Garden Problem Guide

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Symptoms	Possible Causes	Possible Cures
Drying Young Plants	Fertilizer burn	Mix fertilizer thoroughly with soil
	Disease (damping-off)	Treat seed; don't over-water
Stunted plants pale to yellow	Low soil fertility	Soil test for fertilizer recommendations.
	Low soil pH (too acid)	Soil test for lime recommendations.
	Poor soil drainage	Drain and add organic matter.
	Shallow or compacted Soil	Plow deeper.
	Insects or diseases	Identify and use control Measures
	Nematodes	Soil test for treatment recommendations.
Stunted plants  purplish color	Low temperature	Plant at recommended time.
	Lack of phosphorus	Add phosphorus fertilizer.
Holes in leaves	Insects	Identify and use control measures.
	Hail	Be thankful it was not worse.
Spots, molds, darkened areas on leaves and stems	Disease	Identify, spray or dust, use resistant varieties.
	Chemical burn	Use recommended chemical at recommended rate.
	Fertilizer burn	Keep fertilizer off plants.
Wilting plants	Dry soil	Irrigate if possible
	Excess water in soil	Drain.
	Nematodes	Soil test for treatment recommendations.
	Disease	Use resistant varieties if possible.
Weak, spindly plants	Too much shade	Remove shade or move plants to sunny spot.
	Too much water Plants too thick	Seed at recommended rate.
	Too much nitrogen	Avoid excess fertilization
Failure to set fruit	High temperature	Follow recommended planting time.
	Low temperature	Follow recommended planting time.
	Too much nitrogen	Avoid excess fertilization.
	Insects	Identify and use control measures.
Tomato leaf curl	Heavy pruning in hot weather	Don't
	Disease	Identify and use control measures.
Dry brown to black rot on blossom end of tomato	Low soil calcium	Add liming material.
	Extremely dry soil	Irrigate.
Misshapen tomatoes (catfacing)	Cool weather during Blooming	Plant at recommended time.
Abnormal leaves and growth	2, 4-D weed killer	Don't use sprayer that has previously applied 2, 4-D. Don't allow spray to drift to garden.
	Virus disease	Remove infected plants to prevent spreading. Control insects that transmit.