What is wrong with my oregano? - Ask Extension
I have a small bed with oregano, thyme, and chives planted. The bed is alongside a patio. It gets a lot of sun, and the plants are crowded. Recently, ...
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What is wrong with my oregano? #874799
Asked June 26, 2024, 12:50 PM EDT
I have a small bed with oregano, thyme, and chives planted. The bed is alongside a patio. It gets a lot of sun, and the plants are crowded. Recently, the oregano leaves have developed these spots. Do the plants have thrips, fungus, or something else? Should I apply a treatment and move these plants to other locations? Throw them out? Thank you.
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
I have two small herb gardens alongside a patio. They get full sun and are crowded. One contains thyme, oregano, and chives. The other has one huge sage plant with a little mint and thyme off to one side. Both the oregano and the sage have white/yellow spots. From research I have done so far, I think the oregano has thrips, but I'm not sure. I have seem tiny insects jumping on the sage. Can anyone advise me as to the likely problem(s) and solutions? Moving the plants, if they are salvageable, is something I can do. Thank you.
I didn't see any way to attach photos to my question, so I'm attaching them here.
The site conditions being surrounded by heat-retaining and -reflecting surfaces are probably stressing the plants, as is the limited root room where they can stay hydrated. Are they being monitored for watering needs regularly? Stress from heat, drought, and other conditions can make plants more vulnerable to attack from insect pests.
We can't see the damage clearly enough (or it's too advanced) to determine the exact culprit, and it's also possible that more than one is present. Thrips are one possibility, as are spider mites and leafhoppers. Management tips for each are included on those linked pages. (We do not see indications of any fungal infections.)
Since the leaf injury is so significant on the oregano, you may want to cut that back to encourage regrowth, and treat the new growth early if it begins to show indications of the same kind of damage. (Don't pre-treat it, as spraying before insects or mites arrive won't help when using the lower-toxicity sprays that we'd recommend for those pests.)
Miri
We can't see the damage clearly enough (or it's too advanced) to determine the exact culprit, and it's also possible that more than one is present. Thrips are one possibility, as are spider mites and leafhoppers. Management tips for each are included on those linked pages. (We do not see indications of any fungal infections.)
Since the leaf injury is so significant on the oregano, you may want to cut that back to encourage regrowth, and treat the new growth early if it begins to show indications of the same kind of damage. (Don't pre-treat it, as spraying before insects or mites arrive won't help when using the lower-toxicity sprays that we'd recommend for those pests.)
Miri
Thank you, Miri. I will move them. Also, I was able to photograph the pests and they are leafhoppers.
Nancy
On Jun 27, 2024, at 12:51 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
Thank you, Miri. I will move them. Also, I was able to photograph the pests and they are leafhoppers.
Nancy
On Jun 27, 2024, at 12:51 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
You're welcome!
