Plants by Zone

Plant doctor

Describe what you are seeing — yellow leaves, holes, wilting, split fruit, no fruit at all — and get the likely cause and the fix, drawn from 437 problems documented across every growing guide on this site.

437 known problems across every guide

  • Tree flowers but sets little fruit

    Apples

    Most apples need a different variety nearby for pollination — plant a compatible partner or a crabapple.

  • Heavy crop one year, none the next

    Apples

    Biennial bearing — thin fruit hard in heavy years to even out production.

  • Tunneled, wormy apples

    Apples

    Usually codling moth — use traps, remove dropped fruit, and consider footies or kaolin clay.

  • Berries taste unpleasantly puckering

    Aronia

    Normal — raw aronia is genuinely astringent for most people even fully ripe; it is grown to be juiced, dried, cooked into jam, or blended with sweeter fruit rather than eaten out of hand.

  • Suckering into a wider clump than expected

    Aronia

    Aronia spreads slowly by suckers; remove unwanted shoots or allow it to naturalize into a hedge.

  • Birds stripping the crop

    Aronia

    Birds relish aronia; net the shrub as berries darken if you want to harvest any yourself.

  • Sparse fruit on a young plant

    Aronia

    Be patient — young shrubs need a couple of seasons to build enough wood for a full crop.

  • All foliage, no buds in first year

    Artichoke

    Vernalization was skipped or insufficient — seedlings must experience 7–10 days of 45–55°F temperatures to reliably set buds their first season.

  • Aphids in bud crevices and on stems

    Artichoke

    Artichokes attract aphids heavily — direct a strong jet of water into the bud scales, or apply insecticidal soap to infested areas; check between the scales where colonies hide.

  • Earwigs inside the harvested buds

    Artichoke

    Soak cut buds upside-down in lightly salted water for 10–15 minutes to drive earwigs out before cooking.

  • Botrytis (gray mold) on buds in wet weather

    Artichoke

    Space widely for airflow and harvest promptly; remove any discolored tissue immediately and avoid wetting the foliage.

  • Bitter, harsh leaves

    Arugula

    Heat and age make arugula sharp — grow in cool weather, water steadily, and pick young.

  • Plants bolt to flower fast

    Arugula

    Triggered by heat and long days; sow in spring and fall, and choose slow-bolting types for summer.

  • Flea beetle shot-holes

    Arugula

    Cover seedlings with row cover; light damage on fast greens is mostly cosmetic.

  • Thin, spindly spears

    Asparagus

    Usually young or overharvested crowns — stop cutting by early summer and feed well so roots rebuild.

  • Asparagus beetles on spears and ferns

    Asparagus

    Hand-pick beetles and eggs, and keep the bed clean of debris over winter.

  • Weedy, declining bed

    Asparagus

    Asparagus hates competition — mulch heavily and weed by hand; never let weeds take hold.

  • Tree wilts and declines despite watering

    Avocado

    Classic sign of Phytophthora root rot from poor drainage — plant on a mound, avoid overwatering, and never let water pool around the trunk.

  • Fruit will not soften after weeks on the counter

    Avocado

    It was likely picked before physiological maturity — mature fruit softens within a week or two off the tree; leave remaining fruit on the tree longer before the next test-pick.

  • Heavy flowering but little fruit set

    Avocado

    Avocado flowers open as female then male on a temperature-sensitive schedule that often misses good pollination weather — a second tree of the opposite flowering type (A/B) nearby can help, though cool or windy bloom periods are often simply the cause.

  • Sunburned, blackened patches on bark or fruit

    Avocado

    Avocado bark and fruit scorch easily in intense sun after pruning opens the canopy — whitewash exposed trunks and avoid heavy pruning in the hottest months.

  • Floppy, falling-over stems

    Bachelor's Buttons

    Caused by overcrowding, too much nitrogen, or insufficient sun — thin to proper spacing, skip fertilizer entirely, and grow in full sun for upright, self-supporting plants.

  • Powdery mildew on lower leaves in summer

    Bachelor's Buttons

    Space plants for airflow, water at the base, and remove affected leaves; mostly cosmetic, and fresh self-sown seedlings in fall usually escape it entirely.

  • Blooming stops mid-season

    Bachelor's Buttons

    Almost always from letting blooms set seed — pick and deadhead every few days without fail and the plant keeps flowering for months.

  • Pale, washed-out color instead of vivid blue

    Bachelor's Buttons

    Very alkaline soil shifts the blue pigment toward lavender; lower the pH slightly toward 6.0–7.0 and choose named deep-blue varieties for the richest cobalt.

  • Plant grows huge but never flowers

    Bananas

    It needs a long enough frost-free, warm season to reach flowering size — in borderline zones the topgrowth is often killed back before it gets there.

  • Leaves shredding badly in wind

    Bananas

    Some tattering is normal, but choose a sheltered spot out of strong, constant wind to reduce stress on the plant.

  • Any frost touching the plant

    Bananas

    Frost blackens and kills the leaves and can kill the stem outright — mulch the root zone heavily and, in pots, move plants under cover before cold arrives.

  • Bunch develops slowly or fruit stays small

    Bananas

    Usually a sign of insufficient water or feed — bananas need consistently heavy irrigation and regular fertilizing to size up a bunch well.

  • Black spots / wilting after cold

    Basil

    Basil is frost-tender and damaged by cold; wait for warm weather.

  • Bolting (flowering)

    Basil

    Pinch flower buds promptly — flowering turns leaves bitter.

  • Downy mildew

    Basil

    Improve airflow, water at the base, and grow resistant varieties.

  • Seeds rotting before sprouting

    Beans

    Soil too cold and wet — wait for 60°F+ and don’t overwater.

  • Mexican bean beetles

    Beans

    Hand-pick adults and the yellow larvae from leaf undersides.

  • Few pods

    Beans

    Too much nitrogen (leafy growth) or heat stress during flowering.

  • Powdery mildew (white coating on leaves)

    Bee Balm

    Bee balm's most common problem in humid climates. Grow mildew-resistant cultivars ('Jacob Cline', 'Marshall's Delight', 'Raspberry Wine'), space plants 18–24 in apart for airflow, and water at the base rather than overhead.

  • Declining center with sparse bloom

    Bee Balm

    Normal for established clumps — bee balm "runs out" from the center after 2–3 years. Divide in early spring, remove the old woody center, and replant the healthy outer sections in freshly amended soil.

  • Very short bloom period

    Bee Balm

    Deadhead spent flower heads immediately after they fade; this prevents seed set and often encourages a second wave of bloom six to eight weeks later.

  • Spreading into lawn or neighboring beds

    Bee Balm

    Bee balm spreads by shallow rhizomes. Bury a root barrier 6–8 in deep around the clump, or simply cut back and divide the outer edge each spring before it advances.

  • Small or woody roots

    Beets

    Crowding or heat — thin properly and grow in cool weather.

Common questions

Why are my plant’s leaves turning yellow?
Yellowing has several common causes: overwatering (the most frequent), nitrogen shortage in older lower leaves, natural ageing at the base of the plant, or root damage. Search “yellow” above and compare the entry for your specific crop — the same symptom means different things on a tomato than on a squash.
Something is eating holes in my leaves. What is it?
Small shot-holes peppered across young leaves are almost always flea beetles. Large ragged holes with green droppings nearby point to caterpillars such as cabbage worms or hornworms. Slugs leave irregular holes plus slime trails and feed at night. Search “holes” above for the entry matching your plant.
My plant flowers but never sets fruit. Why?
Usually pollination or temperature. Squash and cucumbers produce male flowers first, so early flowers legitimately drop. Tomatoes and peppers abort blossoms above about 90°F or below 55°F at night. Tomatillos need a second plant entirely — they cannot pollinate themselves.

Every problem, plant by plant

The complete list the search above draws from, covering 129 plants.

Apples

Tree flowers but sets little fruit
Most apples need a different variety nearby for pollination — plant a compatible partner or a crabapple.
Heavy crop one year, none the next
Biennial bearing — thin fruit hard in heavy years to even out production.
Tunneled, wormy apples
Usually codling moth — use traps, remove dropped fruit, and consider footies or kaolin clay.

Aronia

Berries taste unpleasantly puckering
Normal — raw aronia is genuinely astringent for most people even fully ripe; it is grown to be juiced, dried, cooked into jam, or blended with sweeter fruit rather than eaten out of hand.
Suckering into a wider clump than expected
Aronia spreads slowly by suckers; remove unwanted shoots or allow it to naturalize into a hedge.
Birds stripping the crop
Birds relish aronia; net the shrub as berries darken if you want to harvest any yourself.
Sparse fruit on a young plant
Be patient — young shrubs need a couple of seasons to build enough wood for a full crop.

