what is wrong with my cantaloupe

Aug 02, 2020

Possibly
by: Jacki Cammidge, Certified Horticulturist

Well, one issue is definitely leaf miners. Sorry, but there is no solution to that one except to cut the leaves off if the juveniles haven’t hatched out yet, and dispose of them. This won’t help for this year, but could reduce the number of adults next season. The damage looks like little wiggly lines.

The other issue looks like thrips or spider mites. You’ll need to get the magnifying glass out for that one. For thrips, again, no solution, because they probably have already done the damage and moved on. For spider mites, spray the bottom and top sides of the leaves every day, twice a day for a week, and see what happens.

But wait, there’s more! Bonus issue; the leaves are showing chlorisis, which could mean that the plant is running out of nutrients. Some nutrients are easier to supply than others; Nitrogen being one of them. I suggest making some compost tea, and spray that on the leaves, or apply it to the soil. Don’t over-do this, as it can cause other issues. The phrase to remember is ‘weakly, weekly’. This means, use a diluted solution, once a week.