If the holes are in the middle of the leaves, that implies insect damage to me. Most chewing insects would stay in the vicinity of your plants, either on the underside of the leaves or even hidden in the soil or mulch. No bird droppings around the plants, are there? The damage doesn't sound like birds, but I suppose anything's possible. I wonder if squash bugs could be the culprits? It's impossible to identify many insects by the damage alone, but these buggers do cause wilting and they fly. I'd think they'd stay somewhere around your plants if it's them though. Keep checking for eggs on the undersides of the leaves. Most chewing insects lay their eggs right on the host that will feed their young. I've concocted an insect repellent for cases when I don't know what's causing the damage, though I'm sure it doesn't work on everything. I don't intend it to kill anything but just repel many insects. It includes a few drops of orange oil, a clove of garlic that's been whirled in the blender with a bit of water and the liquid strained to use, and about a teaspoon of Ivory detergent added with enough water to make about a quart. Garlic and orange oil repel different insects, so I hope I get most of them repelled with this concoction. The "essence" of marigolds (extracted the same way garlic is, in the blender) could be added to the brew as well -- they seem to repel some insects. For containers I spray it lightly on the soil surface as well as on the stems of the plants. So far I've intentionally avoided spraying the leaves though I think I would if I tested a leaf first and it survived the brew. I don't spray the soil surface in my open garden with this repellent, since the orange oil is also an insecticide that kills earthworms and ants, and garlic certainly drives them out of the immediate vicinity if it's strong enough. Good luck either identifying the culprit or keeping it at bay!

Sounds like caterpillar damage. Safer brand insect spray will help. Be sure and spray the backside of the leaves as well as the fronts. Also, if you are growing any strong smelling herbs cut some and sprinkle it around your plants. The oder confuses the moth that lays the caterpillar eggs. Once you have cleared the infestation, buy some wedding veil material and cover your plants completley until the nights are consistently cold. Good luck, j.

Sluggo for slugs and snails. Slugs and snails will climb three storey apartment building stucco walls every evening in search of tasty treats. I know this from personal experience: the morning after carefully planting my marigolds in the pot on the balcony, the flower heads were all scattered about on the dirt and the plants removed. I thought it was a mean joke by the college roommate, but it was snails from waaay down on the first floor. Use a shallow can/plastic container that insects can climb up the side of for the canola oil. I caught earwigs, slugs, snails, and beetles in my cans. I have never caught the evil little buggers in the act, so I can't tell you what time they would be ruining your plants. Don't worry, they'll find the others too, it just takes them some time. It may be just one snail doing all of the work himself. Renee

Hello I cant tell you for sure whats going on but I can tell you that they like lots of water and lots of fertilizer. I have a few that lost the leaves like you mentioned then went crazy.. All but one and its a misty valley pink.. Do you know which variety you have? Is it in shade or sun mine are all in full sun and loving it except in mid day when they wilt alittle but then perk right up in the later hours of the afternoon.. Donna