Artichoke

All foliage, no buds in first year
Vernalization was skipped or insufficient — seedlings must experience 7–10 days of 45–55°F temperatures to reliably set buds their first season.
Aphids in bud crevices and on stems
Artichokes attract aphids heavily — direct a strong jet of water into the bud scales, or apply insecticidal soap to infested areas; check between the scales where colonies hide.
Earwigs inside the harvested buds
Soak cut buds upside-down in lightly salted water for 10–15 minutes to drive earwigs out before cooking.
Botrytis (gray mold) on buds in wet weather
Space widely for airflow and harvest promptly; remove any discolored tissue immediately and avoid wetting the foliage.

Arugula

Bitter, harsh leaves
Heat and age make arugula sharp — grow in cool weather, water steadily, and pick young.
Plants bolt to flower fast
Triggered by heat and long days; sow in spring and fall, and choose slow-bolting types for summer.
Flea beetle shot-holes
Cover seedlings with row cover; light damage on fast greens is mostly cosmetic.

Asparagus

Thin, spindly spears
Usually young or overharvested crowns — stop cutting by early summer and feed well so roots rebuild.
Asparagus beetles on spears and ferns
Hand-pick beetles and eggs, and keep the bed clean of debris over winter.
Weedy, declining bed
Asparagus hates competition — mulch heavily and weed by hand; never let weeds take hold.

Avocado

Tree wilts and declines despite watering
Classic sign of Phytophthora root rot from poor drainage — plant on a mound, avoid overwatering, and never let water pool around the trunk.
Fruit will not soften after weeks on the counter
It was likely picked before physiological maturity — mature fruit softens within a week or two off the tree; leave remaining fruit on the tree longer before the next test-pick.
Heavy flowering but little fruit set
Avocado flowers open as female then male on a temperature-sensitive schedule that often misses good pollination weather — a second tree of the opposite flowering type (A/B) nearby can help, though cool or windy bloom periods are often simply the cause.
Sunburned, blackened patches on bark or fruit
Avocado bark and fruit scorch easily in intense sun after pruning opens the canopy — whitewash exposed trunks and avoid heavy pruning in the hottest months.

Bachelor's Buttons

Floppy, falling-over stems
Caused by overcrowding, too much nitrogen, or insufficient sun — thin to proper spacing, skip fertilizer entirely, and grow in full sun for upright, self-supporting plants.
Powdery mildew on lower leaves in summer
Space plants for airflow, water at the base, and remove affected leaves; mostly cosmetic, and fresh self-sown seedlings in fall usually escape it entirely.
Blooming stops mid-season
Almost always from letting blooms set seed — pick and deadhead every few days without fail and the plant keeps flowering for months.
Pale, washed-out color instead of vivid blue
Very alkaline soil shifts the blue pigment toward lavender; lower the pH slightly toward 6.0–7.0 and choose named deep-blue varieties for the richest cobalt.

Bananas

Plant grows huge but never flowers
It needs a long enough frost-free, warm season to reach flowering size — in borderline zones the topgrowth is often killed back before it gets there.
Leaves shredding badly in wind
Some tattering is normal, but choose a sheltered spot out of strong, constant wind to reduce stress on the plant.
Any frost touching the plant
Frost blackens and kills the leaves and can kill the stem outright — mulch the root zone heavily and, in pots, move plants under cover before cold arrives.
Bunch develops slowly or fruit stays small
Usually a sign of insufficient water or feed — bananas need consistently heavy irrigation and regular fertilizing to size up a bunch well.

Basil

Black spots / wilting after cold
Basil is frost-tender and damaged by cold; wait for warm weather.
Bolting (flowering)
Pinch flower buds promptly — flowering turns leaves bitter.
Downy mildew
Improve airflow, water at the base, and grow resistant varieties.

Beans

Seeds rotting before sprouting
Soil too cold and wet — wait for 60°F+ and don’t overwater.
Mexican bean beetles
Hand-pick adults and the yellow larvae from leaf undersides.
Few pods
Too much nitrogen (leafy growth) or heat stress during flowering.

Bee Balm

Powdery mildew (white coating on leaves)
Bee balm's most common problem in humid climates. Grow mildew-resistant cultivars ('Jacob Cline', 'Marshall's Delight', 'Raspberry Wine'), space plants 18–24 in apart for airflow, and water at the base rather than overhead.
Declining center with sparse bloom
Normal for established clumps — bee balm "runs out" from the center after 2–3 years. Divide in early spring, remove the old woody center, and replant the healthy outer sections in freshly amended soil.
Very short bloom period
Deadhead spent flower heads immediately after they fade; this prevents seed set and often encourages a second wave of bloom six to eight weeks later.
Spreading into lawn or neighboring beds
Bee balm spreads by shallow rhizomes. Bury a root barrier 6–8 in deep around the clump, or simply cut back and divide the outer edge each spring before it advances.

Beets

Small or woody roots
Crowding or heat — thin properly and grow in cool weather.
Poor germination
Hard seed coat — soak seed overnight and keep soil moist.
Leaf spot
Rotate crops and avoid overhead watering.

Begonias

Powdery mildew (white coating on leaves)
Common in humid weather with poor airflow — space plants well, water at the base, and choose mildew-resistant varieties; remove affected leaves promptly.
Root rot / stem collapse
From overwatering or a pot without drainage — allow the top of the soil to approach dryness before watering and never let containers sit in standing water.
Leggy stems and sparse bloom
Insufficient light — move plants to a brighter spot; bronze-leafed varieties handle more sun than green-leafed types.
Mealybugs clustering at leaf joints and stem bases
Dab with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, or spray thoroughly with insecticidal soap; treat early before colonies spread across multiple plants.

Black-eyed Susans

Powdery mildew in late summer
Give full sun and airflow; it’s mostly cosmetic, and resistant varieties exist.
Floppy, leggy plants
Too much shade or rich soil — grow lean in full sun for sturdy stems.
Plants fade after a couple of years
Many types are short-lived — let some flowers self-sow, or divide clumps to renew them.

Blackberries

Canes that grew last year didn’t fruit
Most blackberries fruit on second-year canes — be patient and don’t cut first-year canes that will fruit next season.
Aggressive, tangled growth
Keep canes trellised and prune yearly; remove spent floricanes and unwanted suckers.
White, sunscalded druplets
Intense afternoon sun can bleach berries — light afternoon shade in hot climates helps.

Blueberries

Yellowing leaves (chlorosis)
Soil pH too high — blueberries can’t take up iron in alkaline soil; acidify with sulfur.
Poor yields
Often only one variety — plant two or more for cross-pollination.
Birds stripping fruit
Net the bushes as berries begin to ripen.

Bok Choy

Bolting before the head fills
Triggered by heat or lengthening days — grow bok choy strictly in spring and fall, time the sow so it matures in cool weather, and choose bolt-resistant varieties.
Flea beetles making tiny shot-holes in the leaves
Cover seedlings with floating row cover immediately after sowing; flea beetles are the main pest on young brassicas and damage is heaviest in warm, dry conditions.
Cabbage worms chewing through leaves
Inspect the undersides of leaves and hand-pick caterpillars; row cover prevents them if kept in place from sowing.
Bitter or tough stems and leaves
Almost always heat stress or water stress — grow in cool weather, keep soil consistently moist, and harvest promptly once heads reach size.

Borage

Powdery mildew on older leaves in late summer
Very common; give good airflow, water at the base, and ignore it — it's cosmetic, and young self-sown seedlings escape it entirely.
Sprawling, floppy plants
Borage naturally reclines. Stake with one cane, or pinch the central tip when young to encourage bushier branching; full sun also produces sturdier stems.
Self-seeding aggressively into unwanted spots
Deadhead spent flower clusters before seed matures if you want to limit spread, or enjoy the self-renewing patch — transplant tiny volunteers while young before the taproot anchors.

Broccoli

Loose, leggy heads (bolting)
Heat or late planting — grow so heads mature in cool weather.
Buttoning (tiny premature heads)
From transplant stress or cold checks — keep seedlings growing steadily.
Cabbage worms
Row cover or Bt; inspect for green caterpillars.

Brussels Sprouts

Loose, "blown" open sprouts
From heat or too much nitrogen late — grow into cool weather and keep feeding balanced and steady.
Cabbage worms and aphids
Cover with netting, hand-pick, or use Bt; aphids love to hide between the sprouts.
Few or tiny sprouts
The season was too short or warm — start earlier so the plant matures in the cool of fall.

