Diagnosing Plant Problems

  Watering Problems  

Overwatering - brown or black spots on leaves; stems look mushy; plant is wilted though soil feels wet

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• Underwatering - soil feels dry; plant is wilted

 

Insects

• Holes in leaves;
  chewed leaves; distorted leaves;
  pin-size holes in the stem
  

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•  backs of leaves look silvery with tiny black spots;

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  leaves look rusty

Fertilizer

• Too little fertilizer - stunted yellow growth
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• Too much fertilizer - leaves have brown, damaged looking edges;
  leaves may turn black
• A slight excess can cause rich lush growth, usually with no flowering which can suffer damage
• at onset of cold

Microorganisms

• White powdery substance on the leaves;
  browning and spotting of the leaves

Other Plant Problems

• Animals - bark stripped off trees and shrubs; if top of plant dies for no apparent reason, roots may have been eaten by grubs or gophers
• Tree graft - union may not be compatible; though the tree has appeared to thrive for several years - tree goes into unexplainable decline
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These are just a few of the things which can damage otherwise healthy plants.  Hopefully these general guidelines will head you in the right direction to alleviate the problem and prevent future ones!