Spray or weedkiller damage
Scorched spots or twisted growth after a spray, weedkiller drift or tainted compost.
What you'll see
- Bleached, brown or scorched spots where a spray landed, hours to days later.
- New growth twisted, cupped or strap-like after weedkiller drift or tainted compost.
- The spots don't spread like a disease, and leaves that grew before the exposure stay normal.
Why it happens
Sprays, weedkillers or cleaners reach the plant through drift, too strong a dose, the wrong product, use in heat, or treated manure or hay.
How to fix it
- Rinse the leaves well with clean water at the first sign of spray injury.
- Water potted plants deeply to flush residue, and repot in clean mix if the soil is tainted.
- Wait 2 to 4 weeks before pruning; lightly hit plants often grow out of it.
Keep it from coming back
- Follow pesticide and herbicide labels exactly, and keep kids and pets off treated areas.
- Never spray in wind, bright sun or heat above about 85°F (29°C).
- Test a new product on a few leaves and wait two days before treating the whole plant.
Read more
Sources
- Kindwise plant.health library: Pesticide damage
- Kindwise plant.health library: Herbicide damage
- University of Maryland Extension: Phytotoxicity: chemical damage to garden plants
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Herbicide damage to plants
General guidance, not a diagnosis. For valuable, edible or outdoor crops, check with a local extension service or plant expert. Use any product exactly as its label says, and keep children and pets away while it dries.