Downy Mildew and basil problem

Izrun 4/27/2012, 11:24 am

Hi Everyone. First time gardener here. I have two questions for you experts.

First, I planted (well, my 3 year old planted) 8 pole beans from seed (my first plant ever from seed, yay!). Anyway, they all seem to be growing well expect one plant has brown spots on the leaves (see attached photo). Before I start treating it, do you all think that this looks like Downy Mildew? I think it is but I'm terrified of killing the little guys by putting the wrong stuff on it.

Downy Mildew and basil problem Img_9810

Second question. My basil is growing wonderfully but I noticed this morning that some of the leaves were browning slightly (see attached photo). Do you think this is a disease or something else, like not enough water? Any advice would be appreciated since I'm such a newbie.

Downy Mildew and basil problem Img_9811

Thanks!

-=Izrun

givvmistamps 4/27/2012, 2:33 pm

to the forum!

I don't have an answer for either of your issues. I'm new to veggie growing, I have brown spots like those on my rattlesnake beans (also a pole bean) and I can't find anything on or under the leaf that might be causing it. I was going to ask about this, so I'll be watching to see what's said.

I have grown basil before, but I never had my leaves turn that color. They've always either wilted from not enough water or gotten insect problems. Are all the leaves doing that, just the top ones, or something else?

elliephant 4/30/2012, 10:49 am

Doesn't look like Downy Mildew to me. That's white fuzzy stuff that grows on the leaves. Could be the start of a rust problem, or perhaps just water getting on the leaves and then the sun burning it.

Izrun 5/11/2012, 10:56 am

Hi all, just an update. I am still occasionally getting the issues with my green bean leaves. It only seems to effect the lowest leaves and doesn't seem to be too big of an issue at this point. I cut back the basil a bunch to make pesto and dried the rest and it seems to be doing fine now. I was so excited to pick my first zucchini only to find out that it had been munched on by two pickleworms. Sigh. Might still eat around the damaged area, hope that's safe. I hear those are really hard to control and will probably attack my cucumber next. Powdery mildew still a problem. Ah well, never thought this would be easy.

**walshevak** 5/11/2012, 1:17 pm

definately cut out the bug munched areas and enjoy your share of the zucchini.

Kay

givvmistamps 5/11/2012, 5:00 pm

Sorry you're still having problems in your garden. At least you know now that it's safe to eat the part of your first harvest that's not been claimed by the worms! Also, cutting back basil should make it grow thicker next time. Very Happy

**camprn** 5/11/2012, 6:31 pm

Downy Mildew on Basil <~~~Click
Sad

On the bean, I do not believe it is downy mildew... but I could be persuaded otherwise... What a Face

Coelli 5/12/2012, 2:14 am

givvmistamps wrote:Sorry you're still having problems in your garden. At least you know now that it's safe to eat the part of your first harvest that's not been claimed by the worms! Also, cutting back basil should make it grow thicker next time.

My two basil plants have been eaten down to almost nothing but stalks in the past several days - I finally got my hands on some tulle and shrouded them tonight. I'm going to assume they'll grow back really bushy and the bug did me a favor. Very Happy

givvmistamps 5/12/2012, 11:43 am

Wow, sorry to hear that. Hopefully you didn't trap any of the bugs in there with it, and it will give you lots of leaves on a bushy plant in the near future.

My poor basil is struggling also, but I'm hoping it's just transplant shock because I just moved it to a pot. In fact, I moved all my herbs to pots and several of them are now looking rather sad. My squash are trying to take over, so I had to give my poor herbs their own spaces.

Coelli 5/12/2012, 12:08 pm

givvmistamps wrote: Wow, sorry to hear that. Hopefully you didn't trap any of the bugs in there with it, and it will give you lots of leaves on a bushy plant in the near future.

That was the frustrating part - I could never identify the culprit(s)! It wasn't caterpillars, at least not any that pooped or stuck around; the only bug I ever caught on it was a lone earwig one night. I was out there with a flashlight a couple of nights in a row looking. It wasn't slugs or snails either; the basil is potted, there were no tracks, and it's too dry in our yard for big squishy things anyway. I sprayed it with Spinosad twice but it was still getting chomped. I suspect it was grasshoppers during the day (I saw a huge one in the front yard a few days ago).. Odd thing is though they don't touch anything else in the garden.

I checked carefully before shrouding it for any interlopers and will keep monitoring. Here's hoping!

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