Plant Pests

/Plant Pests

Spider Mites

This is possibly being caused by a large population of Spider Mites. They can only be seen with a magnifying lens and suck plant sap and chlorophyll from the leaves, causing the speckled appearance we see on these leaves. You'll want to verify this ID by looking at the link we've included and examining the upper & lower sides of the leaves with a magnifying lens. You may also see some very fine, disorganized, webbing with mites in the web. If you confirm, you can use insecticidal soaps or horticulture oils to control them, but don't over-use these products because you'll probably be killing other beneficial mites that are natural enemies of these mite pests. When many of the predatory/natural enemies are killed, the spider mite pest population can sky rocket and get worse. You can also help keep the population of pest mites down by occasionally washing off the leaves of the affected plants early in the morning (and allowing them to dry throughout the day). Here's a web-link with more info:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/spidermitescard.html

By | 2016-02-13T11:38:01-08:00 February 13th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Strawberry Fruit Nubbins

There are several possibilities for the cause of the deformation of your strawberry fruit. In most cases these types of fruit deformations are called "nubbins". We've included several links with pertinent info. We can't be more specific because we don't have all the information we need to ID the cause definitively, but you can compare what you know about growing conditions (including temperatures, fertilizers, insect presence, chemical applications, and etc) to the info in these links. You may be able to correct the growth of future fruits if its an issue that is caused by lack of fertilizer/nutrients, or if it was insect damage and the pests are now gone, maybe temps are evening out, and so on.
http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berrytool/strawberry/flowersandfruit/strnubbiness.htm
http://strawberryplants.org/2010/05/growing-strawberries/
http://strawberryplants.org/2010/12/deformed-strawberries/

By | 2016-02-13T09:41:54-08:00 February 13th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Citrus Problem

Its a little hard to see clearly exactly what the small white insects are. We suspect either whiteflies or cottony cushion scale. If the insects fly when disturbed, they are whiteflies. If the are soft and mushy and more congregated on the stems, its probably cottony cushion scale. This website will help you id the pest and give you control measures: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7410.html. Or, you could send a clearer close-up and we should be able to tell for sure. Also let us know if there is black sooty mold on the leaves. Beyond that, this tree looks like it is suffering from various nutrient deficiencies. Normally, we wouldn't recommend fertilizing now because it could make the tree more frost sensitive. However, this shouldn't be a problem where you live, so begin feeding the tree monthly with a liquid citrus fertilizer that includes nitrogen and chelated micronutrients iron, zinc and manganese. Your local nursery can recommend the right fertilizer. Follow the label instructions. Come January or February, you could switch to a dry citrus fertilizer which would be easier to apply. Also make sure the tree is not getting overwatered. This time of year, a deep watering every 10 days to 2 weeks should be plenty.

By | 2016-01-26T22:12:35-08:00 January 26th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Deformation Of Tomato Fruit

While this type of fruit deformation can be caused by pests, like spider mites feeding on the floral ovary (which matures into the fruit) before/during fruit formation, it can also be caused by other abnormalities in flower part formation or environmental conditions. Someone explained it like this: "where multiple flowers produce tomatoes that grow into one another creating one giant tomato," but more scientific explanations are probably more accurate. We've also copied the following from the webpage listed below: "Zippering usually occurs when the anther of the tomato flower sticks to the developing fruit and produces a scar as the fruit grows, extending from the blossom end to the stem. Sometimes an open hole develops in addition to the scar. The only control is to select varieties that are less prone to zippering. Catfacing is a deformity that occurs during the formation of the flower and is on the blossom-end of the tomato. It can be caused by cold temperatures during flowering, high nitrogen fertilization, or improper pruning. Large-fruited varieties of tomato (such as, 'Brandywine') are more prone to catfacing than others." You can see photos of these conditions at this web page:
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/visual-guides/tomato-fruit-problems.aspx

By | 2016-01-26T12:50:47-08:00 January 26th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Scale Insects Severe Infestation

This is a pretty bad infestation of sap sucking insects called Scale. We haven't ID'd to species, but they are damaging the plant and will cause black sooty mold to grow. The insects excrete a sugary, sticky excrement called honeydew that is a perfect "food" for the sooty mold fungus to grow in. The sooty mold spores exist in the environment and won't kill the plant but will cut back on photosynthesis in the affected leaves. The bigger issue is the number of scale insects. They are difficult to control with pesticides because the adult insect body (the egg laying reproductive stage) is protected under the outer covering you see, and some contact-type products are not effective. These look like a soft scale so a horticultural oil will usually work. Follow the label directions to avoid damaging the tree in high temps, dry soil, etc. However, we also recommend you first prune out the most infected branches (being careful to prune properly and for aesthetic value) to reduce the amount of pesticide you'll need to use and to reduce the number of pests that can reproduce. We've included a link with general info about controlling scale insects from the Univeristy of CA.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/scalescard.html