Cabbage

Heads split open
Caused by a growth surge after rain — give a sharp twist to sever some roots, or harvest promptly once firm.
Cabbage worms (green caterpillars)
Cover with insect netting at transplant, hand-pick, or use Bt; check undersides of leaves.
Failure to form a head
Heat or crowding — give full spacing and grow in the cool shoulder seasons.

Calendula

Powdery mildew in summer heat
Calendula naturally slows in midsummer heat and is prone to mildew then; water at the base, improve airflow, and shear the plant back to wait for cooler weather and a fall revival.
Aphids clustering on tender tips
Knock them off with a hard blast of water or a spray of diluted insecticidal soap; plants recover quickly and beneficial insects usually follow.
Leggy plants with few blooms mid-season
Summer heat and missed deadheading both cause this — shear plants back by a third and remove spent flowers, and blooming resumes in cooler weather.

Cantaloupe

Tasteless or low-sugar fruit
Too much water near harvest or cool weather — ease back on water as melons ripen and grow in full heat.
Aphids and cucumber beetles
Cucumber beetles spread wilt — use row cover until flowering, then remove it for pollinators.
Fruit rot on the soil
Lift each melon onto a board, tile, or sling to keep it dry.

Carrots

Forked or twisted roots
Caused by rocky soil, clods, or fresh manure — improve soil texture and avoid high-nitrogen amendments.
Poor germination
The surface dried out — keep it moist; covering with a board or burlap helps until sprouting.
Carrot rust fly
Use row cover and avoid thinning at dusk when the flies are active.

Cauliflower

Tiny premature heads (buttoning)
Caused by any growth check — cold snaps, drought, or root-bound transplants. Keep growth fast and uninterrupted.
Loose, grainy "ricey" curds
From heat or over-maturity — grow in cool weather and harvest while curds are still tight.
Yellowing curds
Sun exposure — blanch white types by tying the leaves over the head, or grow self-blanching varieties.

Celery

Stringy, tough, bitter stalks
From heat, dryness, or slow growth — keep soil rich and constantly moist, and grow in cool weather.
Plants bolt to seed
Triggered by cold snaps after transplanting — wait for settled warm weather before setting out.
Cracked or hollow stalks
Often a boron or moisture issue — maintain even watering and balanced fertility.

Celosia

Damping off (seedlings collapse at soil line)
Water from below, improve air circulation with a small fan over the seed tray, and avoid overwatering.
Leaf spot or gray mold
Water at the base, not overhead; improve spacing for airflow and remove affected leaves promptly.
Stunted plants that refuse to bloom
Almost always cold-soil shock at transplant time — wait for soil to warm above 65°F; plants cold-shocked at transplanting rarely recover their full vigor.
Root rot from waterlogged soil
Celosia needs excellent drainage — raise beds or use containers to prevent standing water around roots.

Chamomile

Seeds fail to sprout
Almost certainly covered with soil — chamomile requires light to germinate; press seeds onto the surface and do not rake them under.
Leggy, floppy plants with sparse bloom
Too much shade or overly rich soil; grow in full sun in average to lean ground and plants will be sturdier with far more flowers.
Aphids on tender tips and flower buds
Knock off with a firm jet of water; chamomile is vigorous and the flowers attract beneficial insects that keep populations in check naturally.
Powdery mildew in late summer
Space for airflow and water at the base; the fresh flush of self-sown seedlings in fall almost always escapes this mid-season problem.

Cherries

Brown rot (soft, furry gray mold on fruit)
Remove all mummified fruit in fall; prune for airflow; apply copper or sulfur at petal fall in wet springs.
Cherry fruit fly (larvae inside fruit)
Hang sticky red-ball traps at bloom to monitor. Apply Spinosad at petal fall and repeat weekly during the egg-laying window; kaolin clay is an organic deterrent.
Birds stripping ripe fruit
Exclusion netting draped over the canopy is the only fully reliable method; reflective tape and raptor decoys offer partial protection.
Bacterial canker (sunken, weeping bark lesions)
Prune only in dry late-summer weather, not during dormancy; sterilize tools between cuts. Avoid mechanical wounds to the bark in wet conditions.

Chives

Clumps get crowded and weak
Divide every 2–3 years in spring, replanting the healthy outer sections.
Aggressive self-seeding
Shear off the flower heads after blooming before the seeds drop.
Tips browning in summer
Usually heat or dryness — shear the clump back and it flushes fresh, tender new leaves.

Chrysanthemums

Plants bloom in summer instead of fall
Artificial lighting at night disrupts the short-day trigger — site mums away from streetlights, porch lights, and lit windows.
Powdery mildew (white coating on leaves)
Space plants for airflow, water at the base, and remove heavily affected leaves; choose mildew-resistant varieties for humid gardens.
Aphid clusters on stem tips and buds
Blast off with a strong jet of water, or apply insecticidal soap; avoid excess nitrogen, which promotes the soft new growth aphids prefer.
Perennial crowns don’t return in spring
Plant in early spring so roots establish before winter; mulch after the ground freezes (not before) to avoid trapping moisture around the crown.

Cilantro

Rapid bolting
Heat and long days trigger flowering quickly — grow in cool seasons and succession-sow.
Sparse, leggy plants
Crowding or heat; thin and grow in cooler weather.

Cloudberry

Plants fail to establish or spread
The most common outcome outside true bog conditions — cloudberry demands sustained wet, acidic peat and struggles badly in ordinary garden soil, however well-drained or fertile.
No berries despite healthy-looking plants
Check whether you have both sexes — cloudberry is dioecious, so an all-female or all-male patch will never set fruit.
Slow, sparse growth
Expected; cloudberry is inherently slow-growing and often takes several years to spread even under good conditions, with fruiting far from guaranteed.
Difficulty sourcing plants
Nursery stock is uncommon outside cold-climate specialty growers in Scandinavia, Canada, and Alaska; most cloudberries eaten are still wild-harvested rather than cultivated.

Coleus

Wilting in midday even when soil is moist
The plant is overheating from too much direct sun — move to deeper shade or choose a variety rated for sun.
Faded, washed-out leaf colors
Too much shade bleaches vivid patterns; move to brighter indirect light for richer color saturation.
Downy mildew (tan fuzzy patches on leaf undersides)
Improve air circulation, water at the base only, and avoid wetting foliage; remove and discard heavily infected plants.
Mealybugs or whitefly on overwintered cuttings
Inspect all plants before bringing them indoors; treat with insecticidal soap and isolate infected pots immediately.

Coneflowers

No blooms the first year from seed
Normal — seed-grown coneflowers usually flower in their second year. Start with plants for first-year color.
Floppy stems
Too much shade, water, or fertility — grow them lean and sunny for strong, upright stems.
Aster yellows (distorted green blooms)
A disease spread by leafhoppers — remove and destroy affected plants promptly.

Cosmos

Tall, leafy plants with few flowers
Soil is too rich — cosmos bloom best when starved; never fertilize them.
Plants flop over
Pinch early for sturdier branching, give full sun, and stake the tallest varieties.
Powdery mildew late in the season
Space for airflow and water at the base; it’s mostly cosmetic on these tough annuals.

Cucumbers

Bitter fruit
Caused by water stress and heat — keep moisture steady and harvest young.
Powdery mildew
Improve airflow, water at the base, and choose resistant varieties.
Cucumber beetles
Use row cover until flowering; they spread bacterial wilt.
Misshapen fruit
Poor pollination — encourage bees or hand-pollinate.

Currants

Scorched leaves and poor fruit in summer
Currants dislike heat — site them in afternoon shade in warm zones and mulch to keep roots cool.
Declining yields on old wood
Prune out the oldest stems each winter; the best fruit comes on 1–3 year-old wood.
Birds stripping berries
Net the bushes as the fruit begins to color.

Daffodils

All leaves, no flowers ("blind" bulbs)
Usually from cutting foliage too early, too much shade, or overcrowding — let leaves die back fully and divide crowded clumps.
Floppy foliage after bloom
Resist braiding or cutting it — the leaves must feed the bulb. Interplant with perennials that hide the dieback.
Bulbs rotting
Plant in well-drained soil; daffodils dislike soggy summer ground.

