Why Does My Lupine Look Sickly?

Do the upper leaves have light purple discoloration and a leathery appearance?

Do the leaves have any small circular or irregularly shaped dry spots that are gray to straw in color?

Are there any white, cotton-like fungal growths around the stem, parts of the plant above it wither and die?

Are the leaves covered with white powder?

Are the leaves curled and distorted?

Are the leaves covered in coarse stippling and may appear silvery?

Do the stems break off easily?

Are the leaves mottled with golden yellow and crinkled or curled?

Brown spot is a fungal disease that occurs during warm and wet weather. Plow crop residue into the soil after harvest. Rotate crops to a non-susceptible crop for at least one year. Apply an appropriate foliar fungicide to protect plants from bloom to pod fill.

These symptoms indicate a fungal disease - Anthracnose. Keep plants dry when watering to prevent spread. Spray plants with copper when the first fruit develops if you have had problems in the past.

Sclerotinia stem rot (white mold) is a fungal disease that causes these symptoms. Wet weather conditions favor this disease. The disease is usually introduced to non-infected areas by infected seed. Plant only certified seed. If the disease is known to present rotate crops with non-hosts such as cereals.

White, powdery patches on the leaves are caused by a fungal disease Powdery mildew. Powdery mildew usually appears in damp places. Encourage good air circulation around the affected plants by thining them and any surrounding plants. Water plants from bellow to keep foliage dry. Any affected leaves should be cut off and removed.

Distorted and curled leaves are caused by aphids. These tiny insects cluster under leaves and on growing tips where they feed on plant sap. Leaves, stems, and buds get distorted and later leaves and flowers drop from the plant. You can control them by washing them off the plant with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used with severe infestations.

These symptoms indicate thrips. Severely infected plant parts should be removed and destroyed. Control thrips by introducing lady beetles or lacewings, their natural predators. Insecticidal soap helps in severe infestations.

Stalk borers are long, thin, striped caterpillars that eat their way through stalk centers. Small, round stem holes may betray their presence. Once plants are visibly affected, there is no cure. If borers are a regular problem, spray plants with BTK early in the season as borers enter plants.

These symptoms often indicate viral disease - Bean yellow mosaic. Remove and destroy infected plants. Control aphids as they are the most likely carriers od bean mosaic virus.

If the leaves are mottled and covered in a distinctive mosaic pattern, your lupine suffered from cucumber mosaic virus. There is no treatment for these diseases. Remove and destroy your plants. Control aphids to prevent infection.