Hello.
There's something going on with a few of my indoor vegetable plants. At first it looked like black spots on the leaves of my cucumber and broccoli, but when I looked closer it seems like the tiny green cells are falling off of the transparent membrane of the leaf (?) It started on the lower leaves but is now affecting most of them. It really shows in these photos (taken from below with the light behind them).
[img]https://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs442.snc3/25382_112886362076199_100000645081027_139087_2435055_a.jpg[/img]
[img]https://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs442.snc3/25382_112886368742865_100000645081027_139088_6236551_a.jpg[/img]
[img]https://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs442.snc3/25382_112886392076196_100000645081027_139094_1953406_a.jpg[/img]
It's less evident in the broccoli, but you can still see it.
[img]https://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs462.snc3/25382_112886372076198_100000645081027_139089_512346_a.jpg[/img]
Like I said, it's not so much that spots are forming... more like the leaf itself is losing its green. Although you CAN see 1 or 2 spots formed on the broccoli leaves.
[img]https://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs442.snc3/25382_112886388742863_100000645081027_139093_508355_a.jpg[/img]
Also you can see how the edges of the leaves are dry and wilted. What's going on?!
[img]https://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs442.snc3/25382_112886382076197_100000645081027_139091_4850389_a.jpg[/img]
A little background info: although not ideal for plants this size, they are kept under fluorescents about 16 hours a day - I was hoping they'd get large enough to reach the windows. Only problem I've had thus far is fungus gnats... I put a 1 inch layer of sand on top of the soil and that helped but I still have a few. Also sprayed "organic" insecticide on the plants which had little effect. I haven't watered them much because they don't get much heat and soil seemed moist enough, but I'm no pro. Is it possible they're just reacting to not enough light or water, or are they sick? My outdoor plants have had none of these problems.
Thanks very much for the help!
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StorageSmart2
- Cool Member
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 1:27 pm
The edges of the leaves being dry and wilty is possibly a side affect from the fungus gnats. When the larvae attack the roots it tends to show up most in leaves losing their vigor and turning slightly yellow.
If the insecticide you're using is causing damage and breakdown of the leaf, you could try mixing some vanilla extract with water to spray onto the leaves, stem, and soil sparingly. I'm not sure what it will do to the plants, but have heard that this is a good all-natural insect repellent to fungus gnats for people.
It's good that you're not watering them too much, because fungus gnats really love moist conditions. You don't want the soil to get too wet.
If the insecticide you're using is causing damage and breakdown of the leaf, you could try mixing some vanilla extract with water to spray onto the leaves, stem, and soil sparingly. I'm not sure what it will do to the plants, but have heard that this is a good all-natural insect repellent to fungus gnats for people.
It's good that you're not watering them too much, because fungus gnats really love moist conditions. You don't want the soil to get too wet.
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StorageSmart2
- Cool Member
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 1:27 pm
While looking up some more information on companion planting tonight, I found an article at https://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html that says concentrated garlic spray is good at getting rid of fungus gnats (among other things). If you're not sure about the effects of the vanila, you could try garlic...
So did the problem only begin after spraying?
So you have signs showing on the oldest growth first? that narrows down possible nutrient deficiency to the mobile ones. That might help your search.
If it's a pest, it's something that crawled over the soil and up the stem, because of the damage pattern. Mites do that (but you don't have mites).
So you have signs showing on the oldest growth first? that narrows down possible nutrient deficiency to the mobile ones. That might help your search.
If it's a pest, it's something that crawled over the soil and up the stem, because of the damage pattern. Mites do that (but you don't have mites).
I think that yes the problem only began after I used the insecticide. I trimmed off all of the effected leaves, leaving the 2 plants a little bald. Also did some more searching on this forum and I'm trying cinnamon and chamomile tea to control the fungus gnats. There was a one ladybug that was crawling around those 2 plants - I let her stay but she was only there a few days. Maybe she brought something in with her?
Hopefully the new growth won't suffer. I won't be using that spray again.
Hopefully the new growth won't suffer. I won't be using that spray again.