New World Survival · Community Garden Field Manual
Pest & Disease Diagnostic Workbook
Use this workbook to build a diagnosis before choosing a treatment. Preserve photos, observations, samples, intervention decisions and the outcome for the next gardener.
Do not begin with a pesticide. Identify the crop and problem, decide whether intervention is needed, verify the garden's rules and follow the current product label if a pesticide is used.
1. Plot and crop record
Variety / source if known
2. Describe the symptom without diagnosing it
Write what you can see. Avoid words such as fungus, virus, deficiency or herbicide injury unless already confirmed.
3. Distribution map
Map affected and unaffected plants, irrigation lines, neighboring plots and direction of any obvious gradient.
4. Plant-part pattern
| Part | Healthy / affected | Observation |
|---|
| New leaves / growing point | | |
| Older leaves | | |
| Leaf underside | | |
| Stem | | |
| Fruit / flower | | |
| Soil line | | |
| Roots | | |
5. Environmental and cultural check
Root-zone moisture
☐ dry ☐ moist ☐ saturated ☐ unknown
Recent weather
☐ heat ☐ cold ☐ heavy rain ☐ drought ☐ wind ☐ normal
Irrigation change?☐ yes ☐ no
Fertilizer / amendment change?☐ yes ☐ no
Recent cultivation / transplanting?☐ yes ☐ no
Possible spray / chemical exposure?☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown
6. Organisms and causal evidence
| What found | Where | Life stage / description | Photo / sample ID | Confirmed cause? |
|---|
| | | | ☐ yes ☐ no |
| | | | ☐ yes ☐ no |
| | | | ☐ yes ☐ no |
| | | | ☐ yes ☐ no |
| | | | ☐ yes ☐ no |
| | | | ☐ yes ☐ no |
| | | | ☐ yes ☐ no |
| | | | ☐ yes ☐ no |
7. Beneficial / harmless organism check
| Organism | What was it doing? | Possible role | Identification source |
|---|
| | ☐ pest ☐ predator ☐ parasitoid ☐ pollinator ☐ incidental ☐ unknown | |
| | ☐ pest ☐ predator ☐ parasitoid ☐ pollinator ☐ incidental ☐ unknown | |
| | ☐ pest ☐ predator ☐ parasitoid ☐ pollinator ☐ incidental ☐ unknown | |
| | ☐ pest ☐ predator ☐ parasitoid ☐ pollinator ☐ incidental ☐ unknown | |
| | ☐ pest ☐ predator ☐ parasitoid ☐ pollinator ☐ incidental ☐ unknown | |
| | ☐ pest ☐ predator ☐ parasitoid ☐ pollinator ☐ incidental ☐ unknown | |
8. Diagnostic photo set
☐ Whole bed / surrounding context
☐ Whole plant
☐ Healthy-to-damaged transition
☐ Close-up of symptom
☐ Top of affected leaf
☐ Underside of affected leaf
☐ Organism / egg / frass / webbing if present
☐ Root / soil-line photo when relevant
☐ Scale object included in close-up when useful
9. Timing record
| Date | What changed | Weather / management event |
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10. Working hypotheses
| Possible cause | Evidence supporting it | Evidence against / missing | How to verify |
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11. Extension / diagnostic resource
County / local Extension contact
State plant diagnostic clinic
Crop-specific fact sheet used
12. Sample preparation record
Follow the receiving clinic's current instructions. This sheet records what was submitted; it does not replace those instructions.
| Sample ID | Healthy tissue included? | Affected tissue included? | Roots / soil included if relevant? | Submission date |
|---|
| ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | |
| ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | |
| ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | |
| ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | |
| ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | |
13. Action threshold
Plant vigor
☐ strong ☐ moderate ☐ declining
Spread
☐ stable ☐ slow ☐ rapid ☐ unknown
Yield / survival impact
☐ minor ☐ meaningful ☐ severe ☐ unknown
Natural enemies active?
☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unknown
Decision
☐ Monitor only
☐ Correct cultural condition
☐ Mechanical / physical control
☐ Biological / beneficial-conservation approach
☐ Chemical option needs verification
☐ Seek qualified diagnosis first
14. Cultural correction record
| Date | Condition corrected | Action | Expected observation |
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15. Physical / mechanical / sanitation action
| Date | Action | Material removed / barrier used | Disposal or cleaning step |
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16. Pesticide decision record, only if applicable
This is a verification record, not an application instruction. The current product label controls legal use.
☐ Garden policy permits this use
☐ Diagnosis is sufficiently established
☐ Current label covers crop/site and target
☐ Timing, PPE, restrictions and harvest-related directions can be followed
☐ Drift/contact risk to neighboring plots and beneficials addressed
☐ Application record retained as required
17. Follow-up evaluation
| Date | Symptom better / same / worse | Spread | New evidence | Keep or revise diagnosis? |
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18. Season pattern record
Record recurring crop/problem combinations so next year's prevention can begin before symptoms appear.
| Crop | Problem | First observed | Likely driver | Next-year prevention |
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19. Capability check
☐ I identify the host plant before diagnosing the problem.
☐ I can describe symptoms without naming an unconfirmed cause.
☐ I can map the distribution of damage.
☐ I check water, weather and management history before assuming disease or insects.
☐ I can create a useful diagnostic photo set.
☐ I can distinguish or seek identification of pests and beneficial organisms.
☐ I can decide whether intervention is necessary.
☐ I know when to contact Extension or a diagnostic clinic.
☐ I verify garden rules and the current label before pesticide use.
☐ I evaluate the result and revise the diagnosis when evidence changes.
20. Handoff note
What should the next gardener watch first, and what diagnosis or treatment should not be repeated without new evidence?