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Florida Gardening

Something STILL eating my plants

bea (zone 9a -Jax area)

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

You all helped me a while back by telling me the holes in my sweet potato leaves were probably made by slugs. I since found some holes in my eggplants & green bean plants too. I put out slug bait (iron phosphate type) that I refreshed every time we had a rain - nada, more holes. I also put several boards down having read that they like to crawl under them.

So last night I added slug traps that I made like Carol suggested & used the yeast mix to bait them. I was prepared to see my traps full of slugs this morning. Nope - not a single one…and more holes.

Does it take time or could it be something else eating my plants? HELP!!!

Here is the photo again.

Featured Answer

User

8 years ago

To me, that looks like beetle damage, but I'm not an expert. I was taught in horticulture school that beetles eat holes in the leaves so that's what I'm thinking. Try dusting the plants and ground with diatomaceous earth. Snails hate that stuff. It cuts up their little undersides and dessicates them. You can also dust the plants with it. You need to wear a mask when you use it and be sure not to breathe it in, but it's pretty effective. I use it all the time in my garden.

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Comments (9)

CaptTurbo
8 years ago
Looks like flea beetle damage to me. Lately I have some kind of web worms putting holes in my collards and Red Russian kale. I just picked up some Thuricide this morning to do battle with them.
bea (zone 9a -Jax area) thanked CaptTurbo
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User
8 years ago
I was going to say flea beetles too, but some of the holes are sort of large. Could be a combination of beetles and slugs.
bea (zone 9a -Jax area) thanked User
CaptTurbo
8 years ago
I agree on the size of some of those hole. I have seen some kind of wasp like critters chewing on my leaves at times so that might be a possibility as well.
bea (zone 9a -Jax area) thanked CaptTurbo
writersblock (9b/10a)
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Yes, the big paper wasps will eat surprisingly large holes gathering material for their nests. On the other hand they also patrol your veggies for caterpillars, so I look on that as a trade-off.
bea (zone 9a -Jax area) thanked writersblock (9b/10a)
bea (zone 9a -Jax area)
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Thank you all so much for responding. I am so frustrated. I feel like my whole veggie garden is being eaten away from me.

I have thuricide so am going out right now to spray it.

DG I will also use the D earth. How much do you use? And if it rains do you put more down?
CaptTurbo
8 years ago
It gets tougher Bea as the heat comes on. I will keep eating collards for a while but I planted so okra so I can get my gardening fix and have something to grow that has a chance in the summer heat. Even okra can challenge me for success if the aphids get after them.
bea (zone 9a -Jax area)
Original Author
8 years ago
Last two summers somehow I had no slugs or caterpillars. I had aphids but I was able to control them. When the heat seems to remain in the 90s daily I stretch 40% shade cloth over my garden and with that I continue harvesting tomatoes, cukes, peppers, sweet potatoes & eggplants. Tomatoes and cukes slow down during that time.

I love growing my own veggies. Up north I had a 1/4 acre garden where I grew pretty much all our veggies. No slugs, cutworms, beetles. The winters kept them under control. Sometimes, like right now, I look at my poor plants full of holes and wish I lived back north. Of course that only lasts until their temps dip below 50 or lower when they have snow and ice. Sigh…I can't have it all.
User
8 years ago
Bea, I don't measure the DE, just grab some and toss it around. It's not like a chemical that has a dosage, unless you're taking it internally, then it does. Be sure to get the food grade. The kind they use in pool filters will make you very sick. I buy it in 10 lb. bags from Amazon. Just put some down today for fire ants. I don't use anything but Boric Acid and DE for them, and it either runs them off or kills them, don't now.

Unfortunately, yes, you have to reapply after it rains, just like any other pesticide.
bea (zone 9a -Jax area) thanked User

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