Fix a problem
Start from what you can see and work back to the likely cause, or look the problem up by name.
Start with what you can see
Choose what you can see. Each symptom leads to its likely causes and the lesson or article that deals with it.
Male flowers only, so far
Zucchini, pumpkin and cucumber open male flowers first. Females follow, and on a wet or cold morning nobody visits them.
No pollinators in the bed
A bed of leaves gives a bee no reason to stop.
Damping off
A soil fungus that pinches the stem at soil level in cold, wet, still conditions.
Planted out too soon
Indoor seedlings are soft. Sun and wind shrivel them in a day.
Sown too deep
Most seeds that never appear were buried. Twice the seed width is the rule.
Soil too cold
Tomatoes and beans wait until the soil holds about 16 degrees, whatever the calendar says.
Bolting
Warmth, long days and dry soil send coriander, lettuce and rocket to flower.
Basil left to flower
Once basil flowers the leaf slows and the flavour drops.
Caterpillars, slugs or snails
Ragged holes and slime trails by morning point to night feeders.
Earwigs on seedlings
Seedlings chewed to stumps overnight.
Problem page to come
Watering little and often
Shallow roots and waterlogged crowns both show as yellow lower leaves.
Hungry soil
Older leaves yellow first when nitrogen runs short.
Problem page to come
Never thinned
Crowded rows grow thin, tangled carrots and beetroot.
Powdery mildew
Late season zucchini, pumpkin and peas in humid weather.
Problem page to come
Problems A to Z
A
- AphidsSoft green, black or grey clusters on new growth and under leaves.Page to come
B
- Basil floweringLeaf slows and the flavour drops once basil is allowed to flower.
- Blossom end rotDark sunken patch on the base of tomatoes, capsicums and zucchini, from uneven watering.Page to come
- BoltingCoriander, lettuce and rocket run up to flower in warmth, long days and dry soil.
C
- Cabbage white caterpillarsRagged holes in brassica leaves, green caterpillars on the undersides.Page to come
D
- Damping offSeedlings pinch at soil level and topple in cold, wet, still air.
- Downy mildewYellow patches on top of the leaf with grey fuzz beneath, in cool damp weather.Page to come
E
- EarwigsSeedlings chewed to stumps overnight, no slime trail.Page to come
F
- Fruit flySting marks and maggots in tomatoes, capsicums and stone fruit in warm regions.Page to come
- Fruit not settingZucchini, pumpkin and cucumber open male flowers first, and wet or cold mornings keep the bees away.
M
- Mosaic virusMottled yellow and green leaves on cucurbits, spread by aphids.Page to come
P
- Pollinators missingA bed of leaves gives a bee no reason to stop.
- PossumsWhole seedlings and soft tips gone by morning, no slime trail.Page to come
- Powdery mildewWhite dust on zucchini, pumpkin and pea leaves late in the season.Page to come
R
- Root-knot nematodeLumpy, knotted roots and plants that wilt on warm afternoons.Page to come
S
- Seedlings collapsing after planting outIndoor seedlings shrivel when moved straight into sun and wind.
- Seeds not coming upMost seed that never appears was sown too deep.
- Slugs and snailsHoles with silver slime trails, worst after rain.
- Soil too coldTomatoes and beans wait until the soil holds about 16 degrees.
- Spider mitesFine speckling and webbing under leaves in hot, dry spells.Page to come
T
- Thin, forked carrotsCrowded rows that were never thinned.
W
- WhiteflyClouds of tiny white insects rise when a leaf is brushed.Page to come
Y
- Yellowing lower leavesShallow watering or hungry soil, oldest leaves first.
Pests, diseases and the helpers
ArticlePests & Diseases
Keeping possums, birds and pests out of the veggie patch, humanely
Possums and birds raiding your veggies? Here is how to keep them out humanely and lawfully, with wildlife-safe netting and simple exclusion.
ArticlePests & Diseases
Organic pest control in Australia: working with the garden, not against it
Most pest problems are solved by a healthy patch, not a spray. Here is how to manage common garden pests in Australia without harsh chemicals.
ArticlePests & Diseases
Damping Off: What Is It and How to Prevent It?
This is a blog to assist you in learning more about damping off and how to avoid it.
ArticleNature’s Helpers
What's Actually in a Beneficial Bug Mix - and Why Every Veggie Garden Needs One
A beneficial bug mix feeds the hoverflies, ladybirds, lacewings and tiny wasps that control pests. Here is what is in it, and why your veggie patch...
ArticleNature’s Helpers
Chickens & Vegetable Gardens
Chickens give a vegetable garden manure, pest control and free compost, and they will also dig up your seedlings. How to get the benefits without losing...
Not on the list?
Send a photo to support@happyvalleyseeds.com.au. The people who pack the seed answer on weekdays, 9am to 5pm AEST.