Plant Pests

/Plant Pests

Aphids On Brussels Sprouts

These look like aphids. Aphids like to live on either new foliage or flowers, or protected areas like your Brussels sprouts. They are fairly easy to manage in a vegetable garden - spray them with a hard stream of water to knock them off the plants, or spray with insecticidal soap from your garden center. They would also have a horticultural oil you could use, or a soap or oil with Neem product. All of these are organic treatments for aphids. (Don't use household dish soaps as they contain other ingredients you don't want on food or plants in general - only use a soap product that's made for plants and use according to directions.) Just because you had them this year doesn't mean you will in the future. Populations of insects come and go, and there are other insects and critters that eat aphids. Just keep your eyes open for them in the future and spray with the organic product of your choice used according to the label directions.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:24-07:00 February 17th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Peachtree Borer

This is the same pest that attacks peaches and plums. It damages the trunk from just below to a short distance above the soil. The adult is a clearwing moth. It is commonly called the peachtree borer. Only the larval stage of the peachtree borer causes injury. Larvae burrow
in and feed on the cambium and inner barkof trees, usually at the base of the trunk from three inches below to 10 inches above the ground line. They also feed on large roots that
are near the soil surface. Larvae construct and feed in galleries. Accumulating gum, frass, and bark chips are pushed out of galleries to the outside These masses are often the first evidence of infestation. Several larvae may develop in one tree. Young trees are particularly susceptible to borers; when infested they are unthrifty and grow poorly. Borers easily damage large portions of the vascular tissue in small trees; mortality is common in these
instances. Older trees infested by borers may exhibit partial die-back, yellowing of foliage, stunted growth, and loss of vigor and productivity

By | 2016-02-17T13:13:09-08:00 February 17th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Psyllid

The raised spots are likely the work of psyllids, common name plant lice, small insects that depending on the species are host-specific, that is one species of a psyllid will colonize on one particular plant. They become abundant when temperatures warm and host plants develop fresh growth. The psyllid sucks the nutrients out of the foliage, stems, etc. and galls form on the leaves or buds. They also have ecreta, known as honeydew which can lead to the development of black sooty mold. Most experts agree that the psyllid damage is primarily aesthetic, but if population is extensive and the plant is yellowing there are several options: Use yellow sticky traps, spray the plant with Neem or horticultural oil (will need to re-apply until the problem is controlled) or if the plant is an ornamental, not an edible, a chemical insect control containing imidacloprid. Visit your local garden center for confirmation of the plant, the problem and appropriate remedy.

By | 2016-02-17T01:45:18-08:00 February 17th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Bean Pest

There a few too many possibilities for the trouble with your beans. One is spider mites, which leave this tell tale pattern of tiny dots and yellowing leaves. The other is a cultural condition, too much water, too little drainage. In addition, there a number of fungal disease that are transmitted to beans via small insects that suck on the leaf. It isn't the insect that is big problem, it is the disease they vector. If the plant is seriously in decline, remove it an don't put it in the compost. If it tends to 'get better' with time, remove affected leaves, and continue to grow the bean. Its always hard to tell whats happening if you can't see the actual pest. Here's some information on bean pests from University of California: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/beans.html
Let us know if we can help some more. Send a good close-up if you find something. Or take a sample to a local nursery for id and control measures.

By | 2016-02-16T11:51:50-08:00 February 16th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Chewing Insect

The problem with chewing insects such as bug larvae or grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars (too numerous to name) etc. is they move about and often are difficult to spot among the foliage, but if there are black dots on the foliage, it is the excrement of chewing insects. Chewing insects can be large enough to see with the naked eye, but they can be red, orange, green, brown, black, etc. so look closely and pluck off any you see and dispose in a bucket of soapy water as long as the infestation is not too extensive. If it is extensive, you can spray with an organic control for chewing insects recommended by your local garden center such as Bt or Spinosad, but follow application directions. Also show some of these leaves or this photo to a horticulturist at your local garden center for confirmation of the problem as well as recommendations for control but make sure it is formulated for vegetables.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:24-07:00 February 15th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Thrips Andor Leaf Miner

