Symptom Library

Why Do My Plant Leaves Have Holes?

A hole tells you tissue is missing, but not why. Fresh feeding, slugs, caterpillars, beetles, physical damage, and dead lesion centers can all leave openings that look similar from a distance.

5 plant-specific answers connected to this symptom

What this symptom means

Holes are most useful when you inspect the edges and look for evidence around them. Fresh ragged feeding means something different from a brown or spotted area whose center later dropped out.

What to notice first

Fresh green or ragged edges versus dry dead margins
Insects, larvae, droppings, slime trails, or feeding at night
Whether spots or lesions appeared before the holes
Whether damage is continuing on new leaves

GardenSolved checkpoint

Do not do this yet

Do not spray from the hole alone.
Do not remove every damaged leaf if the plant still has useful healthy tissue.
Do not assume all missing tissue is active insect feeding.

Choose the plant-specific owner

Start with the closest match.

Primary matches own this visible symptom. Related-clue matches mention it as part of a broader diagnostic pattern, so use them only when the page title and plant fit what you are seeing.

Vegetables · Broad Beans

What’s eating my broad bean leaves?

Repeated rounded notches along the margins of young leaves suggest pea leaf weevil. Irregular holes or ragged edges on tender growth can point to slugs or snails. Look for the animal, fresh feeding or slime before choosing a response.

Open plant-specific answer

Vegetables · Cucumbers