Problems....

[aravyn]

Sigh... I seem to have the slug/snail problem under control but I have just been watering my tiny patch and noticed some leaf problems. My courgettes - still only about four inches tall - have some almost totally white leaves. Nasturtiums and runner bean leaves have what look like small white lines on almost all the leaves, doesn't look like leaf miner, more like they have been splashed with something. I can't see anything on or around the plants that might have caused this.
Has anybody any idea what these might be? Really grateful for any ideas - we will be going to the garden centre later so I can get something to cure (if that is possible!) if I know what I am trying to cure. I try to be organic, but I don't want to lose my carefully tended crops.
Barbara

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi aravyn and welcome to the Vine! Could you possibly get a photo and post it here? Bernie PS there are much more experienced grapes than me, and they may have an idea, but just thought a photo would help.

[aravyn]

Hi - a good idea but not sure if my photography and editing are up to it, but attached (I hope!) is a photo of the runner bean. I have just noticed that some of the white marks are now slits in the leaves - something is attacking the plant but what.....

Thanks for your reply,
Barbara

[rustylady]

I've tried to make the picture larger, but lose the definition. The plants look green and healthy - don't know what the marks are. Leaf miner leaves wiggly lines where they eat their way through the tissue. Could it just be wind damage?

[aravyn]

Thanks for having a look, pretty certain it isn't wind damage because it's getting worse - or rather an afternoon in the garden examining all shows how bad it is. Tomatoes are showing signs of attack and some radish.

I can't see anything, but what I do have are some very small red insects, spider like. I thought these were red spider mite at first, but everything I read says they are buff in summer and only red in winter. Last year I did find something on the internet that said they were harmless (can't remember the name now) and they are all over the patio and on the pots but don't seem to go on the plants. Didn't want to do it but might have to use Derris to see if that helps. Spent a fortune in compost, soil improvers and seed and invested loads and loads of time so don't want to lose the entire crop. :'(

Thanks again,
Barbara

[Norm]

Yo Aravyn. If it is red spider mite, the plant's had it and there's nothing other than domestos to kill the little sods, which needless to say will put paid to the plant as well. Shift infected plants and burn them. Then keep your fingers crossed! Good luck.

[SarzWix]

If it's Red Spider Mite, you can buy a 'biological control' from Wiggly Wigglers/ Harrod Horticultural/ Organic Catalogue. We had quite a bad infestation on our chilli & pepper plants and it's worked wonders. If it is Spider Mite, the plants will have fine webbing in the leaf joints etc. Although, this doesn't sound like that - the leaves usually go yellow rather than white?
Do you have a copy of Dr Hessayon Veg Expert book? There is usually a very good description of the likely pest for each type of plant, and pictures. If you don't have it, the library might have a copy?

[Flummery]

Beware though. New growers get paranoid reading all the things their 'babies' could have wrong with them! It's a bit like reading a medical dictionary - you've got it all! Look it up as reference, take a deep breath and relax!

[aravyn]

Thanks to all for your thoughts on this - I have now solved the problem! Visiting my sister yesterday I noted the same problem on her hostas and asked if she knew what was causing it. 'The hailstorm a couple of weeks ago' she said........ it never even crossed my mind that a few hail stones would cause such havoc, one more lesson learned. Lots more still to learn. :~(

[Two_Sheds]

Bet you're glad you didn't go spraying against hailstones!