Dahlias

Tall plants flop or snap
Stake at planting time; the hollow stems can’t support big blooms unaided.
Lush leaves but few flowers
Too much nitrogen — feed with a lower-nitrogen, higher-potassium fertilizer once budding starts.
Earwigs or slugs chewing buds
Trap earwigs in rolled newspaper and use slug controls around emerging shoots.

Daylilies

Few or no blooms
Most often too much shade or excessive nitrogen fertilizer. Move to a sunnier spot and switch to a phosphorus-forward bloom fertilizer.
Daylily rust (orange powdery pustules on leaves)
A fungal disease; remove and discard infected foliage and avoid overhead watering. Widely available rust-resistant cultivars are the simplest long-term solution.
Crowded clumps with declining flower count
This is normal after 4–5 years. Dig and divide in early spring or fall: separate fans with a sharp spade, replant the vigorous outer sections at the original spacing, and compost the woody center.
Deer browsing flower buds
Daylily buds are a deer delicacy. Spray foliage and buds with a scent-based repellent (reapply after rain), use motion-activated sprinklers, or plant in a fenced bed.

Dill

Plants bolt to flower quickly
Normal in heat — succession sow for a steady leaf supply, and enjoy the flowers for pollinators and seed.
Leggy, flopping plants
Give full sun and avoid over-rich soil; stake tall varieties in windy spots.
Swallowtail caterpillars eating foliage
These become beautiful butterflies — plant extra dill and share, or move them by hand.

Dragon Fruit

Big flowers, no fruit
Most likely self-incompatibility — plant a second, different variety within reach of pollinators, and hand-pollinate at night when flowers are open.
Stems turning yellow and mushy
A sign of overwatering or poor drainage — let the soil dry between waterings and improve drainage at the base.
Sunburned, bleached stem patches
Intense midday sun in the hottest climates can scorch the stems — give afternoon shade or filtered light where summers are extreme.
Cold damage after a chilly night
Stems are damaged around freezing — cover plants or bring potted specimens indoors when frost threatens.

Edamame

Pods present but beans inside feel flat or hollow
Harvested too early — wait until the beans visibly bulge the pod wall and the pod feels firm when squeezed.
Japanese beetles skeletonizing the leaves
Hand-pick beetles into soapy water in early morning when they're sluggish; row cover before flowering keeps young plants clean.
Deer browsing plants to the ground
Edamame is highly attractive to deer — fence the bed or use motion-activated deterrents, especially while plants are young.
Seeds rot before sprouting
Soil too cold and wet — wait for 65°F+ and sow in well-drained ground; like beans, edamame won't forgive cold starts.

Eggplant

Flowers drop without fruiting
Usually cold nights or extreme heat — it resolves as temperatures steady in the warm range.
Flea beetles shotgunning the leaves
Cover young plants with row cover until they are established and outgrow the damage.
Dull, seedy, bitter fruit
Overripe — harvest while the skin is glossy and the flesh springs back to a light press.

Elderberries

Few or sparse berries on a solo plant
Elderberries are technically self-fertile but cross-pollination between two different cultivars substantially boosts fruit set — plant a companion cultivar within 60 ft.
Birds stripping clusters before harvest
Harvest as soon as the berries turn fully dark, or drape netting over individual clusters in the week before they ripen.
Elder borer wilting individual canes
Larvae tunnel into canes, causing wilting from the tip down; prune out and destroy affected canes well below the entry hole.
Aggressive suckering into lawn or beds
Mow or hand-pull suckers regularly; in a formal garden install a buried root barrier to contain the clump.

Fava Beans

Black bean aphids colonizing shoot tips
Pinch off infested growing tips as soon as you spot them — this is the most effective control and also encourages pod set.
Chocolate spot (brown blotches on leaves and pods)
A fungal disease favored by wet, cold weather and poor airflow. Improve drainage, space plants adequately, and avoid overhead watering.
Poor or rotting germination
Most often caused by soil that is too cold and waterlogged. Sow in well-drained soil once temperatures are reliably above 40°F and do not overwater.
Rust (orange pustules on leaf undersides)
Remove and dispose of affected leaves promptly. Improve airflow by spacing plants adequately. Severe infections are uncommon until the crop is nearly mature.

Fennel

Premature bolting before the bulb forms
Almost always heat, drought, transplant shock, or sowing too late. Grow as a fall crop in consistently cool, moist soil and always direct-sow.
Fronds grow but no bulb develops
Herb fennel and Florence fennel are different varieties — confirm you have a bulbing type and that temperatures stayed cool enough during bulbing.
Aphids clustering on young fronds
Knock off with a hard jet of water; once fennel flowers it draws beneficial insects that keep aphid populations down.
Rust or leaf spots on fronds
Water at the base and improve airflow; mostly cosmetic since the target crop is the bulb, which is usually unaffected.

Figs

Fruit drops before ripening
Often cold, drought stress, or a young tree — keep watering steady and be patient as the tree matures.
Winter dieback in cold zones
Wrap or mulch the trunk, or grow in a pot moved to shelter; many figs resprout from the base even if topgrowth dies.
Fruit never sweetens
Figs only ripen on the tree in full sun — give maximum heat and don’t pick until soft and drooping.

Foxglove

Crown rot — plant collapses at the base
Caused by poor drainage; foxgloves need moist but never waterlogged soil — improve drainage before planting or choose a raised bed.
Powdery mildew on leaves
Improve airflow by thinning dense stands; water at the soil surface and avoid wetting foliage.
Aphids clustering on new buds or leaves
Knock off with a strong spray of water; beneficial insects typically establish control within one to two weeks without intervention.
Plant blooms weakly in year one and then dies
Seeds that experience cold after germination can rush through their biennial cycle in one season — sow seeds later (June–August) at outdoor temperatures so the plant completes its full first-year rosette before the following winter.

French Tarragon

Plant has almost no flavor or fragrance
Almost certainly Russian tarragon from seed rather than French tarragon. Rub a leaf and smell — true French tarragon has an unmistakable anise scent; Russian tarragon smells faintly grassy. Replace with a cutting-propagated plant from a trusted herb nursery.
Root rot and sudden wilting
Heavy, wet, or waterlogged soil is the primary killer. Grow in sandy or gravelly, fast-draining ground, or a raised bed. Allow the soil to dry between waterings.
Flavor weakens after several years
Tarragon naturally declines as clumps age and the center becomes woody. Lift in early spring, divide into vigorous outer sections, replant in fresh well-drained soil, and discard the woody interior.
Poor winter survival in zones 4–5
After the top growth dies back, mulch the crown 4–6 in deep with straw; the root system is considerably hardier than the aboveground foliage suggests.

Garlic

Small bulbs
Cloves planted too late, too shallow, or crowded; or scapes left on hardnecks.
Rotting cloves
Poor drainage — plant in well-drained soil or raised beds.
All leaves, no bulb
Spring-planted garlic often fails to bulb; garlic needs the cold of fall planting.

Geraniums

Root rot (yellowing lower leaves, soft or blackened stems)
Almost always overwatering — let the soil dry partially between waterings, ensure drainage holes in containers, and never let pots sit in standing water.
Geranium budworm (distorted or shredded buds that fail to open)
A noctuid moth caterpillar bores into buds before they open. Hand-pick and destroy; apply Bt or spinosad spray at bud set as a preventive.
Botrytis gray mold on stems, leaves, or spent blooms
Remove dead leaves and deadhead promptly; improve airflow between plants and avoid wetting the foliage when watering.
Leggy plants with sparse bloom in late summer
Cut stems back by one-third and feed lightly with a balanced fertilizer; plants flush with new growth and rebloom as temperatures moderate.

Ginger

Rhizomes rot before sprouting
Cold, wet soil is the usual culprit — wait until temperatures warm to 65°F+ and start in well-draining potting mix, not heavy clay.
Foliage yellows before fall (root rot)
Waterlogged soil causes root rot — improve drainage, reduce watering, and avoid low spots where water pools.
Slugs and snails eating young shoots
Apply iron phosphate bait or diatomaceous earth around emerging plants; hand-pick at dusk.
No growth despite planting rhizomes
Old, shriveled rhizomes often fail to sprout — source firm, fresh organic pieces from a grocery store or garden center, and soak overnight in warm water if conventional (possibly treated with growth inhibitor).

Gooseberries

Powdery mildew coating leaves and fruit
Prune for an open center to improve airflow, avoid overhead watering, and choose mildew-resistant cultivars where available.
Poor growth or dieback in hot summers
Gooseberries are a cool-climate crop and decline in prolonged heat — site in part shade with afternoon relief where summers run hot, and mulch heavily.
Planting restricted or prohibited locally
Ribes can host white pine blister rust; check with your state or provincial agriculture department before planting, especially near five-needle pines, and choose rust-resistant cultivars if permitted.
Thorny branches make picking unpleasant
Wear heavy gloves and long sleeves, and prune to an open shape that gives you room to reach in without snagging.

