The hardest part for beginning gardeners is knowing what is normal die off and what is disease. Plants have a life cycle and when they've done their thing for that season they will die off. That's when beginners panic and try to "save" them but it's just part of the cycle. Often disease will show up at that time but instead of trying to cure it they should just be taken out with a thank you for their good work.
There certainly is a lot to learn! I had a newbie gardener looking around the other day- he said he had some holes in the leaves of his pepper plant, and he was in a panic. I showed him the same holes on mine. A healthy plant can survive a few bites in the leaves! The grocery store produce is so far from real- that new gardeners don't really know what to expect! It might not look "perfect", but it sure tastes wonderful!
Diseases are often spread by insects. Between the fungicides and insecticides that are keeping those supermarket offerings picture perfect, you gotta wonder if we should really tolerate a certain amount of damage.
It is difficult to know when to pick up the sprayer but I'm not going to follow the food industry's model anyway.
Getting down to look as closely as you can and doing it often are real good ideas. Harvest on time, however!! Age results in "insults" whether we are plant or animal. And we must decide, whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against them.
Thanks a lot for passing this link on........It is just what I have been looking for & couldn't find. Not that anything is wrong at the moment.....rather the opposite actually, but I know just how quickly it can all change.........! BE PREPARED........!!
I just know this is going to be wonderfully useful..!!