Silvery marks on basil, mint and lemon balm.

[Marb67]

Well this seems to happen every year. My healthy basil deteriorates with silvery markings on the leaves making them inedible and unsightly. They are almost paper thin. Does anyone know what it is and how to stop it as I have pulled off all the affected leaves.

[Runtpuppy]

How much and how often do you water them? Also, how many plants in a pot?

A quick search seems to suggest almost all basil problems stem from either overwatering or poor circulation. I used to never be able to grow this herb that everyone said was so easy to grow. Now, however, I seem to have fair to good success with planting them 1-4 in a pot. Also, I don't water them every day. I normally wait until the leaves start drooping just a little bit and then give them a good soak.

[Snoop Puss]

Hmm. Have you possibly got pests eating away at the undersides of the leaves? What do they feel like if yu rub the back of the leaves in/between your fingers?

[Scarlet]

It could be thrips Marb?

[Marb67]

My garden is plagued by &@#£@*&#£% thrips. They are into everything, especially b beans but their markings are tiny holes, nothing like the basil marks. Basil cared for as mentioned in a post above. Supermarket bought planted weeks ago n new compost. Kept in greenhouse next to toms. These look like some kind of leaf minor pest.

[Jay-ell]

Was it from the gardening part of the supermarket or the grocery part of the supermarket? Grocery living herb pots tend to be heavily over sown so what looks like a healthy plant is in fact a dozen plants. Did you separate the plants of plant the whole clump?

[Bren In Pots]

With supermarket basil i find its best to pinch out the tops and grow them on in water until they have roots then pot on in compost. Like Jay says they do pack a lot of plants in those pots and it can be difficult to split them.

[Marb67]

It does look like a pest though so not sure supermarket bought is the issue.

[veggiechicken]

I'm going to guess at it being a forced, plant from a hothouse, raised for kitchen use as it is and not meant to be grown on. Its having difficulty adjusting to the change of environment as the leaves are so tender so its suffering.
'Course, it could be a snail/slug stripping of the leaf surface.

[Chris11]

These look like some kind of leaf minor pest.

Agreed, there's a good chance it's leaf miners.

[Marb67]

Pathetic Mint

Well for the life of me I cannot understand why every new pot of mint I buy (including lemon balm out of my mum's garden) ends up looking sickly and mottled as if a small creature is eating the goodness out of the leaves. I put into good compost in a deeper pot and keep appropriately watered but the same happens every year. I used to get proper lush apple mint leaves but not so now

Again, this frustrating site gives me an "upload failed" when I try and upload a Jpeg from my ipad. File size is correct.

[Greenleaves]

My mint has gone from lush to tiny little yellowing leaves, i dont think the weather is on our side Marb.

As regards the picture, what is

A. The file size
B. The picture size

[lottie dolly]

If it's any consolation,mine has drope dead,all dried up,it's just so hot,have put it to one side and see if it comes back,if not it will have a funeral of fire.

[Penellype]

If it looks like its being eaten it could be mint moth caterpillars. I have the moths in my garden but I have never really noticed any damage.

Mint Moths - Pyrausta aurata - UK Safari - the moths are small but quite distinctive and I often see them during the day, unlike most moths which come out only at night.

[Ms-T]

Marb my mint as turned its roots up too.