Grapes

Lots of leafy growth, little fruit
Almost always too little pruning — grapes fruit on new shoots off one-year-old canes, so prune hard each winter.
Powdery or downy mildew
Choose resistant varieties, keep the canopy open for airflow, and site vines in full sun.
Birds stripping ripe fruit
Net the clusters as they begin to color — birds find ripe grapes fast.

Ground Cherries

Flea beetles peppering young leaves
Row cover over transplants for the first 2–3 weeks; established plants outgrow the damage quickly.
Husks stay green — fruit won't ripen
Ground cherries need sustained warmth to ripen. Site in the hottest spot and use black mulch; wait for consistent summer heat.
Fruit drops but tastes starchy or bitter
Fallen fruit from green husks is unripe. Only collect from the ground once the surrounding husk has turned fully buff-tan and papery.
Sprawling, untidy plants
Cage them at transplanting time — staked plants stay upright and are far easier to harvest underneath.

Guava

Fruit flies infest ripening fruit
Pick fruit as soon as it ripens, remove and dispose of any dropped or damaged fruit, and consider traps during the season.
Frost kills or badly damages the tree
Guava has little cold tolerance — grow it in a container that can be sheltered, or plant only where winters stay reliably frost-free.
Seedlings popping up unexpectedly
Guava seeds readily and can naturalize in warm, frost-free climates — pick up fallen fruit and check local invasive-species guidance before planting in open ground.
Legginess and sparse fruiting
Prune regularly to keep the canopy open and compact; guava fruits on new growth so trimming encourages more of it.

Haskap

Heavy bloom but almost no berries
A single variety, or two of the same cultivar, cannot pollinate each other — plant two genetically distinct, cross-compatible cultivars nearby.
Birds strip the crop overnight
Haskap ripens earlier than almost any other fruit, when birds have few other options — net the bushes as berries begin to color.
Fruit splits after rain
Common right at peak ripeness in wet weather; pick promptly once berries color fully rather than waiting for maximum size.

Hollyhocks

Rust (orange-yellow pustules on leaf undersides)
Hollyhock rust (Phragmidium malvacearum) is near-universal. Remove and destroy affected leaves promptly, water only at the base, improve air circulation, and grow in open spots — plants bloom reliably despite rust, but caught early, removal slows its spread.
Japanese beetles skeletonizing the foliage
Hand-pick adults into soapy water in early morning when they are sluggish; plants recover vigorously from defoliation.
Slugs eating young seedlings
Apply iron phosphate bait around the base of new transplants in spring, especially in wet weather; established plants are rarely at risk.
Plants fall over before blooming (lodging)
Usually from planting in very rich soil or full shade — move to full sun and lean soil, and stake with a single bamboo pole.

Horseradish

Spreading aggressively from root fragments
Horseradish regenerates from any scrap of root left in the soil. Harvest as completely as possible each fall, or grow inside a deep (18-inch) buried root barrier or a large tub sunk into the ground. Even so, expect some new shoots to emerge from missed pieces.
Forked or small roots at harvest
Almost always caused by compacted soil or subsurface stones forcing the roots to branch. Deeply dig and amend the bed before planting — the quality of the harvest is determined primarily by soil preparation.
Leaf spots (Alternaria or bacterial blight)
Remove affected foliage to slow spread and improve airflow by thinning crowded growth. The roots below are unaffected by foliar disease, but severe repeated defoliation weakens the plant over seasons.
Flea beetles skeletonizing young leaves
Cover emerging growth with floating row cover in spring when flea beetles are most active. Damage is entirely cosmetic and does not affect root quality, though heavy defoliation can slightly reduce root size.

Impatiens

Sudden wilting and collapse to bare stems (downy mildew)
Impatiens downy mildew (Plasmopara obducens) causes leaves to pale, then a white crust forms on leaf undersides, and the plant collapses. Remove and bag all affected plants; spores persist in soil for years. Replant only with resistant New Guinea or SunPatiens types.
Crown and root rot
Almost always overwatering or poorly drained soil — improve drainage and let the top inch dry slightly between waterings.
Spider mites (fine webbing, stippled, dull leaves)
Mites flare in hot, dry conditions. Mist the foliage daily, increase watering, apply insecticidal soap, and move containers to a shadier, more humid spot.
Aphids clustering on tender tips
Knock off with a firm blast of water; insecticidal soap handles persistent colonies.

Kale

Cabbage worms (green caterpillars)
Hand-pick or use row cover; Bt is an organic option.
Aphids
Blast with water and encourage ladybugs; check leaf undersides.
Yellowing lower leaves
Normal as plant ages, or a sign it needs feeding.

Kohlrabi

Woody, fibrous bulbs
Caused by heat, age, or dry spells — grow in cool weather, water evenly, and harvest young at 2–3 in.
Cabbage worms on leaves
Cover with insect netting or use Bt; the bulb itself usually escapes damage.
Bulbs fail to form
Too crowded or too hot — give proper spacing and grow in the cool shoulder seasons.

Lavender

Plants rot and die
Almost always wet soil — grow lavender lean and dry with sharp drainage, even in a raised bed or pot.
Woody, sparse, leggy plants
Prune lightly each year after flowering (not into old wood), and replace plants every 5–10 years.
Weak fragrance and few flowers
Too rich or too shady — grow in full sun and poor soil for the most oils and bloom.

Leeks

Short, thin white shanks
Blanch by planting in deep holes and hilling soil up the stems as they grow.
Onion thrips or leek moth
Use row cover, rotate alliums yearly, and remove debris where pests overwinter.
Slow, stalled growth
Leeks are heavy feeders — enrich the bed with compost and side-dress with nitrogen mid-season.

Lemon Balm

Prolific self-seeding that colonizes beds
Deadhead the moment you see any flower buds forming — lemon balm produces thousands of seeds per plant. Cut the whole plant back before even a single flower opens to prevent the problem entirely.
Spreading via underground runners
Like all mint relatives, lemon balm spreads by rhizomes as well as seed. Sink a buried root barrier 10–12 inches deep around the planting, or grow it in a large (5-gallon+) container to contain the roots effortlessly.
Powdery mildew on foliage in late summer
Common in crowded or shaded plantings with poor airflow. Shear the plant back by half to remove affected growth and let air circulate; planting in morning sun with afternoon shade also reduces humidity around the leaves.

Lemon Verbena

Complete leaf drop in fall or when brought indoors
Normal winter dormancy, not death — lemon verbena is deciduous. Keep roots just frost-free, water minimally, and new leaves will appear in spring.
Spider mites in hot, dry weather
Rinse foliage forcefully with a stream of water every few days; improve humidity around container plants.
Root rot or sudden wilting in wet soil
Ensure excellent drainage — amend with perlite or coarse grit, raise beds, or switch to a container with drainage holes.
Whitefly on overwintered plants indoors
Set yellow sticky traps, spray weekly with insecticidal soap, and remove lower leaves to improve air flow.

Lemongrass

Slow growth or pale yellowing leaves
Almost always cold soil or insufficient sun — lemongrass needs warmth and full light. Feed with a nitrogen-forward fertilizer if growth is consistently slow.
Rust disease (orange-brown pustules on leaves)
Caused by overhead watering in humid weather — water at the base and space plants for airflow; remove and dispose of affected leaves.
Clump doesn’t return after winter
Lemongrass is not hardy below about 20°F. In zones 8 and colder, pot up the clump before frost and overwinter it indoors, watering sparingly until growth resumes in spring.

Lemons

Leaves yellow between the veins
Usually a micronutrient deficiency (iron, zinc, or manganese) from cold soil or high pH — switch to a citrus fertilizer and warm the root zone.
Flowers or small fruit drop
Normal to a degree, but heavy drop often means underwatering, a sudden temperature swing, or a recent move indoors — keep watering and light as consistent as possible.
Sticky leaves with sooty black coating
Scale or aphids excreting honeydew, which grows sooty mold — wipe down leaves, treat with horticultural oil, and check the undersides regularly.
No fruit despite healthy growth
Young trees need time to mature, and indoor trees often lack pollinators — hand-pollinate open flowers with a small brush.

Lettuce

Bolting (going to seed)
Triggered by heat and long days — sow heat-tolerant types and harvest before summer.
Bitter leaves
Heat stress and bolting; pick young and keep well watered.
Slugs
Hand-pick at night, use barriers, or set traps; they love tender lettuce.

