Mint looks scabby! What's up?

[Carol Dee]

Our mint ALL looks like this, could it be aphids? (I did not look real close.) I do not want to pick and us it looking like this DH says it is fine and he will use it. What do you all think?

 

[kathiesgarden]

Sunburn? I really don't know, but I have seen similar spots on my plants when they've had too much sun.

Kathie

 

[baymule]

Looks like my dog peed on it. Repeatedly.

 

[Mackay]

Mints can't really have too much sun. Is water sitting on the leaves from a sprinkler? Aphids are pretty easy to spot and I doubt you would have missed them

 

[Carol Dee]

Mints can't really have too much sun. Is water sitting on the leaves from a sprinkler? Aphids are pretty easy to spot and I doubt you would have missed them

@Mackay We do not have sprinklers at the garden. (Only water we have is caught in rain barrels.) We have had a bit more rain than usual lately. But not when this showed up. I do not find aphids when I look closely. Just some random bugs here and there. No big populations that I can find. Do you think it is o.k. to use? It just looks bad even when dried.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

you may be having a problem with 'rust'. a type of fungal disease that can affect mint and some other plants. unfortunately there is only one way i know to try and eliminate it and that is by destroying the plan and burning the ground to rid it of spores.

 

[Carol Dee]

you may be having a problem with 'rust'. a type of fungal disease that can affect mint and some other plants. unfortunately there is only one way i know to try and eliminate it and that is by destroying the plan and burning the ground to rid it of spores.

I looked it up on line. Either my plants have it REALLY bad, or something else. The rust they show looks different. If it is rust will it spread to other plants?

 

[digitS']

Wow!

I don't remember ever seeing rust in mint. Maybe.

It is a late season problem, big time, with snapdragons. Or, it can be. Fungicides take care of it in my snaps. Those sprays are approved for food crops.

Steve

 

[journey11]

I have seen that before, all over patches of wild mint on my dad's farm. Come to think of it, I've seen it on my greek oregano too from time to time. Carol, try googling "Four-lined plant bug damage to mint". Here's an image I found here that resembles yours...

ETA: More info here... Says they are easily killed with insecticidal soap sprays, yay!

 

[digitS']

Interesting!

I see those plant bugs all the time, @journey11 .

It has been perplexing - do they cause problems or not? Looks like they do.

Steve