By | 2016-01-26T07:16:31-08:00 January 26th, 2016|Plant Pests|1 Comment
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Spider Mites

This is being caused by a large population of Spider Mites. These tiny spiders (can only be seen with a magnifying lens) suck plant sap and chlorophyll from the leaves, causing the speckled appearance we see on these leaves. You'll want to verify this ID by looking at the link we've included and examining the upper & lower sides of the leaves with a magnifying lens. You may also see some very fine, disorganized, webbing with mites in the web. If you confirm, you can use insecticidal soaps or horticulture oils to control them, but don't over-use these products because you'll probably be killing other beneficial mites that are natural enemies of these mite pests. When many of the predatory/natural enemies are killed, the spider mite pest population can sky rocket and get worse. You can also help keep the population of pest mites down by occasionally washing off the leaves of the affected plants early in the morning (and allowing them to dry throughout the day). Here's a web-link with more info:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/spidermitescard.html

By | 2016-01-25T15:55:02-08:00 January 25th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Slugs Snails Or Chewing Insects

Looks like snails or slugs but could also be chewing insects, like beetles or caterpillars. We can't see the "black spots" you mention clearly enough to determine type of organism, but beetles and caterpillars leave small droppings (snail and slugs leave behind long, curled feces). Look under the leaves for caterpillars and remove them by hand if you find 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 a dark, moist area of your garden or landscape that may be harboring slugs/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. Pay particular attention to the info about Baits if you have pets and children. Do NOT get bait on your edible plants.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/snailsslugscard.html

By | 2016-01-24T22:51:23-08:00 January 24th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Spider Mites

Shrimp plants are notoriously difficult to grow indoors unless you have a greenhouse with full sun and high humidity, so don't feel bad! They are also prone to spider mites. I know you said your pests are smaller than mites, but mites are often so small that you need a magnifying glass to see them. Are the brown dots you're seeing the mites themselves or are they the damaged leaf tissue that the mites leave behind? (Mites are piercing, sucking pests that penetrate leaf tissue and suck out the chlorophyl.) Can you see them move? If you're not sure, put a piece of white paper underneath a leaf and tap the leaf hard. A few mites will fall off onto the paper. Also, use a misting bottle to spray the leaf axils and undersides of the leaves. If you see any webbing, that's a good indication that the plant has mites. This may sound harsh, but we suggest you get rid of this plant and buy yourself a house plant that is easier to grow indoors, one that will be more rewarding and give you less trouble. Unless this shrimp plant has great sentimental value, that's what we would do.

By | 2016-01-24T18:41:09-08:00 January 24th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Root Problems

It is difficult to identify a wilted plant, but it looks like a veronica (speedwell). Most veronicas are tough as nails, so this is perplexing.The most common cause of afternoon wilting is almost always a problem with the roots or crown of the plant. It is common in plants that do not for some reason have an adequate root system. Are the liatris and echinacea that are affected nearby? Mole run or some other rodent tunnel under the plant, so the roots are hanging in the air is one possible cause. Excess nitrogen fertilizing actually burning the roots (but there is usually some leaf browning as well) could be another cause. Compacted soil so the water only penetrates an inch or so could also do it. I know you've tried to take pains with the soil, but just to make sure, push a screwdriver into the soil. If that is difficult, your soil may be compacted. You may want to consult an experienced local gardener who can actually visit your garden. Since we are only making educated guesses, we'd love it if you contacted us again when you find out the actual cause. It will help us help the next person with a similar problem.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:26-07:00 January 24th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Scale Insects On Hibiscus

This looks to be either Cottony Cushion Scale, or Newman Snow Scale, or Lesser Snow Scale. All of these scale insects are plant sap-suckers and can be very damaging to Hibiscus if their populations are high (numerous insects causing leaves to yellow and fall off, or many scales on the stems). If these are the only ones you've found, just seal the leaves up and throw them in the trash and continue to keep an eye out for more of them by inspecting the plant (other plants close by and other similar plants) on a regular (weekly) basis. If the population is large, we recommend you seek advice from local Master Gardeners (there may be a group associated with your regional agriculature/horticulture University or County Ag Dept. You could also check with your local nursery. One more note - it looks like there may be one or two scale (on the leaves to the right of the photo) that are swollen and dark in color? If so, these may have been parasitized by another insect (referred to in general as natural enemies) that use these scale as a host to lay its eggs in. That's a very good thing to help you maintain control of the scale, so don't use pesticides because those products kill the natural enemies too.

By | 2016-01-23T18:56:56-08:00 January 23rd, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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