Light & temperature
Scorch, frost, heat and too little light each leave their own mark. Read where on the plant it shows.
Weather damage shows on the side of the plant that met it: scorch on the sunny face, frost on the soft tips, stretching towards the light that is missing. It rarely spreads from plant to plant, which is the quickest way to tell it from disease.
Start with what you see
Choose the symptom that looks most like your plant.
Light & temperature problems
5 problems
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Sun scorch and sunscald
Tomatoes, Bell peppers, Chili peppers Bleached, papery or brown patches on the leaves and fruit that face the sun. -
Too little light
Microgreens, Basil, Monstera Pale, stretched growth that leans towards the window. No amount of feeding fixes it. -
Heat stress
Tomatoes, Bell peppers, Green beans Afternoon wilting, dropped flowers and stalled fruit in a hot spell, even in moist soil. -
Cold and frost damage
Basil, Avocado, Potatoes Blackened, glassy shoots after a cold night. Tender plants collapse; hardy ones grow out of it. -
Bolting (running to seed)
Lettuce, Spinach, Cilantro (coriander) A tall flower stalk from the centre of a leafy crop. The leaves turn bitter and tough.
