Plant Pests

/Plant Pests

Eggplant Problem

First of all, congrats on growing those cute eggplants - but they are mini and should be picked at about 4 inches long for best flavor. We think what happened is a physiological stress problem seen in the Carolinas a couple of years ago when hot weather followed a good growing season and lots of rain fell at the same time. If you let it go completely, the brown areas get almost corky in texture. Since the growing season is young, suggest you pick off the affected fruits and spray the plants weekly with an organic product made for edibles that contains Neem. It will clean up insects and fungi that are there because the plants have been in stress. Resume fertilizing and watering when needed so new flowers and fruits can form.

By | 2016-04-05T10:42:09-07:00 April 5th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Twospined Spider

Your two-spined spider, Poecilopachys australasia, is endemic to Australia but has established itself in New Zealand since the 1970s. The female is the larger and more colorful compared to the smaller male. When mature, the female develops 2 distinctive spines or horns. Nocturnal, during the day, they can be found on the undersides of leaves, especially citrus. Considered harmless and non-aggressive to humans, it captures moths and other insects that are much larger than its own size. Suggest you free this beneficial arachnid and allow it to prey on insect pests outdoors.
Here is more information for you:
Two Spined spider(Poecilopachys Australasia) - TER:RAIN
www.terrain.net.nz/.../spiders/spider-two-spined-poecilopachys-australasi...‎

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:01-07:00 April 5th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Flea Beetles

The leaf damage look like that inflicted by flea beetles (look for medium sized black beetles). They are a common pests of some garden and agricultural crop plants. On established plants, their damage is often minor and doesn't affect plant health, but on young seedlings like yours, they could be more dangerous. Insecticide treatments for flea beetle control vary with the species and the crop. We recommend you seek advice about control strategies that will work for you, if the number of beetles and their damage continues to increase. We've included some web-links with more info. You may also want to seek advice from your local university extension farm/home adviser, a Master Gardener group, or your local garden center professional. http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05592.html

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:01-07:00 April 4th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Squash Vine Borer

. Adult squash vine borers look a lot like black wasps with red markings they lay eggs along squash stems. When the eggs hatch, the larvae bore into the stems, killing the part of the vine above the entry point. It can be quite devastating. Remove and kill adults (pick them off and dump them in soapy water and search out and scrape off any eggs you can find that are already laid. Also watch for hatched larvae. Most damage occurs in July and August.

If the stem that's cracked wilts, it's probably the cause. Cut off the stem and look inside to find the larvae. Smash them! To read more about this pest and organic controls, go here: http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/squash-vine-borer-control-zw0z1304zkin.aspx#axzz37mHeZ1ns

By | 2016-04-04T13:43:19-07:00 April 4th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Leaf Miner

This damage appears to be caused by a leaf miner. A small fly or moth lays its eggs beneath the surface of the leaf and when the eggs hatch, the larvae tunnel thru the leaf tissue, consuming the nutrients in the foliage. Once the damage has been done, nothing will reverse it. Chemical pesticides are not effective against this pest because most products won't penetrate thru the leaf surface although organic products containing Spinosad have often worked to prevent further infestation. Once the damage has been done to the leaf, it is not reversible. Usually the damage done by these insects is not going to kill the plant unless the infestation is extensive. Here is a link that you might find helpful: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/vegleafminers.html

By | 2016-04-03T12:35:59-07:00 April 3rd, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Mealybugs

Your infestation is likely mealybugs, especially if they have a cottony, fuzzy appearance and feel sticky. The black residue that you see is the result of the honey dew that the insect secretes. A mold then grows on top of the honeydew and that is called Black Sooty Mold. The sooty mold won't harm the plant unless it is excessive and prohibits the plant from photosynthesizing. It looks as though there could be a fungal leaf spot issue also. For an mealybug infestation of this magnitude, you should prune out and dispose of the affected plant parts. If it is excessive, you probably should consider replacing the plant. To keep the situation under control, you might want to consider one of the Bayer products. A systemic insecticide plus fungicide would be your best bet.

By | 2016-04-03T11:19:58-07:00 April 3rd, 2016|Plant Pests|1 Comment
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Whitefly

If you flick a leaf, so they fly away, then settle back down? If so, these are whitefly. (If not, they're probably aphids.) Whitefly live on plants throughout their three life-stages. During the first stage, whitefly lay eggs which appear on the underside of leaves as white patches arranged in regular curves. Each female can produce 100-200 eggs at a time. After the eggs hatch, they become larvae that suck out the nutrients of the leaves and stems. (The stickiness you feel is called honeydew, a fancy word for the excretions of the insects.) And as adults they become flying insects that lay more eggs and the cycle repeats itself. Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap that are direct-contact controls. Another organic remedy is Spinosad that has a 7-10 day residual.

By | 2016-04-02T13:12:22-07:00 April 2nd, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Scale Or Mealy Bug On Cherry

You are probably correct that this is scale but there are also some white mealy bugs that attack Prunus species, so it could be either of these - without seeing it under a microscope sometimes it's difficult to tell which you have. Both are "sucking insects" - that is, they suck plant juices but don't bite and chew plant leaves. Both are best treated with either insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, available at your local garden center. Use according to directions. Don't be tempted to use a household soap or detergent as these commonly have other ingredients that can burn plants. You can read more about scales and mealy bug at this great website from University of Connecticut: http://www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/nursery/caes_fs/caes_fs_scalepests.htm

By | 2016-04-02T02:47:16-07:00 April 2nd, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Sooty Mold

Well-named, this fungus is a byproduct of insects feeding on the plant, usually aphids, but on a lemon it's likely to be scale. The insect excretes excess plant juices onto the leaves below and the sooty mold grows on that. It's likely that the floor under your plant is sticky from sooty mold as well. You know it's sooty mold if it rubs off. Scale on lemons is usually brown or tan bumps on the underside of leaves or stems of the plant. You can scratch them off with your thumb. Put the plant in the shower and wash it off as best you can, and spray while it's there with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil - ask at your garden center for a product for scale. Gently scratch off any scale that you can as well, and wipe leaves with a soft, damp cloth.

By | 2016-04-01T22:10:28-07:00 April 1st, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Cabbage Aphids

This looks like a common insect pest called Cabbage Aphids (or sometimes just Aphids - there are many different species of them, but they all have very similar same feeding habit/life cycle). Among other things, you can clean these off with your hands, use a high-pressure spray of water to knock them off, and allow their natural enemies (lady beetles, parasitic wasps, green lacewings, etc) to help control them after you have reduced the population using the above methods. We've also included this link to give you more info about control measures. If you have trouble getting control of them with these methods, you can also get a pesticidal soap from your local garden center. Follow the label directions for best results. Happy Gardening! http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/aphidscard.html

By | 2016-04-01T19:05:33-07:00 April 1st, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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