Plant disorders.

 

 

What is a disorder? A disorder is an issue that is not a disease caused by a virus or fungus. A disorder is something that can often be corrected by you the 'grower and protector of plants.' Here is a short list;

• watering, too much not enough (you or mother nature)
• lack of drainage (pots or soil w/too much clay)
• frost, hail or wind damage
• nutrient deficiencies
• restricted root zones (pots to small or plants too crowded)
• wrong plant wrong place - ph not correct
• sunlight - too much or not enough 
• insect damage causing misshaped leaves or defoliation
• gardeners pruning veggie plants (Stop it!)



 Tomatoes are the number 1 backyard fruit (yes, they are a fruit!) Before you make easy to correct mistakes, lets check out a few to avoid. Above pic, not totally bad

• pots for tomato plants should be closer to 10 gals (pickle pals are 5 gals)
• plant is not as full and lush as it should be - likley not getting fertilized
• potted plants cannot search around for water nutrients like garden installed ones, they only get what you give them 
• if you use pails, drill adequete drainage holes on the bottom and sides at the very bottom
• the pails above even with holes would have a hard time draining sitting on the ground as above
• elevate on landscape bricks or place on a deck, pallet or gravel base to allow drainage

 Above, is a plant that has been overwatered time and time again - one or 2 overwaterings will not cause this. This pot should be free draining as the pic shows, but perhaps it had been sitting in a tray or base so the water couldn't drain.  

• soft and yellow leavesusually means overwatering
• crispy and yellow - brownish leaves means underwatering
• discoloration can also be symptoms of nutrient deficiencies

How do you know the difference? Have you been soaking it 3 times a day or once every week?
This above plant should have been planted in a garden spot about 2-3 weeks earlier.

(above pic) So bad. I have pity for these poor plants! Not the best pic but looks like plants are diseased as well. Plants under stress will be more susceptible to disease

• pots way to small.....way to small
• plant on top right looks defoliated - like an insect has been feasting on it
• plants often drop leaves when stressed as a weakened plant cannot support its entire self 

(above pic) plant looks beautiful. Guessing that it was recently potted into this pot. In 2 weeks it will be overgrown and crappy looking. Again - pot waaaaaay to small.