution. I haven't ever tried that before but I think it could very well be mildew, as you suggested. And I've moved the mint to a window too, so hopefully that will help dry it out and increase air circulation in general. I'm wondering if some of this has to do with the soil I bought to fill these pots. I've moved to a city and the adjustment to indoor gardening, such as it is, is taking a while. Normally, I would have gone out back and dug up some soil and just added peat, perlite or whatever. Instead, I bought this Miracle Grow soil that purports to control moisture. It claims to prevent both drying AND overwatering, which I thought would be great for when I leave for long weekends. The soil does seem to remain overly moist for a long time after watering.
Thanks for the tips on the mint and for the potting recommendations for the sage. I will try the hanging basket out the window idea. I was hoping to overwinter the sage (and mint) indoors when things get cold outside in a couple of months and this seems like it could be the best of both worlds.
I'll post pictures if everything works out. Thanks again!
- rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
I think applestar was talking about hanging your sage plant from the light fixture to get it up close to the tubes. Fluorescent lights don't do much good if they are more than a few inches away from the plant.
If you are at least in zone 6, your mint and sage should be able to over-winter outdoors if you want and IF they are healthy and in reasonable sized pots to start with. The mint would not have trouble over-wintering indoors. The sage being a full sun plant will be a bit harder, but apple has given you good advice about potting, etc. If you keep it indoors, get it close to the light and leave the light on 16 hrs a day.
You can't use garden soil (dirt) in containers. It is too heavy and dense and packs down too hard, doesn't drain well enough (and I do think you are already having drainage issues). Miracle Gro potting soil should be fine, although if you can still find it, I prefer the regular to the moisture control, because I agree it tends to hold moisture too long. Shouldn't hurt the mint too much, but for the sage, either mix in some sand as AS said or some cactus mix potting soil.
If you are at least in zone 6, your mint and sage should be able to over-winter outdoors if you want and IF they are healthy and in reasonable sized pots to start with. The mint would not have trouble over-wintering indoors. The sage being a full sun plant will be a bit harder, but apple has given you good advice about potting, etc. If you keep it indoors, get it close to the light and leave the light on 16 hrs a day.
You can't use garden soil (dirt) in containers. It is too heavy and dense and packs down too hard, doesn't drain well enough (and I do think you are already having drainage issues). Miracle Gro potting soil should be fine, although if you can still find it, I prefer the regular to the moisture control, because I agree it tends to hold moisture too long. Shouldn't hurt the mint too much, but for the sage, either mix in some sand as AS said or some cactus mix potting soil.