Troubleshooting

You can control aphids without chemicals using 6 methods: water spray, soapy water, neem oil, ladybugs, hand removal, and companion planting.

Ants on plants are usually farming aphids for their honeydew. Control the ants to control the aphids.

Aphids are tiny, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth. They're the most common garden pest and one of the easiest to control without chemicals.

Black spots on basil are usually fusarium wilt or cold damage. Fusarium is fatal. Cold damage is cosmetic if caught early.

Bean leaves turn yellow from nitrogen deficiency, overwatering, or bean mosaic virus. Check soil moisture first.

Bitter vegetables come from 4 causes: heat stress, bolting, uneven watering, or harvest timing. Most bitterness is preventable.

Brown leaf edges come from 4 causes: underwatering, over-fertilizing, low humidity, or salt buildup.

Bottom watering keeps leaves dry and encourages deep roots. Top watering washes salt buildup and mimics rain.

Coffee grounds are good in compost but bad directly on soil. They're acidic, can mold, and can inhibit growth in high concentrations.

Damping off is a fungal disease that kills seedlings at the soil line. It's caused by too much moisture and not enough airflow.

Fungus gnats are tiny black flies around wet soil. They're a symptom of overwatering. Let soil dry and use bottom watering.

Flowers but no fruit means pollination failed. The 5 causes are: no pollinators, high heat, too much nitrogen, no wind, or wrong flower type.

Most seedlings need grow lights 2-4 inches above the top leaves.

If your window gets less than 6 hours of direct sun, you need a grow light. A $30 LED shop light works for most seedlings.

Plants that grow leaves but no fruit have 5 common causes: too much nitrogen, not enough light, no pollination, high heat, or wrong variety.