Lima Beans

Seeds rotting before sprouting
Soil too cold and wet — wait for 70°F+ soil; limas rot faster than snap beans in cool ground.
Blossom drop / hollow pods
Caused by drought or night temperatures above 80°F. Keep moisture steady and be patient — plants resume setting once heat eases.
Mexican bean beetle damage
Hand-pick adults and yellow larvae from leaf undersides; damage is rarely severe enough to warrant spraying.
Slow germination or weak seedlings
Cold soil is almost always the culprit — check with a soil thermometer and wait for genuine warmth before sowing.

Lingonberry

Yellowing leaves and weak growth
Almost always soil pH that is too high — retest and acidify with elemental sulfur; lingonberry cannot take up nutrients properly in neutral or alkaline soil.
Plant stays small and spreads slowly
Normal — lingonberry is a slow-spreading groundcover; consistent moisture and acidic, peaty soil speed it along.
Few berries despite healthy foliage
Cross-pollination between two different cultivars improves fruit set even though lingonberry is partly self-fertile; plant more than one variety where possible.

Loquat

Tree blooms and looks healthy but never fruits
A winter freeze during flowering or fruit-set is the usual cause in marginal zones — the tree survives frost that its open blossoms and young fruit cannot.
Fruit is small or sparse
Thin clusters after fruit set and make sure the tree gets consistent water while fruit is sizing.
Blackened shoot tips (fireblight)
Loquats can get fireblight; prune out affected wood well below the damage and sterilize tools between cuts.
Birds strip the crop
Net the tree or individual clusters as fruit begins to color.

Lupines

Crown and root rot — plant collapses or the crown turns mushy at the base
Almost always caused by waterlogged soil; improve drainage before planting, avoid clay sites, and never let the crown sit in standing water after heavy rain.
Aphids colonizing new buds and flower stems
Black bean aphids often mass on lupine shoots in spring; knock them off with a strong spray of water on cool mornings or apply insecticidal soap early before populations explode.
Powdery mildew coating the foliage in summer
Triggered by hot days, cool nights, and poor airflow; space plants 18–24 in apart, remove badly affected leaves, and accept that plants often look tatty by midsummer in warm climates — the root crown is usually still healthy.
Slugs shredding seedlings and new spring growth
Most damaging on young transplants; apply iron phosphate bait around newly set plants, especially after rain in cool, wet springs.

Mango

Blackened flowers or young fruit dropping
Usually anthracnose in humid or rainy bloom periods — improve airflow with pruning and consider a copper spray during flowering in wet climates.
Tree grows fast but never flowers
Mangoes need a period of cool, dry, or otherwise stressed conditions to trigger bloom — hold off on water and fertilizer as the season cools.
Fruit drops while still small
Common and often self-correcting as the tree sheds excess fruit; keep watering consistent through fruit development to reduce further drop.
Any frost exposure
Mango wood and flowers are killed outright by frost — cover or move potted trees whenever a cold snap is forecast.

Marigolds

Few flowers, lots of leaves
Soil too rich or too much shade — give full sun and lean soil.
Powdery mildew or spider mites in heat
Improve airflow and water at the base.
Slugs on seedlings
Protect young plants until established.

Mint

Spreading everywhere
Always grow in containers — its runners will overtake a garden bed.
Rust (orange leaf pustules)
Improve airflow and cut back affected growth.
Leggy, sparse growth
Pinch tips and cut back hard mid-season to rejuvenate.

Morning Glories

Vigorous vines but no flowers
Soil is too fertile or was fertilized — move plants to leaner ground and apply no fertilizer at all; bloom comes when the plant is mildly stressed.
Seeds fail to sprout
Hard seed coat or cold soil — always soak seed overnight and wait until the ground is 65°F+; cool, wet soil causes rot rather than germination.
Aphids clustering on tender shoot tips
Knock off with a hard blast of water; the vines outgrow light infestations quickly and natural predators follow the aphid colonies within days.
Vines spreading into unwanted areas
Deadhead spent flowers before seeds form, or remove seedlings that appear outside the intended area; morning glories can naturalize and become weedy in warm zones if left to drop seed freely.

Mustard Greens

Rapid bolting in heat
Mustard bolts quickly in warm weather and long days — grow it strictly in spring and fall, and choose slow-bolt varieties like 'Southern Giant Curled' or 'Florida Broadleaf' for the longest harvest window.
Flea beetles peppering the leaves
Cover seedlings with floating row cover immediately after sowing; flea beetles are most active in warm, dry spells and inflict the worst damage on young transplants.
Leaves are too hot or bitter
Harvest young leaves (under 4 inches) for the mildest flavor, and grow in genuinely cool weather — heat dramatically intensifies the mustard oils that give the leaves their heat.
Aphids and cabbage worms
Check leaf undersides for eggs and caterpillars and hand-pick; use row cover as the simplest prevention. A firm blast of water dislodges aphid colonies.

Nasturtiums

Black aphid colonies on the stems
Nasturtiums famously attract aphids and work well as a sacrificial trap crop near vegetables. Blast infested stems hard with water, or simply let natural predators arrive; cut the worst stems to the ground and discard.
All leaves, few flowers
Overly rich soil or shade — move them to lean, well-drained ground in full sun and skip fertilizer entirely.
Mildew or foliage collapse in heat
Nasturtiums prefer cool weather and can flag mid-season in hot climates; shear the plant back by half and it will flush fresh growth once temperatures ease.

Okra

Tough, woody pods
They grew too big — harvest at 2–4 in long, every day or two, and the plant keeps producing tender ones.
Slow start / no germination
Cold soil — okra needs 70°F+. Soak seed and wait for real heat before sowing.
Aphids on tender tips
A strong spray of water or insecticidal soap; ants farming them is a tell.

Onions

Small bulbs
Wrong day-length type for your latitude, or crowding/weed competition.
Bolting (flower stalks)
From cold stress on large transplants/sets — use smaller sets and avoid early cold snaps.
Rot in storage
Cure thoroughly and store thick-necked bulbs first; they don’t keep.

Oranges

Fruit stays sour or bland despite good color
Oranges color before they sweeten — cool nights and time on the tree build sugar, so wait past the color change and taste-test rather than picking on looks alone.
Frost damage to flowers or young fruit
Cover trees with frost cloth on cold nights or move container trees under shelter; established trees tolerate more cold than open blossoms or small fruit.
Yellow mottled leaves and stunted growth
Check for citrus greening (HLB), spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, especially where it is established — remove and report suspect trees, as there is no cure.
Sticky leaves with black sooty mold
Aphids or scale excreting honeydew — treat with horticultural oil and encourage ladybugs.

Oregano

Weak, bland flavor
Too much water or rich soil — grow oregano lean and dry in full sun for the most pungent leaves.
Root rot in wet soil
Plant in fast-draining soil or raised beds; let it dry between waterings.
Plant spreads aggressively
It can take over — grow in a pot or divide and trim the edges each spring.

Pansies

Plants get leggy and stop blooming
Usually summer heat — shear them back, keep them watered, and they may revive in fall, or replace them seasonally.
Yellowing leaves
Often hunger or heat — feed regularly and mulch to keep roots cool and moist.
Slugs chewing flowers
Use slug controls or traps around plantings, especially in damp spring weather.

Papaya

Plant flowers but sets no fruit
It may be a male plant, or a female with no male nearby — confirm the variety’s pollination needs and add a second plant if required.
Sudden wilting and rot at the base
Almost always waterlogged or poorly drained soil — improve drainage or grow in a raised mound or large pot.
Ringspot virus (mottled, distorted leaves and fruit)
No cure — remove and destroy infected plants promptly and control the aphids that spread it.
Fruit splits or fails to ripen in cool weather
Papaya needs sustained warmth to ripen well; in marginal climates expect a shorter, less reliable fruiting window.

Parsley

Very slow / no germination
Normal — soak seed and keep soil moist and warm; allow up to a month.
Bolting in year two
Parsley is biennial; it flowers and turns bitter the second year — resow annually.
Black swallowtail caterpillars
They eat the foliage but become beautiful butterflies — relocate or share the plant.

Parsnips

Patchy or no germination
Almost always old seed or dry soil — buy fresh seed each year and never let the seedbed dry out.
Forked or twisted roots
Caused by stones, fresh manure, or compacted soil — grow in deep, loose, stone-free beds.
Bland, starchy roots
Harvest too early — leave parsnips through several frosts, which convert starch to sugar.

