Help-whats happening??

[Jooles]

My baby bell aubergine plant is looking so sad, the leaves are wilted and with brown patches. I've given it a good feed a few days back and it doesn't look any better for it. I've moved the plant out of my raised bed and into a pot in the hope that it may do better there and always that whatever is wrong with it won’t spread...... which brings me to the turnips!

They looked very healthy yesterday and today I've noticed the majority of them have holes in the leaves- what's eating them and how could I fix it organically?

Finally my pumpkin plants, I had three and I have to admit over the last few months they have endured a couple of moves around the garden while my veggie plot was being organised- and initially settling them in their new raised bed home they appeared to thrive and I even hoped that a pumpkin was starting. But……now two plants have developed a lot of yellow on leaves and another smaller plants looks like its given up……..

I am attaching photos to illustrate the sorry state of plants!

All advice and help greatly appreciated……. It all started so well and now its all going wrong………!!

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Jooles,

Aubergines like the sun and ideally I think in this country need to be grown in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill. The damage could be caused by the cold nights. Were the leaves yellow first?

The pumpkins are suffering from magnesium deficiency and the cure is to either feed or use a foliar spray of epsom salts diluted with water. You can buy epsom salts from the garden centre and the dilution will be on the pack. Was the aubergine plant in the same bed?

Are there any insects under the leaves of the turnips?

[Jooles]

Hi Lesley-

Thanks for the reply, I'm new to this veggie growing and these set backs are really disappointing.....

I noticed the bottom leaves of the aubergine yellowish brown and then the last few days just seems to have been the whole plant........ I wish I'd kept it in the conservatory now!! Is it destined for compost bin or could I revive?

I have been using a worm cast organic feed and a seaweed feed on all veggie plot- but not regularly, should I get some epsom salts to boost the pumpkins or is it okay to stick with those feeds?

How often should I be feeding them.... i was feeding about once a week.

I've checked under turnip leaves and can't see anything.......

[Lesley Jay]

Jooles the only way to cure the magnesium deficiency in the pumpkin plants is to feed with diluted epsom salts. I've been reading about worm cast fertilizers and they seem to be high in potassium which can cause magnesium deficiency in plants. As the aubergine leaves were yellow to begin with this might also be magnesium deficiency. So I would feed both the pumpkins and aubergine with epsom salts and at the same time stop using the worm cast feed. I use organic seaweed feed once a week.

[Jooles]

Hi lesley

Thanks for this-will pick up some epsom salts tomorrow and give them a good feed.

Thats interesting about the worm cast feed I hadn't even thought about the types of feeds but I will be steering away from the worm cast and paying more attention to the contents of the feeds in future


Any help on the turnips? I checked for insects and couldn't see any.... I think the holes are too small to be slugs...... am wondering if its flea beatle (although I haven't seen any) and dso you have tried and tested tips on how to get rid....my turnips are looking like they may not survive

[Lesley Jay]

Jooles I thought about flea beetle as well because the holes are small and in the centre of the leaves but reading my book April - May is the time of the year for attacks. However, I've just been reading an organic site and that gives the dates as May through to late August so it looks like the holes are caused by flea beetles.

There are different types but one is tiny and black and difficult to spot against the soil. Apparently the rescue remedy is watering, adding a nitrogen rich fertiliser and firming the soil down well around the plants. The beetles don't like wet conditions. You can buy flea beetle traps which are cardboard covered in grease and you push these through the plants disturbing the beetles which jump into the trap. The alternative is to spray with something like this:-
Buy Scotts Bug Clear Concentrate : Delivery by Crocus.co.uk

I hope that helps!

[Jooles]

Brillant, Thanks Lesley -

I'll keep on top with the watering on these plants and firm down the soil inbetween.....I might have a go at trying to devise a homemade beetle trap using the cardboard and grease idea but I'm going to try and stay clear of the sprays at the mo.

I've got my epsom salts and looking forward to nursing my pumpkins back to full health!

I will keep you updated, and thanks for the advice greatly appreciated!!

[jamesmiddz]

Looks like a deficiency of some kind to me. Becareful with the Epsom salts!! Don't apply it to any plants within ceramic pots; the salts will soon eat through them and turn them into a salt dusty mess. They plants should love though

[Jooles]

jamesmiddz- ooops!

Already done! I put some in with my chinese lantern plant which is in pot, I love this plant and this year it has not done as well and with yellow leaves I thought it was probably that worm cast fed again so gave it some epsom salts!

I will keep an eye on the pot....... on the brightside as you say the plant love it and I have a few good orange lanterns since the feed!