Its hard to see enough detail of the damage in this photo, but it could be Thrips insects and we think we see some damage from Leaf Miner insects. There is very little you can do about the leaf miner because they feed (in their larva stage) under the leaf epidermis and pesticidal products are usually not effective as they can't reach/contact the insect. You can pick off the leaves, but if the larva has already finished eating and pupated into the adult stage (who then flies away), there's no need to pick off the leaves that can still photosynthesize. Thrips are often the more damaging pest. You can usually use a pesticidal soap or horticultural oil to control them, but we recommend you read the info under the section titled "Chemical Control" on this web-page before using any product. There's also info about leaf miner in the second link.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7429.html
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/vegleafminers.html

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:24-07:00 February 15th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Spots On Tomato Leaves

Its hard to say from your photo. It could be insect pests, or it could be disease, or it could be any number of non-living (or environmental) issues causing the problem. If only one leaf is affected, the best thing you can do is pinch off the leaf and dispose of it, then make sure your hands are clean before you pick off another, or touch another plant, just in case its a disease that can be spread by contact. There are some tiney Thrips insects that feed on the leaves, but they may not stick around for long so you wouldn't see them, necessarily. They could come and go. Thrips (singular or plural) cause small, irregular, tan spots on the leaves and can leave behind tiny specks of black tar-like excrement. As for copper-colored spots, maybe nutrient issue or something was sprayed or splashed on them. We've included a link with more info on growing tomatoes and their problems. Its a link University of CA, but it will apply to growing tomatoes anywhere. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/tomato.html

By | 2016-02-15T09:30:06-08:00 February 15th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Psyllid

The raised spots are likely the work of psyllids, common name plant lice, small insects that depending on the species are host-specific, that is one species of a psyllid will colonize on one particular plant. They become abundant when temperatures warm and host plants develop fresh growth. The psyllid sucks the nutrients out of the foliage, stems, etc. and galls form on the leaves or buds. They also have ecreta, known as honeydew which can lead to the development of black sooty mold. Most experts agree that the psyllid damage is primarily aesthetic, but if population is extensive and the plant is yellowing there are several options: Use yellow sticky traps, spray the plant with Neem or horticultural oil (will need to re-apply until the problem is controlled). Visit your local garden center for confirmation of the problem and appropriate remedy for pecan trees. Visit the following for additional information: Discover Entomology at Texas A&M University - Extension ...
https://insects.tamu.edu/extension/publications/epubs/e-397.cfm‎

By | 2016-02-14T02:24:26-08:00 February 14th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Slugs Snails Or Chewing Insects

Looks like snails or slugs but could also be caterpillars. Look under the leaves for caterpillars and remove them by hand if you find them (some of them are small and some of them can get quite large). If there are a great many, use a spray or dust labeled to control them. Look for snails and slugs at dawn or dusk and remove them and dispose of them. Also look for slime trails around the plants early in the day to indicate their presence. If you have an area of your garden or landscape that may be harboring snails, we recommend trapping them and/or collecting them from the area every morning until you've eliminated them (or as much as possible). There are also organic snail baits formulated with iron phosphate that are safe around small pets and children. Since snails/slugs lay eggs in soil, we also recommend regular cultivation of the soil with a hoe or claw-type tool around the yard/garden, but avoid damaging plant roots. This link provides great info about managing snail/slugs.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/snailsslugscard.html

By | 2016-02-13T14:17:00-08:00 February 13th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Curling Leaves On Hydrangea

There are a few reasons that hydrangea leaves can curl like this - you can think about which one is more likely for your plant, but fungus isn't one of them so you can stop using any fungicide. 1. Most common cause is a sucking insect such as aphids or lacebug feeding under the leaves when the foliage is young. This damages the cells early in the life of the leaf so that as the leaves open they are distorted. Spray underneath of foliage with insecticidal soap if you see tiny insects on the underside of leaves. 2. Herbicide damage. If an herbicide such as weed killer has been applied around the plant or on a lawn surrounding the plant this can cause what you're seeing. Stop using weed killers on gardens and lawns. This includes pre-emergent products as well as broad-leaf weed killers. Water deeply to flush these out of the soil around hydrangeas. 3. Virus - least likely but possible. Usually with a virus you'll also see yellowing of foliage not just the curling. There is no cure for a virus, but as we say, this is the least likely cause.

By | 2016-02-13T12:52:07-08:00 February 13th, 2016|Plant Pests|11 Comments
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