Passionfruit

Lots of flowers but little fruit
Poor pollination is the usual cause — hand-pollinate with a small brush, or plant a second, genetically distinct vine if you have a self-incompatible yellow-fruited type.
Vine collapses under its own weight
Passionfruit is heavy and fast-growing — install a trellis strong enough to hold mature growth before planting, not after.
Fruit drops before ripening
Usually water stress or a nutrient swing during fruit fill — keep moisture and feeding consistent rather than letting the vine dry out and then flushing it.
Dieback after a cold snap
Mulch the root zone heavily going into winter in marginal zones; even if vines die back, roots often resprout in spring.

Peaches

Puckered, reddened leaves in spring (leaf curl)
Apply a copper or lime-sulfur dormant spray before bud break; remove affected leaves.
Small fruit and broken branches
Thin young fruit hard to 6–8 in apart — an unthinned peach tree overbears and snaps limbs.
Rotten fruit on the tree (brown rot)
Remove mummified fruit, prune for airflow, and pick promptly in humid weather.

Pears

Pears go gritty or rot at the core
European pears ripen from the inside out — pick them mature but firm and ripen off the tree at room temperature.
Blackened, wilted shoot tips (fire blight)
Prune out affected wood well below the damage, sterilizing tools between cuts, and choose resistant varieties.
Little fruit set
Plant a second compatible pear variety nearby for cross-pollination.

Peas

Poor germination / rotting
Soil too cold and wet at sowing — well-drained soil and an inoculant help.
Powdery mildew
Late-season in heat; grow early and choose resistant varieties.
Stopped producing
Heat ends the season — peas are a cool-weather crop.

Peonies

Healthy plant but no flowers
Almost always planted too deep — the eyes should sit just 1–2 in below the surface. Too much shade or a recent move also delays bloom.
Buds blacken and fail (botrytis)
Improve airflow, cut and destroy affected growth, and clear all foliage in fall.
Ants on the buds
Harmless — ants are drawn to the sweet bud nectar and do no damage; just shake them off cut stems.

Peppers

Blossom drop
Flowers fall in extreme heat (>90°F) or cold (<60°F nights) — usually resolves as weather moderates.
Sunscald (pale leathery patches)
Maintain leaf cover for shade; avoid over-pruning in intense sun.
Slow start / stunted plants
Almost always cold soil — wait for warmth and use black mulch to heat the bed.

Petunias

Leggy, bare-stemmed plants with few flowers
Shear plants back by one-third to one-half in midsummer — they recover in 2–3 weeks with a dense flush of new bloom.
Tobacco budworm (holes chewed in buds and blooms)
The most common petunia pest: green or brown larvae bore into buds at night. Apply Bt or spinosad at dusk weekly during the egg-laying season — budworms are resistant to most other insecticides.
Yellowing leaves
Usually overwatering plus poor drainage, or iron deficiency from high-pH soil. Improve drainage, check pH, and switch to a fertilizer with chelated iron.
Gray mold (botrytis) on spent blooms
Deadhead regularly, space plants for airflow, and water at the base so foliage stays dry.

Pineapple

Crown rots instead of rooting
Usually too much moisture on fresh-cut tissue — trim off any remaining fruit flesh, let the cut end callus for a couple of days before rooting, and keep the base just moist, not wet.
No flowering after a long wait
Pineapples take a genuinely long time and need consistent warmth and light; some growers force flowering by sealing a mature plant in a bag with a ripe apple or banana for about a week, which releases ethylene.
Leaf tips browning
Often low humidity, underwatering, or salt buildup from tap water — use rainwater or let tap water stand before watering, and mist in dry indoor air.
Plant stalls or stops growing in a cold spell
Pineapple growth slows sharply below about 60°F and stops in the 40s — move container plants to a warm, bright spot when temperatures drop.

Plums

Lots of bloom, little fruit
Japanese plums usually need a compatible pollinator, and early blooms can be caught by frost — plant a partner and a frost-sheltered spot.
Branches break under fruit
Thin the crop to 4–6 in apart and prop or prune heavily laden limbs.
Brown rot on ripening fruit
Prune for airflow, remove mummies, and pick promptly in humid weather.

Pomegranate

Fruit splits open on the tree
Almost always irregular watering — keep soil moisture even through the growing season and harvest promptly once fruit is ripe.
Fruit drops before ripening
Common on young trees or after drought stress; keep watering consistent and expect better fruit set as the tree matures.
Little or no fruit despite good bloom
Pomegranates are largely self-fertile, so lack of a pollinator is rarely the cause — check for excess nitrogen fertilizer or insufficient summer heat.
Winter dieback in marginal zones
Mulch the root zone heavily and, in a pot, move it to an unheated shelter for winter.

Potatoes

Green tubers
Exposure to light makes them green and mildly toxic — hill soil over developing tubers.
Scab (rough patches)
Worse in alkaline soil — keep pH slightly acidic and soil evenly moist.
Colorado potato beetle
Hand-pick striped adults and orange larvae; check leaf undersides for eggs.

Pumpkins

Squash vine borer
Look for frass at the stem base; slit and remove the borer, or mound soil over vine nodes so they root as backups.
Powdery mildew
Improve airflow and water at the base; remove the worst leaves late in the season.
Fruit rotting on the bottom
Lift each pumpkin onto a board or bed of straw to keep it off damp soil.

Radishes

All leaves, no root
Too much nitrogen, crowding, or heat — thin well and grow in cool weather.
Woody, pithy, or hot roots
Harvested too late or grown in heat — pick young and grow in spring/fall.
Flea beetles (shot-holes in leaves)
Use row cover; roots usually still fine.

Raspberries

Few berries or weak canes
Usually a pruning mismatch — learn whether you have summer- or fall-bearing canes and prune accordingly.
Canes spreading everywhere
Raspberries sucker freely; dig out wandering shoots or install a root barrier to keep the patch tidy.
Gray mold on fruit
Improve airflow by thinning canes, pick promptly, and avoid overhead watering.

Rhubarb

Crown rot or soft, mushy base
Almost always caused by waterlogged soil or planting the crown too deep — grow in raised beds if drainage is poor and keep the buds near the surface.
Flower stalks appearing repeatedly
Cut them off promptly every time; frequent bolting on a mature plant often signals that the crown is congested and due for division.
Thin, weak, or few stalks in later years
The crown is aging or crowded — lift and divide in early spring, replanting the outer vigorous sections into refreshed, compost-rich soil, and discard the woody center.
Poor performance in warm zones
Rhubarb needs cold winters to go dormant and break cleanly. In zones 8 and warmer it often weakens over time; give it afternoon shade, choose heat-tolerant varieties, and mulch the crown in summer.

Rosemary

Root rot / sudden death
Overwatering and poor drainage are the top killers — keep it dry and gritty.
Powdery mildew indoors
Give good airflow and bright light when overwintering inside.
Winter kill
Not hardy below zone 7 — bring potted plants indoors before hard freezes.

Roses

Black spot (circular dark spots, yellowing leaves that drop)
The most common rose disease — water only at the base, rake and bin fallen leaves, improve air circulation with proper pruning, and choose resistant varieties; susceptible types may need a preventive fungicide from spring.
Powdery mildew (white coating on new growth)
A sign of poor air circulation or overwatering — space plants well, prune for an open center, and water at the base; disease-resistant varieties rarely suffer this.
Japanese beetles skeletonizing blooms and leaves
Hand-pick adults into soapy water in the cool of morning when they’re sluggish. Avoid beetle traps near your roses — they attract far more beetles than they catch.
Aphid colonies on buds and stem tips
Knock them off with a hard blast of water; ladybugs and lacewings will follow and keep numbers down. Interplanting with chives or garlic deters new colonies.

Sage

Woody, sparse, leggy plants
Prune lightly each spring (not into bare wood), and replace plants every few years from cuttings.
Root rot and wilting
Caused by wet soil — grow in fast-draining ground or raised beds and avoid overwatering.
Powdery mildew in humidity
Give full sun and good airflow; avoid wetting the foliage.

Saskatoon Berry

Birds cleaning out the crop
Saskatoons are extremely attractive to birds; net the shrubs as berries begin to turn from red to blue-purple.
Rust spots on leaves or fruit
Cedar-apple-type rusts can affect Amelanchier; remove nearby juniper hosts where practical and choose resistant cultivars.
Sparse fruit on an old, unpruned shrub
Renewal-prune out the oldest stems in late winter — the best fruit forms on younger wood.

