Troubleshooting worksheet
Spots on leaves
Discrete tan, brown, black, purple, or translucent spots appear, sometimes with halos or concentric rings.
Look before acting
A visual match narrows questions. It does not prove a diagnosis.
Compare the location, pattern, affected plant parts, recent weather, watering, and changes in care before choosing a response.
Possible causes
Keep the list open at first.
01Fungal or bacterial leaf spot
02Insect feeding
03Spray injury
04Sunscald
05Normal aging
Questions to answer
Look at the whole plant and root zone.
- Are spots angular or round?
- Do they cross veins?
- Did they appear after wet weather or spraying?
- Are stems or fruit also affected?
Low-risk actions
Change one thing at a time.
- Remove the worst affected leaves without stripping the plant.
- Water at soil level and improve airflow.
- Clean up crop-specific infected debris appropriately.
- Compare with local extension diagnostic images.
Working checklist