Sea Buckthorn

A healthy shrub that never fruits
Almost always a missing male plant — sea buckthorn needs a male pollinator nearby; sex is impossible to tell until plants flower, so buy from a supplier that sells sexed stock.
Thorns making harvest painful
Branches are densely thorned; many growers cut whole fruit-laden branches in fall and strip berries indoors, or partially freeze branches first to loosen the fruit.
Aggressive root suckering
Mow or pull suckers as they appear, or plant where a spreading thicket is welcome, such as a windbreak or erosion-control planting.
Slow early growth
Normal — sea buckthorn spends its first couple of years establishing roots before it fruits meaningfully; be patient rather than overfeeding it.

Snapdragons

Tall, single-stemmed, floppy plants
Pinch young plants to force branching, and stake the tallest cut-flower varieties.
Plants stall in summer
Snapdragons are cool-season — they often pause in heat and rebloom in fall; cut them back and wait.
Rust (orange spots on leaves)
Choose rust-resistant varieties, water at the base, and rotate planting spots each year.

Sorrel

Leaves become sharp, thin, or fibrous
Summer heat and moisture stress intensify the bitterness — harvest regularly, mulch to keep roots cool, and water consistently; plants mellow again in the cooler days of late summer.
Slug damage on young leaves
Apply iron-phosphate bait around new growth; hand-pick slugs at dusk during wet weather when they are most active.
Plant bolts and stops producing good leaves
Remove flower stalks immediately and consistently; sorrel re-invests energy into new foliage once it cannot complete its seed cycle.
Sparse regrowth after several years
Crowns become woody with age — dig and divide in early spring every 3–4 years, replanting only the vigorous outer sections and discarding the woody center.

Spinach

Poor germination in heat
Spinach won’t sprout in warm soil — sow in cool conditions or pre-chill seed.
Bolting
Long warm days trigger flowering; grow in spring/fall and pick promptly.
Leaf miners
Use row cover and remove tunneled leaves.

Strawberries

Rotting crowns
Crown planted too deep or soil too wet — set crowns at soil level in well-drained ground.
Birds eating fruit
Net plants as berries ripen.
Gray mold on fruit
Mulch to keep berries off soil, improve airflow, and pick ripe fruit promptly.

Sunflowers

Toppling in wind
Tall varieties need staking or a sheltered spot.
Birds/squirrels eating seedlings
Protect emerging seedlings with netting or cover.
Drooping heads
Normal as seeds mature and the head gets heavy.

Sweet Alyssum

Mid-season bloom slump in summer heat
Normal behavior — shear plants back by one-third when flowering slows in hot weather; water well and they rebound vigorously once temperatures ease in late summer.
Aphids clustering on tender new growth
Small infestations are harmless; blast with water or apply insecticidal soap. Alyssum is an excellent trap crop that draws aphid predators, so moderate colonies often disappear on their own.
Leggy, sparse plants with few flowers
Usually caused by too much shade or rich, nitrogen-heavy soil; move to a sunnier spot or lean soil, and shear back to encourage bushy, floriferous regrowth.
Damping-off in seedlings
Caused by overwatering in cool, poorly drained soil; improve drainage, water less frequently, and allow the soil surface to dry slightly between waterings.

Sweet Corn

Gappy ears with missing kernels
Poor pollination — always plant in blocks, not single rows, and avoid isolating just a few plants.
Corn earworm in the tips
A few drops of mineral oil on the silks after pollination, or simply cut off the damaged tip at harvest.
Plants blown over (lodging)
Hill soil around the base; corn sets prop roots that anchor it in wind.

Sweet Peas

Few flowers, then quick decline
Heat ends the show and seed pods stop it — sow early, keep roots cool, and pick blooms constantly before pods form.
Leggy, non-branching plants
Pinch young plants to force side shoots and more flowering stems.
Poor or slow germination
Soak seeds overnight before sowing, and start in cool (not cold, not warm) soil.

Sweet Potatoes

Lots of vine, few roots
Too much nitrogen or shade — keep feeding light and give full sun in loose soil.
Cracked or knobby roots
Inconsistent moisture or heavy soil — grow in loose, sandy beds and water evenly.
Wireworms or weevils tunneling roots
Rotate beds yearly and harvest promptly; avoid planting where issues occurred before.

Swiss Chard

Leaf miners tunneling in leaves
Remove affected leaves and cover plants with row cover; the rest of the plant is unharmed.
Multiple crowded seedlings
Chard "seeds" are seed clusters — thin to one strong plant per spot.
Bitter or tough leaves
Usually heat or old leaves — pick young and keep plants watered through summer.

Thyme

Woody, sparse centers
Trim regularly and divide every few years to rejuvenate.
Root rot
Caused by heavy, wet soil — improve drainage and ease off watering.

Tomatillos

Many flowers but no fruit
Tomatillos require cross-pollination from a second, genetically different plant — a solo plant almost never sets fruit. Grow at least two.
Flea beetles peppering young leaves
Cover transplants with row cover the first few weeks; established plants outgrow flea beetle damage quickly.
Fruit is mushy or has turned yellow inside the husk
Over-ripe — harvest while fruit is still firm and bright green. Yellow fruit is sweeter but loses the tartness prized for salsa verde.
Large, sprawling plant with few fruits
Excess nitrogen encourages leafy growth at the expense of fruit. Ease up on feeding and ensure a cross-pollinator plant is nearby.

Tomatoes

Blossom-end rot (black sunken bottoms)
Caused by inconsistent watering and calcium uptake — mulch and water evenly; avoid letting soil dry out.
Cracking fruit
From irregular watering after dry spells — keep moisture steady and mulch.
Leaf spots / early blight
Water at the base, space for airflow, and remove lower leaves touching the soil.
Tomato hornworms
Hand-pick the large green caterpillars at dusk; they strip foliage fast.

Tulips

Leaves but no flowers in later years
Many hybrid tulips are short-lived; let foliage die back fully, or treat tulips as annuals and replant each fall.
Bulbs dug up or eaten
Squirrels and voles love tulip bulbs — plant in baskets or cages, or interplant with daffodils they avoid.
No bloom in warm climates
Tulips need winter cold — pre-chill bulbs in the refrigerator before planting in zones 9 and warmer.

Turnips

Woody, pithy, or hot roots
From slow growth, heat, or over-maturity — keep soil moist, grow in cool weather, and harvest young.
Flea beetles peppering the greens
Cover seedlings with row cover; the damage is mostly cosmetic on roots grown for the bulb.
All tops, small roots
Too crowded or too much nitrogen — thin properly and avoid over-feeding.

Watermelon

Vines grow but few fruits set
Needs pollinators and warmth — plant flowers nearby and be patient; early male flowers naturally drop.
Bland, mealy fruit
Often too much late water or an immature pick — reduce water as fruit ripens and confirm ripeness before cutting.
Powdery mildew or wilt
Space for airflow, water at the base, and rotate cucurbits to fresh ground each year.

Winter Squash

Squash vine borer wilting the vine
Watch for sawdust-like frass at the base; slit the stem to remove the borer, or grow resistant moschata types like butternut.
Powdery mildew on leaves
Space for airflow, water at the base, and remove the worst leaves; it’s mostly cosmetic late in the season.
Poor fruit set
Needs bees — plant flowers nearby, or hand-pollinate by transferring pollen from male to female blooms.

Yarrow

Floppy, sprawling stems
Almost always caused by rich soil, shade, or excess water. Yarrow stands bolt-upright in lean, dry, sunny conditions; avoid fertilizing. The "Chelsea chop" (cut back by half in late spring) also stiffens stems.
Powdery mildew on leaves
Common in shaded, humid sites. Move to full sun, improve airflow by dividing congested clumps, and water only at the base.
Aggressive spreading
Yarrow spreads by shallow rhizomes and can colonize quickly in good soil. Divide and remove outer sections annually, or install a 6–8 in root barrier around the clump.
Short or no bloom period
Deadhead promptly — cut spent heads back to a lateral bud. Without deadheading, the plant often stops producing new flowers and sets seed early.

Zinnias

Powdery mildew
Space for airflow, water at the base, and choose resistant varieties.
Few, short stems
Pinch the plant when young and cut flowers with long stems to encourage more.

Zucchini & Summer Squash

Powdery mildew
Common late-season; improve airflow and water at the base.
Squash vine borer
Watch for wilting; the larva tunnels the stem. Use row cover early and bury stem nodes.
Fruit rotting at the tip
Poor pollination — hand-pollinate in the morning if bees are scarce.